ENHANCE - 4th Quarter 2025

4 th Quarter 2025 • No 225
Christian Friends of Israel
United Kingdom
I will hear from heaven, and I will
forgive their sin and heal their land
2 Chronicles 7:14
INSIDE: EDITORIAL – A Covenant for the people • Why the land promise matters - Part 3 • Festivals Report • 40 th Conference Report
HEBREW WORD FOCUS – Yesod, Foundation • Around & About • A plan for peace • Chief Rabbi’s message - Rosh Hashanah • Resources

Editorial
Christian Friends of Israel
United Kingdom
A Covenant for
the people
About us
CFI UK seeks to bless Israel through
practical and moral support, and serve
the Church in teaching about God’s
purposes for Israel and the Hebrew
heritage of our faith.
CFI UK also produce a monthly prayer
letter and a weekly audio Middle East
report.
Please contact us for full details of
projects in Israel and the teaching
resources available.
As an educational charity, we carry a
variety of resources relevant to our
purpose. We do not necessarily endorse
every view expressed by our guest
writers or authors.
Encouraging understanding in the
Church about Israel in context of the
Bible, history and today.
Challenging prejudice against Israel
and antisemitism alongside the Jewish
community in the UK.
Assisting community cross-culturally
in Israel with charitable projects -
medical, educational and social.
What’s in a name?
ENHANCE means to increase, or further
improve the quality, value, or extent
of, in our instance, Christian friendship
of Israel. It also emphasises that when
God’s faithfulness to Israel is included and
understood by the wider Church, it truly is
‘faith enhancing.’
ENHANCE Magazine
Published by:
CFI Charitable Trust, PO Box 2687
Eastbourne BN22 7LZ
Tel: 01323 410 810
Email: info@cfi.org.uk
www.cfi.org.uk
Registered Charity, No. 1101899
Registered Office c/o
Caladine, Chantry House, 22 Upperton Road
Eastbourne, BN21 1BF
Company No: 04984515
VAT Registration No: GB678780275
Front cover photo:
Galileecalendars.com
April 2022
Jacob Vince
Many have wondered how
is it that the apostledisciples
still expected,
‘The restoration of the kingdom to Israel’
(Acts 1:6) despite their having spent
three years as eye witnesses (see Luke
1:2) of all that Jesus ‘began’ to do
and to teach (see Acts 1:1), and after
Jesus’ resurrection, received 40 days
of his teaching? (see Acts 1:3).
If we follow Luke’s gospel record, we
learn at the outset that he purposely
set out an orderly account (see Luke
1:3). Hence it is significant to see
how Luke links the commencement
of volume one, his gospel, with the
conclusion of his volume two, the
acts of the apostles.
Early in his gospel record Luke
inserts an insight from Simeon who
declares that Jesus will be,
“A light for revelation to the Gentiles,
and the glory of your people Israel.”
(Luke 2:32)
Toward the end of his second volume
Acts, Luke inserts the apostle Paul’s
words,
“I am saying nothing beyond what the
prophets and Moses said would happen
— that the Messiah would suffer and,
as the first to rise from the dead, would
bring the message of light to his own
people and to the Gentiles.”
(Acts 26:22-23).
Both these declarations, which
bookend Luke’s two volume record,
quote words from the prophet Isaiah,
so are clearly connected. These
words concern bringing the message
of light to Jesus’ ‘own’ people Israel,
alongside extending that message to
Jesus’ ‘won’ people, the Gentiles.
There are two passages in Isaiah from
which the quotation is taken,
“I will keep you and will make you to be
a ‘covenant for the people’ and a light for
the Gentiles” (Isaiah 42:6)
‘He says: “It is too small a thing for you
to be my servant to restore the tribes of
Jacob and bring back those of Israel I
have kept. I will also make you a light
for the Gentiles, that my salvation may
reach to the ends of the earth.”’
(Isaiah 49:6)
What is interesting in the first
reference is the phrase, ‘covenant
for the people’. Whilst not found
immediately in the second quotation,
just two verses later it is found,
‘This is what the Lord says: “In the
time of my favour I will answer you, and
in the day of salvation I will help you; I
will keep you and will make you to be ‘a
covenant for the people,’
‘to restore the land’ and to reassign its
desolate inheritances.”’ (Isaiah 49:8)
In fact, there are two parts to this
chapter (see Isaiah 49:1-7 and 49:8-
26) The first relates to the Servant
of the Lord bringing salvation of
the ‘people’, the one focussed upon
in Jesus’ time; and the second part
referring to the Servant of the Lord
bringing restoration of the ‘land’, as
found in the final recorded question
to Jesus before his ascension.
The indication from Luke’s gospel is
that both Simeon and Paul knew their
scriptures (Law, Prophets Psalms -
which Luke records in the Apostles’
teaching) and both were aware of the
passages in Isaiah they refer to, and
indeed the ‘covenant promises’ more
generally. It therefore appears that
they intended, under God-breathed
inspiration, to emphasise the Messiah
as, ‘a covenant for the people’ of
Israel, extended to salvation of the
Gentiles. That they, together with the
apostle-disciples and Jesus himself,
based on Jesus’ answer to the final
question of the disciples before his
ascension, recognised as part of Jesus
being ‘a covenant for the people’, an
additional element, ‘to restore the land’.
God’s timing is perfect. After the
garden of Eden when humankind
become corrupted, he could have
brought correction through the
Messiah immediately, aware he was
the Lamb slain before the foundation
of the world. Yet God waits some
4,000 years to reveal Israel’s Messiah
and the Saviour of the world. Should
God then decide to wait a further
2,000 years or so to restore Israel to
the land promised, this is entirely
within his prerogative.
2 ENHANCE • 4 th Quarter 2025

Guest Teaching
Why the land promise matters Part 3
In this three-part essay series, Gerald McDermott explores the notion of supersessionism (replacement thinking) in Christian theology, which
suggests the promises made to the Jewish people in the Old Testament, including the land promise, have been superseded (replaced) by the
Christian Church. He contends this view has dominated Christian interpretation since the fourth century, leading to the marginalisation of the New
Testament’s references to the land promise. McDermott posits evidence in the New Testament that contradicts supersessionism, and he argues
that recognising the ongoing significance of the land promise is vital for understanding God’s trustworthiness and the fulfilment of his promises.
True worship, for Jesus,
will be everywhere in
Spirit and in truth and
centred in Jerusalem at the
final event.
If Jesus clearly referred to the future
of the land of Israel (see Part 2
ENHANCE Q3 2025), so did Peter.
In his second speech in Jerusalem,
delivered after Jesus’s resurrection,
Peter says there’s still to come a
future restoration apokatastasis, using
the Greek word in the Septuagint
for the return of Jews to the land
from the four corners of the earth
(see Acts 3:21). So, for Peter, the
return from exile in Babylon did
not fulfill the older testimonies,
the Tanakh’s prophecies of return.
Nor did Jesus’ resurrection. There
was a future return to come. And
we know this didn’t happen for
another 1,800 years.
The Gihon spring, city of David, Jerusalem
We’ve already seen from Acts that
Paul made clear he held to the land
promise (see Part 2 ENHANCE Q3
2025). There’s further evidence in
Romans. Paul says the “gifts of God”
are “irrevocable” (Romans 11:29).
There’s little doubt that for Paul,
the land was one of these gifts, for
in the writings of prominent firstcentury
Jews—Philo, Josephus,
and Ezekiel the Tragedian—the
land was God’s principal gift to the
Jewish people.
The early church saw it this way.
According to Robert Wilken in ‘The
Land Called Holy’, early Christians
interpreted the angel’s promise to
Mary that her baby would be given
“the throne of his father David” and
that he would “reign over the house
of Jacob forever” (Luke 1:32–33) as
indications of “the restoration and
establishment of the kingdom in
Jerusalem.”
The Book of Revelation is replete
with references to the future of the
land of Israel. The two witnesses
will be killed in Jerusalem (see
Revelation 11:8); the battle of
Armageddon will take place in
Israel (see Revelation 16:16); the
gates of the New Jerusalem (which,
notably, isn’t the New Rome or
New Constantinople) are inscribed
with, “the names of the twelve tribes
of the sons of Israel” (Revelation
21:12); the 144,000 with the names
of the Lamb and the Father on their
foreheads stand on Mount Zion in
Jerusalem (see Revelation 14:1); Gog
and Magog will march over the
“broad plain of the land” of Israel and
surround the saints and “the beloved
city” of Jerusalem before they’re
consumed by heavenly fire (see
Revelation 20:9). The renewed earth
will be centred in Jerusalem (see
Revelation 11:2; 21:10).
For the author of Revelation, then,
the land of Israel was holy not
simply because Israel and Jesus
lived there but also because it
would be the scene of crucial future
events in the history of redemption.
In sum, this three part series shows
there’s an abundance of evidence in
the Gospels, Acts, the Epistles, and
Revelation for (1) the land promise,
(2) the holiness of Jerusalem, and
(3) the theological significance of
the land of Israel in the future and
in the eschaton, the final event.
Does this matter? Yes, it does, for
three reasons.
First, if the land promise was ended
with the coming of Jesus, then
God is not trustworthy. For he
promised to Abraham and his seed
that the land would be theirs for an
everlasting possession (see Genesis
17:8).
Second, if the land promise to Israel
is broken, then so might God’s
promise to renew and restore the
heavens and the earth. The land
promise’s partial fulfilment—by
bringing Jews from the four corners
of the earth back to the land starting
in the eighteenth century—is a
down payment on the promise of a
new heaven and a new earth.
Third, it becomes a deep theological
reason why we should support
Israel in their struggle against the
new Nazism. Jews have more
title to the land than any other
people. God called them to share
the land in justice, and they have
shown time and again that they are
willing. Today two million Arabs
are full citizens in Israel enjoying
political freedoms and world-class
education and health care—far
more than Arabs enjoy anywhere
else in the Arab world. Like
Hitler’s Nazis, Hamas is inciting
genocide, the attempted elimination
of a whole people, the Jews. If we
Christians thought it was right to
destroy Nazism in World War II,
then we should support Israel’s
efforts to destroy Hamas, a new
Nazism.
Gerald R. McDermott
is an Anglican theologian
who teaches at Reformed
Episcopal Seminary and
Jerusalem Seminary.
He is the editor of
‘Understanding The Jewish
Roots of Christianity’
(Lexham Press), and author of ‘Israel Matters:
Why Christians Must Think Differently About
the People and the Land’ (Brazos Press).
4 th Quarter 2025 • ENHANCE 3

Festivals Report
By Julia Soakell
The Refuel festival in
Fochabers in the Highlands
of Scotland is set in the
beautiful grounds of
Gordon Castle.
Attendance was increased again
from previous years and there were
more ministries represented in the
gardens around the main stage.
It was evident that the tensions
caused by the conflict were more
prominent. As a team, we were led
to pray a boundary of protection
around the grounds and asked the
Lord to protect the whole event
Sun 20 July — Thur 24 July 2025
Gordon Castle Estate, Aberdeenshire
The Gazebo tent over the team
David Soakell sharing on CFI UK
By Chantal Paskins
As this was my first time
attending Creation Fest,
I did not know what to
expect or how people
would respond, given the
current situation in Israel.
Jacob, Kate and myself left
Eastbourne early in the morning
for Cornwall and arrived in good
time. The sun was shining as we
set up our stall opposite one of the
entrances to the main event stage.
There was a range of exhibitors, with
one other Israel-related ministry,
July 31 – 3 August 2025
Royal Cornwall Events Centre, Wadebridge
The meeting tent
The outdoor stage
The unique outdoor exhibition at Refuel around the fountain pond
spiritually and keep away those who
might be antagonistic. Although
there were controversial elements
present who were given opportunity
to speak, CFI UK and Bridges for
Peace were present and active and
prayerfully aware of creating a line
within the actual gazebo. No one
entered who was aggressive or
Philip engages visitors on Israel
discourteous, and all accepted our
presence to bring understanding
on Hebraic Judaic roots and Israel’s
place biblically.
It was good to be a place of solace
for those who have steadfastly
supported Israel with CFI UK, or with
other ministry-supported prayer
groups. Some had found the media
bias discouraging and we were able
to lift their spirits and pray with
them.
Sessions were arranged each day
within our CFI UK gazebo, where we
covered, in short seminars, studies
and updates on projects and one
on little treasures of Hebrew words
assisting understanding, which help
us walk more intimately with the
Lord. They were all well received.
Two other Christian ministries both
made a concerted effort to thank
us for being there. Both before the
event and through it, they were
intentionally praying for the team,
David, Philip and Julia.
We were able to have good
conversations. Some of which
were recommending books and
resources, and some were about
our free literature, and how we can
continue to encourage support and
prayer for Israel at such a difficult
time. We knew all the way through
that we were guided by the prayers
of our supporters.
We are now praying and considering
having a CFI UK resources stall there
again next year. Your prayers are
appreciated.
Julia Soakell speaks about CFI UK
Chantal Paskins and Kate Vince ready to help visitors
which was encouraging. Thankfully
the place was buzzing with people
almost all of the time as they came
into the exhibition area for hot
drinks and food at the festival café.
We were pleased that many people
appreciated us being present. We
had good conversations daily, with
many willing to listen to why we are
Some visitors ask Kate about Israel
Christian friends of Israel. As the
days went by, I could really sense
that there was considerable interest
in understanding Israel as people
came up to speak with us. It was
encouraging to know this because
some really wanted to show
friendship toward Isreal but did
not know how, whilst others were
seeking answers on how to show
Jesus to their Jewish friends and how
best to share Israel in their churches.
As Kate and I engaged in different
conversations, we had Jacob at hand
to answer the more challenging
questions, with many returning for
further answers.
What was really encouraging was
those interested in our Hebrew
and Kesher course studies, our
informative books, context
booklets, foldout pamphlets and
Israel maps, indicating their desire
to learn more about the significance
of Israel.
We were blessed having different
food stalls from all over world,
different tents with teaching, prayer
and worship sessions and a bus that
became a bookstall which served
teas and coffees.
Overall, we had lots of people
signing up to receive our CFI UK
quarterly ENHANCE magazine and
others wanting to stay in contact
and join us on a future CFI UK
Explore Israel tour. We left Cornwall
Many conversations about Israel
feeling motivated and inspired not
to give up but continue sharing
about the place of Israel in God’s
unfolding purposes.
4 ENHANCE • 4 th Quarter 2025

By Julia Soakell
Our time in Lincoln at the
Awaken festival, at the
Lincolnshire Showground,
was really good and a
real testimony to God’s
faithfulness but also
strategic prayer.
We were blessed with great
accommodation for the team of
David, Julia and Philip, with Robin
on one day too. We felt that for
the last of the Christian summer
festivals we should pray particularly
for visits to the stand by young
22 – 25 August 2025
Lincolnshire Showground
The main meeting tent
A well positioned stall in the Expo
By Sam Willis
We are very blessed to
have such a large-scale
event located only a short
drive from Eastbourne.
The estate itself features some
stunning landscape, and a fantastic
view of Wiston House.
We began our days with a short
prayer time, and we certainly saw
proof that God answers prayers.
We were so encouraged to see
just how much positivity there is
towards our work and the nation
of Israel. We met many of our
supporters at the festival and were
22–24 August 2025
Wiston Estate, West Sussex
The view of Wiston House
The Expo tent for exhibitors
Philip Aitchison and Julia Soakell serving the visitors to Awaken 2025
people and young adults, and for leaders and pastors of the future.
open hearted enquirers in this age Obviously in August, many people,
bracket. We were so blessed as a including Christians at the festivals,
team that the Lord clearly answered will have considered their thoughts
this request as, in time, these could and stance on the present conflict,
indeed be the youth workers, church having encountered mainstream
media and hopefully explored other
narratives. But each person who
approached us wanting a fuller
understanding, came with an open
heart to enquire further.
Half of visitors were young adults
This was such an answer to prayer,
but we were also really encouraged
by supporters and others who came
to the CFI UK resources stall just
to recognise us as the only Israelrelated
ministry present, and thank
us for being there.
A very spacious hall for the expo, good for people to gather around the stall
We were thrilled to meet many new people interested in Israel
Enquirers came with an open mind
thrilled to meet many new faces
as well, with person after person
coming to show their interest and
express their appreciation. One
lady even remarked “I wish I could
stay here all day”, after returning to
purchase books a second time.
As recent global events and media
stories lingered in people’s minds,
it was inevitable that we would
receive some questions about the
current situation in Israel, and our
response to that. But God clearly
went before us in people’s hearts,
as most enquirers came with an
open mind, seeking truth rather
than conflict. Only one individual
came with any antagonism, and
after a long conversation with
Jacob, was able to shake his hand
and say “thank you for your time”.
Sadly, on the morning of the
second day we found that our
mobile card machine was not
working – an issue which continued
long after the weekend due to a
problem with our provider. This
caused some stress and was a
challenge to work around, but
God graciously kept the enquirers
at bay while we wrestled with the
equipment. Praise God that he
provided an alternative payment
mechanism through our website
on Jacob’s laptop. This method
was a little more convoluted
for purchasers than a simple
contactless payment, but everyone
was very gracious and patient to
stick with the process until the end.
All in all, it was a very successful
weekend. It was wonderful to spend
time with other exhibitors in the
venue, networking and encouraging
each other, as well as venturing
out in breaktimes to try out various
food stalls and enjoy the sun and
ongoing praise and worship. It was
a pleasure to spend the weekend
at such a beautiful location, in the
peak of summer, surrounded by
people praising the Lord.
Good networking opportunities
4 th Quarter 2025 • ENHANCE 5

Conference Report
CFI UK 40 th Anniversary Conference 2025
Why Israel matters
The theme, “Why Israel matters to the
Church”, at this year’s 40 th Anniversary
Conference, provided the opportunity to
see again that God’s promises hold true.
Everyone received a warm welcome from Beverley and
Leisel at the door, and a refreshments team, arranged
by Chantal and Alina, supplied much needed drinks at
break times. Thanks again to our hosts Suncoast Church.
Our speakers brought challenging and theologically
sound messages. Both were timely for the current season.
Chairman, David Linnell reviewed
CFI UKs 40 years of ministry
Julie
Smillie Sam
Willis
Jacob Vince, CFI UK Chief Executive,
introducing the conference
theme for 2025
Matthew
Soakell
Gerald McDermott spoke on why Israel matters in the
Bible, through history and today. Alongside this, Martin
Charlesworth spoke passionately about the cultural
progressiveness we see today, and particularly how it
relates to the source of the rise in antisemitism. He gave
firsthand experience from his research.
A good number attended, nearly 200 and it was the
largest attendance on a Friday evening for several years.
Thank you to all those who came. There were many
first-time attendees and many younger adults, some
even travelled from Wales and Scotland for this
anniversary gathering.
The staff team session on Saturday included
presentations by David Soakell on the relevance
of our 40 years supporting Israel, and updates
on prayer and projects in Jerusalem by Julia.
Next came a message on ‘Generation to
Generation’ and social media, by Matthew
Soakell, also very well received. CFI UK
Advocacy was addressed by Robin Lane and
Jacob Vince rounded up by covering other key
issues addressed by CFI UK.
In the breaks the Resources Stall was well
used, and attendees were impressed by the
range of items available. Speakers’ titles and
conference messages can now be ordered
online or via phone (see back page).
“..for God’s gifts
and his call are
irrevocable.”
Romans 11:29
Nearly 200 attended over the 2 days of the 40 th Anniversary Conference
Tracey Weldon busy on the CFI Resources stall
6 ENHANCE • 4 th Quarter 2025

Friday 12 th & Saturday 13 th September
to the Church
Gerald McDermott
Martin Charlesworth
New staff member, Sam Willis, did well leading
the sung worship for the first time at our Annual
Conference, accompanied by Julie Smillie, of
Suncoast Church, on keyboard and vocals, and
Matthew Soakell on drums.
The CFI UK 40 th Year Anniversary Exhibition was
available onsite for all to view, an excellent visual
summary and testimony to God’s faithfulness,
compiled by Steve Turnham our freelance graphic
designer. This shows the founding of CFI UK back
in 1985 by Derek and Grace White and how the
ministry grew and expanded, so that today CFI is
established in over 24 nations.
“There’s a profound
ambivalence and
hostility towards
the Jewish people”
We were pleased to welcome our friend Dorit
Oliver-Wolff BEM, a Holocaust Survivor who
commented on how comfortable and welcomed
she always feels at our conferences.
Sadly, Andrew and Liz Day were unable to
join us, having blessed us so much over
previous years with the sung worship.
Please continue to pray for Andrew and
his treatment plan and for him to be able
to be built up nutritionally.
To order Audio or Video of the event
please see Resources on the back page.
Robin
Lane
Your Conference Feedback
Loved being in a place of fellowship
with likeminded people, loved the
time of sharing by the staff.
How good to have time to talk over
the issues the two speakers brought in
their presentations.
So apt for today and so insightful.
Encouraging for both prayer and
continuing witness.
The two guest speakers were the best
I have heard at a CFI UK conference,
both of them were genuine
theologians, well worth listening to.
David & Julia Soakell
Jacob
Vince
Matthew
Soakell
Gerald McDermott
The exhibition display showing the 40 year history of CFI UK
Celebrating Jesus the name above all names, with Sam Willis on guitar and vocals
x.com/cfi_uk youtube.com/cfiuk cfi.org.uk
4 th Quarter 2025 • ENHANCE 7

Hebrew Word Focus
Melissa Briggs
Before purchasing a home, a thorough
survey is undertaken where an
inspector looks for signs of any
damage to the foundations.
These sometimes show up as uneven floors or
expanding cracks, which will be dangerous if left
untreated. Ignoring cracks in the foundation is
extremely reckless.
The psalmist writes, “When the foundations are being
destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Psalm 11:3).
Sometimes it feels like the foundations of our
civilisation are shifting at an alarming rate. Even in the
Church, so much of what we used to take for granted
as unquestionable truth, is now being eroded and
overturned. Divisions in the Church, and throughout
wider society, multiply and fester at an exponential rate.
The adaptions to Christian beliefs that are being
suggested and implemented can feel like an
inexperienced showman is attempting the trick where
the tablecloth is whipped out from
under a set table - hoping to reveal
that everything stayed neatly put.
Except, maybe it has gone terribly
wrong, and the dishes and cutlery
are crashing haphazardly to the
floor. Removing the foundation has
disastrous results.
A foundation is a place of beginning. An essential
starting point. It bears up everything that comes after
it. If the foundation is insufficient to hold the weight
of what is built upon it, then the whole structure cracks
and crumbles. The primary word for “foundation” or
base” in Hebrew is ‏ְיְסֹוד - YESOD, which comes from the
root verb ‏ָיָסַ‏ ד - YASAD, meaning “to fix, establish, firmly
place, and lay a foundation”.
What - or Who - is the foundation upon which we are
establishing our life?
As Christians we know that Jesus himself desires to be
that firm foundation - YESOD. The worthy Cornerstone.
The Rock. The Builder. The Master Craftsman.
Of all the options in world history, the Messiah chose to
arrive in Israel exactly when he did. And many in the
world recognise his coming as a watershed moment.
Jesus carried out his ministry in the context of Jewish
culture, fulfilling Jewish Messianic prophesies.
He spoke primarily as a Jew to Jews, and into the issues
of those days, in their language. And at the same time,
amazingly, his ministry had universal significance that
surpasses all languages, culture and time periods.
Shouldn’t he get the ultimate say in what is built in
his Name? We are his children, his ambassadors, his
8 ENHANCE • 4 th Quarter 2025
The solid foundation
Removing the
foundation has
disastrous results
‏ְיְסֹוד
YESOD
Foundation
servants. As his Body we should respect his choice,
“For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field,
God’s building. By the grace God has given me, I laid a
foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on
it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay
any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus
Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver,
costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown
for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will
be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each
person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder
will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer
loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping
through the flames. Don’t you know that you yourselves are
God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?”
(1 Corinthians 3:9-13).
This is a sobering passage. The answer for us as
Christians, individually and collectively, is to go back
and examine the YESOD. Let the Holy Spirit be like
the Surveyor, who guides us into all truth (see Psalm
139:23-24).
“Coming to him as to a living stone,
rejected indeed by men, but chosen by
God and precious, you also, as living
stones, are being built up a spiritual house,
a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual
sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus
Christ. Therefore it is also contained in
the Scripture, “behold, I lay in Zion a chief cornerstone, elect,
precious, and he who believes on him will by no means be put
to shame.” Therefore, to you who believe, he is precious” (1
Peter 2:4-7)
Are we firmly built on the solid, precious YESOD of the
Rock of Messiah? As Christians we must be open to the
conviction of the Holy Spirit about where we have gone
off track and built foundations other than Jesus himself.
The prophet Isaiah talks about people who will raise
back up the age-old foundations, “Your people will rebuild
the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations;
you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets
with Dwellings.” (Isaiah 58:12).
There is hope for our generation. Forgiveness, healing,
realignment, and restoration are possible. This is the
powerful ministry of our Lord and Saviour, “Having been
built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Messiah
Jesus himself being the corner stone, in whom the whole
building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple
in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a
dwelling of God in the Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:20-22).
MELISSA’S NEW LEVEL 1&2 VIDEO COURSE IS NOW AVAILABLE!
Learn Biblical & Modern Hebrew at your own pace with prerecorded
lessons. Please contact Melissa for more details at:
www.explorehebrew.co.uk

Around & About
Trades Union
Congress Brighton
BITUD bring together Israeli,
Palestinian and British trade
unionists and CFI UK were
able to come alongside and
assist their stall at the recent
TUC conference held at the
Brighton Centre.
This is a good opportunity
to discuss with trade union
members and delegates about
how Israel is one of the few
countries in the region who have
a fully functioning trade union
movement.
The stall holds a short quiz
competition for delegates to
enter and win a bottle of Israeli
wine. During these exhibitions
the team engage with union
leaders particularly with a view
to arranging delegation tours to
Israel to meet with their trade
union counterparts.
Ian Sternberg and Doreen Gerson with Jacob
Attendees were seated under a Lancaster plane
Technion UK
This event was held at the Royal
Air Force Museum.
It comprised a buffet style meal
with the seating spectacularly
arranged under a Lancaster plane.
There was a discussion chaired by
Daniel Schwamenthal editor of the
Jewish Chronicle with professor
Daniella Raveh, Dean of the faculty
of Aerospace at the Technion
University, Haifa and Colonel Yoav
Shany, Attaché at the Israel Embassy
and former Hercules Pilot in the
Israel Air Force.
Technion’s aerospace faculty is at
the leading edge of technology with
Technion graduates involved in
developing the Iron Dome defence
system that protects so many lives.
Daniel Schwamenthal hosting the dicussion
Holocaust Educational Trust
CFI UK escorted local
Holocaust survivor Dorit
Oliver-Wolff BEM to
the annual dinner of the
Holocaust Education Trust.
The dinner on Monday 15 th
September 2025 marked the
80 th year since the end of the
Shoah. The charity’s flagship
event celebrated its achievements
over the past year, including
commemorations to mark the 80 th
anniversaries of the liberation of
Europe’s concentration camps and
the end of the Second World War.
It was very moving to see the
gathering of Holocaust survivors
for this event and hear their
testimony alongside young
Holocaust Education Trust
ambassadors who are sponsored
to visit Auschwitz Birkenau and
keep the memory alive, never to
be forgotten. Also present was a
100-year-old British soldier who
had liberated one of the camps.
The host for the event was BBC
presenter Natasha Kaplinsky,
who movingly featured in the
programme, ‘Who do you think
you are’ detailing her Jewish
heritage and family members
lost to the Holocaust.
Also attending were former MP’s
Rt Honourable Lord Pickles UK
special envoy for Post-Holocaust
issues, former shadow chancellor
of the exchequer Ed Balls, BBC
journalist Nick Robinson and the
newly appointed home secretary
Rt Hon Shabana Mahmood MP.
Survivors with Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood MP
Jacob with Dorit Oliver-Wolff BEM at the gala dinner
4 th Quarter 2025 • ENHANCE 9

Special Report
A detailed plan for peace
“If the answer is no,
the war goes on”
By Robin Lane
On Monday 29 th September,
in a most surprising press
conference, US President
Donald Trump presented a peace
plan that he claimed was approved
by Arab and Muslim leaders as well
as Israel’s prime minister, leaving
just Hamas to agree.
That plan consisted of twenty points,
which can be summarised as follows:
1 Gaza will be a deradicalised terror-free
zone that does not pose a threat to its
neighbours.
2 Gaza will be redeveloped for the
benefit of the people of Gaza.
3 If both sides agree, the war will
end immediately. Israeli forces will
withdraw to agreed lines to prepare for
a hostage release. Military operations
will be suspended until conditions
are met for the complete staged
withdrawal.
4 Within 72 hours of Israel publicly
accepting the agreement, all hostages
will be returned.
5 Once all hostages are released, Israel
will release 250 life sentence prisoners
plus 1,700 Gazans who were detained
after 7th October 2023. For every
Israeli hostage whose remains are
released, Israel will release the remains
of 15 deceased Gazans.
6 Once all hostages are returned, Hamas
members who commit to peaceful
co-existence and to decommission
their weapons will be given amnesty.
Members of Hamas who wish to leave
Gaza will be provided safe passage to
receiving countries.
7 Upon acceptance of this agreement,
full aid will immediately be sent into
the Gaza Strip, including restoration
of infrastructure (water, electricity,
sewage), rehabilitation of hospitals
and bakeries, and entry of equipment
to remove rubble and reopen roads.
8 Entry of aid and distribution will
proceed through the United Nations,
its agencies, the Red Crescent, and
other international institutions not
associated in any manner with either
party.
Netanyahu and Trump have been negotiating all year to find a solution to Gaza
9 Gaza will be governed by a transitional
technocratic, apolitical Palestinian
committee. This committee will be
made up of qualified Palestinians and
international experts, with oversight
and supervision by a new international
transitional body, the “Board of
Peace,” which will be chaired by
President Donald Trump, with other
members and heads of state to be
announced, including former UK prime
minister Tony Blair.
10 A Trump economic development
plan to rebuild and energise Gaza will
be created by convening a panel of
experts who have helped birth some
of the thriving modern cities in the
Middle East.
11 A special economic zone will be
established with preferred tariff and
access rates to be negotiated with
participating countries.
12 No one will be forced to leave Gaza.
Those who wish to leave will be free to
do so and free to return.
13 Hamas and other factions agree to
not have any role in the governance of
Gaza. All military, terror, and offensive
infrastructure, including tunnels and
weapon production facilities, will be
destroyed and not rebuilt. Gaza will be
demilitarised under the supervision of
independent monitors.
14 A guarantee will be provided by
regional partners to ensure that
Hamas, and the factions, comply with
their obligations.
15 The United States will work with Arab
and international partners to develop
a temporary International Stabilisation
Force (ISF) to immediately deploy in
Gaza. The ISF will train and provide
support to vetted Palestinian police
forces in Gaza and will consult with
Jordan and Egypt who have extensive
experience in this field.
16 Israel will not occupy or annex
Gaza. As the ISF establishes control
and stability, the Israel Defence
Forces (IDF) will withdraw based on
standards, milestones, and timeframes
linked to demilitarisation that will be
agreed upon between the IDF, ISF, the
guarantors, and the United States.
17 In the event Hamas delays or rejects
this proposal, the above, including the
scaled-up aid operation, will proceed
in the terror-free areas handed over
from the IDF to the ISF.
18 An interfaith dialogue process will be
established based on the values of
tolerance and peaceful co-existence
to try and change mindsets and
narratives of Palestinians and Israelis.
19 While Gaza re-development advances
and when the PA reform program is
faithfully carried out, the conditions
may finally be in place for a credible
pathway to Palestinian selfdetermination
and statehood.
20 The United States will establish a
dialogue between Israel and the
Palestinians to agree on a political
horizon for peaceful and prosperous
co-existence.
An immediate response
The Palestinian Islamic Jihad terror group
responded quickly to the plan, saying “It is
a recipe for continued aggression against
the Palestinian people.” In contrast,
Hamas claimed they were reviewing
the plan responsibly. But by the end of
Tuesday 30 th September, many people
were expressing concerns about the plan,
including some that Benjamin Netanyahu
had negotiated changes to which Arab and
Muslim leaders had not agreed.
It looks as if further negotiations are
likely!
Licensed Photo: Shutterstock 2610682065
10 ENHANCE • 4 th Quarter 2025

Guest Feature
‘No storm has ever had the
power to sweep us away’
The Chief Rabbi, Sir Ephraim Yitzchak Mirvis, message for Rosh Hashanah
As we enter the ‘Yamim Noraim’
(the Days of Awe), I know that
many in our community are
carrying a great deal of pain. We
are deeply concerned about the
plight of the remaining hostages,
the future peace and security
of Israel and the widespread
suffering of so many.
Around the world, Jews are enduring a
wave of anti-Jewish hatred that feels
relentless. Every day seems to bring
new anxiety. As the public conversation
about Israel grows harsher, and as
the very legitimacy of her existence
is questioned, we feel our own lives
diminished.
And yet, I believe this Rosh Hashanah
can mark an inflection point for us all.
When our patriarch Jacob was close
to death, he described his son Joseph
as “Even Yisrael” – “the Stone of
Israel.” Joseph was the first Hebrew
exiled from his home and forced to
build a life elsewhere. He achieved
prominence and amassed influence,
while remaining faithful to his values
and identity throughout. Our sages note
that the Hebrew term ‘even’ (stone) is a
composite of the words ‘av’ and ‘ben’ –
“parent” and “child”. Joseph embodied
this fusion: he internalised the teachings
of his parents and he passed them
faithfully to his children. That unbroken
chain made him, and makes us, a “Stone
of Israel.”
Stones endure. They weather storms.
They are battered by wind and rain, but
they are indestructible. So, too, with
the Jewish people. Across the centuries,
through expulsions, persecutions and
defamations, we have remained a
permanent presence in the world. No
storm has ever had the power to sweep
us away.
When I travel to communities across the
country, I witness this same strength.
It is sometimes called resilience, but I
don’t believe that word is quite right. In
the original Latin, resilience means to
“rebound” or “recoil”. It suggests that
we are shrugging off this experience and
simply snapping back to where we were
before. But that is impossible. Sadly, we
can never turn the clock back.
In Jewish tradition, we speak instead of
‘nechamah’ – solace that transforms us.
In the Torah, ‘nechamah’ does not mean
forgetting the pain; it means drawing
new life from it, allowing a hidden
strength to surface. ‘Nechamah’ is not
overcoming but becoming; not closure,
but disclosure: the revealing of what
was always within us, waiting for its
moment.
And that is what the Yamim Noraim call
upon us to do. We look back at the year
that has passed, not only to grieve or to
regret, but to draw out the lessons it has
etched into our souls. And we emerge
with a deeper purpose.
As we enter this festive period, let us
take our lead from the “Stone of Israel”.
Let us draw upon the wisdom of our
ancestors, the values they entrusted
to us and the faith that carried them
through ordeals that we cannot possibly
imagine. Let us meet adversity, not only
by surviving it, but by also shaping from
it a future of even greater strength. And
let us teach that legacy to our children,
inspiring them to be strong, unbroken,
happy and fulfilled.
This storm has not yet passed. But like
the Stone of Israel, so we will remain:
perhaps weathered, certainly changed,
but undiminished – a people permanent,
purposeful and full of hope.
May we soon once again see the
fulfilment of the famous verse from the
Hallel Psalms, “Even ma’asu habonim
hayetah lerosh pinah” – “The stone that
the builders have rejected has become a
cornerstone”!
May you all be blessed with a happy,
healthy, fulfilling, and most importantly,
peaceful New Year.
Courtesy, Jewish Chronicle
UK Events
CFI UK is exhibiting at the following live events
CRE 25: 15-16 Oct 2025
Sandown Park, Esher, Surrey
JACOB VINCE will give a presentation of:
Covenant Steps one year Bible reading plan
Wednesday 15 th October. Time: 12.00 – 12.25. Talk Area: 2
We will also give a short presentation of:
Why be friends of Israel?
Wednesday 15 th October. Time: 11.08 -11.13. Talk Area: 3
4 th Quarter 2025 • ENHANCE 11

Ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it (Jeremiah 6:16)
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The teaching material on these CDs is copyrighted by CFI Communications. All rights reserved.
Cover image: Copyright © Adobe Images
Ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it (Jeremiah 6:16)
Copyright & Distribution by CFI Charitable Trust
CFI Communications PO Box 2687 Eastbourne BN22 7LZ
Tel: 01323 410810 Email: info@cfi.org.uk ~ Website: www.cfi.org.uk
Registered Charity No:1101899 – VAT Registration No: 678-7802-75 – Company Registration No: 04984515
The teaching material on these DVDs is copyrighted by CFI Communications. All rights reserved.
Cover image: Copyright © CFI UK
Copyright & Distribution by CFI Charitable Trust
CONFERENCE SERIES
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Anniversary Conference 2025
THE GREAT AWOKENING - Cultural Progessivism and the Church in Britain
MARTIN CHARLESWORTH
How should the church respond to the rise of cultural progressivism?
In a rapidly shifting cultural landscape, how can the church remain faithful, courageous, and clear? This
compelling book explores the rise of Cultural Progressivism, often called the ’woke’ movement, tracing its
focus on gender, sexuality, and race, and its profound influence on British society and the Church. A vital
resource for leaders, thinkers, and anyone concerned for the future of the church and society in Britain.
B554 // PAPERBACK, 314 PAGES // £18.00 (INCL. UK P&P)
ISRAEL MATTERS – GERALD MCDERMOTT
Addresses the perennially important issue of the relationship between Christianity and the people and
land of Israel, offering a unique and compelling “third way” between typical approaches and correcting
common misunderstandings along the way. This book challenges the widespread Christian assumption that
since Jesus came to earth, Jews are no longer special to God as a people, and the land of Israel is no longer
theologically significant. It shows that contrary to what many Christians believe, the church is not the new
Israel, and both the people and the land of Israel are important to God and the future of redemption.
B493 // PAPERBACK, 158 PAGES // £16.00 (INCL. UK P&P)
UNDERSTANDING THE JEWISH ROOTS OF CHRISTIANITY – ED. GERALD MCDERMOTT
How Jewish is Christianity? In this volume, a variety of leading scholars and theologians explore the
relationship of Judaism and Christianity through biblical, historical, theological, and ecclesiological angles.
This cutting-edge scholarship will enrich readers’ understanding of this centuries-old debate.
The question of how Jesus’ followers relate to Judaism has been a matter of debate since Jesus first sparred
with the Pharisees. In the decades following the Holocaust, scholars and theologians reconsidered the
Jewish origins and character of Christianity, finding points of continuity.
B547 // PAPERBACK, 271 PAGES // £25.50 (INCL. UK P&P)
HAS THE CHURCH REPLACED ISRAEL - A Theological Evaluation – MICHAEL VLACH
Does the church replace, supersede, or fulfill the nation of Israel in God’s plan, or will Israel be saved and
restored with a unique identity and role? Evaluating the doctrine of replacement thinking (also known as
supersessionism), Michael Vlach makes a cogent argument in favor of the non-supersessionist position.
Thoroughly vetting the most important hermeneutical and theological issues related to the Israel/church
relationship Vlach explains in illuminated detail why “there are compelling scriptural reasons in both the earlier
and later testimonies to believe in a future salvation and restoration of the nation Israel.”.
B553 // PAPERBACK, 224 PAGES // £17.50 (INCL. UK P&P)
Contact: CFI Communications, PO Box 2687, Eastbourne, BN22 7LZ
Tel: 01323 410810 Email: info@cfi.org.uk Web: www.cfi.org.uk
For resources call: 01323 410 810
Postal savings on multiple items
CFI UKs 40 th ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2025, EASTBOURNE. AVAILABLE IN 3 FORMATS
Under the theme, “Why Israel matters to the Church”, the 40 th Annual Conference provided an opportunity to
again celebrate God’s irrevocable calling and purpose for Israel the land and his people the Jews. Our speakers
brought challenging messages, both of
EXPLORE
which were timely for the season we are
This series explores the subject of Israel in the Bible, prayer, history, current
affairs and Church heritage.
CONTENTS
in. Gerald McDermott spoke on why Israel matters in the
Gerald McDermott teaches at Jerusalem Seminary and the Reformed
Episcopal Seminary (ACNA) in Philadelphia, USA. He retired from the Anglican
Chair of Divinity Beeson Divinity School Birmingham AL 2020. His
most recent book is, A New History of Redemption: The Work of the Jewish
Messiah Through the Millennia (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, March 2024).
Bible, through history and today. Alongside that, Martin
Gerald and his wife Jean attend Holy Cross Anglican church in Crozet, VA, USA
where he serves as vicar-in-residence. He lectures and podcasts frequently.
Disc 1: Why Israel matters in the Bible (Gerald McDermott)
Disc 2: Why Israel matters through history (Gerald McDermott)
Charlesworth spoken passionately about the Disc 3: Cultural cultural
progressivism & the rise of antisemitism (Martin Charlesworth)
Disc 4: Why Israel matters today (Gerald McDermott)
Martin Charlesworth has worked as a school teacher, in business, as a pastor
and in charity leadership. He was the pastor of Barnabas Community Church,
Shrewsbury, for twenty years. Martin founded the Christian social action
progressiveness we see these days but also where more
charity ‘JubileePlus’ in 2013. He has led a leadership training programme
for Christ Central Churches, a Newfrontiers church network, for the past
ten years. He launched an online Bible teaching resource - ‘Word Online’.
Throughout his ministry Martin has retained a focus on the Church’s
engagement with the Jewish people.
recent rise in antisemitism has come from.
UK Retail Price: £12.00
Session 1: Why Israel matters in the Bible (Gerald McDermott)
Session 2: Why Israel matters through history (G. McDermott)
Session 3: Cultural progressivism & the rise of antisemitism
(M. Charlesworth)
Session 4: Why Israel matters today (Gerald McDermott)
2025
WHY ISRAEL MATTERS TO THE CHURCH – McDermott & Charlesworth
CDS
142
Why Israel matters to the Church
Bible
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EXPLORE
WHY ISRAEL
affairs and Church heritage.
MATTERS TO THE
CHURCH CONTENTS
Gerald McDermott teaches at Jerusalem Seminary and the Reformed
CFI UK Annual Conference 2025
Episcopal Seminary (ACNA) in Philadelphia, USA. He retired from the Anglican
Chair of Divinity at Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham AL in 2020. His
most recent book is, A New History of Redemption: The Work of the Jewish
Messiah Through the Millennia (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, March 2024).
Gerald and his wife Jean attend Holy Cross Anglican church in Crozet, VA, USA
where he serves as vicar-in-residence. He lectures and podcasts frequently.
Gerald McDermott &
Martin Charlesworth
A CFI UK Teaching Series on 4 CDs
CONFERENCE SERIES
This series explores the subject of Israel in the Bible, prayer, history, current
Disc 1: Why Israel matters in the Bible (Gerald McDermott)
Disc 2: Why Israel matters through history (Gerald McDermott)
Disc 3: Cultural progressivism & the rise of antisemitism (Martin Charlesworth)
Disc 4: Why Israel matters today (Gerald McDermott)
Martin Charlesworth has worked as a school teacher, in business, as a pastor
and in charity leadership. He was the pastor of Barnabas Community Church,
Shrewsbury, for twenty years. Martin founded the Christian social action
charity ‘JubileePlus’ in 2013. He has led a leadership training programme for
Christ Central Churches, a Newfrontiers church network, for the past ten years.
He launched an online Bible teaching resource - ‘Word Online’. Throughout
his ministry Martin has retained a focus on the Church’s engagement with the
Jewish people.
UK Retail Price: £16.00
CDS142 // 4 CDS
£14 (INCL. UK P&P)
2025
WHY ISRAEL MATTERS TO THE CHURCH – McDermott & Charlesworth
Bible
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DVD
163
WHY ISRAEL
MATTERS TO THE
CHURCH
CFI UK Annual Conference 2025
Gerald McDermott &
Martin Charlesworth
A CFI UK Teaching Series on 4 DVDs
CONFERENCE SERIES
D163 // 4 DVDS
£18 (INCL. UK P&P)
Bible
EXPLORE
WHY ISRAEL
MATTERS TO THE
CHURCH
CFI UK Annual Conference 2025
Gerald McDermott & Martin Charlesworth
A CFI UK Conference Series on 4 MP4s
Ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it (Jeremiah 6:16)
Explore the subject of Israel in the Bible, prayer, history, current affairs and Church heritage.
CONTENTS
Gerald McDermott teaches at Jerusalem Seminary and the Reformed Episcopal Seminary (ACNA)
in Philadelphia, USA. He retired from the Anglican Chair of Divinity at Beeson Divinity School in
Birmingham AL in 2020. His most recent book is, A New History of Redemption: The Work of the
Jewish Messiah Through the Millennia (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, March 2024). Gerald and his
wife Jean attend Holy Cross Anglican church in Crozet, VA, USA where he serves as vicar-in-residence.
He lectures and podcasts frequently.
Session 1: Why Israel matters in the Bible (Gerald McDermott)
Session 2: Why Israel matters through history (Gerald McDermott)
Session 3: Cultural progressivism & the rise of antisemitism (Martin Charlesworth)
Session 4: Why Israel matters today (Gerald McDermott)
Martin Charlesworth has worked as a school teacher, in business, as a pastor and in charity leadership.
He was the pastor of Barnabas Community Church, Shrewsbury, for twenty years. Martin founded the
Christian social action charity ‘JubileePlus’ in 2013. He has led a leadership training programme for
Christ Central Churches, a Newfrontiers church network, for the past ten years. He launched an online
Bible teaching resource - ‘Word Online’. Throughout his ministry Martin has retained a focus on the
Church’s engagement with the Jewish people.
Cover image: Galilee from the Golan heights
FD006 // USB MP4’S
£10 (INCL. UK P&P)
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CFI Communications PO Box 2687 Eastbourne BN22 7LZ
Tel: 01323 410810 Email: info@cfi.org.uk Website: www.cfi.org.uk
Registered Charity No:1101899 – VAT Registration No: 678-7802-75 – Company Registration No: 04984515
The teaching material in these MP4s is copyrighted by CFI Communications. All rights reserved.
Product code FD006 UK Retail Price: £8.00
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