Do you know how miracles happen? A miracle just takes one step of faith and God takes care of the rest! That’s what we learn in today’s special Hanukkah episode, in which podcast host Yael Eckstein dives into the story of the miracle of the oil. We learn how when rededicating the Temple in ancient times, God’s people lit the menorah on faith alone because they knew they didn’t have enough pure oil for it to burn more than one day. And guess what? God performed a miracle, and the flame lasted...

Hanukkah, a season of God’s light and miracles, is probably one of the most well-known Jewish holidays, primarily because of its proximity to Christmas. But do you know what miracles are remembered and celebrated during this season? Host Yael Eckstein begins a series on Hanukkah, exploring the many lessons of faith that the Festival of Lights has for us, especially during this dark time when Israel finds herself at war and God's people find themselves praying to Him for a miracle once...

Have you ever felt like you don’t matter? Or that what you do simply doesn’t count for anything? Podcast host Yael Eckstein, President and CEO of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, shares another way of understanding God’s command to Moses to count the people of Israel and its important message about our true value in God's eyes and our power to change the world for the better.

This week, Yael brings us a difficult but necessary conversation, as she welcomes Rachel Goldberg, a Jewish mother in Israel. Rachel’s son, 23-year-old Hersh, was taken hostage by Hamas terrorists during their attacks on October 7. Since that day, Rachel has prayed—along with the Jewish people’s friends around the world—for her son’s safe return. Yael speaks with Rachel about Hersh—about his life, about the young man he is, about the final evening she spent with her son, and about the...

With so much hurt in the Holy Land, we need to hear positive stories from Israel, stories of Holy Land Heroes. This week, Yael welcomes a young Israeli who is a true “light to the nations.” Ariel Elkin is a 16-year-old racecar driver from Israel who is competing—and winning—at the highest levels of racing, even at his young age. Partnering with The Fellowship as he prepares to race in Texas, Ariel shares our mission—reaching out to Israel’s friends around the world and working to gain support...

After terror attacks killed over 1,300 Israelis, injured thousands more, and left more than 150 hostages in the hands of Hamas terrorists, the nation of Israel is at war. Bishop Paul Lanier, Board Chairman of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, joins us for a special online town hall he shared with Michele Bachmann, former member of Congress, dean of Regent University’s Robertson School of Government, Fellowship board member, and friend of Israel. Bishop Lanier and Dean...

Discover the encouraging message about faith that is found in God’s commandment to use olive oil to light the lampstand (menorah) in the Tabernacle. Host Yael Eckstein, President and CEO of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, explains on today’s podcast how this ancient source of light teaches us how to access light in dark times and become a much-needed source of light in the world today.

As the sun rose on Shabbat in the Holy Land, and as the Jewish people prepared to celebrate the biblical holiday of Simchat Torah, the unthinkable happened. Hamas, the terrorist rulers in neighboring Gaza, carried out an unprecedented attack on Israel.More than 1,000 Israelis were murdered. More than 2,000 injured. And more than 100 innocent people—children, grandmothers, families—were taken hostage by these terrorists.Host Yael Eckstein, President and CEO of the International Fellowship of...

As the sun rose on Shabbat in the Holy Land, and as the Jewish people prepared to celebrate the biblical holiday of Simchat Torah, the unthinkable happened. Hamas, the terrorist rulers in neighboring Gaza, carried out an unprecedented attack on Israel. For more information on how you can help, visit ifcj.org.

As the High Holy Days end, Jews around the world spend one last day in an intense celebration with God before resuming their normal routines. Simchat Torah, which means “Rejoicing in the Torah,” is unlike any other observance that takes place in synagogue. As host Yael Eckstein, President and CEO of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, describes in today’s podcast, the entire congregation—from the youngest children to the oldest adults—takes out the Torah scroll and joins in a...

Do you know the one holy day that the entire world will celebrate in Messianic times? According to the prophet Zechariah, it’s the Festival of Tabernacles, or as it’s called in Hebrew, Sukkot (Zechariah 4:16.). Unity among all God’s children is a major theme of this joyous celebration that is part of the High Holy Days that Jews around the world have been observing. In continuing her series on the High Holy Days, podcast host Yael Eckstein, President and CEO of the International Fellowship...

It’s been said that two of the hardest words for people to say are “I’m sorry.” Can you relate? When have you experienced needing to apologize and dreaded doing it? Or maybe, you have been hurt by someone who won’t apologize to you? In this special episode about Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, host Yael Eckstein, President and CEO of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, explores how those two words relate to the holiest day on the Jewish calendar. Admitting our wrongdoings,...

How many of us think about repentance as we celebrate and usher in a New Year on January 1? Probably not many! But when Jews usher in the Jewish New Year on Rosh Hashanah, the main focus is on repentance, or teshuvah, which means to “return” to God and to who we really are. The sound of the shofar, the ritual trumpet, signals this time to reflect on the past twelve months, fix any behavior that isn’t helpful, and return to God who is waiting with open arms. In this special Rosh...

Since the time Abraham sent his servant to find a suitable bride for his son, arranged marriages have been a time-honored tradition in the Jewish faith. On today’s podcast, host Yael Eckstein, President and CEO of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, welcomes Aleeza Ben Shalom, star of the Netflix series Jewish Matchmaking, to explore this tradition and how she is continuing this ancient practice today. Over the past 16 years, Aleeza has helped more than 200 couples find...

Did you know that God has an alarm clock for our souls? Beginning a month before the start of the High Holy Days, the sounds of the shofar, the biblically mandated trumpet, can be heard throughout synagogues across the world, calling people to reflect, repent and return to God. On this podcast, Yael Eckstein, President and CEO of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, continues exploring the significance and meaning of the Jewish High Holy Days, focusing on one of the primary...

Today, host Yael Eckstein begins a six-part series examining the spiritual journey Jews around the world take each year during the High Holy Days and what lessons these holy observances can teach Christians and Jews about connecting with God and ourselves. In this series, Yael will explore how the sounds of the shofar awaken the soul, how Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, teaches us about the gift of repentance, and Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, teaches us the power of forgiveness....

Where exactly are you in your spiritual journey? Just like any journey we begin, if we don’t take some time to pause and reflect on where we are headed, we may find ourselves completely lost. In today’s podcast episode, host Yael Eckstein walks us through an ancient biblical Jewish practice – one Jesus likely participated in – that happens during the Hebrew month of Elul, which begins this month. During Elul, the Jewish people prepare themselves spiritually for High Holy Days, which begins...

Grammy-nominated singer, best-selling author, and prominent Christian media personality Sheila Walsh joins podcast host Yael Eckstein, president and CEO of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, to talk about her first visit to Israel and how her personal journey through depression taught her important lessons. The cohost of TBN’s flagship program Praise, Sheila said she discovered that it often is our brokenness that creates a greater bridge to other people — and to God. “I...

Prayer is one of the greatest sources of power available to us — and yet many of us struggle with unanswered prayers or how to make our prayers more powerful. In today’s episode, host Yael Eckstein explores insights on the most effective way to pray from the Jewish tradition that have been used for thousands of years. As Yael explains in this podcast, our prayers can become more powerful when we pray for other, with others, and when we keep on praying. These insights are simple, yet...

If you have ever felt like giving up, today’s episode is especially for you. This month Jews around the world observe the darkest day on the Jewish calendar, Tisha B’Av, the ninth day of the month of Av. On this day, Jewish people weep for something that occurred more than 2,000 years ago — the destruction of both the First and Second Temples that once stood in Jerusalem. Yet, as host Yael Eckstein explains, while this day is one of deep sorrow, it is also one of great hope — a hope that...

In this stirring podcast, best-selling author and nationally syndicated radio host Eric Metaxas calls on people of faith to wake up and stand against evil that threatens the very freedoms we cherish. As Eric Metaxas shares with host Yael Eckstein, President and CEO of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, in a society that has grown increasingly anti-Semitic, anti-America, and anti-God, people of faith need to speak up against evil. Silence is not an option, Eric told Yael. “We...

On today’s podcast, Fellowship Board Chairman Bishop Paul Lanier talks about the life-changing moment when he entered into God’s ongoing conversation with Israel and the Jewish people. As Bishop Lanier tells podcast host Yael Eckstein, President and CEO of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, he was watching late-night television and saw her father, Fellowship Founder Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, visit an elderly Holocaust survivor in Ukraine. “Watching him interact with this...

These days, there is plenty to worry about. But we weren’t made to carry around so much worry in our hearts. Worry weighs us down — emotionally, mentally, and physically. And it did in Bible times, too, like when Jacob had good reason to worry about his family’s safety. Do you know what he did? He learned to manage his anxiety by giving it all to God — a faithful and powerful tactic that we can all learn to do! In today’s episode, host Yael Eckstein takes a closer look at this frightening...

What comes to mind when you hear the word shalom? Maybe you connect it with the Israeli greetings of “hello” and “goodbye.” More than likely you think of “peace.” But this understanding of shalom doesn’t fully capture the meaning of the word in Hebrew. It is so much more than the absence of turbulence or war. Shalom is rooted in the Hebrew word shalem, which means “whole” or “complete.” True Shalom is the presence of wholeness, unity, and connection with our neighbors. It truly is the...

Everyone wants a beautiful home. And today, there is no shortage of information about how to enhance the places we live to make them more beautiful and more comfortable physically. But how can we enhance our homes spiritually? In today’s episode, host Yael Eckstein looks at the Book of Genesis to discover how the miracles God blessed the homes of Sarah and Rebekah with transformed their homes into sacred spaces. For centuries through today, Jewish homes have incorporated three ritual...