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We have been praying for years for Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu and his family. His son Yair Netanyahu visited the Glory Zone, which is on the Gulf Coast. He spoke at Church of His Presence with Pastor John Kilpatrick. Also, the founder of the organization Advanced Security Training Institute, ASTI, Yisroel Stefansky, spoke about how Israel is helping America face tragic situations by educating first responders and government officials.
First, we hear from Yisroel Stefansky who is an American and Israeli citizen as his father is an American citizen and also a Holocaust survivor. He started the organization ASTI which, according to their website is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing advanced security and medical training based on battle-tested methods and techniques that have been perfected by decades of conflict in Israel. Our courses are designed for U.S. emergency responders, military veterans, government decision-makers, and private sector personnel that are interested in obtaining practical experience for addressing terrorism threats. Our instructors are veterans of Israeli security agencies and first response teams with decades of experience in intelligence, tactical response and care, cybersecurity, and infrastructure protection.
Yisroel felt called to help others after he faced a tragic bus bombing when he was only 15 years old. He was on his way to school, and a bus blew up in front of him. As he walked out of the bus, he looked to see what he could do, he saw a woman’s leg laying near him. He wasn’t sure what to do, but he did what he could. He decided that day he needed to attend medical school since he knew a tragedy like this would happen again, and he wanted to be prepared to help the wounded the next time. He decided that he would learn how to put body parts together and how to save people’s lives in the afternoons instead of playing basketball like a typical 15-year-old. He continued to do this over the years as he faced terrorist attack shootings.
“I have seen it all. One Saturday night, I had a terror attack not far from my neighborhood on a Saturday night. You go, you pick up the stroller, and you see there is no baby in it because from the impact (from the bombing) the baby flies out of the stroller. But the impact that it does for you knowing that you are called upon to save somebody’s life and help the people,” he continues as you can hear the heartache he has for what he has experienced and seen. “That is what drove me forward to get the job done. That is the epiphany that I took on from the age of 15 to this day and to the rest of my life.”
As Israelis have seen much horror and tragedy, they want to share with Americans the wisdom they have gained so that we don’t have to face the same bloodshed and tragedy they have experienced. Through ASTI, they are teaching people how to better respond to tragedies to be able to save more lives. It is an accredited program as well, and first responders who attend the classes can expand their education! Yisroel said they are here to help save Americans lives. Out of much pain has come much wisdom, and it is amazing to see how much of a giving country Israel is and wants to help save not only Israelis but also other people in other countries. God told Abraham, I will bless you, and you will be a blessing to the nations, and we see that this is happening.
“I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, and in your offspring shall all the nations of the earth be blessed, because you have obeyed my voice.” Genesis 22:17-18 ESV
Many amazing things have been and are being invented in Israel like facial recognition, driverless cars, agricultural breakthroughs, and so much more. And they have shared these things with the world! Thank God for Israel and our Jewish brothers and sisters. You can find out more how to connect with Yisroel and ASTI HERE.
We also hear from Yair Netanyahu, who was interviewed by Pastor Kilpatrick at Church of His Presence and is asked questions about his father Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the history of his family. First Pastor Kilpatrick shared that as he heard Yair speak, he felt like God raised him up to speak to the millennials. He asked Yair to share about his dad and how did he end up where he is now in Israel as he lived in Philadelphia at one time. Yair responds, “After he graduated from high school in Philadelphia he went back to Israel to serve in the Israeli army; he was an officer in the Israeli version of the Navy Seals…he finished his army service and went back to America and studied at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) first and second degrees.” Which he obtained his degrees in Architecture as he wanted to be an Architect. “Then he was working at the Boston Consulting Group, and at that time his brother Jonathan got killed at the operation in Entebbe, and that changed the course of his life. He started being more interested in counterterrorism and he created (in his early 30’s) a huge convention in Washington (D.C.) of counter-terrorism.”
Yair continues to share how many government officials came to the convention his father started including a prominent Israeli government official who was also an American citizen appointed Prime Minister Netanyahu to serve in the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C. He filled more than one position in the embassy then became the Israeli Ambassador at the United Nations. Once he finished his time at the United Nations, he moved back to Israel and entered politics which in turn he stepped into his position now as Prime Minister.
Pastor Kilpatrick points out that Prime Minister Netanyahu was just reelected as Prime Minister, but he was unable to form a constituency. Yair explains how Israel’s political system works. “Our political system is horrible; you need to be thankful for your political system (in America), it’s great…Israel is a Parliamentary system, very unstable. You have two parties, Republican and Democratic. Israel has something like 15 parties, including the Muslim Brotherhood party, who calls for the destruction of Israel, are also represented in our Congress. So, it is very hard because you need to make a coalition, so it’s very unstable.”
They discuss Jonathan, Yair’s Uncle, and how it affected his father. He was killed in the raid on Entebbe which was the first time Israel went to the aid of another country with their military. Yair said, “It is the most daring operation Israel has ever done. America as a super-power, huge country, 300 million people of course, always send their troops to the other side of the world. Israel never had done that before. Israel never had an operation in the heart of Africa, on the other side of the world from Israel. That is why they (terrorists) hi-jacked the plane to there; they thought they were safe. Israel never had such a far away military operation, never before and never since. This is one of the most heroic military operations Israel ever did.” He recommends you read about his Uncle’s life in the book, The Letters of Jonathan Netanyahu: The Commander of the Entebbe Rescue Force if you are interested in finding out more. It was a best-seller when it was first released in Israel and America.
Finally, Pastor Kilpatrick asks Yair to tell us something about himself. “I studied in the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. International Relations and Humanities.” He finished his degree to help him in his involvement with his father’s campaigns since it is constant campaigning. He also talks about his brother Avner who was a combat soldier in the Israeli Secret Unit. He left the army a year ago and is about to start studying at the Hebrew University as well. It was a great honor to have Yair on the Gulf Coast in the Glory Zone and to hear some of the histories of his family and Israel.
We can look at Israel and think because of the size of the country that they wouldn’t make an impact on the world because Israel is a small country and can fit inside the state of New Jersey! Yet they continue to fight no matter the adversity they face, AND they are sharing their knowledge and technology with the world! Israel is an amazing country with great citizens, and we are thankful to see the good that is coming from Israel. We are also seeing America blessed because of the honor and respect America is showing to Israel. America is a friend of Israel again, and the Bible says that those who bless Israel will be blessed! Let us continue to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and Israel. We want to hear from you! What are your thoughts about Israel and how the country is blessing the world? Write to us at [email protected]. Greg and John shared in this segment.
Image courtesy of Storyblocks.com
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