Nourish Your Biblical Roots with Yael Eckstein

In this special Passover episode of Nourish Your Biblical Roots, Yael Eckstein and Bishop Paul Lanier explore one of the most powerful and meaningful stories in the Bible—not only for the Jewish people, but for Christians, too.Passover commemorates God’s dramatic deliverance of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. But this biblical story of redemption isn’t just about the past—it is meant to shape our faith today.In this moving conversation, Yael and Bishop Lanier reflect on what Christians should know about Passover, the Exodus, and the Jewish roots of their faith. You’ll hear why the Passover story leads to a deeper understanding of the Bible, and why the Seder meal speaks so powerfully to all people of faith.Drawing from Scripture, Yael and Bishop Lanier discuss how Passover calls us to remember who God is, what He has done, and how faith in Him must be passed from one generation to the next. Around the Passover table, questions are asked, stories are retold, and hearts are reminded that God is still present in the midst of suffering… and that He is still bringing redemption.This episode reveals a powerful truth: Passover is not only the story of Israel’s freedom. It’s a story of hope, remembrance, and faith for anyone who seeks to know God more deeply.Listen now.What do you know about Passover? Find out by taking our quiz!

In this special Passover episode of Nourish Your Biblical Roots, Yael Eckstein invites us into one of the most powerful—and often overlooked—biblical traditions: the asking of questions.Passover is one of the most sacred holidays in the Bible, commemorating God’s dramatic deliverance of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. But Passover is not meant to be remembered passively—it’s meant to be experienced personally. And it all begins with a question:Why is this night different from all other nights?The Seder, the traditional Passover meal, was designed by God to awaken our curiosity. The specific foods, the symbolic rituals, and the retelling of the Exodus story are all meant to spark questions that lead us deeper into our faith.Drawing from Exodus 12, Yael reveals how God instructed His people to prepare for the moment when a child would ask, “What does this mean?” Because in the asking, faith comes alive.This episode uncovers a profound truth: God is not distant from our questions. He invites them. And when we come to Him with curiosity and humility, we don’t just learn more about the Bible—we draw closer to Him.This Passover, rediscover the power of asking—and in doing so, draw nearer to God.Listen now!Join Yael’s family to learn more about the Passover celebration.

In this final episode of Heroes of the Holocaust, CJ Burroughs shares the true stories of three heroes who gave their lives in the face of evil. Some were Righteous Gentiles—non-Jews who chose to protect Jewish lives at terrible cost. But the first hero we’ll meet today was Jewish himself.You’ll hear the story of Dr. Janusz Korczak, a doctor, writer, and caretaker in Warsaw who refused to abandon the children in his care, even when he was offered a chance to escape.You’ll also meet Diet Eman, a young Christian woman in the Netherlands who joined the resistance and risked her life again and again to help Jews in hiding, even as the cost of her courage became devastating.And finally, we’ll travel to France to remember Father Jacques, a priest who opened his school to Jewish children—and who, when the Nazis came, did not abandon them.Their stories remind us that the Holocaust was not just a time of hatred—it was also a test of humanity. And even in history’s darkest chapter, there were those who chose compassion, courage, and love.Thank you for listening to this season of Heroes of the Holocaust. May these stories stay with you, and may their memory be a blessing.To learn more about God’s people—from the days of the Bible through the present day—visit The Fellowship’s Learn Center.

In this episode of Heroes of the Holocaust, CJ Burroughs shares the true stories of three heroes whose courage took place underground. The stories we’ll hear today include secret resistance networks, hidden wilderness refuges, and even a literal shelter beneath the earth.You’ll hear the story of Jan Karski, a Righteous Gentile who served as a courier for the Polish underground and risked his life to carry the truth about the Holocaust to the world.You’ll also meet the Bielski brothers, Jewish partisans who fled into the forests and built a hidden community that rescued more than a thousand Jews from Nazi extermination.And finally, we’ll travel to Latvia to remember Robert Seduls, who turned a cellar into a sanctuary—hiding Jewish families underground and keeping them alive through fear, hunger, and constant danger.These stories remind us that in the worst of times, God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary good—and that sometimes the bravest acts of courage happen where the world cannot see them.To learn more about God’s people—from the days of the Bible through the present day—visit The Fellowship’s Learn Center.

In this episode of Heroes of the Holocaust, CJ Burroughs shares the true stories of three soldiers whose courage helped protect Jewish lives. The heroes we’ll meet today wore uniforms—men trained for war, who faced battles of conscience.You’ll hear the story of Orde Wingate, a British officer who stood with the Jewish people before World War II even began, training Jewish fighters in the Holy Land of Israel and helping shape what would later become the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).We’ll also meet Roddie Edmonds, an American sergeant held in a Nazi POW camp who refused to identify Jewish-American prisoners—and protected them by declaring, “We are all Jews here.”And finally, we’ll travel to Warsaw to remember Wilhelm Hosenfeld, a German officer who chose mercy in the middle of ruin, saving the life of a starving Jewish pianist.These stories remind us that a uniform doesn’t determine a person’s character. Choices do—and courage can take many forms.To learn more about God’s people—from the days of the Bible through the present day—visit The Fellowship’s Learn Center

In this episode of Heroes of the Holocaust, CJ Burroughs shares the true stories of three heroes whose courage was expressed through art. The heroes we’ll meet today were writers and performers. Artists who used their creativity to preserve truth, resist evil, and protect Jewish lives.You’ll hear the story of Armin T. Wegner, a German writer who dared to confront Adolf Hitler by speaking out against the persecution of Jews—choosing truth even when it cost him everything.You’ll also meet Franceska Mann, a Jewish ballerina from Warsaw whose final act of resistance took place not on a stage, but in Auschwitz.And finally, we’ll stay in Poland to remember Aleksander and Helena Zelwerowicz, a father and daughter whose lives revolved around theater, and who helped Jews hide, escape, and survive.Their stories remind us that art is never just decoration—it is witness, memory, and light that refuses to be extinguished.To learn more about God’s people—from the days of the Bible through the present day—visit The Fellowship’s Learn Center.

In this episode of Heroes of the Holocaust, CJ Burroughs shares the true stories of three Righteous Gentiles who protected Jewish lives. The heroes we’ll meet today were farmers, woodsmen, and country families—ordinary people who worked the land, and who chose to do what was right even when it cost them everything.You’ll hear the story of Mefodiy and Kseniya Logatzky, a Christian farming couple in Ukraine who opened their home to Jews fleeing Nazi persecution, even as the danger closed in around them.You’ll also meet Mykolas and Jadvyga Simelis, a Lithuanian family who hid fourteen Jewish people beneath their floorboards, sharing what little they had while living under constant fear.And finally, we’ll travel to the Lithuanian countryside to remember Jonas and Felicija Radlinskas, who sheltered two young Jewish sisters in a cellar for years—feeding them, protecting them, and helping them survive until the war ended.These stories remind us that righteousness isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s hidden, hungry, hushed… and still it’s faithful.To learn more about God’s people—from the days of the Bible through the present day—visit The Fellowship’s Learn Center.

In this episode of Heroes of the Holocaust, CJ Burroughs shares the true stories of three Righteous Gentiles who protected Jewish lives. The heroes we’ll meet today were doctors, nurses, and medical students—people trained to heal the body. People who found themselves in situations where acts of healing became acts of resistance.You’ll hear the story of Irena Sendler, a Polish nurse who walked into the Warsaw Ghetto again and again, working to rescue Jewish children from unimaginable suffering.You’ll also meet Dr. Rudolf Weigl, a scientist who studied typhus and used his laboratory—and the Nazis’ own fear—to protect Jewish lives.And finally, we’ll travel to Budapest to remember Clara Ambrus, a nineteen-year-old medical student who risked everything to save a Jewish friend, and kept going even as the danger grew.These stories remind us that healing is more than a profession—it’s a calling, and a choice to show courage and compassion when it matters most.To learn more about God’s people—from the days of the Bible through the present day—visit The Fellowship’s Learn Center.

In this episode of Heroes of the Holocaust, CJ Burroughs shares the true stories of three Righteous Gentiles who protected Jewish lives. The pastors we’ll meet today were spiritual shepherds who refused to stay silent in the face of evil.You’ll hear the story of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German pastor whose faith led him to resist Hitler… and make the ultimate sacrifice.You’ll also meet Vladimir Kuna, a pastor in Slovakia who opened his church orphanage to Jewish children whose parents had nowhere else to turn.And finally, we’ll travel to France to remember André and Magda Trocmé, whose compassion inspired an entire town to shelter Jewish refugees and protect them from Nazi persecution.These stories remind us that faith is not shown by words alone—but by action, even when doing what’s right comes at a cost.To learn more about God’s people—from the days of the Bible through the present day—visit The Fellowship’s Learn Center.

In the first episode of Heroes of the Holocaust, CJ Burroughs shares the true stories of three Righteous Gentiles who protected Jewish lives—ordinary teachers and caregivers who became extraordinary rescuers.The heroes we meet today were women of quiet conviction who stepped into danger to protect children the world had decided were expendable.You’ll hear the story of Lois Gunden, a young Mennonite teacher who left America for Nazi-occupied France and opened a refuge for children threatened by war.You’ll also meet Marie-Rose Gineste, who carried truth through occupied France on a bicycle—delivering a message that challenged a nation’s conscience.And finally, we’ll travel to Budapest to remember Jane Haining, a Scottish caregiver who chose to stay with the girls in her care, even when escape was possible.These stories remind us that courage takes many forms—and that faith is meant to be lived out through action.To learn more about God’s people—from the days of the Bible through the present day—visit The Fellowship’s Learn Center.

Why do you think people of faith celebrate the most joyful holidays during the darkest time of the year? The Jewish people just did, having finished their annual Hanukkah festivities, celebrating the Festival of Lights.This isn’t not a coincidence. We celebrate light during this dark time of year because only against that backdrop of darkness can we truly appreciate light.In this special holiday episode, host Yael Eckstein looks at this season during which we remember miracles that happened in Bible times, as well as miracles that are still happening today! As we’ll learn in this powerful episode, no matter how dark things may be, we can still find the light.Listen now!And learn more about the holidays that God’s people will celebrate in the year to come.

How do miracles happen? A miracle just takes one step of faith and God takes care of the rest! And that’s what today’s episode is all about.Yael Eckstein looks at the Hanukkah story of the miracle of the oil. 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 for eight days until they could get more pure oil!This Hanukkah, all God wants us to do is light that first candle and He will do the rest. Just as the Hanukkah story has inspired the Jewish people throughout history, God’s miracles in our own lives ignite hope and let our faith burn bright. Listen now!Learn more about this season of miracles.

Does your family have any special holiday traditions during this festive time of year?Most of us do, including Yael Eckstein, who shares her special family traditions for Hanukkah. Yael explains how this holiday inspires faith and light that have kept the Jewish people hopeful during the darkest of times in their history. And Hanukkah’s message of light is still so relevant for both Jews and Christians today.So join Yael as she shares Hanukkah traditions that celebrate God as our light. And then, let’s all—as people of faith—share the light of that faith with someone we know who is struggling this holy season.This Hanukkah, let’s remember all the light God brings to our lives and how this holiday has inspired faith in those who desperately need it.Learn more about this season of light.

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 this special season celebrates?Today, Yael tells us a miraculous story of courage and faith in God that was a huge turning point in history for the Jewish people. She turns to Exodus 15:11: “Who among the gods is like you, LORD? Who is like you—majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?” Those biblical words became the battle cry for all the group of God’s children who became known as the Maccabees.Even though they were much weaker and smaller in number than the Greek army, which at the time of the Hanukkah story was the mightiest army in the world, the Maccabees served our mighty God. In doing so, they showed what courage and faith can accomplish.So, what’s Hanukkah’s spiritual lesson for us today? Every small step of courage we take can impact the life of someone else. We never know what miracles a courageous act can create. Hanukkah is a reminder that a single act of bravery can be turned into one of God’s miracles!Learn more about this season of miracles and light.

Does you ever feel like you’re drifting through life? Sometimes it can feel like we’re on autopilot, going through our daily routines automatically, living according to our whims or our circumstances in the moment, never really choosing what we want.But on today’s podcast, we’re going to talk about what we can do each day in order to get closer to the life we really want—and the life that God wants for us. If we live life aimlessly, we probably won’t like where our lives end up. But if we’re clear on where we want to be, we can make a plan to get there.Today, Yael reminds us that we are never alone: God is always with us, guiding us and loving us, every moment of our lives.Today’s episode looks at the Bible passage that decided from whom Israel would come. Learn more about the 12 Tribes of Israel in our Learn Center.

Everyone wants a beautiful home. And today, we have 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, Yael Eckstein looks at the Book of Genesis to discover how the miracles God blessed Sarah and Rebekah with transformed their homes into sacred spaces. For centuries, Jewish homes have used three ritual objects—inspired by the biblical homes of Sarah and Rebekah—to elevate their homes spiritually.Listen now to discover how these practices can turn your own home into a more sacred and godly space.Visit our Learn Center to find out more about the biblical practice of tzedakah.

Prayer is our greatest source of power—a direct conduit to our almighty God. But when it seems that our prayers have gone unanswered, it can be tempting to doubt the power of our prayers.On this episode, Yael Eckstein looks at what the Bible says about the most effective way to pray. As Yael explains, our prayers can become more powerful when we pray for other, with others, and when we keep on praying.These insights are simple, yet they’re profound. And as Yael shares from her own life—they work! With so much to pray for these days, it’s reassuring to know that we speak directly to the Master of the Universe… and that He hears every single one of our prayers! What do you know about prayer? Take our quiz and find out!

Shortly before Israel was plunged into two years of war by the Hamas terror attacks of October 7, 2023, Yael had the privilege to sit down with former Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid.Much like Yael taking up the mantle of her abba, Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, Lapid followed in his own father’s footsteps, as a writer and a politician. Also a prolific writer, he wrote the posthumous memoir of his father, Tommy Lapid, an Israeli journalist, politician, and Holocaust survivor.And here, he shares one of the key lessons from the Holocaust—that every Israeli has a duty to make sure the Jewish state always exists. Lapid relates that his father’s story of surviving the bloodbath of the Jewish ghetto in Budapest is a stark reminder that he “cannot live in a world in which I don’t have a place to go.” In sharing his father’s story, the former prime minister says he is telling the story of the Jewish people.But The Fellowship and Rabbi Eckstein also have a special connection to the Lapid family, which Yair shares in this warm, insightful, and enlightening conversation between two people who have devoted their lives to serving Israel and the Jewish people.Find out how much you know about other Israeli figures by taking our quiz!

Have you ever wondered why it seems God is always testing us? If you have, then this episode is for you.Just like when we were kids in school, life is full of tests—and most people still want to avoid them! Today, Yael Eckstein looks at Abraham’s tests in the Book of Genesis to discover the purpose of life’s tests—to turn us into the best versions of ourselves that we can be. Then, gain a whole new understanding of the reason why we are tested in life, illustrated by Yael’s own experiences.Instead of running away from God’s tests, let’s try and look forward to them!Test your knowledge of the father of our faith who was tested by God by taking our quiz on Abraham.

Before the Hamas terror attacks of October 7, 2023, and the two years of war that they plunged the nation of Israel into, Yael had the welcoming of inviting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the podcast.This week, as Israel and those who stand for her look to a peaceful and renewed future, we’d like to share Yael and PM Netanyahu’s wide-ranging conversation about Israel, and the friendships between Jews and Christians, as well as the United States and the Jewish State.As PM Netanyahu reflects, the story of Israel is a parable for all humanity. If the Jewish people can come back from the Holocaust and reconstitute their ancient homeland after 3,500 years and rebuild that nation into a leading world power, then “there’s hope for all humanity, for all people.”Three words—from his own father, a renowned historian—have influenced the Prime Minister throughout his resilient career: “History, history, history. My father told me if you don’t understand how you got here, you are not going to understand how to go forward. And in Israel, history begins with three words: Bible, Bible, Bible. There’s no meaning to the Jewish people without the Bible; there’s no meaning to our future without our past.”When it comes to the history of modern Israel, Prime Minister Netanyahu says, “In the course of the birth of Israel, the rise of modern Israel, we have not had better friends than our Christian friends around the world. It’s a tremendous partnership, which I deeply, deeply value.”For anyone who loves Israel, you won’t want to miss this insightful and inspiring conversation!