Nourish Your Biblical Roots with Yael Eckstein

Have you ever found yourself needing to apologize to someone… and dreading it? Or have you been hurt by someone who refused to apologize for something they did to you?Saying “I’m sorry” can be one of the hardest things to do.On this podcast episode about Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, Yael Eckstein explores how those two words—“I’m sorry”—relate to the holiest day on the Jewish calendar. Admitting our wrongdoings, committing to change, and moving forward is what this biblical holy day is all about.When we say, “I’m sorry”—and when we mean it—God has mercy and He forgives. And those two little words have the power to heal relationships and change the world for the better.Learn more about the High Holy Days by visiting our Learn Center.And listen to more of Yael’s Bible teachings on her daily podcast, The Chosen People.

In the Holy City of Jerusalem—and in synagogues around the world, the sounds of the shofar have been heard for the past month. For thousands of years, his biblical trumpet has been calling people to reflect, repent, and return to God.On this podcast, Yael Eckstein continues her exploration of the Jewish High Holy Days by focusing on one of the main rituals of this holiest season: the sounding of the shofar.Yael explores why the Jewish people use a shofar to prepare themselves for the new year, and how its many sounds are a call to self-reflection and self-improvement, to repentance, and to return to God.Join Yael as she explains the symbolism and messages of the shofar, and how its sounds through each of our lives, all year round.Learn more about the High Holy Days by visiting our Learn Center.And listen to more of Yael’s Bible teachings on her daily podcast, The Chosen People.

As people usher in a New Year on January 1 with parties and celebrations, how many are thinking about repentance? It’s probably not very many.But when Jewish New Year is welcomed on Rosh Hashanah, the main focus is on repentance, or teshuvah, which means to “return” to God. The sound of the shofar—the biblical trumpet made from a ram’s horn—calls us to reflect on the past twelve months, to fix anything in our lives that hasn’t been helpful, and to return to God—who is waiting for us with open arms.In this special Rosh Hashanah episode, Yael Eckstein takes a biblical look at repentance, its significance for all of us as people of faith, and how returning to God will nourish our souls and transform us into the people we are meant to be. Listen Now!And listen to more of Yael’s Bible teachings on her daily podcast, The Chosen People.

Sometimes in life, our faith might seem strong, but our fears seem even stronger.Maybe you’ve tried to cling to faith over the past year, but still look to the future with trepidation. Here’s the thing—it’s not easy to stand confidently in faith and in peace when life seems scary and uncertain. So what do we do? How do we strengthen our faith?Today, Yael Eckstein turns to the Bible and Jewish teachings for answers! Knowing that we should put all our trust in God and actually having faith that God is looking out for us are two very different things.When we lean on God, we can stay standing through anything. Listen now!And listen to more of Yael’s Bible teachings on her daily podcast, The Chosen People.

Every year, Jewish people begin a special spiritual journey that’s been taken by God’s children for millennia.On this podcast, Yael Eckstein shares how this can be a journey for us all—Christians and Jews alike. Preparing for the High Holy Days is a time when we can connect with God and with ourselves.As this holy season approaches, Yael will look at: how the sound of the shofar awakens the soul; how Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, teaches us about repentance; how Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, teaches us about forgiveness; how Sukkot, the biblical Festival of Tabernacles, brings unity; and how Simchat Torah brings God and His word into the new year.But first, Yael begins our journey by looking at the three spiritual paths—repentance, prayer, and charity—that begin the High Holy Days journey. Listen now!And listen to more of Yael’s Bible teachings on her daily podcast, The Chosen People.

You’ve probably heard lots of one-month promises. One month to lose weight. One month to learn a language. One month to straighten up your house or straighten up your finances or straighten up your life!But did you know that The Chosen People have clung to a very special one-month promise for thousands of years?During the Hebrew month of Elul, which we’re in right now, there’s an ancient biblical Jewish practice—one that Jesus likely participated in. During this month, the Jewish people prepare themselves spiritually for the High Holy Days, which begin with Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, and conclude on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. For generations of Jewish people, this special month has long laid the groundwork for real and lasting change.And today, Yael looks to the Bible to explain how this month can connect us to God, nourish our souls, and make spiritual changes that last, setting us up for a successful year to come and a blessed life ahead!And listen to more of Yael’s Bible teachings on her daily podcast, The Chosen People.

Have you ever made a choice just to please or impress someone else? If we’re honest, we’ve all done that at one time or another.But what would our lives look like if other peoples’ opinions truly didn’t matter to us? Would our priorities be different? Would we spend our time differently? Would we make different choices?On today’s podcast, Yael Eckstein explores the wise advice that Moses gave the Israelites on this very topic. Yael shares how this advice transformed her life and led her to where she is today—as the leader of the largest philanthropic organization in Israel, the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews.If we shift our focus from pleasing others to pleasing God, we can be free to live our best and most authentic lives. Listen now!And listen to more of Yael’s Bible teachings on her daily podcast, The Chosen People.

Today, legendary singer, songwriter, and friend of Israel, Pat Boone, joins me to talk about Pat’s life and work—and his role in helping launch The Fellowship onto the national stage.Join us as Pat discuss his important bond with my father, Fellowship Founder Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, of blessed memory—a friendship that dates back to the early 1990s. After the Iron Curtain fell, my abba approached Pat and asked him to co-host a program, appealing for Christians to help fund the freeing and transporting of Russian Jews to Israel. Pat didn’t hesitate, and the Christian community immediately responded with an outpouring of donations and support. It’s a partnership and friendship that has only grown over the years!Join me and Pat Boone as we discuss this lasting friendship and Pat’s love for Israel and The Fellowship.

You’ve probably heard of the term “baseless hate,” which is hatred without any justifiable cause. But there’s another term you might not have heard of: “baseless love.”Baseless hate can ruin friendships and cause deep divisions in society. But baseless love can do the opposite. It can bring strangers together. And it can bring hope and healing to the world!Are you wondering if love can really solve all of our problems? Today, Yael Eckstein will look at the Bible story of Joseph and his brothers. Joseph chose to love his brothers—the same brothers who sold him into slavery. This is the type of powerful love that we can all learn from, and benefit from, today. Listen now!And listen to more of Yael’s Bible teachings on her daily podcast, The Chosen People.

If we want our children to never give up on their values and beliefs, we’ve got to teach them hope.Yael Eckstein shares how hope in God’s promises has sustained the Jewish people through enslavement and exile, through pogroms and persecution, and even through the Holocaust. Each year, this foundational principle of hope is on display as the Jewish people mourn the many tragedies that have befallen them throughout history on this very day, Tisha B’Av.As Yael explains, by teaching our children that the world is not as it should be, we’re also teaching them to never give up—and that there’s always hope for a better world and a better future.Listen now!Find out what you know about Tisha B’Av by taking our quiz.And listen to more of Yael’s Bible teachings on her daily podcast, The Chosen People.

These days, it seems like so many people are so angry. From social media to the nightly news, you’ve probably felt your buttons being pushed at some point. The truth is, we all get angry. But as we’ll learn in this episode, holding on to our anger comes at a great cost.This week, Yael explores ancient biblical teachings about what holding onto anger can do to us. And more importantly, what we can gain by letting go of our anger—and giving it to God.Staying angry only harms ourselves… but standing in prayer is one of the most spiritually healthy things we can do. Listen now—you won’t want to miss this episode!And listen to more of Yael’s teachings from the Bible on her daily podcast, The Chosen People.

How often do you really take the time to enjoy the blessings in your life? It’s easy to focus on what we don’t have or compare our life to others. But if we’re not careful, we might miss out on what’s right in front of us!In this episode, Yael Eckstein turns to the Bible to unpack the powerful message that God knows how unique we are, and because of this, He gives us exactly what we need in life. Your life might look different than someone else’s life, but that doesn’t mean it’s any less. If we trust that God always provides us with exactly what we need, we might just learn the Jewish understanding of true happiness—HaSameach b’chelko, “the one who is happy with his lot.Noticing and enjoying the blessings we already have makes life that much sweeter—and happier. Listen now!And listen to more of Yael’s teachings from the Bible on her daily podcast, The Chosen People.

“We care. We stand with you. We’re on your side.”That’s the message of love and support that Cheryl Chumley shared with the people of Israel when she sat down for a conversation with Yael Eckstein. From a mid-war visit to the Holy Land—as a journalist, as an American, and as a Christian—to the bold and blunt voice she uses to defend the Jewish state when so many others in the media are loudly anti-Israel, Cheryl is a longtime friend of Israel and of The Fellowship.In this conversation with Yael, the Washington Times editor and columnist and host of the Bold and Blunt podcast shares why she stands for Israel while so much of the world doesn’t. Listen now!Learn more about the biblical history of the Holy Land on The Chosen People.

When was the last time you witnessed one of God’s miracles?The Red Sea isn’t parting in front of us like in Bible days and, if you listen to the news today, it can be difficult to see God’s hand at work in our world. But why do we assume miracles are ancient history that only happened during Bible times?Yael Eckstein explains that while some of the miracles of the Bible happened in front of everyone, others were more hidden. But hidden miracles are no less wondrous than those that are plain to see. And, as people of faith, it’s up to us to see every miracle—from our hearts that beat, to our eyes that see. If we look closely, we’ll see that God’s miracles are all around us—listen now!And listen to more of Yael’s teachings from the Bible on her daily podcast, The Chosen People.

What does it really mean to be wealthy?In today’s episode, Yael Eckstein explores the biblical story of Korah, a man so wealthy that he got a false sense of importance and began a rebellion against Moses—and against God Himself. Do you know what happened next? Let’s just say it didn’t end well for Korah.While most of us know that money is finite, and not eternal, it’s easy to lose sight of this during everyday life. But, as Yael shares, if we count our good deeds instead of our money, we’ll discover how truly wealthy we all are in God’s eyes! Listen now!And listen to more of Yael’s teachings from the Bible on her daily podcast, The Chosen People.

“Your book is our book. Your heroes are our heroes. Your values are our values.”After years of helping grow the unprecedented Christian support we see for Israel and the Jewish people we see today, that is the answer that Rev. Dr. Johnnie Moore has long heard for why this special relationship has happened—and is still growing.The special friendship between Christians and Jews is certainly needed now more than ever, too, says Rev. Moore in this conversation with The Fellowship’s Yael Eckstein. Moore details his work fighting anti-Semitism—which is on the rise—as he also works to help persecuted Christians.With work that has helped people of faith in America, in Israel, and all around the world, Moore helped pave the way for the historic Abraham Accords, has served on the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom in the past two American presidencies, sits on The Fellowship’s board, and is a guiding light to people of faith everywhere.Join Yael for this conversation with a Christian friend of Israel and the Jewish people whose lifework is to spread this friendship, this fellowship, and this faith.For more information on today’s episode visit mybiblicalroots.org.Listen to Yael Eckstein on The Chosen People.

While The Fellowship does much of its lifesaving work in the Holy Land of Israel, we help God’s children whenever and wherever they find themselves in need. For more than three decades—and especially since the ongoing Russian war in Ukraine began in 2022—much of that work has been done in the former Soviet Union (FSU).Bishop Paul Lanier has made many trips to visit Fellowship-supported projects in Ukraine, and to visit with and provide aid to Jewish beneficiaries in the war-torn country. And Gadi Teichman Dan, Sr. Director of Content in The Fellowship’s Israel office, has not only made many such trips himself, he is an Israeli who immigrated from the region as a child.Gadi sat down with Bishop Lanier to discuss what they’ve witnessed and experienced firsthand on the ground in Ukraine, what life is like for Ukraine’s Jewish communities, and what hope is provided by Fellowship aliyah flights.Join these two men of faith and action for this important discussion about what Jews are experiencing around the world—and what The Fellowship and our faithful friends are doing to save their lives.For more information on today’s episode visit mybiblicalroots.org.And listen to Yael Eckstein and Bishop Lanier on The Chosen People.

“He who saves one life saves the world entire.”These words from the Talmud have inspired generations of people of faith. And they have certainly influenced the life of this week’s podcast guest, Allied Voices for Israel Founder, Daniel Koren.An Israeli and a Canadian. A former journalist and a current shaper of the next generation. Daniel is of the Bukharian Jewish community—“a minority within a minority,” he says, giving us a brief history of his ancestors’ food and culture—and has vowed to be a voice for God’s people and a voice against hatred.Sharing with Yael about his own place in the Jewish world, how music led his choices in both career and embracing his culture and faith, and the challenges and rewards of fighting anti-Semitism in our troubled world, Daniel sits down with Yael to discuss what we all can do to be advocates for Israel and spread its light to the nations.Join us for this important conversation about fighting hate and spreading light as advocates and allies for Israel!

As a kid, did you count down the days until school ended and summer began? I know I did! And even as grownups, we count down the days to important events—a milestone birthday, a wedding, an anniversary, or a graduation.But when we count down the days, we can disregard them as mere obstacles to get through in order to reach the big event, rather than as the priceless gift that each day is.As we prepare to celebrate Shavuot, the Bible teaches us to count each day in a way that celebrates the moment. On this episode, we’ll learn how counting each day—in the right way—is the secret to making every day count.Find out what you know about Shavuot by taking our quiz!And listen to more of Yael’s Bible teachings on her daily podcast, The Chosen People.

This month, Jews in Israel celebrate Jerusalem Day—Yom Yerushalayim—commemorating the miraculous reunification of God’s Holy City after the Six-Day War of 1967.But as Yael Eckstein explains, we ALL—Christians and Jews—should celebrate Jerusalem! Not only is it God’s designated place where His Holy Temple once stood—and will someday stand again—but as the psalmist says, “If I forget you, Jerusalem, may my right hand forget its skill” (Psalm 137:5).God does not want us to forget His eternal capital!Join Yael as she explores the spiritual significance of Jerusalem and why its historical reunification is so important. Let’s praise God for the miracles He has done—and is doing—in Jerusalem!Learn more about Jerusalem and how God’s children celebrate His Holy City.And listen to Yael’s Bible teachings on her podcast, The Chosen People.