Nourish Your Biblical Roots with Yael Eckstein

In today’s special Passover episode, host Yael Eckstein explains the unique and sometimes unusual traditions for the Passover seder that teach us to ask questions. In fact, the telling of the Exodus story begins not with facts and explanations, but with questions.As Yael explains, this time-honored tradition of asking questions during Passover is an annual reminder that God wants us to be lifelong seekers. By asking God our questions and entering Passover with a spirit of curiosity, we are more open to learning, rediscovering, and recommitting to Him on our journey of faith, ultimately, growing ever closer to Him.For more information on today’s episode visit mybiblicalroots.org.

As we approach the holy season of Passover, host Yael Eckstein is joined on the podcast by Bishop Paul Lanier, Chairman of the Board for the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews and pastor of Hope Community Church in Winston-Salem, N.C., to discuss the relevance today of the ancient and timeless Exodus story for both Christians and Jews.In this profound conversation, Bishop Lanier shares how the Passover celebration rallies people of faith around the table and reminds us of who we are in God. Through Passover, Bishop Lanier says, we find a message of hope that speaks across all generations, reminding us that God is with us amidst our afflictions and sufferings, bringing us His redemption.Learn more about the Passover celebration at our Learning Center.For more information on today’s episode, visit mybiblicalroots.org.

As he sat down with The Fellowship recently, Jordan Marcellino quoted Isaiah 58:12 when telling how God called his family back to Israel—to live, to work, and to restore the beautiful Holy Land he calls home.“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.”And today, the holy work of rebuilding, repairing, restoring, and raising up the Holy Land is being done through the Beautiful Land Initiative (BLI), founded by Jordan and his wife Hillary in 2015. With a wide array of projects—from voluntourism cleanups to beachside bins, from education to archaeology of the land of the Bible—BLI connects those who stand with Israel to the Holy Land that they love, making it even more beautiful in the process.Jordan chatted with The Fellowship at the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) convention in Nashville, TN, sharing of Israel’s beauty, of God’s call to him, and how the Beautiful Land Initiative is inspiring and empowering all of God’s people to appreciate and take ownership of His Holy Land.For more information on today’s episode visit mybiblicalroots.org.

“October 7th was such a wake-up call for us.”These are the worlds of Adele Raemer—an Israeli, a mother, a grandmother, a kibbutz resident near Israel’s border with Gaza, and a survivor of the Hamas attacks of that day.Adele spoke with Fellowship President and CEO Yael Eckstein—from the war-torn Holy Land—in the weeks after the attacks. And she recently traveled from her temporary home in Israel to join The Fellowship at the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) convention in Nashville, TN, to tell Americans of faith her story.After hosting a special media event that featured a conversation with Governor Mike Huckabee, she sat down to share with us her experiences—before, during, and since the terrorist infiltration into southern Israel, including her longtime home in Nirim.Listen to this important and uplifting conversation.For more information on today’s episode visit mybiblicalroots.org.

For listeners of this podcast, Dr. Alveda King has been a favorite guest, sharing about her family’s legacy and her own faith.And so it was with great excitement that Bishop Lanier and The Fellowship welcomed Dr. King at the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) convention in Nashville, TN.This author, professor, civil rights pioneer, and dear friend of Israel and of The Fellowship was gracious enough to share an inspiring conversation that we know will inspire you, as well.For more information on today’s episode visit mybiblicalroots.org.

This month, Jews around the world celebrate one of the most joyous holidays on the Jewish calendar—Purim, which commemorates the events written about in the Book of Esther. During this celebration, Jewish people host parties, share holiday treats with friends, and dress up in costumes and masks—a lot like Halloween. But unlike Halloween, people go door to door in order to give treats, not receive them. And the costumes have nothing to do with ghosts or gore.As we’ll discover on today’s special Purim episode with host Yael Eckstein, this is because the message of Purim is that things aren’t always as they seem. We must look beneath the surface to see God in everything, and behind the masks we often wear to see God in every person.For more information on today’s episode visit mybiblicalroots.org.

“Anu is the Hebrew word for we or us.”That’s how Grace Rapkin explains the name of ANU—Museum of the Jewish People in Tel Aviv, which she serves as Marketing Manager.The “we” that this museum serves includes all of us—all people of faith. And the crowd that was able to watch this podcast live was certainly made up of such faithful folks, at the recent National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) convention in Nashville, TN.Ms. Rapkin sat down with The Fellowship to talk about this very special museum in the Holy Land, and its many exhibits that teach about millennia of Jewish worship, tradition, and culture—including the Codex Sassoon, which many of you might have heard about recently as the oldest Hebrew Bible in existence.From this priceless example of God’s Word to items donated by the likes of Steven Spielberg and Bob Dylan, from art made in the wake of the October 7th attacks to an interactive exhibit that teaches Jewish recipes from across the globe, ANU: Museum of the Jewish People shows us the influence that Judaism has had on the world, from Bible times to today.For more information on today’s episode visit mybiblicalroots.org.

For Christian music fans, the name Reba Rambo certainly evokes fond memories and emotions. Her music, and her family’s musical legacy, have provided the soundtrack for the lives of countless people of faith. One of these fans, Fellowship Board Chair Bishop Paul Lanier, even recalls Reba’s classic album, Lady, playing in his college dorm room.And so it was with great excitement that Bishop Lanier and The Fellowship welcomed Reba Rambo to the podcast recently at the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) convention in Nashville, TN.Reba was gracious enough to share some time with us as she discussed her Hall of Fame career, the musical legacy passed down from her parents, her lifelong musical ministry, and her love for Israel.Listen to this uplifting conversation with trailblazing Christian singer, songwriter, and artist, Reba Rambo.For more information on today’s episode visit mybiblicalroots.org.

“Everything that I embrace as a Christian is rooted in the promises that God gave to the Jewish people.”Of the many Christian friends of The Fellowship and of the Jewish state of Israel, none has a passion and calling stronger than that of Governor Mike Huckabee. His accomplishments—44th governor of Arkansas, presidential candidate, ordained Southern Baptist pastor, and TBN host—certainly show him to be a man of action and a man of God.Gov. Huckabee recently put his godly heart for Israel into action by joining with The Fellowship at the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) convention in Nashville, TN. Before hosting a special media event that featured a conversation with an Israeli survivor of the October 7th attacks, he sat down with Fellowship Board Chair Bishop Paul Lanier to discuss his heart for Israel and what he experienced in a recent visit to the Holy Land.Of this fellowship of faith between Christians and Jews and between America and Israel, Gov. Huckabee says, “This is a biblical mandate, and we need to stand on it and recognize that we should never ever allow the Jewish people to feel that they’re alone again.”Listen to this important and uplifting conversation.For more information on today’s episode visit mybiblicalroots.org.

In the months since October 7, Israel has—for better or for worse—been a regular feature in international news. And while much of the world voices its opposition against (and hatred for) the Jewish state, there are voices who are speaking out for Israel.On this week’s podcast, Yael welcomes one of the Holy Land’s voices to the world. Eylon Levy has been serving as official Israeli government spokesperson since the beginning of the ongoing war in Gaza. In this role, he has become one of Israel’s most recognized faces.Eylon has done this in many ways. As a journalist and news anchor, he can provide the cold, hard facts to the world—showing the truth about Israel and the threats the nation faces in a way that so many media outlets refuse to. One story he shares is that of another podcast guest—Rachel Goldberg, whose son Hersh is still being held hostage by Hamas in Gaza. The job can be difficult—much like life has become harder for all Israelis—but Eylon shares how he keeps his cool in the hardest situations, as well as why he works so hard to share “what Israel is about.”Besides his work as a talking head and giving press conferences, Eylon also excels in the media landscape of the 21st century—as much a new media content creator as he is a government spokesperson. A recent video he shared—his grandmother’s hummus recipe—is a perfect example of this.By presenting the truth about Israel—in traditional, as well as new and exciting ways, Eylon Levy is truly a light in the darkness that God’s people are facing. You won’t want to miss Yael’s conversation as he shares both the hard facts of what Israel is facing, as well as the hope he sees for the people of Israel.Listen now.For more information on today’s episode visit mybiblicalroots.org.

In the wake of the Hamas attacks of October 7, life changed for all the people of the Holy Land, one of whom is this week’s special podcast guest. But Tommy Waller wasn’t born in the Jewish state, and isn’t even Jewish. Tommy is a Christian from America…After rising through the ranks of the American work world, God called Tommy and his wife to make a change in their lives. First, they moved their family to a farm in Amish country and learned to live off the land. And then God called them to Israel!For nearly 20 years, Tommy and Sherri Waller have run HaYovel in Israel’s heartland, providing Christians from abroad the opportunity for a “renewed sense of purpose, a strengthened faith, and a zeal for God’s worldwide plan of restoration that began with Abraham,” as they volunteer in the vineyards and fields of biblical Judea and Samaria.Tommy shares with Yael his story of coming to the Holy Land, what he’s experienced there over the past two decades and in the past months of war, and he even surprises her with a special story of his own meeting of her father, Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, of blessed memory.Listen now as Yael talks with a Christian from America about his life in God’s Holy Land.For more information on today’s episode visit mybiblicalroots.org.

Join host Yael Eckstein, President and CEO of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, as she pays tribute to her beloved father and mentor, Fellowship Founder Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, who unexpectedly passed away five years ago on February 6, 2019. Yael celebrates her father’s extraordinary life with a special guest—Beryl Eckstein, her father’s younger brother.In this very personal and emotional podcast, Beryl recalls growing up with Yechiel, walks us through the early, painful days when his brother was ostracized by the Jewish community for his work reaching out to Christians, and honors the lasting legacy of Rabbi Eckstein’s historic bridge-building work.You won’t want to miss this inspiring tribute to a man whose vision literally changed the course of Jewish-Christian relations.For more information on today’s episode, visit mybiblicalroots.org.

This week, host Yael Eckstein comes to us from the Holy Land with two very special guests, both of them Israelis, both of them strong, proud Jewish women, and both of them survivors.Born in Poland before WWII began, Sarah survived the Holocaust, unlike so many of her loved ones, among the six million Jewish people murdered by the Nazis. And, on October 7th, this precious 88-year-old woman again survived an attack on God’s people, at her kibbutz home in the Holy Land.Noa also survived the attacks of October 7th. A 23-year-old Israeli, she was attending the Nova Festival near the Gaza border with friends, enjoying the beauty and serenity of the Holy Land she calls home. Noa survived that horrific day, unlike many of her friends, and unlike more than 1,200 others.Listen now to these two incredible survivors’ stories, as we once again are reminded that we must “Never Forget” lessons from history—both distant and more recent—so that such horrors “Never Again” happen in our world.For more information on today’s episode visit mybiblicalroots.org.

International Holocaust Remembrance Day—observed every January 27, the day the Auschwitz concentration camp was liberated in 1945—is a day to remember one of the darkest times in history, a time that resulted in the horrific murder of six million Jewish souls.While it is a somber day to remember the lives lost at the hands of the Nazis, it is also a time for us all to remember the lessons of the Holocaust. It is a time when we renew the pledge that the Jewish people adopted after this catastrophic event: Never Forget. Yet as host Yael Eckstein reminds us, it is not enough to just remember; we also must take meaningful action.In today’s powerful podcast, Yael shares two valuable lessons we can learn from the Holocaust—the value and importance of saving even one life and how just one person can make a tremendous impact on the world. Listen now!For more information on today’s episode visit mybiblicalroots.org.

In the aftermath of the Holocaust, in which six million Jewish men, women, and children perished at the hands of the Nazis, the Jewish people vowed, “Never forget.” Yet, as host Yael Eckstein and her special guest Elisha Wiesel discuss on the podcast, an alarming number of adults today know nothing about the Holocaust.Elisha brings a unique perspective to the conversation as the only son of Elie Wiesel, Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Holocaust survivor, and author of Night, the renowned memoir of survival in the Nazi death camps. Wiesel shares on the podcast his father’s legacy, not only as a passionate humanitarian, but as a proud Jew, who wanted to bring light to the dark places in our world.Listen now to this important and insightful conversation as we remember the lives lost during the Holocaust, honor those who survived, and vow, "Never again."For more information on today’s episode, visit mybiblicalroots.org.

As we prepare to celebrate the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., host Yael Eckstein welcomes to the podcast Dr. Alveda King, daughter of slain civil rights activist Rev. A.D. King, and niece of Dr. King.Throughout her life, Alveda has carried on the legacy of the King family, passing on the message of love for and dignity of each human being as a champion for life from “the womb to the tomb.”Dr. King shares with Yael, “As I was brought up by my Daddy, my Granddaddy, and my Uncle ML, we must know that we are all one race, and we must work together for human dignity… anywhere and everywhere we are on this planet.”You won’t want to miss this fascinating message that will inspire each of us to promote God’s goodness wherever we are. For more information on today’s episode, visit mybiblicalroots.org.

This week, host Yael Eckstein comes to us from the Holy Land with a very special guest. Adele Raemer is a mother, grandmother, blogger, teacher, hospital clown, and an Israeli.After growing up in the U.S., Adele made aliyah to her Jewish homeland after the Yom Kippur War of 1973, and has for decades made her home on a kibbutz in southern Israel—a green, beautiful home that she says was always “95% heaven.”But all of that changed on October 7th. Like so many kibbutzim living near Israel’s border with Gaza, Adele found herself and her loved ones under attack by Hamas terrorists. Unlike so many of their neighbors and countrymen, Adele and her family survived. But like so many survivors of the attack, they have yet to return to their little slice of heaven, the home that they love.Listen now as Adele talks to Yael about life in the Holy Land—before October 7th, during that horrific day, and in the hard but hopeful days since.For more information on today’s episode visit mybiblicalroots.org.

Did you know that Moses wasn’t the first person to see the burning bush in the desert?According to Jewish tradition, many shepherds had walked by, but none of them bothered to stop. Maybe they were distracted or didn’t want to deal with the fire—or they were simply too busy to take the time to look. But Moses saw the fire—and because he went over to check it out, Moses was present to the miracle that was happening right before his eyes.In today’s powerful episode, host Yael Eckstein shares the lesson of how we must try—even in a world full of distractions—to live in the present moment, just like Moses. If we do, we’ll not only strengthen our relationship with God, but also witness more beauty and miracles all around us! Are you ready?For more information on today’s episode visit mybiblicalroots.org.

Being such a small country, in an arid land often inhospitable to agriculture, Israel has truly brought the miraculous, prophetic words of the Bible to life—making the desert bloom. This week, host Yael Eckstein comes to us from the Holy Land with a special conversation with one of the Israelis who has spent his life tilling the soil in a region he calls “The Barn of Israel.”But, on October 7, the agricultural director of the farming community of Kibbutz Nahal Oz found himself, his community, and his land under attack by Hamas. Just yards from Israel’s border with Gaza, Moran survived that day……and now Moran is working to bring back to life this beautiful desert land that so many of God’s people work on, live on, and love, in the wake of the Hamas attacks and the ongoing war.Listen now as Yael discusses with Moran what kibbutz life was like before October 7, what that awful day brought to his community, and how he is working to rebuild this land he calls home.For more information on today’s episode visit mybiblicalroots.org.

Does your family have any special holiday traditions during this special time of year? Most of us do, including host Yael Eckstein, who shares her special family traditions for Hanukkah.Yael explains not only how this holiday inspires hope, faith, and light for her husband and kids, but how Hanukkah has kept the Jewish people hopeful during the darkest of times in their history.This Hanukkah, especially, is a time to remember all the light that God brings to our lives and a time to inspire faith in those who so desperately need it. Happy Hanukkah and Merry Christmas!For more information on today’s episode visit mybiblicalroots.org.