2017 saw a rising influence of Evangelical Christians in America’s corridors of power that has had a positive impact on the State of Israel.

The latest positive development is a Christian group sponsoring a Bible study session in Israel’s parliament next week.

Believing that the Bible has essential truths to teach and should shape our societal values, many Christians are eager for government officials to delve into Scripture for practical lessons in leadership. The Schindler Society is a U.S.-based Christian group that has introduced ongoing Bible study in Congress and now hopes to bring that same inspiration to Israel’s Knesset.

Pastor Jim Garlow, a member of President Trump's faith advisory council, and his wife Rosemary Schindler Garlow, reached out to Member of Knesset Rabbi Yehuda Glick from Prime Minister Netanyahu’s Likud party, about hosting a Bible study at the Knesset.

Because of the sensitive nature of Christians and Jews studying Bible together, my organization, Israel365, which serves as a bridge between Christian Zionists and Israel, was called in to collaborate on the program.

Rosemary Schindler Garlow and her husband, Jim Garlow, have demonstrated their unconditional love for Israel and the Jewish people for 20 years. Rosemary dedicated this Bible study in memory of her relative Oskar Schindler, and in the spirit of the righteous amongst the nations, whose support for the Jewish people comes at great personal expense and with no ulterior motivations. As Pastor Garlow explained to me, "the reason we love the Jewish people is not because of some hidden agenda. We stand with Israel because God promises to bless us if we do (Genesis 12:3) and since it is His plan to bring the Jews back to their homeland, we are to support God’s wonderful plan."

Unlike when Christian lawmakers study the English words of the King James Bible in Washington, Jewish lawmakers will be teaching the Hebrew words of King David in his eternal capital city. As far as Christian participation? According to Garlow, "the Christians are there to listen, not lead. We come as learners."

Of course, there is nothing new about the Bible being studied in the Knesset. Israel’s first Prime Minister, David Ben Gurion, was an avid reader of the Bible. He wrote essays on biblical topics and hosted a Tanakh study group at his home. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has maintained this esteemed tradition and regularly hosts a Bible study circle in the presence of chief rabbis and leading academics.

The Knesset is already built on a solid biblical foundation, yet the Schindler Society is adding an important element that has not — and could not have — existed until this day. Emerging from the pro-Israel Christian community, this week’s Bible study is the fulfillment of one of the most beautiful descriptions of Jerusalem.

The Hebrew prophet Isaiah wrote that one day the Jewish people will return to their homeland and to their eternal capital. When that day finally arrives, "all the nations shall gaze on it with joy. And the many peoples shall go and say: 'Come, Let us go up to the Mount of Hashem, To the House of the God of Yaakov; that He may instruct us in His ways, and that we may walk in His paths. For instruction shall come forth from Tzion, the word of Hashem from Yerushalayim'" (Isaiah 2:2,3, The Israel Bible).

Isaiah describes the ultimate spiritual achievement as the day when non-Jews will come to Jerusalem to study the Bible. Through the Schindler Society’s sponsorship of Bible study at the Knesset this week, we are indeed witnessing this major historical turning point.

Rabbi Weisz is the director of Israel365, which connects 2 million people to Israel every month. He founded the I365 newsletter, is publisher of Breaking Israel News, and editor of The Israel Bible. He lives with his family in Ramat Beit Shemesh. To read more of his reports, Click Here Now.

“And the many peoples shall go and say: ‘Come, Let us go up to the Mount of Hashem, To the House of the God of Yaakov; That He may instruct us in His ways, And that we may walk in His paths.’” Isaiah 2:3 (The Israel Bible™)

A revolution of Torah study is something that was promised in the Bible a long time ago, said Rabbi Tuly Weisz, speaking at the first-ever Schindler Society Knesset Bible Study.

Nearly 200 Jews and Christians gathered at the Knesset on Tuesday which was co-sponsored by the Knesset Caucus for the Encouragement of Bible Study and Israel365. Knesset Members Yehudah Glick (Likud), Robert Ilatov (Yisrael Beiteinu) and Sharren Haskel (Likud) attended.

At the event, Weisz announced the upcoming publication of The Israel Bible hardcover edition, which will be published in honor of Israel Independence Day. The Israel Bible is the world’s first Tanakh, Hebrew Bible, to highlight the special relationship between the land and the people of Israel. Through traditional and contemporary Jewish sources, The Israel Bible seeks to present God’s eternal and unchanging love for the Promised Land and His Chosen People from biblical times until today.

Weisz taught Isaiah 2 from The Israel Bible, demonstrating that the Torah belongs to the Jewish people as well as the entire world. “The Torah will bring Jews and non-Jews together and become the source of unity for all people,” said Weisz.

Haskel noted that history repeats itself and “we see how the Bible has repeated itself time after time, including the revival of the Hebrew language.” She was awed at being able to sit in the modern Knesset as well as to study from the ancient Book and witness how every verse in the Bible can be seen live in the Land of Israel today.

“The fact that we have this amazing miracle in this country and to be able to sit in this modern Knesset and with representatives of the Jewish people and study together this ancient Book that every single verse you can learn about – current things are happening still today.” “We can see the Book turning into reality,” she said.

Ilatov said that what ties Jews and Christians together is the Bible because “the Bible is the foundation of our faith in one God.” Ilatov spoke in Hebrew, noting that “the Book you are reading today is written in Hebrew. One day, everyone will speak Hebrew.”

Jim Garlow and Rosemary Schindler, founders of the Schindler Society, were unable to attend the event at the very last minute. However, they shared a video about their decision to launch Bible study in the Knesset.

Menorah Books, a division of Koren Publishers Jerusalem, and Israel365 are publishing a new edition of the Bible, which centers around the land and people of Israel, as well as the dynamic relationship between them.

The 929-chapter Israel Bible, thought to be the world’s first of its kind, is edited by Rabbi Tuly Weisz, founder and CEO of Israel365. The book, which will be available in Israel in time for Israel Independence Day, highlights the verses in the Bible that relate to Israel and attempts to explain God’s focus on the land of Israel through traditional and contemporary commentaries, maps, charts and illustrations. The Israel Bible contains the original Hebrew text alongside the New Jewish Publication Society translation.

Weisz has been working on The Israel Bible for more than five years. He said that in the 70 years since the modern rebirth of the State of Israel, the Jewish state has been at the forefront of the world’s attention.

“Today, there are countless efforts to vilify the Jewish state. Yet, there is also an ever-expanding movement of biblical Zionists who stand alongside the nation of Israel as an expression of their commitment to God’s eternal word,” Weisz explained. “As we seek to understand the clash between these two conflicting ideologies while seeking to make sense of the modern world’s great interest in Israel, the need for The Israel Bible has never been so timely or important.”

Rabbi Dr. Tzvi Hersh Weinreb, executive vice president emeritus of the Orthodox Union, said The Israel Bible “connects all the dots” and he expects the book will “draw the reader closer to the Almighty, to the Torah, and to the Land of Israel.”

The Israel Bible will be used in April by the Knesset during its second joint Christian-Jewish Bible Study, a project of the Knesset Caucus for the Encouragement of Bible Study, The Schindler Society and Israel365.

According to MK Yehudah Glick (Likud), who runs these studies, he chose The Israel Bible because “you [can] see that Israel is the Torah’s main theme and begin to understand the major role it plays. The Israel Bible helps you understand that the whole Bible is all about the Land of Israel – and that is a message for all of humanity.”

This is the first Bible to be published by Menorah Books, which was acquired by Koren in 2017. Menorah focuses on fiction and non-fiction imprints in the areas of Jewish spirituality and religious experience. Israel365 was founded by Weisz in 2012 to serve as a bridge between the Jews living in Israel and the nations of the world. Weisz served as a rabbi at the Beth Jacob Congregation in Columbus, Ohio before moving to Israel with his family. He attended Yeshiva University.

Further information about the new ‘Israel Bible’ will appear in a feature story in the Frontlines section of Thursday’s holiday newspaper.