Uniting Jews and Gentiles in Support of Israel
I originally began writing this article while in Jerusalem, overlooking the Old City and Mount Zion. I was blessed to celebrate Sukkot in Israel, which Christians calls the Feast of Tabernacles, one of the seven Feast of the Lord which are sourced in several places in Scripture.
In Leviticus 25, a Feast of Great Celebration is described, a celebration not just for the Jewish people, but as I am learning more and more, God-designed for the entire world.
Sukkot is one of the three pilgrimage Feasts of the Lord, where the entire nation of Israel is called to physically come together in one location to celebrate and worship God. The Hebrews have incredibly faithfully preserved this in various forms and to various degrees for more than 3,500 years. Sukkot is miraculously being kept today in Jerusalem, as God has returned them to the Land after more than 2,000 years just as He foretold throughout the Bible!
Zechariah 14:16 even foretells of a day when ALL of the nations will go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles! This is a Feast of gathering together in unity to celebrate and worship God, and it is for the entire world.
I find it very interesting that after spending several weeks to write this article, I am no only realizing that God had rich purpose even in that delay. In synagogues all over the world and even in Israel, rabbis share of God’s dream and desire for the entire world to embrace Him and of His Word, knitting us all together in unity through it.
On that point, it is so much more significant to be writing this article from Israel just as the Israel Ministry of Tourism (IMOT) installed a new Director of Christian Affairs for North America. A big MAZEL TOV to Rev. Jaime Lynn Fusco, who embodies bringing together Jew and Gentiles in unity of Israel!
It is fascinating that when I asked Jaime Lynn how she became interested in Israel she described growing up in a Brooklyn Jewish neighborhood and how she was always so curious about the Sukkahs that would spring up all around during the time of Sukkot. It was this very Feast that God used to stir her heart with wonder about His people that led to her love affair with them and the Land of Israel – so how appropriate to be writing this at such a time as this.
When I asked how old she was when she developed a heart for Israel and her people, I was so astonished when she replied:
“The first memory I have, I was probably around 7 year old – I was going to Catholic school in Brooklyn New York – during communion, after you go up to receive, you then go back to the pew and kneel and pray – I would pray for the Jewish people, the Christian people and the Muslim people – I have no idea where it came from….”
And, paraphrasing a little more of what Jaime Lynn then shared: “I was never taught that. I did grow up in a Brooklyn Jewish neighborhood, but never heard of Muslims and we didn’t talk about them. My parents were born again Christians, my Grandmother and Father did read the Bible to me so I was very familiar with the land and people, but was never taught to pray for them, even though I did regularly.”
“From age 19-27, I had my own company helping mom and pop shops, as well as large companies migrate to the internet. At the core of me I am a writer and have been writing since a very early age. Since the company was doing well I created an op-ed website and started writing political articles to combat the lies that were being published through the news– I was a blogger before bloggers existed….”
“About 4 years into this, 9/11 happened and I was glued to CSPAN watching the 9/11 commission investigations. As I watched I wrote articles and was able to get them out on the web before others could. I had tens of thousands of repeat visitors from all over the world following my articles.”
She went on to share from her heart, “One thing that really helped me to understand Israel and ancient Israel was 9/11 – losing family members and friends in a terrorist attack. Before this we would say, ‘a suicide bomber is a homicide bomber,’ I thought I understood, but to experience it first hand when it happened here in NY it really took it to a whole different dimension in understanding and identifying with Israel in what they have gone through and endured for so long.”
9/11 was the instrument that catapulted Jaime Lynn to do everything she could to shine the light of truth and to stand for Israel. Jaime Lynn was very active, teaching people on how to get involved with their communities and local governments and hosting Israel events and solidarity rallies, always from a positive Godly perspective. “Something I always say, ‘Israel is the Apple of G-d’s Eye and NY is the apple in His Hand,’ that is the Plumb line for my ministry.”
In 2003, she began to transition into full time ministry, teaching in churches, hosting Bible studies and working for multiple ministries, including Billy Graham. “As I came into a much more personal relationship with the LORD in my late twenties, things just started clicking specifically as it relates to Eretz Israel. At that time I had a young aunt who developed 4th stage cancer, I was the primary person taking care of her and I really had to lean on my faith. That year Christmas and Hanukkah aligned and I knew there was something there, it was not just a coincidence, I knew it meant something more. This became the turning point that thrust me into studying the Feasts and times and seasons of the Lord more closely. After that Christmas ALL of the Feasts started aligning! That’s how the LORD really grew my connection with my Hebraic Roots and is how The Wings of Destiny Ministry began.”
Jaime Lynn started writing regularly about the Feasts and the Hebrew calendar; she still writes a monthly newsletter and teaches with continuing revelation, connecting scripture with the time we are in today.
In 2006 she joined Robert Stearns’ Eagles’ Wings organization that for many years has strongly supported Israel and her people. After being on staff for a short while Robert asked her to start sending out the God’s Calendar teachings on the Feast’s to the staff of about 45 at that time. During the 5 years there she spearheaded a Rosh Chodesh women’s ministry within the organization, as well as, taught seminars at their conferences.
It was with Eagles’ Wings that she got to actually visit Israel for the first time in 2008 – “every molecule of your being is transformed – It was just like in Jerry Maguire when Tom Cruise says to Renee Zellweger – ‘you complete me.’ I fully understand this myself, and so will you if you come to The Land of the Bible.”
“It’s not just a Historical place, we are watching The Bible continue to unfold before our very eyes as Scripture Foretold in so many places like in Isaiah 35, where you can physically see the desert blooming. There are so many Amazing discoveries every day proving the Bible and The Significance of The Book and The People of The Book – so even if you’ve been there before there is so much more to see and experience every day!”
Israel is safe, the safety and well-being of its citizens and visitors is of utmost importance to them and I can also attest to that – as Jaime Lynn says “the only way to understand that is to go and see for yourself.”
So, earlier this year when she was offered the position by the Israeli Ministry of Tourism to become the Director of Christian Affairs, North America she enthusiastically accepted. “I get to do what I love – I couldn’t have thought of a better position to be in – I feel like the position was made for me.” And, after getting to meet Jaime Lynn and hear her story, which has even so much more to it, I agree completely.
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