Day 1
Arrival in Israel: Jaffa
Date: Friday, October 24
We landed in Tel Aviv around 2:30 PM (Israeli time) and made our first stop at the biblical port city of Jaffa on the way to our hotel. Though the purpose of this trip is primarily educational, I am prayerfully asking the Lord to provide opportunities to share the message of Jesus the Messiah with His people, Israel.
The picture below is taken from Jaffa looking at Tel Aviv, Israel.
Location Notes
The word Jaffa means “beautiful” in Hebrew. Jaffa dates back to over 3,500 years and was named after Noah’s son Japheth.
Jaffa was part of Dan’s inheritance when Israel inherited the land of Canaan (Joshua 19:46).
During Joshua’s day, Jaffa was known as Joppa.
Port of Jaffa (Joppa)
Other biblical associations
Zerubbabel brought cedars here to rebuild the Temple (Ezra 3:7).
Jonah sailed from Jaffa to Tarshish rather than obeying God (Jonah 1:3).
Dorcas lived, died, and was raised from the dead by Peter here (Acts 9:36-42).
Simon the tanner lived in Jaffa (Acts 9:43).
Peter’s vision and commission to take the gospel to the Gentiles occurred here (Acts 10:8-22).
I took this photo from the balcony of my hotel room at the Dan Panorama Hotel in Tel Aviv.
Behind this photo is the sunset I got to see as I sat on the beach and enjoyed God’s beautiful creation in the beautiful land of Israel.
As my first day came to a close, I enjoyed the beautiful sunset on the Mediterranean Sea and made my way back inside to the hotel for dinner.
Shabbat Dinner and the Light of the Messiah
That evening, our group enjoyed dinner at the hotel, where we were served by a young IDF soldier working part-time as a waitress. As we spoke with her, our group shared that we are Christians who pray daily for the Jewish peoplebecause we deeply care about God’s chosen nation, Israel.
The young woman smiled and told us that our words meant the world to her. While this moment may seem small, it was a powerful reminder that even simple conversations can reflect the love of Jesus the Messiah. In that moment, this Jewish woman experienced Christ’s love through the kindness and testimony of believers.
Moments like these are how the Lord begins to soften hearts and open ears among the Jewish people—to build trust and prepare them to hear the message of Jesus, their Messiah.
Please pray that the Lord will continue to provide opportunities throughout this trip to show His love and share His truth.
Psalm 113:3
From the rising of the sun to its setting the name of the Lord is to be praised.
Thank you for following my trip to Israel.
Please pray that the Lord would use me to be a light and and a witnesses to His people Israel.
Friends of Israel Ministry Highlight
Thank you for following my trip to Israel. As I am beginning this tour I would like to share with you in more detail about my ministry to God’s people Israel in the greater DC and Baltimore area. In this ministry highlight, I want to answer the following question:
What is unique to your role at The Friends of Israel?
As a Field Ministry Representative, I focus on equipping believers with theological resources and training to understand the Messiah in the Old Testament so they can grow in their knowledge of God’s Word and confidently minister to the Jewish community. With a background in biblical scholarship, I build relationships within the Jewish community, teach the Old Testament and its fulfillment in the New Testament, and develop books and courses that help lay Christians use the Old Testament for effective ministry and in deepening their grasp of God’s plan for Israel and Yeshua HaMashiach—Jesus the Messiah.
Partner with the Overholtzers
As a Field Representative, my income is dependent—by faith—on God’s provision as He leads His people to
pray and financially give. To launch into full-time ministry, I need to raise my budget of $95,500, which includes my salary, benefits, and ministry expenses per year.
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