Rami Ayyad, 30, manager of the Bible Society bookshop in Gaza, was kidnapped on Saturday near his home in Gaza City. His body was later found near the Islamic University on Sunday morning.

It is not known who is responsible for the killing. The attack comes six months after the Palestinian Bible Society bookshop was bombed, causing significant damage.

Mr Ayyad leaves a pregnant widow, Pauline, and two children; George (2yrs) and Wisam (9months).

The staff at the Palestinian Bible Society work against a constant backdrop of violence and conflict. They face the threat of attack daily. But they are dedicated to demonstrating the Bible’s life-changing message to the Palestinian people.

Rami was no different, and the bookshop he ran was an oasis in Gaza City. His death is a tragedy. During the last two months, Rami received direct threats to his life, and was challenged to refuse his faith.

The Palestinian Bible Society is in shock at the death of their colleague. 3 days of mourning have been announced, and a black flag has been erected on all Bible Society centers. All activities have been put on halt as a sign of grief. The Catholic Church with the Bible Society branch “Living Stones” in Bir Zeit has provided the chance for people to give their condolences today from 14:00 – 22:00 in the Catholic Church. A memorial day for Rami will be held in the coming weeks in Jerusalem.

The media response has been much noticed. Daily newspapers are writing about the incident. However, some newspapers have been trying to manipulate the truth by saying that this was a robbery and that Rami was not tortured. Heads of churches in the Jerusalem and the West Bank have asked the PA to investigate the matter and find the murders. The response from the Christian community has been very powerful and supportive. We also received phone calls from Messianic congregations whom have also showed their love and support at this time.

Labib Madanat, Chief Executive of the Palestinian Bible Society, said, ‘Rami was the most gentle member of the team, the ever-smiling one. He was the face of our Bible shop, always receiving visitors and serving them as Jesus would.

‘Please pray for Rami’s family, for the team and all Christ-followers in Gaza. We are sure that his murder was death was a result of his faith in Christ.’

We have already received hundreds of messages of support, condolences, and prayers. The Bible Societies, through their existing insurance arrangements, will be providing financial support for Rami’s family, and will make sure that immediate financial needs are met. In addition, many friends have already started to collect money to supplement this, so that long term financial security for his dependants can be assured. 

Individuals or organizations who wish to make additional contributions can do so directly to this bank account that is now set up for Rami’s family fund:

The Bible Society
Arab Bank Ramallah Al-Balad Branch
Branch #: 9090
Account #: 660-190-515
Swift Code: Arabps22090

All the funds raised will be held in trust by the Bible Society, and used in consultation with the family to provide the best long term care for all of them.

G. Gordon Liddy interviews Yochanan Ben Yehuda, president of
Galilee of the Nations Music, and founder of Heart for Israel Ministries.

Excerpts from “Developing a Heart for Israel” by Jerry Marcellino and Yochanan Ben Yehuda

Many years ago, when I was in my early years as a Christian, I caught with my ear the phrase, “Christianity is fundamentally a heart-religion.” As the years have passed, I have come to more fully understand the truth of this statement. This undeniable truth can be found throughout the whole of God’s word.
It is quite apparent from scripture that Christianity is in its essence a heart-religion. That is ,when God saves a man, woman, or child, He does not merely reform their external actions, but He literally transforms them from the inside out. In other words, He gives them new hearts! The new hearts were made new by God’s Sovereign mercy and grace! They become the temple of the living God( 2 Corinthians 6 :16 ) the residence of the Holy Spirit, who then begins the work, God the Father has worked into every new believer ( Philippians 1:13) namely, a brand new life which flows out of a brand new heart ( 2 Corinthians 5:17).
Such a life wants to obey God’s word, and desires to love what God loves. We frequently observe these spiritual qualities so powerfully at work in believers when we hear them say about others, “so and so has a heart for God,” or he has a heart for ministry”. or about themselves when they say, “I have a heart for the lost.” Now depending on where you are living in the evangelical Christian world, you might have heard these and many other, “I have a heart for _____” statements to add to our list. However, one statement that is rarely heard, no matter where you live, which ought to be heard often among evangelical believers everywhere is, ” I have a heart for Israel.” This passion and aim was obviously the heart of the great apostle Paul to the gentiles, when he said, ” Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is their (Israel’s) salvation” (Romans 10:1). Such passion should be ours for the lost sheep of Jewish people in our days as well! This explains why the apostle Paul emphasized this heart conviction at the outset of His epistle to the Romans, when he said, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jews first and also to the Greek” (1:16). The Hope and prayer behind the writing of this book is to stir up all believers every where to honestly ask themselves the following question, “Do you have a Heart for Israel?” If you can answer yes to this question, then may this booklet stir you even more to pray for the future restoration of Israel (1 Thessalonians 4:1b). If your answer is no, then may this article be the means that God uses to convince you why all Christians everywhere should have a heart for Israel. May it move you to love more, to faithfully bear-witness to, and to begin to fervently pray for the soon fulfillment of Romans 11: 25-29. For I do not want you brethren to be uninformed of this mystery Ñ so that you will not be wise in your own estimation Ñ- that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the gentiles has come in: and so all Israel will be saved; just as it is written, THE DELIVERER WILL COME FROM ZION (Isa 59:20. ” …a Redeemer will come to Zion”), HE WILL REMOVE UNGODLINESS FROM JACOB….THIS IS MY COVENANT WITH THEM. WHEN I TAKE AWAY THEIR SINS.” From the stand point of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God’s choice they are beloved for the sake of their fathers; for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable.”

Why Christians Should Have a Heart for Israel

Why should Christians have a heart for Israel? Many Christians have lived and died having never considered this most vital question. There are probably many reasons for this, Possibly, a few of the more important reasons have been that they have lived in a geographical area where no Jews were to be found and therefore there was no stimulus to catch a burden for the salvation of the Jew. Perhaps others were from a tradition within Christianity that believed national Israel is no longer considered to be a concern to God. They were taught that Israel as a nation, at present is no more important to God than Mexico, Russia, Canada, or Bosnia. Whatever the reason or reasons have been our hopeful aim is to call Christ’s church to consider the abundant Biblical reasons for her having a present, persevering heart for the spiritual prosperity of Jewish people. Let us now consider these Biblical reasons and their practical applications for all believers everywhere:

1. Christians should have a heart for Israel because God still has a heart for Israel.
The LORD did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; but because the LORD loves you… Deuteronomy 7:7

2. Christians should have a heart for Israel because God’s Word calls to preach the Gospel to the Jew first.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. Romans 1:16

3. Christians should have a heart for Israel because of the Scriptural promise of her certain future Restoration.
For if their being cast away is the reconciling of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead? Romans 11:15

4. Christians should have a heart for Israel because of the Spiritual reward that is promised by God to everyone who blesses Israel.
Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: May they prosper who love you. Psalm 122:6

If you would like to learn more, you can receive a complete booklet when you purchase the music CD; Heart For Israel Worship Volume One.

We’ve got a blog over on Galileeofthenations.com so we decided we needed one here, too. There used to be a page called Articles, but it is gone now and the articles that were there will be moved here to the blog where you will be able to comment on them.