Miiko Shaffier, an Orthodox Jew living in Be’er Sheva (less than 30 miles from Gaza), joins Abigail to give a detailed account of what it was like in Israel on the morning on October 7. As the mother of an IDF soldier, Miiko also shares her son’s experience of being called up to serve, her level of contact with him during the war, and a heartwarming story involving kneepads for her son’s unit.
Don’t miss this important episode that will help educate you about the current war and how it has affected families all across Israel.
To learn Hebrew with Miiko’s proven system, visit her website here.
Deputy Mayor of Jerusalem Fleur Hassan-Nahoum joins Abigail to provide an update on the war in Israel, especially with the recent development of the temporary ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Fleur also discusses the hostage situation, providing an important caveat: this is not a prisoner exchange. There is no equivalence between releasing Palestinian prisoners who have been imprisoned for crimes of terrorism in exchange for releasing innocent Israeli civilians, including women and children.
Don’t miss this episode with crucial information about the war in Israel and what its future may look like.
Follow Fleur on X here.
As the Hamas-Israel war continues to rage, Rabbi Steven Weil, CEO of the Friends of the Israel Defense Forces, joins Abigail to provide an update from the front lines, what could happen if Hezbollah enters the war, and how Israel sets the moral standard for war.
Rabbi Weil also shares the story of Sgt. Rose Lubin, a courageous American Lone Soldier who served in the IDF and defended Southern Israel from Hamas terrorists during the October 7th attacks. Last week, Sgt. Rose was brutally stabbed by a terrorist in Jerusalem and succumbed to her wounds. May her memory be a blessing.
The FIDF is the Israel Defense Force’s only designated partner in the US, and the IDF has requested their urgent support. During this war, the FIDF is tasked with meeting IDF soldiers’ emergency needs, including temporary field hospitals, intensive care ambulances, hygiene kits, and plasma kits. Donate to the FIDF’s crucial work here.
Psalms that Rabbi Weil recommends using to pray for Israel: Psalm 120, Psalm 121, Psalm 130.
Join tour guide Abigail in Israel as we head to Huqoq, an archaeological site in the Galilee region. At Huqoq, we’ll meet back up with Dr. Jodi Magness, an archaeologist and director of the Huqoq Excavation Project, who has graciously agreed to give us a tour of the site.
Come along on the adventure to learn more about this ancient Jewish village, which Jesus himself may have visited. Plus, you’ll get to see the centerpiece of the site: Huqoq’s synagogue that is paved with beautiful mosaics, detailing biblical and non-biblical stories. After our discussion with Dr. Magness about the Jonah mosaic, you may leave wondering whether Jonah was swallowed by 1 fish or 3 fish!
Learn more about Huqoq and the excavations here, or visit Dr. Magness’ website here.
Israel is at war. On Saturday, October 7, 2023, the terrorist group Hamas launched a vicious surprise attack on Israel—on a Jewish holiday. It’s disgusting, sickening, and heartbreaking. Hamas is engaged in pure evil, trying to obliterate the nation of Israel, G-d’s nation, from this earth—but they will ultimately fail. G-d will protect his people.
As this war happens in Israel, we have a responsibility to educate ourselves and others as to what is happening. That means we must confront evil: Hamas terrorists are raping women, murdering innocent children and families, taking hostages, shooting thousands upon thousands of rockets into Israel. Don’t run from evil—because then evil gains power.
On today’s episode, we meet Hillel Fuld, a Jewish man who boldly takes the stand for truth and for Israel on social media. He’s also the brother of a national hero of Israel, Ari Fuld, who was murdered in September 2018 by a Palestinian terrorist. Hillel shares about the attacks in Israel and what it’s like to be living there right now.
Don’t miss this episode: it’s the most important Virtual Voyage episode ever. Please share it with your family and friends. The world needs to know the truth.
Join me in praying that G-d delivers Israel from the hand of this evil terrorist group, Hamas. There can be no doubt: G-d is on the side of Israel and the Jewish people. We will see G-d’s miraculous deliverance of Israel from this evil war.
Important Information:
The Ari Fuld Project: https://arifuld.org
Magen David Adom in Israel (National EMS Organization): https://www.mdais.org/en
United Hatzalah: https://israelrescue.org/
Follow Hillel on Twitter: https://twitter.com/HilzFuld
Join tour guide Abigail in Israel as we head back to Tel Hazor, the largest biblical-era site in Israel. We’ll again meet up with Dr. Shlomit Bechar, director of the excavations in the lower city of Hazor.
Come along on the adventure to learn what it’s like working on an archaeological dig—including what time you have to wake up. Plus, you won’t want to miss hearing about all Shlomit and her team found this summer at Hazor!
If you’re interested in learning more about participating in the 2024 lower excavations at Hazor, visit the website here or reach out via email: telhazor@univ.haifa.ac.il.
Join tour guide Abigail in Israel as we meet Dr. Yosef Garfinkel, an archaeologist who has directed excavations at Tel Lachish—a city you need to know about. Come along on the adventure to hear about Dr. Garfinkel's significant discoveries at this site, including evidence for the kingdom of David.
And you won't want to miss Dr. Garfinkel's exciting summary of the Assyrian invasion of Lachish led by Sennacherib, including the still visible Assyrian siege ramp constructed in a matter of weeks with millions of stones!
Learn more about Dr. Garfinkel and volunteering at the Tel Lachish summer excavations here.
Join tour guide Abigail in Israel for a visit to Tel Megiddo, the site most often associated with Armageddon from the book of Revelation, which describes a final end-of-world confrontation between God and forces of evil.
But can we actually call Megiddo the location of the future battle of Armageddon—or is it a different city altogether? Come along on this week's adventure to find out!
Join tour guide Abigail in Israel as we visit Mt. Tabor, a mountain in Lower Galilee known for an Old Testament battle between the Israelites and Sisera and later the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ in the New Testament. But how likely is it that the Transfiguration actually happened here, especially because its location is never directly stated in the New Testament? Abigail will offer her thoughts, but you'll have to make your own mind up.
Plus, don't miss a comical story about Abigail's first trip to Mt. Tabor, which features her and her family running up the mountain while the tour guide sat at the bottom and drank coffee.
On this exciting episode of The Virtual Voyage, we'll meet up with one of Israel's most incredible tour guides, Aaron Shaffier, and head to Zorah, the birthplace of Samson. Tour Guide Aaron leads us to an old industrial park—and you won't believe what we'll find.
Here's a teaser from Judges 13: "And when the flame went up toward heaven from the altar, the angel of the LORD went up in the flame of the altar. Now Manoah [Samson's father] and his wife were watching, and they fell on their faces to the ground."
Learn more about Tour Guide Aaron here, or follow him on Instagram.
Join tour guide Abigail in Israel as we visit Caesarea Maritima, a city on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea that was made great by King Herod. After learning about Caesarea's complex history, we'll head into the archaeological park to see a Roman aqueduct, an ancient theater that still hosts concerts today, Herod's palace, and, best of all, Caesarea's man-made harbor, constructed using revolutionary technology.
Join tour guide Abigail in Israel as we visit Tel Be’er Sheva, a city in the Negev desert that was considered the southern border of the territories settled by the Israelites when they first came to this land.
We’ll also meet a special guest, Dr. Fredric Brandfon. You won't want to miss Dr. Brandfon's tour of the site, along with his fascinating explanations and stories.
Learn more about Dr. Brandfon and his upcoming book, Intimate Strangers: A History of Jews and Catholics in the City of Rome, here.
Join tour guide Abigail in Israel as we meet a conservator, Rosa Lowinger, and learn about an important field within archaeology that helps ensure artifacts are properly excavated and preserved—conservation.
Rosa explains what conservation is and why it's important in the context of archaeology. She also shows us some recent finds from a local dig, including painted plaster and glass.
Learn more about Rosa’s projects as an art conservator here.
Purchase Rosa’s book, Tropicana Nights, here, and be on the lookout for her new book, Dwell Time: A Memoir of Art, Exile, and Repair, which will be published in October 2023.
Join tour guide Abigail in Israel as we visit Capernaum, a city on the Sea of Galilee that was the base for Jesus’s adult ministry in the Galilee. We’ll stop at the reconstructed synagogue while also trying to locate the earlier synagogue Jesus would have taught at. Plus, we’ll visit Peter’s house.
You also won’t want to miss the answer to an interesting question: why can’t we tell 1st-century synagogue remains apart from the remains of any other building?
Join tour guide Abigail in Israel as we visit Capernaum, a city on the Sea of Galilee that was the base for Jesus’s adult ministry in the Galilee. Before arriving at Capernaum, we'll also make a stop at the Jesus Boat, an incredible example of a 1st-century fishing boat that was excavated from the shoreline of the Sea of Galilee. Come along on this week's adventure to learn more about the boat's discovery, conservation, and if Jesus Himself may have been on that very boat!
Join tour guide Abigail in Israel as we visit Tel Hazor. Despite being the largest biblical-era site in Israel, most people don’t know about it.
Upon arriving at the site, we’ll meet Dr. Shlomit Bechar, an archaeologist who has even served as co-director of the excavations at Hazor. With Shlomit’s extensive knowledge that helps the site come alive, this is an adventure you won’t want to miss.
Learn more about Shlomit’s upcoming archaeological dig in Hazor’s lower city and how you can get involved at this website: https://telhazor.haifa.ac.il.
Join tour guide Abigail in Israel as we continue our exciting adventure in Tel Dan. We'll head to the spot where the Tel Dan Stele was found. It's a significant slab of stone with an Aramaic inscription that mentions the "House of David," thus providing the only extra-biblical evidence for King David from the Bible. We'll also make a brief stop at Baniass (or Caesarea Philippi), a nearby site, where a cult worshiping the god Pan developed. We'll note the significance of Jesus bringing His disciples to this spot to discuss the "gates of hell." A close investigation will prove that there's more there than meets the eye.
Make sure to tune back in next time as we head to Tel Hazor and meet a special guest.
Join tour guide Abigail for an exciting adventure in Tel Dan, often considered to be the northern border of Israel. We'll explore the history of Dan, enjoy a beautiful walk through nature, and see the alternate temple Rehoboam erected at Dan in disobedience to God. But the highlight of the tour is a stop at Abraham's gate—a 4000-year-old gate (also containing the oldest arch in the world) that Abraham himself would have gone through when trying to rescue Lot. You won't want to miss it!
And make sure to come back next time where we'll see the Tel Dan Stele, which is perhaps the only extra-biblical archeological reference to King David from the Bible.
