Observations about Israel after 99 Trips There.

We arrived home from Israel on Friday.

Rosemary has been to Israel 75 times, the same age as the modern State of Israel. In fact, she was there for Israel’s 75th birthday on May 14, 2023. I have been there 24 times. Together, we have made a total of 99 trips. Here are some observations I have regarding Israel.

1. Israel is safe. When we went, Hamas was firing rockets from Gaza. They continued firing them while we were there, then entered into a truce. We went all the way around Israel, and we felt totally safe 100% of the time. So did every single one of our passengers. It seems like some news organizations want to scare you away from Israel. Rosemary has taken thousands to Israel. They have all felt safe.

2. Israel is growing rapidly as Jews continue to return and young Jewish families are having babies. On my first trip to Israel in 1981, the population was 2 million. Now it is 9.75 million, comprised of approximately 7.75 million Jews and 2 million Arabs.

3. Israel is blessed with lots of children. Children are everywhere. Israel’s Jewish couples are now producing slightly more babies than Arab couples, a change from the past. The average is 3 babies per woman, which is considerably more than Europe’s horrifically low birthrate (known as the “Demographic Winter”). Israel’s haredi (Orthodox or “Ultra-Orthodox” Jews) have nearly 7 children per women while secular Jewish women have approximately 2 children per woman. The more religious one is, the more one views children as a blessing.

4. Israel’s population gets along. For the most part, Jewish people and Arab Muslims coexist with no problems. Corrupt politicians sometimes create strife. But the normal citizen wants to get along and take care of his or her family.

5. Israel is a nation with many large cities. Everywhere you go in Israel, there are high-rise buildings, filled with young families. Israel’s growth is massive. Construction cranes are everywhere. Building is booming.

6. Israel is small. It is about the same size as New Jersey.

7. Israel is large – or seems so – if you circumnavigate the entire country as we did the past two weeks. We were on all the Israeli borders with the Mediterranean Sea on the west, Lebanon to the north, Syria to the northeast, Jordan to the east, and Saudi Arabia and Egypt at the farthest point south. We almost circled the entire State of Israel as we covered so many places in the interior of the nation. One lady on our trip these past two weeks told us that this was her fourth trip to Israel, but 75% of what she saw, she had never seen before. (May I have permission to brag on Rosemary? Her trips are the best. She makes sure every detail is covered. Her trips are spiritual pilgrimages designed to prepare your heart for the soon-coming King.)

8. Israel is a nation of start-ups. Technology is flourishing. If you have anything with technology – say, your cell phone – you have technology from Israel.

9. Israel is flourishing in agriculture. It is exporting agricultural products to Europe and the rest of the world.

10. Israel is creative. It’s drip irrigation is being used by nation’s everywhere. And they are able to produce water out of air! The list of Israel’s inventions and patents is endless.

11. Israel is caring. Of all the nations of the earth, Israel is usually the first one to show up in times of disaster, even when disaster strikes her “enemies.”

12. Israel’s tourism in flourishing. Tour busses are everywhere. Pilgrims flood every site. Israel is able to handle them so well. In 2019 (prior to Covid), 4.5 million pilgrims came to Israel.

13. Israel’s hotels are very nice.

14. Israel’s food is exceptional. If you go to Israel, be prepared to put on a few pounds.

15. Israel’s wonderful sites require some walking. Prepare to “walk off” the pounds you just put on. Your doctor will love you. You will walk 10,000 steps a day. But we walk slow so everyone can stay together as a group. Many people think, “Oh, I won’t be able to make it.” They do.

16. Israel and modern conveniences have made travel so comfortable. My mother is 102 years of age. If you had decided to go to Israel in the year of her birth (1921), you would have had to travel weeks over land by bouncing wagons drawn by horses, and then by early trains. That would have taken some time – maybe weeks or months – to get to a port. Then a steamer ship would have taken weeks to get you to Israel. Once there, you would have had to hire a mule to take you around, or perhaps in an old truck. And there were periodic skirmishes, so you might have gotten caught in crossfire. You would have had to camp outdoors much of the time, and purchased food any way you could. You would have spent a year to see very little of Israel. Today, you sit on a chair that goes through the sky (an airplane), while being served meals. You then sit on a comfortable chair in a “chariot” (an air conditioned bus). You then sleep in the nicest hotels and are fed the greatest food. How could it get any easier?

17. Israel is the “international clock.” It is “God’s timepiece.” Keep your eyes on Israel. Keep your Bible in one hand and your other eye on news from Israel.

18. Israel is “the Bible in landscape.” After coming back from Israel, you can picture the sites of the Bible.

19. Israel’s land is revealing more and more. God is revealing Himself and His Truth more and more through stunning archaeological discoveries. This last trip was my all time favorite. Why? Because we saw the most remarkable discoveries I have ever seen in Israel. The most exciting one is one we are not allowed to talk about (yet). Only about 500 total pilgrims have been taken to this newest find. I am eagerly awaiting permission to talk openly about it. There is a release of revelation happening in Israel. What does that mean? It is exhilarating to see the way of the Lord being prepared for Messiah's coming. Israel is inviting you. Come with us to Israel on October 14-27, 2023; or May 11-22, 2024; or October 20-31, 2024. Learn more here.

Inviting you to Israel,
Jim Garlow CEO, Well Versed

Blessings,
Dr. Jim Garlow
CEO/Founder
Well Versed

Rosemary Schindler Garlow
Co-Founder
Well Versed

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