ARIEL, Israel – In 2010, CBN News began to cover a story set in the hills of ancient Samaria, part of Israel’s biblical heartland.
A partnership emerged between Jews and Christians to build a one-of-a-kind training center in central Israel.
Just recently that training center passed an historic milestone in Ariel, considered to be the capital of Samaria, established in 1978.
Heather Johnston is the founder of JH Israel, an organization committed to inspire the next generation of Israeli leaders to live their lives with purpose and a biblical identity.
One of the main ways they do that is through the National Leadership Center (NLC), where more than 100,000 Israelis have now taken part in a physically challenging team-building program, which features a grueling obstacle course called the Odyssey.
Johnston marvels at what has been accomplished in the 13 years of the Christian-Jewish partnership.
She told CBN News, “It is just a remarkable, a sign and wonder, that if you can imagine that this city was anticipated by God and that here, some 40 years later, you’ve got the regional hub of all of Samaria and important to Samaria, (and) the crown jewel is this National Center for Leadership Development.”
Eran Glazer, the director of JH Israel, explained that the NLC is open to everyone because of the organization’s belief that people are created in God’s image.
“We have soldiers that (are) coming from the IDF (Israel Defense Forces). Most of them, most of the participants, are students that coming from all over,” he said. “We have Arab-Israelis that come in, a lot of groups of them. Jewish and Arabs coming together. Even, we have groups of Palestinian(s). This garden is open for everybody.”
JH Israel is based on learning through experience, and the Odyssey obstacle course compels people to work together to accomplish a common goal. People from various walks of life go through obstacles together that are challenging, fun, and a gateway to the heart.
“And we see the heart of the parents are very open to the children and children want to do, because we are doing fun first. They’re coming to here, they’re climbing, they’re doing, and then we start speaking with them about big issues in the family, in the government, in the country.” Glazer noted.
The program, endorsed by Israel’s Education Ministry, focuses on biblical characters to help teach lessons.
Johnston says that includes “a reflection on the life of Joshua, Caleb, and King David, and how they connected with God personally, how they saw themselves in relation to Israeli society, and then how to relate to the other.”
“First, we are speaking about the life of King David,” Glazer said. “Every child – we say to them – that we believe that you can be the next King David. We speak with them about Abram… we are speaking about Moses. We are speaking with them about going by a miracle from Egypt.”
He added, “And this is what we’re speaking with the young people, coming back to the roots – understand the roots, understand their purpose – a human question that is, everybody’s open for that.”
Johnston sees the program as a fulfillment of prophecy. “I believe that we are standing in the days of Ezekiel 36, and if you can imagine that God anticipated the unfolding of modern Israel, the return of the Jews from the four quarters of the Earth … that would come after that where God said, I’m gonna take out the heart of stone. I’m gonna give you a heart of flesh O Israel. I’m gonna put my spirit in you and … I’m gonna lead you into a place of submission to Me.”
Johnston also believes the center is influencing the nation.
“And I think that’s the cultural shift inside of Israel today, which is toward the biblical heritage, toward a biblical identity, a biblical worldview. And that’s what’s happening, I believe, in this nation from the top to the bottom,” she explained.
Johnston describes it as a remarkable partnership between Jews and Christians.
“God anticipated that the Gentiles would come here, as we see in Jeremiah 31: in those days and at that time when you’re rebuilding the cities, they come in from the land of the north. Again, you’ll plant vineyards on the hills of Samaria. The farmers will plant them and enjoy their fruit. And there’ll be a day when the watchmen – that is, the gentile believers – will stand here on these hills and say, come, let us go up to the Lord our God.”
After passing the milestone of 100,000 participants, they would like to welcome the next 100,000, and beyond.
Glazer predicted, “I think the future is going to be amazing because the heart of the people is changing. We see the ‘heart of stone’ changing, and this is the greatest of the nation to connect it to the roots, and the future is going to be amazing. This is what we are doing here. We are teaching them about the past, that we can build a better future for all the (children) in Israel. And this is our wish.”
The remainder of this article is available in its entirety at CBN