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Bible teaching with an emphasis on Israel, prophecy and the Jewish roots of Christianity

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Episode: “A Place of Birth”

Zola teaches from the Kibbutz Ramat Rachel in Jerusalem, which overlooks Bethlehem. He relates the history of Bethlehem from Biblical times through today, including the controversial construction at Har Homa. Then, we zip into cyberspace as producer Ken Berg interviews the CEO of NetVison, Israel’s AOL.

Series: “This Is Israel”

Tired of waiting 20 years for CNN and the other networks to show Israel as the modern, beautiful country it really is, Zola and his crew decided to do it themselves. Viewers will be as surprised as our pilgrims to see that this much-criticized nation is at least the equal of our own and in some ways superior!

Transcript

Caption transcript for This Is Israel: “A Place of Birth” (1/12)

00:02 HELLO, I'M ZOLA LEVITT.
00:03 AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE
00:05 SOMETHING OLD AND SOMETHING NEW ON THIS PROGRAM.
00:07 WE'LL START IN JERUSALEM WHERE YOU CAN OVERLOOK THE INTERESTING
00:10 AND BEAUTIFUL CITY OF BETHLEHEM
00:12 AND THEN WE'LL ZIP INTO CYBERSPACE AND TALK WITH CEO
00:16 OF ISRAEL'S LARGEST INTERNET PROVIDER, NETVISION.
00:20 █q █[music playing softly ]
00:59 SHALOM, HELLO AGAIN.
01:00 WELCOME TO OUR NEW SERIES, >> THIS IS ISRAEL.
01:02 AND THIS IS ISRAEL BEHIND ME ON THIS MAP.
01:05 HERE'S THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA
01:07 AND THIS IS THE COUNTRY OF ISRAEL.
01:09 THE YELLOW LINE HERE MARKS WHAT IS BEING CALLED THE WEST BANK
01:13 WHICH IS ACTUAL THE PROVINCES IN THE BIBLE OF JUDEA AND SAMARIA.
01:19 AND THIS LINE MARKS THE GAZA'S STRIP WHERE ARAFAT'S GOVERNMENT
01:24 AND THE PALESTINIANS ARE LIVING.
01:29 AND JERUSALEM IS HERE IN THE CENTER.
01:30 AND BETHLEHEM JUST FIVE MILES SOUTH OF IT RIGHT THERE.
01:34 AND WE'RE GOING TO GO THERE.
01:36 YOU KNOW, THE POINT OF THIS SERIES IS TO DISPLAY THE OFTEN
01:40 IGNORED SIDE OF ISRAEL WHICH IS ITS INGENUITY
01:43 AND KNOW HOW AND BEAUTY.
01:45 THE KIND OF NEWS YOU GET IN AMERICA ON CNN AND SO ON,
01:49 IT JUST ALWAYS SHOWS A TROUBLE SPOT AND SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
01:55 AND AFTER A WHILE, >> THE PEOPLE START
01:58 TO THINK OF ISRAEL THAT WAY.
01:59 IT'S REALLY NOT AT ALL FAIR.
02:01 AND SO WE ARE GOING TO GO TO JERUSALEM AND FROM THERE,
02:05 KIBBUTZ -- ON THE SOUTHERN SIDE OF JERUSALEM,
02:07 RAMAT RACHEL WHICH HAS AN EXCELLENT VIEW
02:09 OF THE LITTLE >> TOWN OF BETHLEHEM WHERE,
02:12 OF COURSE, THE MESSIAH WAS BORN.
02:22 HERE WE ARE AT A TRUE PLACE OF BIRTH.
02:24 AND BACK OF ME, YOU SEE THE LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM.
02:26 THAT'S OUR LOCATION JUST ACROSS ON A SOUTHERN HILL
02:29 IN THE SOUTHERN SUBURBS OF JERUSALEM.
02:34 AND FROM THIS KIBBUTZ, FROM RAMAT RACHEL WE CAN LOOK
02:37 AT THE TOWERS AND SPIRES OF THAT LITTLE TOWN.
02:41 BETHLEHEM IN HEBREW IS BEITLECHEM,
02:44 "HOUSE OF BREAD,"
02:46 AND THAT'S VERY SIGNIFICANT TO THOSE WHO READ THE NEW TESTAMENT
02:48 THAT THE LORD IS REALLY A PIECE OF BREAD.
02:50 "THIS BREAD IS MY BODY,"
02:52 AND, "I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE."
02:53 AND, HE WAS BURIED ON UNLEAVENED BREAD, AND SO FORTH.
02:57 THAT IS THE JEWISH FEAST, THE SECOND FEAST ON LEAVENED BREAD,
03:00 THE SECOND NIGHT OF PASSOVER.
03:02 WELL, IT IS A HISTORIC PLACE.
03:04 IT IS A VERY ANCIENT CITY.
03:06 THERE IS A STATUE HERE IN THE KIBBUTZ WITH
03:08 RACHEL WITH HER TWO CHILDREN.
03:10 SHE DIED HERE IN CHILDBIRTH
03:12 AND HER TOMB IS HERE.
03:14 THAT'S AN ALLEGED SITE, BUT IT IS WHERE
03:17 RACHEL IS REMEMBERED AND >> PEOPLE VISIT ALL OF THE TIME.
03:23 HERE IT WAS THAT NAOMI HAD HER NEEDS MET IN FAMINE.
03:27 HERE IT WAS THAT SHE HAD HOPE WHEN HER DAUGHTER RUTH CONVERTED
03:31 TO THE JEWISH FAITH AND SAID,
03:33 "YOUR LAND WILL BE MY LAND AND YOUR GOD WILL BE MY GOD."
03:37 AND HERE'S WHERE >>RUTH MET BOAZ,
03:40 AND THEY MARRIED >> AND THEIR OFFSPRING,
03:42 OBADIAH AND THEN JESSE, AND THEN ONE OF THE GREAT
03:45 FIGURES OF ANTIQUITY, KING DAVID, OF THEIR LINE.
03:49 AND FINALLY, OF COURSE, ON DOWN TO THE LORD HIMSELF,
03:53 THE PRESENT REIGNING KING OF THE JEWS.
03:56 DAVID WAS ANOINTED HERE.
03:58 YOU RECALL THE SCENE IN I SAMUEL 16:13,
04:01 THE PROPHET COMES TO ANOINT
04:04 THE NEW KING OF ISRAEL DURING SAUL'S REIGN.
04:07 BUT IT WAS THE CUSTOM TO >>ANNOUNCE THE NEXT KING.
04:11 AND JESSE HAD MANY SUGGESTIONS.
04:14 HE HAD EIGHT SONS AND, OF COURSE,
04:17 HE STARTED WITH THE OLDEST.
04:18 BUT THE PROPHET WAS APPOINTED TO ACTUALLY DO THE YOUNGEST SON
04:24 RATHER AS IN THE CASE OF >>JACOB AND ESAU OR ABEL AND CAIN,
04:28 THE YOUNGER WAS PREFERRED.
04:30 THE YOUNGEST OF ALL, >> DAVID, THE SHEPHERD LAD,
04:33 PLAYING ON A PIPE AND COMPOSING POETRY AND CARING FOR HIS SHEEP
04:37 BECAME ANOINTED AS THE NEXT KING OF ISRAEL.
04:41 MICAH, THE PROPHET, HONORED THIS LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM
04:44 IN AN UNFORGETTABLE VERSE IN MICAH 5:2.
05:00 THE LORD WAS BORN HERE, OF COURSE,
05:02 AT A TIME WHEN THIS WAS EVEN A SMALLER TOWN THAN IT IS NOW.
05:05 IT IS NOT A BIG TOWN NOW.
05:07 BUT WHEN THE KING WAS BORN TO A VIRGIN BRIDE HERE,
05:11 THERE WAS ONLY 400 FAMILIES IN BETHLEHEM.
05:14 THAT'S NOT A VERY BIG TOWN.
05:16 AS A MATTER OF FACT, THAT'S THE REASON
05:18 THAT THE LORD WAS BORN HERE.
05:21 THAT IT WOULD BE A BIRTH THAT WOULD BE NOTICED.
05:23 YOU KNOW, IN A SMALL TOWN, >> WHEN YOUNG KIDS,
05:26 OR PRACTICALLY HIGH SCHOOL KIDS ENGAGED,
05:30 AND THE GIRL IS PREGNANT AND ABOUT TO DELIVER,
05:33 WHY, THAT'S NEWS.
05:34 WHEN A GIRL HAS A BABY IN WHAT WE CALL IT A BARN --
05:39 IT WAS REALLY A CAVE WHERE THEY KEEP THE ANIMALS
05:41 WITH THE FIRE AT THE ENTRANCE.
05:43 WHEN SHE HAS A BABY IN CIRCUMSTANCES LIKE THAT, WHY,
05:47 PEOPLE OF THE TOWN MUST TELL EACH OTHER,
05:49 "WHY DOESN'T SOMEBODY DO SOMETHING?"
05:51 AND THEY -- SOMEBODY PROBABLY DID
05:52 AND THEY PROBABLY >> BROUGHT BLANKETS
05:53 AND CARED FOR THEM AND SO FORTH.
05:55 AND IN THAT MANNER THERE >> WAS A BIRTH TO BE REMEMBERED.
05:59 30 YEARS LATER AN HONEST >> QUESTION OR LIKE A NICODEMUS
06:03 MIGHT COME TO BETHLEHEM AND SAY,
06:05 "LOOK, I'VE HEARD THE TEACHINGS OF THIS MAGNIFICENT GALILEAN WHO
06:10 "THEY CLAIM WALKS ON WATER AND HEALS THE SICK
06:12 "AND RAISES THE DEAD.
06:14 "BUT FOR ME TO MAKE THE STEP TO BELIEVE
06:16 "THAT HE IS TRULY THE MESSIAH OF ISRAEL, THAT'S A BIG STEP.
06:20 "AND I'D LIKE TO KNOW SINCE MICAH SAID THAT THE MESSIAH
06:23 "WOULD BE BORN IN BETHLEHEM, IN YOUR LITTLE TOWN,
06:26 "CAN YOU REMEMBER, WAS HE BORN HERE?"
06:29 AND OF COURSE, PEOPLE WOULD SAY, "WHO CAN FORGET IT?
06:32 "YES, HIS MOTHER >>AND DAD RODE INTO TOWN.
06:36 "THEY WERE ENGAGED.
06:37 "THEY WEREN'T REALLY EVEN MARRIED YET."
06:40 AND THEN NICODEMUS OR WHOEVER QUESTIONED WOULD SAY,
06:44 "ISAIAH SAID THAT HE WAS TO BE BORN OF A VIRGIN.
06:49 "WHAT CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT THAT?"
06:52 THEY COULD SAY, "WELL, SHE WAS A YOUNG GIRL.
06:54 "SHE WAS A GOOD GIRL.
06:55 "THEY WEREN'T MARRIED YET."
06:57 THAT'S A LOT OF EVIDENCE.
06:59 THAT'S THE WAY THEY USED TO FIND THE MESSIAH WITH THE EVIDENCE
07:01 OUT OF THE OLD TESTAMENT.
07:03 YOU KNOW, WE HAVE LOST THE SKILL OF WITNESSING
07:05 OUT OF THE OLD TESTAMENT ALONE.
07:07 BUT THAT'S WHAT PETER DID AND WHAT PAUL DID
07:09 AND EVERYONE OF THEM IN THE FIRST CENTURY DID.
07:11 THEY USED THEIR OLD TESTAMENT TO PROVE THE MESSIANIC PROPHECIES.
07:15 THEY MUST HAVE USED ISAIAH 53
07:17 AS PHILLIP DID WITH THE ETHIOPIAN EUNUCH.
07:20 "BY HIS STRIPES ARE WE HEALED."
07:22 HE'S INTERCESSOR >>FOR OUR TRANSGRESSIONS.
07:24 IF THEY COULD CALCULATE DANIEL 9,
07:27 THEY MUST HAVE USED THAT.
07:28 THIS IS A TIME THAT THE MESSIAH SHOULD COME
07:30 IN THE 70 WEEKS OF YEARS OF PROPHECY, AND MANY OTHERS.
07:34 AND THEY HAD THE SKILL OF WITNESSING
07:35 FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT.
07:37 WELL, BETHLEHEM WENT ON AFTER HIS BIRTH AS A PLACE
07:41 OF SPIRITUAL RENEWAL AND REBIRTH.
07:44 CHRISTIANITY FLOURISHED HERE IN THE HOLY LAND.
07:47 THE LATIN BIBLE WAS COMPOSED IN 386 A.D. BY JEROME,
07:52 THE VULGATE BIBLE STILL IN USE IN SOME PLACES.
07:56 THE 4th CENTURY SAW THE BUILDING
07:59 OF THE OLDEST CHURCH IN THE LAND.
08:01 THE BASILICA, CALLED THE CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY
08:05 WHERE THEY CLAIM >>THE MANGER IS LOCATED.
08:07 I'M NOT SURE THAT'S TRUE >> BECAUSE IT'S IN THE MIDDLE
08:10 OF THE CITY SQUARE.
08:11 AND MORE THAN LIKELY THE LORD WAS OUT IN ALL OF THE FIELDS.
08:13 AFTER ALL, ANIMALS ATTENDED THE BIRTH
08:15 AND IT WAS A FARM OR RANCH OR SORT OF THAT HE WAS BORN ON.
08:18 BUT IN ANY CASE, >> THE CHURCH WAS BUILT
08:21 TO COMMEMORATE IT AND THE CHURCH
08:23 WAS THE SITE OF MUCH ARGUMENTATION.
08:25 IT HAS A VERY LOW DOORWAY TO KEEP HORSEMEN FROM RIDING INTO
08:30 THE CHURCH AND UP AND DOWN THE AISLES LOPPING OFF HEADS
08:32 IN THE HOME OF THE PRINCE OF PEACE TO CONTEND FOR THEIR SIDE.
08:37 THERE HAS BEEN MUCH CONTENTION AND MUCH STRIFE
08:40 AND IT SEEMS A SHAME IN THE PLACE WHERE
08:42 THE ONE WHO IS ULTIMATELY TO BRING PEACE ON EARTH
08:46 AND GOODWILL TO MEN WAS BORN.
08:58 "THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD, I SHALL GATHER YOU FROM THE
09:02 "PEOPLES AND ASSEMBLE YOU OUT OF THE COUNTRIES WHERE YOU HAVE
09:05 "BEEN SCATTERED AND I WILL GIVE YOU THE LAND OF ISRAEL,
09:09 "THE WILDERNESS AND >> DRY LAND SHALL BE GLAD.
09:12 "THE DESERT SHALL REJOICE AND BLOSSOM AS THE ROSE.
09:17 "YOU SHALL KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD WHEN I BRING
09:20 "YOU INTO THE LAND OF ISRAEL."
09:26 WE ARE ON LOCATION ACROSS THE FROM THE
09:28 LITTLE TOWN OF BETHLEHEM >> WHERE JESUS CHRIST WAS BORN,
09:30 WHERE DAVID WAS ANOINTED,
09:32 WHERE RACHEL DIED IN CHILDBIRTH, AN ANCIENT AND IMPORTANT CITY.
09:37 AND WE'VE TALKED >> ABOUT THE BIRTH OF CHRIST
09:39 AND WHAT HAPPENED THEREAFTER,
09:40 THE BUILDING OF THE CHURCH OF THE NATIVITY AND SO ON.
09:43 BUT THEN THE TOWN WENT THROUGH A LOT OF CHANGES,
09:45 BECAUSE AFTER ALL, THE MOSLEMS RODE IN.
09:47 THEY CONTROLLED JERUSALEM STARTING IN 632 A.D.
09:51 THEY BUILT THE DOME OF THE ROCK AND FINISHED IT IN 691.
09:55 THEY HELD SWAY HERE FOR CENTURIES.
09:59 FOR TWICE THE AGE OF THE UNITED STATES,
10:00 THE MOSLEMS HELD ONTO THE AREA.
10:03 CHRISTIAN ARMIES OF EUROPE CAME HERE, THE CRUSADERS,
10:07 TRYING TO WREST THE HOLY LAND FROM THE MOSLEMS.
10:09 THEY RODE THROUGH THE PLACE,
10:10 KILLING PEOPLE, JEWS AND MOSLEMS ALIKE.
10:13 THEY DO NOT HAVE >>A VERY GOOD REPUTATION,
10:15 CERTAINLY NOT A VERY RELIGIOUS REPUTATION.
10:19 AND THEY TOOK OVER THE LAND.
10:21 THEY PUT THE KNIGHT'S TEMPLAR ON THE TEMPLE SITE.
10:24 THEY IN AN AWESOME EXAMPLE OF FAILING
10:26 TO READ YOUR OLD TESTAMENT, >> THEY THOUGHT THE
10:28 DOME OF THE ROCK WAS KING SOLOMON'S TEMPLE, IF YOU CAN IMAGINE.
10:32 AND THEY PUT A CROSS ON THE TOP OF THING
10:34 MAKING A CHURCH OUT OF IT.
10:36 AND THAT WAS RATHER AMAZING SINCE IT HAD ORIGINALLY BEEN
10:39 BUILT OVER THE OLD ROMAN TEMPLE OF JUPITER
10:42 WHICH ITSELF HAD REPLACED THE TEMPLE OF GOD, THE JEWISH TEMPLE.
10:46 WE NOW HAD A CHRISTIAN CROSS ON A MOSLEM DOME ON ROMAN PILLARS ON JEWISH LAND.
10:53 THAT'S WHAT HAPPENS IN THE HOLY LAND.
10:56 THE CRUSADERS HELD THE PLACE FOR TWO CENTURIES OR SO.
10:59 THE MULTITUDES FROM EGYPT RODE BACK
11:02 AND OTHER MOSLEMS TOOK OVER.
11:03 AND FINALLY THE TURKS RODE, 1517,
11:05 STILL OTHER MOSLEMS, >> THEY TOOK IT OVER.
11:08 AND ALL THIS TIME, THE JEWS ARE DISPERSED
11:11 AND THE CHRISTIANS TOO FAR AWAY TO OBJECT
11:13 AND THE TURKS HELD SWAY UNTIL 1917 AT THE END OF WORLD WAR I,
11:19 GENERAL ALLENBY OF THE BRITISH ARMY,
11:21 WITHOUT FIRING A SHOT, GOT OFF OF HIS HORSE
11:24 AND WALKED RESPECTFULLY INTO JERUSALEM ON HIS FEET
11:26 AND TOOK THE CITY OVER FROM THE TURKS.
11:28 AND ESTABLISHED THE BRITISH MANDATE.
11:31 IN THE SAME YEAR, LORD BALFOUR OF THE BRITISH PARLIAMENT SAID
11:36 THAT THE JEWS HAVE A PERFECT RIGHT TO REESTABLISH THEIR
11:38 HOMELAND HERE AND THAT WAS A HISTORIC MOMENT INDEED.
11:42 THE JEWS DID START TO COME BACK
11:44 AND THEY STARTED TO FARM THIS PLACE.
11:47 AT LAST, SOMEBODY LIVING IN THE LAND CARED ABOUT IT.
11:50 YOU KNOW, I CAN'T SAY MUCH ABOUT THE TURKS.
11:53 THEY CUT OUT THE FOREST.
11:54 THEY TURNED THE PLACE INTO A DESERT, INTO SWAMP LAND.
11:57 THEY SEEMED NEVER TO PLANT A TREE.
11:58 THEY CHOPPED DOWN ALL OF THE TREES TO MAKE TIES FOR THEIR
12:01 FAMOUS RAILROADS BUT THEY NEVER REPLACED
12:03 THE TREES AND SO SILT WENT INTO THE HARBORS.
12:07 THE PLACE WAS IN RUINATION WHEN THE FIRST JEWS CAME BACK.
12:11 BUT THEY TURNED OUT TO BE AMONG THE BEST FARMERS IN THE WORLD.
12:14 THEY DRAINED THE SWAMPS.
12:16 THEY PLANTED THE PLACE.
12:17 IN THE 1960s THEY WERE THE FIRST
12:21 IN THE WORLD TO USE DRIP IRRIGATION,
12:23 COMPUTER CONTROLLED WATER DRIPPING ON EACH PLANT.
12:26 JUST ENOUGH.
12:29 AND LATELY THEY GROW ROSES BY USING THE WATER TWICE.
12:31 IT GOES THROUGH THE STONE AND COMES OUT OF THE BOTTOM
12:34 AND BACK UP THROUGH THE TOP AND SO FORTH.
12:37 AND THEY HAVE REALLY MADE THIS PLACE INTO AN EXPORTER OF FOOD
12:41 AND AS A MATTER OF FACT, AN EXPORTER OF ROSES.
12:44 AS WE POINT OUT IN THE PREVIOUS PROGRAM,
12:46 ISAIAH PREDICTED THAT THE DESERT
12:49 SHALL BLOSSOM LIKE A >> ROSE AND INDEED IT DOES.
12:53 NOW THEN, THEODOR HERZL, THE GREAT ZIONIST AND
12:56 BEN YAHUDA, THE LEXICOGRAPHER
12:58 RECREATED THE LANGUAGE OF ISRAEL.
13:00 WHEN THE JEWS STARTED TO COME BACK.
13:02 THEY SPOKE A HUNDRED LANGUAGES.
13:04 THEY SPOKE RUSSIAN, >> LIKE MY PARENTS.
13:07 AND THEY SPOKE YIDDISH.
13:09 THEY SPOKE LANGUAGES OF THE COUNTRIES THEY CAME FROM.
13:13 AND THESE TWO FELT >> THAT THEY OUGHT TO SPEAK >>THE BIBLICAL LANGUAGE.
13:17 AND FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HUMAN HISTORY,
13:20 A "DEAD LANGUAGE" SO CALLED, I MEAN IT WAS USED FOR PRAYER
13:23 BUT NEVER FOR CONVERSATION,
13:26 WAS RESURRECTED AND NEW WORDS PUT INTO IT.
13:29 AND IT WAS USED EVERYDAY FOR CONVERSATION IN THE STREETS AND IN THE STORES.
13:33 AND HEBREW WAS RECREATED.
13:34 THE PRINCIPLE HERE IS GIVEN WAY
13:37 BACK IN THE BEGINNING OF THE BIBLE.
13:38 GENESIS 11, THE TOWER OF BABEL.
13:46 THAT WAS THE CASE THEN.
13:54 AND HE PROPOSED THAT THEY CONFOUND THE PEOPLE'S LANGUAGE
13:57 AND SO THEY ALL ARE SPEAKING DIFFERENT LANGUAGES SUDDENLY.
13:59 THEY HAVE TO ABANDON THEIR PROJECT.
14:10 THEY GAVE UP TRYING TO BUILD THIS TOWER TO REACH TO HEAVEN.
14:27 WELL, HERZL AND >> BEN YAHUDA DID THE OPPOSITE.
14:30 THEY RECREATED A LANGUAGE.
14:31 GAVE THEM ALL BACK ONE LANGUAGE AND SPOKE DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
14:34 FROM ALL OVER THE EARTH.
14:36 AND NOW, THEY WERE BACK AND THEY HAVE STAYED,
14:39 OF COURSE, FOR DECADES.
14:41 ISRAEL IS NOW IN ITS SIXTH DECADE.
14:45 IT IS JUST PASSED THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY.
14:49 IN 1948 WHEN THE JEWS DECLARED INDEPENDENCE, WELL, I WOULD CALL
14:53 THAT THE DECADE OF INDEPENDENCE.
14:56 THEY MADE THEIR DECLARATION JUST LIKE AMERICA DID IN 1776.
15:00 AND OF COURSE, THEY WERE >>FALLEN ON BY FIVE ARAB NATIONS.
15:04 THE ARABS CAME FROM ALL SIDES WITH WELL-EQUIPPED ARMIES
15:07 AGAINST 650,000 JEWISH PEOPLE, MANY ARMED ONLY WITH HAND GUNS
15:12 AND SOME NOT ARMED AT ALL.
15:13 AND THEY LOST.
15:15 THE ARABS LOST.
15:16 SOMEHOW THE ISRAELIS HELD THE LAND AND THEY
15:19 ESTABLISHED THEIR INDEPENDENCE.
15:21 AND THEN IN THE 50s, THE IMMIGRATION BEGAN IN REAL
15:25 EARNEST AND THE 650,000 PEOPLE BECAME A TWO AND HALF MILLION.
15:31 IT WAS A TREMENDOUS INFLUX OF JEWS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD
15:33 COME BACK TO BUILD A PROMISED LAND.
15:35 IN THE 60s, THE PALESTINIANS OR THE ARABS CO-OPTED THE TERM
15:40 PALESTINIANS FOR THEMSELVES AND BEGAN THE PLO,
15:45 AN IDEA OF LIBERATING SO CALLED, THE LAND FROM JEWISH INHABITANTS
15:50 SINCE THEY HAD BEEN THERE -- AS WE CAN SEE THE MOSLEMS
15:53 HAD BEEN THERE FOR CENTURIES ALSO.
15:55 BUT THE JEWS PREDATED THEM BY SO LONG.
15:57 IN ANY CASE, THEY WANTED TO LIBERATE THE LAND.
15:59 THE SIX-DAY WAR OCCURRED AND IN THAT ONE,
16:01 THE JEWS CAPTURED JERUSALEM.
16:03 THAT WAS THE DECADE OF WAR AND >>JERUSALEM, I WOULD SAY.
16:07 THE 70s, THE DECADE OF THE ARAB BOYCOTTS.
16:10 REMEMBER WE STOOD IN LINE TO BUY GAS BECAUSE THE ARABS
16:12 HELD BACK THE OIL AND BLAMED THE THING ON THE ISRAELIS.
16:16 THE ISRAELIS MAKE THE ARABS DO BAD THINGS
16:19 AND THE AMERICAN PRESS AND THE WORLD PRESS IN GENERAL
16:22 TURNED AGAINST ISRAEL AND IT IS AGAINST IT TO THIS DAY.
16:25 BASHES IT EVERY DAY.
16:27 AND THIS IS DECIMATING A MODERN DEMOCRACY AND AN
16:32 ALLIES OF THE UNITED STATES AND IT GOES ON AND ON.
16:35 IT HAS BEEN VERY EFFECTIVE.
16:37 THE ARAB "PR" MACHINE GOES ON AND ON AND ISRAEL SUFFERS.
16:41 IN THE 80s THE INTIFADA BEGAN
16:44 WITH THE >> CHILDREN THROWING STONES.
16:45 ARAFAT AND HIS PEOPLE HAD >> NOTHING TO DO WITH THAT.
16:47 THEY WERE CAUGHT >> TOTALLY BY SURPRISE
16:49 AT THIS SPONTANEOUSLY UPRISING.
16:51 BUT THEY CLAIMED IT AND DECIDED THAT THERE HAD TO BE
16:55 PEACE CONFERENCES TO SETTLE THIS ISSUE.
16:58 AND SO WHAT WAS A REALLY GHETTO RIOTS WHICH WE HAVE ALL THE TIME
17:02 IN THE UNITED STATES BECAME SOME KIND OF WAR
17:05 THAT HAD TO BE SETTLED WITH PEACE CONFERENCES.
17:07 AND SO WE HAVE THE 90s, THE DECADE OF FALSE PEACE.
17:11 THAT SHOULD HERALD THE ENTRANCE OF THE ANTICHRIST,
17:14 THE MASTER OF FALSE PEACE COMING UP.
17:17 WELL, TODAY, ISRAEL IS A TOTAL
17:19 SUCCESS OTHERWISE.
17:20 ITS INCOME IS EQUAL TO THAT OF
17:22 ENGLAND PER CAPITA.
17:23 IT IS MUCH WEALTHIER AND MORE IMPORTANT
17:27 THAN ANY OTHER ARAB NATION.
17:28 EVEN THE ONES WITH ENORMOUS AMOUNTS OF OIL STILL DON'T FEED
17:31 THEMSELVES AS THE ISRAELIS DO.
17:34 AND BETHLEHEM, BEHIND ME,
17:37 WAS GIVEN OVER TO THE MOSLEMS IN 1995.
17:40 I SUPPOSE WE WOULD BE IN THE CITY SQUARE IN BETHLEHEM FILMING
17:43 IF IT WERE STILL A ISRAELI-CONTROLLED CITY BUT NOW,
17:46 IT'S A CITY THAT >> GOT SOME DANGER INVOLVED.
17:49 IT IS NOT MUCH FUN TO VISIT.
17:52 YOU HEAR CONSTRUCTION >> GOING ON NEARBY.
17:53 MEANWHILE, THE BIRTH GOES ON.
17:55 THIS PLACE IS STILL BEING REBORN AND REBORN
17:57 AS THEY BUILD NEWER AND NEWER BUILDINGS.
17:59 STILL REMAKING THE LAND.
18:02 AND BETHLEHEM WAS LOST TO THE PALESTINIANS SOME TIME BACK.
18:05 HAR MOMA, WHERE SOME OF THIS BUILDING IS TAKING PLACE,
18:10 JUST OFF THE HILL TO MY RIGHT.
18:12 AND THERE, OF COURSE, WAS A TREMENDOUS CONTROVERSY
18:15 ABOUT THE BUILDING OF SOME APARTMENTS.
18:16 BUT AS I SAY, THE REBIRTH GOES ON.
18:20 THE BORDERS OF JERUSALEM ARE REALLY COMING UP FOR SERIOUS
18:23 DISCUSSION AND WELL, YOU KNOW JEWS AND ARABS HAVE BEEN MOVING
18:26 IN FOR YEARS AND >>THE CITY HAS SWOLLEN UP
18:29 AND THE REAL ESTATE VALUES ARE VERY HIGH.
18:31 AND THE POPULATION >> OF THE COUNTRY HAS GROWN
18:33 BY A THIRD IN 10 YEARS.
18:35 IMAGINE THAT.
18:37 GOSH, IT WOULD BE LIKE ANOTHER HUNDRED MILLION PEOPLE COMING
18:40 INTO AMERICA IN THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
18:42 ISRAEL HAS A TREMENDOUS BURDEN HERE.
18:45 AND OF COURSE, MUCH MORE >> USAGE OF ALL OF ITS SERVICES
18:48 INCLUDING COMPUTER SERVICES.
18:50 OUR PRODUCER KEN BERG VISITED THE HOME OFFICES OF NETVISION
18:54 AND SPOKE TO THE >> CEO RUTH ALON.
19:02 RUTH, THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.
19:04 THANK YOU.
19:05 CAN YOU GIVE US A BACKGROUND ON NETVISION AND ITS
19:07 EXTRAORDINARY GROWTH AND WHERE YOU ARE GOING?
19:09 NETVISION IS FIVE YEARS OLD NOW.
19:13 WE WERE FOUNDED IN 1994 AND WE GOT A LICENSE IN AUGUST
19:21 AND STARTED SELLING ACCOUNTS IN AUGUST OF '94.
19:25 AND TODAY, WE ARE THE LEADING COMPANY.
19:28 WE HAVE MANY, MANY TENS OF THOUSANDS OF CUSTOMERS.
19:33 AND WE HAVE WONDERFUL, EXCITING BUSINESS.
19:39 AND WE'RE TRYING >>TO RIDE THE WAVE OF THE INTERNET
19:41 WITH THE REST OF THE WORLD.
19:43 IT IS PROBABLY ABOUT 20 PERCENT
19:45 OF THE CUSTOMERS THAT ARE YOUNGER.
19:47 AND THE OTHERS ARE THE TYPICAL,
19:49 MAYBE MORE EDUCATED AND SOMEWHERE AROUND
19:54 THE 20 TO 45 IS THE TYPICAL USER.
19:59 WHAT WAYS WOULD YOU CONSIDER ISRAEL
20:01 A LEADER IN CYBERSPACE TODAY?
20:04 I THINK THAT PROBABLY THE NUMBER
20:09 OF NEW IDEAS AND NEW VENTURES AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES
20:12 AND THE INNOVATION THAT GOES WITH IT.
20:15 WE MUST BE LEADER.
20:17 ESPECIALLY IF WE TAKE A PERCENT
20:21 OF THE POPULATION OF THE COUNTRY.
20:23 THERE IS A HUGE NUMBER OF NEW IDEAS AND PEOPLE,
20:28 YOUNG PEOPLE, OLDER PEOPLE, A LOT OF MONEY THAT IS INVESTED
20:32 IN TRYING TO COME UP WITH NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND NEW OFFERINGS.
20:36 AND I THINK WE ARE QUITE UNIQUE IN THAT.
20:39 WHY DO YOU THINK >> THAT IS THE CASE?
20:41 ISRAEL IS A >> RELATIVELY SMALL COUNTRY
20:42 BUT YET SO MUCH >> IS COMING OUT OF ISRAEL.
20:45 THERE IS PROBABLY SEVERAL REASONS FOR THAT.
20:47 THERE'S THE CLASSICAL REASONS
20:49 THAT ISRAEL HAS ALWAYS BEEN KNOWN FOR WELL --
20:53 BEING THE WELL-EDUCATED COUNTRY.
20:55 WE HAVE A VERY HIGH PERCENT >> OF PEOPLE THAT GRADUATED
20:59 HIGH SCHOOL THAT CONTINUE IN ACADEMIC DEGREES OF SOME KIND.
21:04 AND THE OTHER THING IS WE ARE A SMALL COUNTRY
21:06 AND WE ARE A LITTLE FAR AWAY.
21:08 AND IT IS IMPORTANT TO US.
21:10 AND EVERYBODY WANTS TO BE >> CONNECTED WITH THE WORLD
21:13 AND THERE IS NOTHING LIKE THE INTERNET TO CONNECT
21:15 AND MAKE US ONE >> NICE, GLOBAL VILLAGE.
21:21 PERHAPS PART OF YOUR SURVIVAL
21:22 THAT YOU NEED TO STAY >> IN TOUCH WITH THE WORLD?
21:24 I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR ISRAEL.
21:26 BECAUSE CERTAINLY, WHAT THE FUTURE BRINGS
21:30 IS HOPEFULLY PEACE AND GOOD ECONOMICS
21:33 AND GOOD EMPLOYMENT FOR PEOPLE.
21:35 AND EXPORT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ISRAEL AND WE NEED TO BE A PART
21:40 OF THE WORLD AND >> WE ARE PART OF THE WORLD.
21:42 THERE IS NOTHING LIKE THE INTERNET THAT DOES IT.
21:44 AS WE SPEAK, >> WE CAN HEAR CONSTRUCTION
21:46 GOING ON RIGHT NEXT DOOR.
21:47 IT IS SYMBOLIC, ISN'T IT, >> IN THE WAY OF THE GROWTH
21:50 OF THIS COUNTRY, NOT ONLY CYBERSPACE OR THIS IN GENERAL,
21:53 IT'S A DYNAMIC COUNTRY.
21:55 YES, IT IS VERY DYNAMIC
21:57 AND THERE IS BUILDING ALL OF THE TIME.
21:58 IT COMES AND GOES AS WE CAN SEE.
22:01 THAT'S OKAY WE GET USED TO IT.
22:03 BUT IT'S FINE.
22:04 WHERE WOULD YOU SAY THE INFORMATION HIGHWAY
22:05 IS TAKING TO US?
22:07 WHAT ULTIMATELY IS DOWN THE ROAD?
22:09 WOULD YOU SAY IN FIVE YEARS?
22:10 PROBABLY GOING TO BE VERY LITTLE
22:12 THAT WILL NOT BE >>SOMEHOW CONNECTED TO SOMETHING.
22:16 WE LIKE TO SAY SOMETIMES IN THE LECTURES
22:19 THE STORY ABOUT HOW YOUR SHIRT WILL HAVE
22:22 THIS LITTLE SMEAR THAT WILL TELL THE LAUNDRY --
22:26 THE LAUNDROMAT THAT IT'S DIRTY
22:29 AND IT IS TIME >> TO TAKE IT TO THE WASHER
22:30 AND ALSO TELL YOU WHEN IT'S CLEAN.
22:33 I THINK IT'S GOING TO REALLY CHANGE
22:37 EVERYBODY'S LIFE EVEN MORE THAN
22:39 WHAT WE CAN SEE NOW AND HOPEFULLY FOR A GOOD WAY.
22:42 AND CERTAINLY HOPE IT HAS A BIG IMPACT ON
22:45 THE NEW GENERATION WITH EDUCATION AND THE ABILITY
22:48 TO BRING THE GOOD WONDERFUL THINGS THAT KIDS
22:51 NEED TO KNOW ABOUT AND EXPLORE
22:53 AND NOT JUST SIT THERE AND LISTEN TO LECTURES ANYMORE.
22:57 UNFORTUNATELY THE IMAGE THAT WE HAVE IN AMERICA
22:59 IS NOT OFTEN THE BEST OF ISRAEL BECAUSE OF THE NEWS.
23:03 DO YOU THINK THAT THE INTERNET MAY HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH
23:05 CHANGING THAT DOWN THE ROAD?
23:06 WELL, WE SURE HOPE SO.
23:09 I THINK THAT ANYTHING THAT MAKES PEOPLE TALK WITH
23:13 EACH OTHER IS GOOD AND HAVE OPEN >> PHONES TO DISCUSS THINGS
23:18 AND DO IT IN A CIVILIZED MANNER.
23:22 WE HAVE A LOT OF USERS THAT SPEAK
23:25 OTHER LANGUAGES THAN HEBREW.
23:27 ACTUALLY HERE IN OUR TECHNICAL SUPPORT GROUP
23:29 WE SUPPORT ON A REGULAR BASIS IN FOUR LANGUAGES;
23:33 HEBREW, ENGLISH, >>ARABIC AND IN RUSSIAN.
23:36 AND NEW REPORT THAT WAS JUST LAUNCHED
23:40 ABOUT A MONTH AND HALF AGO IS ALSO SUPPORTING FOUR LANGUAGES.
23:43 AND WE PUT A LOT OF EMPHASIS ON THE ARABIC SIDE OF IT.
23:48 AND WE'RE GOING TO PUT MORE CONTENT INTO IT AND IT IS GOING
23:51 TO BE ADDRESSING THE ISRAELI-ARAB POPULATION
23:53 AND HOPEFULLY, YOU KNOW, >> PEOPLE AROUND US.
23:57 AND WE DEFINITELY THINK THAT IT COULD HAVE A GOOD AFFECT
24:00 IN COMMUNICATING MORE AND START INTO TRADE
24:03 AND SEE THE ECONOMY AFFECTED BY IT AS WELL ON BOTH SIDES.
24:16 [ music playing softly ]
25:31 MODERN ISRAEL IS A STORY OF SOMETHING NEW AND SOMETHING VERY OLD.
25:35 YOU KNOW, AS MUCH AS THEY ARE ADVANCED
25:37 IN THE COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY AND MEDICINE AND SCIENCE
25:39 AND AGRICULTURE, AND SO ON.
25:41 THEY ARE THE OLDEST COUNTRY IN THE WORLD.
25:45 WHY DO I SAY THAT?
25:46 CHINA IS OLDER AND SO ON.
25:48 YES, BUT THEY CHANGED THEIR RELIGION
25:50 AND THEIR PHILOSOPHY A HUNDRED TIMES.
25:52 I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE, BUT I MEAN, WHAT WOULD
25:53 AN ANCIENT CONFUSION HAVE TO SAY TO A CHINESE COMMUNIST OF TODAY?
25:58 IN ISRAEL, IF ZEPHANIAH CAME WALKING DOWN THE STREET AFTER
26:03 NEARLY 3000 YEARS, AND SPOKE TO THE PEOPLE,
26:06 HE'D SPEAK THE SAME LANGUAGE AND GIVING THE SAME THOUGHTS
26:08 ABOUT THE SAME GOD, THE SAME PROPHECIES AND SINGING
26:12 THE SAME SONGS AND DO THE SAME PRAYERS
26:14 THAT WE ARE DOING FROM TIME AND MEMORIAL.
26:16 MY GOODNESS, GOD SAID TO ABRAHAM.
26:25 IT HAS COME TO PASS.
26:27 IT CERTAINLY HAS COME TO PASS.
26:29 GET TO KNOW THIS COUNTRY, IT'S WELL WORTH KNOWING.
26:33 WE'RE OFFERING MAPS AS OUR OFFER.
26:36 THIS IS INTERESTING.
26:37 IF YOU HAVE A MAP OF >> A COUNTRY OR A MAJOR CITY,
26:39 YOU GET TO KNOW IT QUITE WELL.
26:42 WE HAVE TWO MAPS.
26:44 ONE OF ISRAEL >> AND ONE OF JERUSALEM TYPICALLY
26:45 THAT WE USE WITH OUR TOURS.
26:47 WE'VE OFFERED THEM FOR YEARS.
26:49 THEY ARE VERY COMPLETE.
26:51 THE MAP OF ISRAEL HAS ALL OF THE CITIES AND THE ROADS
26:53 AND PROVINCES AND SO ON.
26:55 SO YOU UNDERSTAND IT.
26:56 AND THE MAP OF JERUSALEM IS A PICTURE MAP.
26:58 IT HAS STREET NAMES.
26:59 YOU CAN SPEND HOURS AND HOURS LOOKING AT THIS KIND OF A MAP.
27:03 IT IS DIFFERENT THAN AMERICAN CITY.
27:05 THERE ARE NO EXPRESSWAYS.
27:07 THERE ARE BUILDINGS OF 1500 YEARS OLD.
27:13 1300 ANYWAY, THE DOME OF THE ROCK.
27:15 THERE ARE WALLS THAT GO BACK TO KING SOLOMON,
27:17 THE BOTTOM OF THE WESTERN WALL GOES THAT FAR BACK.
27:20 SO GET THESE MAPS AND STUDY THEM AND YOU'LL LIKE THEM.
27:24 AND GET OUR LEVITT LETTER AND OUR CATALOG.
27:26 OUR NEWSLETTER AND CATALOG ARE FREE FOR THE ASKING.
27:28 SEND US YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS
27:30 AND WE'LL SEND THEM RIGHT TO YOU.
27:32 I HOPE YOU WILL DO THAT.
27:33 REMEMBER THE GIFTS OF FUNDS.
27:35 I MEAN, THAT'S HOW ANY MINISTRY REALLY OPERATES.
27:37 THIS IS NOT A STORE.
27:38 WE NEED YOUR HELP.
27:40 LIKE ANY CHURCH, >> WE NEED YOUR TITHE.
27:42 AND SHA'ALU SHALOM YERUSHALAYIM.
27:44 PRAY FOR THE PEACE OF JERUSALEM.
27:47 CAPTIONS PROVIDED BY: TEXOMA CAPTIONS, INC. 903.464.1455

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