Paul Calvert spoke with Ilan Scolnik, from the Friends of Zion Museum.



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The museum is comprised of seven different rooms, multimedia, the latest technology and all Israeli made. You will see firstly a beautiful map of the State of Israel and a tour using helicopters and drones flying over the State of Israel, connecting people to the Bible and the State of Israel. We then travel back in time and meet Abraham, Moses and Ezekiel. We then meet the dreamers, the first people who started dreaming about the State of Israel; people like Professor George Bush, who wrote a book dating before the Civil War and sold a million copies. That book was calling for the Jewish people to return to the holy land. We then meet the visionaries, people like Queen Victoria. On the Zionist exploration fund, people who supported the State of Israel in exploration in the State of Israel. We jump towards the Holocaust and meet people who we call lights in the darkness, who saved Jewish people from the Nazi horrors; people like Oskar Schindler and Raoul Wallenberg who saved over 100,000 Jews. We then meet those people who fought alongside the Jewish people in the creation of the State, people like John Patterson who commanded the first Jewish fighting force in over 2,000 years and basically led to the creation of the IDF (Israeli Defence Forces). People like Orde Wingate and then of course the final room is the grand finale where every person who comes to the room actually sees themselves. The concept being based on, 'Here am I' from the Bible. We want every person that comes through here to answer that call and say, "Here am I. I'm standing with the Jewish people. I'm standing with the State of Israel."

Paul: You are going back to the very beginning, with the promise to the Jews. Is that very important today?

New Museum Connects Jews And Christians

Ilan: It is incredibly important today. People with replacement theology around the world, the very existence of the Jewish people in the State of Israel depends on their historical right to the land. The very relevance of the Temple Mount today; the very relevance of the fact that there are archaeological findings that have been dug up in the past that were discarded and removed; those are attempts to erase the Jewish connection to the land of Israel. Connecting the Jewish people to the modern land of Israel, that's why we are here; that's why we are not in Uganda or somewhere else. This is the only place for us. That's the place where our forefathers were. It's the place where we have been for over 3,000 years, so it's the only place.

Paul: What names in history do you look back at as pioneers of Christian Zionism?

Ilan: Among the very first is an amazing person by the name of Jean Henri Dunant, who was a Swiss born banker. He has been called the first Christian Zionist.

Jean Henri Dunant was the founder of the Red Cross and the sponsor of the Geneva Conventions and a huge supporter of the Zionist dream and the return of the Jewish people to this land of Israel. He is also the winner of the first Nobel Peace Prize. He died in poverty because of his dream and because of his political views.

New Museum Connects Jews And Christians

We also look back at people like William Blackstone, who wrote a petition, privately given to over 400 world leaders. This laid the foundation for Christian Zionism today.

We also look at George Bush, because Professor George Bush wrote the book Valley Of Vision, which sold one million copies before the American Civil War.

Paul: Is Christian Zionism alive and well today?

Ilan: It is alive and well and it is growing I am pleased to say. I am looking as an outsider, being a Jewish person in the State of Israel. Christian Zionism is something that is desperately needed. In the words of our Prime Minister, BiBi Netanyahu, he says that without Christian Zionism, the modern State of Israel would not exist today. It is so important that there are people all around the world that support the State of Israel. It's important that their voices be heard. It's important that they stand up and go on social media and use their voice and make their voices heard, because there are so many people that don't support. Therefore Christian Zionism is incredibly important.

New Museum Connects Jews And Christians

Paul: Is the Jewish Christian relationship a good relationship today?

Ilan: The Jewish Christian relationship is among the best it has been in many years. I can't think of a Pope, at least in my short life that has, for example, made statements like the current Pope has made. It's unprecedented, the fact that the Evangelical world in North America and around the world is growing and is very supportive of the State of Israel. These are things that are invaluable for the political and historical power of the Jewish people and it's very important.

Paul: Is it important for Christians to understand their Jewish heritage and come and bless Israel?

Ilan: It goes back to Abraham. That's something we talk about in the museum, 'I will bless those who bless thee. I will curse those who curse thee,' from Genesis. When Christian Zionists come here, they believe that statement, or they believe that part of the Bible, the Old Testament and the connection to the Jewish people is very strong and very important for Christians. I believe it's very important for Jews too.