Learning Objectives: At the end of this lesson, you should be able to: Highlight how Judaism and democracy merge in modern Israel Discuss how the concept of Jewish peoplehood is exhibited in Israeli society today Explain what it means to live as a minority in Israel Before You Begin: Ask God for a heart of gratitude toward His Chosen People as you discover how Israel is fulfilling her God-given mandate to be a “light to the nations” (Isaiah 49:6). Note to the Reader: This lesson does not cover the Israeli political system or Israeli elections. However, if you are interested in learning more about how Israeli democracy works, please consult CUFI’s Primer: “The Israeli Government,” included in Additional Resources at the end of this lesson. So far, we’ve learned about God’s covenant with the Jewish people and also learned more about the deep connection between the Jewish people and the land of Israel. Now we can develop our understanding of Jewish peoplehood in the modern era. The Jewish people were exiled from their homeland for 2,000 years until the modern State of Israel was founded in 1948. (Remember, as we covered in the last lesson, while there were always Jewish communities in the land, they did not have sovereignty.) In this lesson, we will answer the following questions: what impact did Israel’s founding have on a people whose identity had been so defined by a longing for their homeland? What do you do when you finally get what you’ve been praying for?

Learning Objectives: At the end of this lesson, you should be able to: Articulate the special bond between God and the Jewish people. Explain Jewish peoplehood. Express your understanding of the uniqueness of the Jewish people. Before You Begin: Pray for a deepened understanding of what makes the Jewish people important to God and unique in the world.

Learning Objectives: At the end of this lesson, you should be able to: Explain why the Land of Israel is central to the Jewish People. Give examples of how connection to the Land is expressed in the Jewish religion. Articulate the ways in which the Land of Israel influenced Jews living in the diaspora. Before You Begin: Scripture says the Lord’s eyes are “always” on the Land of Israel (Deuteronomy 11:12). Pray for a heightened awareness of the importance of the Land of Israel to the Jews, to Christians, and, most importantly, to God. In the last lesson, we unpacked how the covenant between God and the Jewish people came to be, and how the Jews became a people through this covenant. We learned what Jewish peoplehood means, came to understand different aspects of the Jewish identity, and we studied how the Jews are set apart by God. In this lesson, our focus is on two key topics: the history of ancient Israel and the Jewish people’s connection to Israel.

Learning Objectives: At the end of this lesson, you should be able to: Articulate the relationship between Israel and the Church as outlined by Paul in Romans 11 Explain the biblical and historical Jewish roots of your faith and Judaism’s connection to Christianity Before You Begin: Ask God to open your eyes to the truth in His Word regarding Israel and the Church. Pray that you will humbly recognize the failings of the Church’s teachings historically on this topic. Prepare your heart to welcome and submit to what you learn.

Learning Objectives: At the end of this lesson, you should be able to: Describe the nature, history, and implications of replacement theology and its impact on Jewish-Christian relations Articulate the mission and vision of Christians United for Israel (CUFI) Express your responsibility as a Christian to support Israel and the Jewish people Before You Begin: Prepare your heart to hear God’s calling over your life to love and bless the Jewish people. Pray for willingness to submit to the Word and to the Lord’s mandate.