June 2025
Dear Friend of Israel,
Something very extraordinary happened this past month and not just on the stage of the Eurovision Song Contest.
You may have heard the story of Yuval Raphael, a 24-year-old Israeli woman who survived the massacre at the Nova music festival on October 7th. She was hiding in a bomb shelter, and Hamas terrorists eventually broke in. After they murdered Yuval’s friends right beside her, she played dead, laying down silently while buried under dead bodies – for eight hours – until she was finally rescued.
Fast forward to the Eurovision Song Contest 2025. Yuval stood on one of the biggest stages in the world and represented Israel while singing “New Day Will Rise,” a powerful song of hope and resilience. Her performance displayed the true heart and spirit of a survivor.
But here’s where the real story begins. The media did not want Yuval to participate in the contest. Activists tried to ban her. Broadcasters even refused to air her song. She faced jeers, protests, hate speech and even an attempted rush to the stage during her performance.
After the “jury” gave its verdict, Israel saw itself finishing in 15th place out of 26 in the standings. It simply looked like the pressure campaign against Yuval and Israel had worked. But then came the popular vote, comprising the voices of ordinary people across Europe and throughout the world! Suddenly, Israel started soaring! And lo and behold, Yuval won the popular vote by a wide margin, finishing in second place! It was not institutions, governments, or headlines – but regular people who saw through the noise, felt the truth and chose to stand with her and with Israel.
And that, my dear friend, is exactly what we see every single day at CFOIC Heartland. While the media shouts and the world protests, YOU show up. While politicians waffle and headlines twist the truth, YOU stand with Israel – not for applause or attention but because you care. You, and thousands like you around the world, are the real story. You remind Israelis, and particularly those of us in the Biblical Heartland, that we are not alone. We never forget that behind the noise, there is love, faith and courage, not simply from governments but from people of faith and heart like you.
What happened at Eurovision was not just a victory for a song. It was a revelation that when the loudest voices try to drown out the truth, the quiet majority can still speak the truth to power; and when it does, mountains move. So, thank you for standing with us, believing in Israel and being the steady, faithful voice in a world of noisy falsehoods. YOU are the popular vote and the real story.
With deepest levels of gratitude and appreciation,
Shmuel Junger
Executive Director
Please note that our office number has changed! The 800 number is no longer in service. You can always reach us (the American office) at the regular office number: 719-683-2041.
