(shofar blaring)

- [Chris] This week on Jerusalem Dateline,

the effects of COVID-19hit Jerusalem's old city

from the Western Wall to theChurch of the Holy Sepulchre.

- This is heartbreaking, not having

to be able to visit inside,

just to come here andto see the doors closed.

- [Chris] The Coronavirusalso makes this Passover

for the Jewish peopledifferent than any other,

and what you can do tomake an eternal impact

during this global pandemic.

All this and more thisweek on Jerusalem Dateline.

(rock music)

- Hello, and welcome to thisedition of Jerusalem Dateline.

I'm Chris Mitchell.

Iconic sites, ranging fromthe Eiffel Tower in Paris

to St. Peter's Square in Rome sit quiet.

Here, in Jerusalem,COVID-19 has also closed

a number of sites thatpeople from around the world

usually come to see.

(screen whooshing)

This is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre

from a few years ago.

Tourists and Christianpilgrims coming to see

where many believe JesusChrist was crucified

and rose from the dead.

This is what the courtyard of the

Church of the Holy Sepulchrelooks like now, emptied.

And, for the first time inyears, Christian pilgrims

from around the world won't be coming here

to celebrate Easter.

- We're used to the church to be open.

We used to come hereevery day, every morning,

spending all day herepraying, seeing the believers.

This is heartbreaking,not having to be able

to visit inside, just to come here

and to see the doors closed.

- [Chris] Israel will allow the church

to live-stream its global Easter service

with a limited staff of no more than 10.

Just a 10-minute walk away,here at the Western Wall,

this area is usuallyfilled with people praying,

but now, because of the Coronavirus,

only a limited numberof men can come to pray,

and they have to be separatedby at least six feet.

- [Interpreter] We're herebefore the Creator of the world,

especially in this hour, asking him

that he will open the gatesof Heaven to our prayers

and send healing to allthe sick in the world.

(shofar sounding)

- [Chris] In a rare act,just before Passover,

they're blowing the shofar.

- [Interpreter] It's written in the Torah,

that in the hour ofdifficulty, in the hour of war,

we're standing before anenemy that we can't identify.

Blowing the shofar is thatthe holy one, blessed is he,

will hear our prayers.

- Another casualty ofCOVID-19, here in Jerusalem's

old city, are its alleys and shops,

once filled with tourists and shoppers

now shuttered and empty.

- This whole situationaffected us big time.

Our shops has been closedfor the last 14 days.

- [Chris] COVID-19 hit the oldcity just before holy week,

the busiest time of the year.

- Well, usually, thisplace would be packed.

You cannot even put your feet.

- [Chris] Unlike many othershopkeepers in the old city,

Zak has a Plan B, anonline business called

zaksjerusalemgifts.com.

- Before all of thishappened, I had Plan B.

I was expecting a war withIran or with Gaza, you know.

I had Plan B, I had online.

Some gifts like anointingoil and prayers, you know,

from Jerusalem becauseeverybody wants Jerusalem

and want a touch from Jerusalem,especially these days.

- [Chris] Despite the devastatingimpact on the old city,

many here say, the message from Jerusalem

to the world remains the same.

- From Jerusalem, if youcome, his tomb is empty.

He was resurrected, andthis is our encouragement.

Things will be fine.

- The Easter message is resurrection.

It's all over in the Bible.

So we will go back tothe Bible and we will see

what's written in John, you know.

And we will say that theEaster message is resurrection.

It's the renewal of the old person,

and let's have this, you know, epidemic

in order to renew our faithin Jesus Christ the Lord,

who resurrected fromhere on the third day.

(screen whooshing)

- Jewish people in Israeland around the world

celebrate the biblicalholiday of Passover,

with a festive meal called the Seder,

but as CBN Middle Eastcorrespondent Julie Stahl tells us,

this year won't be the same.

- [Julie] It's usually a bigmulti-generational celebration.

Family and friends gathertogether for a meal

and recount the Exodus story of how God

delivered the Jews from slavery in Egypt.

- Passover is a memorialand it's remembrance

of God's act of redemption on behalf

of the Jewish people tobring them out of slavery,

bring them into the promised land

in fulfillment of his promises to Abraham,

and fulfillment of his covenant.

- [Julie] This year will be different,

as the world deals withthis real-life plague

known as COVID-19.

- [Interpreter] A smallSeder is a safe Seder.

This year, more than ever, we will adopt

the Passover festival ofour forefathers in Egypt,

Passover in houses.

- [Julie] In Israel, onlypeople living in the same house

are allowed to sit downfor the Seder together.

So many will be alone.

- [Interpreter] This year on the holiday,

people will be separated from one another.

It's a holiday that will be the opposite,

but it also teaches us that the holy one

also loves each one individually.

- We're gonna be huddledtogether in our homes

in isolation, socially distancedfrom the world around us

just like they were in thetime of the Exodus from Egypt.

- [Julie] That prompted rabbis to ease

decades-old rules forbiddingthe use of electricity

on the sabbath andholidays in order to allow

orthodox families toenjoy Seders via Zoom.

- You got Grandpa or Grandma by herself,

when she should be with herchildren or grandchildren,

even in my mother's case and

in my parent's case, the great-children.

So because of the fear thatit could be very dangerous

psychologically and physically, as people,

the stress can kill you.

- [Julie] Other rabbinicalrulings have also

been changed, like burning the last

bit of chametz or leaven outside

just before the holiday begins.

- I remember, I've beenhere in the Gulf War.

I remember you had to walkaround with your gas masks,

similar thing, and if the siren went off,

you ran for cover, but life went on.

This is unlike anything.

Everything is just shut down.

- [Julie] In the biblicalaccount, shown here

in CBN's Superbook for children,the plagues are listed,

blood, frogs, lice, cattledisease, pestilence,

boils, hail, locusts, darkness

(Pharaoh yelling)

and death of the firstborn.

- Every plague actually is dismantling

of one of the gods of Egypt.

- [Julie] What saved the Jewish people

from the last plague was putting

the blood of a spotless sacrificed lamb

on the doorposts of their homes.

- In Exodus chapter 12,we see the final plague,

where God says to the Jewish people,

he says, go into yourhomes, isolate yourself.

Do not leave your house because

there's something bad outside.

- [Julie] Boaz Michael,from First Fruits of Zion,

sees similarities to this today.

- We're now being told thatwe have to stay in our homes

because there is something essentially bad

that will harm us outside.

- [Julie] Near thebeginning of every Seder,

the youngest child traditionallysings the question,

"Ma nishtana ha-laylah ha-zeh?"

"What's different about this night?"

No doubt this year'sanswer will be remembered

as very different for years to come.

Julie Stahl, CBN News, Jerusalem.

(rock music)

- [Chris] Coming up, a good news story

during this global pandemic that some

are calling a miracle.

- [Patrick Voiceover] Ispent many years here.

- [Narrator] Now available.

- [Patrick Voiceover] ThoughI'm not from this land.

- [Narrator] From CBN Films.

- And I've returned with a message.

- [Narrator] "I Am Patrick."

Get your DVD for a gift of $15 or more.

- Get goin', boy.

- [Narrator] A splendidaccount of St. Patrick.

- [Patrick Voiceover] Ireceived a divine revelation.

- [Narrator] Inspiring.

- He didn't know what hefaced, possible death.

- [Narrator] "I Am Patrick"tells his story with truth.

- Preach the gospel to every creature.

- [Narrator] Candor.

- [Commentator] This mission was crazy.

- [Narrator] And beauty.

- Christ the Lord told me to come here

to preach the gospel.

- [Narrator] Featuring John Rhys-Davies.

"I am Patrick", get your DVD today.

Call 1-800-700-7000 or go to cbn.com.

(upbeat music)

- [Announcer] Discover the connection

between Passover and Easter in CBN's

free guide, Passover andEaster, A Divine Connection.

You'll explore the Jewishfestival of Passover,

understand why Jesus isthe Passover Lamb of God,

and encounter his death andresurrection like never before.

Enrich your celebrationof Easter this year

with a free copy of Passover and Easter,

A Divine Connection.

Call now or go tocbn.com/PassoverandEaster

for your free guide.

- [Woman] Nigerian Christians are being...

- [Man] Christians in Iranare routinely arrested.

- [Woman] Christians continue to suffer.

- [Announcer] In timesof trial and affliction,

you need to know the truth.

- One of the fastest growing Christian

populations in the world.

- [Announcer] Join WendyGriffith and George Thomas

for Christian World News.

- [Woman] Young people are the ones

who are open to the gospel.

- [Announcer] Powerfulstories of suffering and hope

that affect all Christians.

Watch Christian World News,Saturday at 5:00 p.m..

- If you're tired and exhausted all day,

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a cup or even a pot o' coffeeto get through your day,

then join me, Dr. JoshAxe for this new series.

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Call 1-800-700-7000 to getyour free DVD or booklet

of Protect Your Sleep today.

- Don't miss out on this brand new series.

(rock music)

- Game changer, that'swhat US President Trump

calls a drug being used totreat Coronavirus patients.

While there aren'tsufficient clinical studies

to prove its effectiveness yet,

one Florida man says theanti-malaria drug saved his life.

George Thomas has his story.

- Okay, I'm here with my ride or die.

They're comin' home.

- [George] With his wife beside him,

Rio Giardinieri drovehome late Tuesday night

from a hospital in South Florida,

calling his survival of COVID-19

nothing short of a miracle.

- You go from what you feel is death's bed

to feeling great in 10 hours?

To me, call it what you will,

but to me, I'll call it a miracle.

- The Florida-based businessman thinks he

got infected with the Coronavirus about

two weeks ago while attendinga conference in New York.

Last Friday evening,after nine days of running

a high fever, severe cough and body aches,

doctors told the 52year old that there was

nothing more they could do to help him.

(soft piano music)

- I didn't think I wouldsee Saturday morning,

made phone calls to family and friends

to say my goodbyes, and yeah,

very much I thought itwas my last day on earth.

- [George] That evening, aclose friend of 43 years,

told him about Hydroxychloroquine,the anti-malaria drug

that's had some success in treating

COVID-19 patients overseas.

- At that point, I'd never even heard

of the medicine before.

Hydroxychloroquine wastotally alien to me.

- [George] Giardinieri consulted with

an infectious disease doctor who told him,

there isn't sufficient clinical studies

to prove the drug's effectiveness

in combating the virus.

- My statement to him was simply,

"I don't think I'll behere in the morning.

"So I'm willing to try anything."

- [George] Late Friday evening, doctors

at Memorial RegionalHospital in South Florida

started him on a courseof Hydroxychloroquine.

- And I woke up at 4:45 in the morning,

lookin' right at theclock, and it dawned on me

that, all of a sudden, I could breathe.

I was pretty amazed and I knew

that I didn't have a fever.

I didn't feel it anymore.

- [George] He wasdischarged three days later.

- Made it out, escaped from Alcatraz.

Headin' home to start my segregation.

- [George] CBN News spoketo him Wednesday afternoon

as he started his quarantine.

- I'm not a scientist, I'm not a doctor.

And I don't have anyscientific facts to back it up.

I can only tell ya I wentto sleep in major pain,

with a fever for ninedays that wouldn't shake.

And when I woke up at 4:45 in the morning,

I was feelin' great, I mean, to the point

that I felt I coulda gone out in the boat.

- [George] Infectiousdisease experts are trying

an array of therapeuticoptions for fighting COVID-19.

- And what we're findingis there's a bunch

of different medications, one of which

being the Chloroquine that a lotta people

have been talkin' about that seems to

have some effect on this virus,

and has been used in the past.

- [George] In New York, the epicenter of

America's Coronavirus outbreak,

hospitals started clinicaltrials with Hydroxychloroquine

this week in combination with

a commonly-used Z-Pak.

- We have secured 70,000Hydroxychloroquine,

10,000 Zithromax, fromthe federal government.

I wanna thank the FDA formoving very expeditiously

to get us this supply.

- [George] George Thomas, CBN News.

(screen whooshing)

- During this pandemic,we've heard amazing stories

of peace in the middle of the storm.

One comes from Wuhan,China, where it all started.

Mark Martin has the story of a woman

quarantined there who says

her faith made all the difference.

- [Mark] It wasn't long ago that this was

the epicenter of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Rebecca Franks has spentmore than two months

quarantined in Wuhan.

She and her family moved there

after her husband took a job as a teacher.

CBN News caught up with Rebecca by Skype

after news first broke that Wuhan had gone

24 hours with zero cases.

- It's very exciting.

We had a little celebration,a picnic with friends.

This was the day we'd beenwaiting for for a while,

so it was just very very exciting.

It kinda feels like thebeginning of the end.

- [Mark] But as you can imagine,

this festive mood hasnot been the norm there.

- I don't know how onecould get through this

without God because that's everything.

When the last plane leftand we knew we were staying,

I was, Philippians 4:13,and I've always said it,

but I actually had to hang on

every single syllable of that verse.

- [Mark] Philippians4:13 in the Bible says,

"I can do all things throughChrist who strengthens me."

Franks says, her Christian faith is

the only thing that's held her together.

- [Rebecca] God hasdefinitely been right here

in the middle of it, it's been incredible.

- [Mark] And Rebecca Franks offers advice.

- In fear, we just makeirrational decisions

and fear and panic, they'rejust not beneficial.

So what is the point?

I mean, I figure you have two options.

You can live life as you've been handed

and do the best that you can

or you can worry and panicand that just doesn't work.

It's just an easy choice to me.

- [Mark] Mark Martin, CBN News.

(rock music)

- [Chris] Up next, one more stop

on our virtual tour from the Holy Land,

with CBN News in Jerusalem.

(orchestra music)

- [Announcer] Now, for a limited time,

you can get five of

CBN's critically-acclaimed documentaries.

Experience the rebirth of the

modern state of Israel.

- The historic bondbetween the Jewish people

and the land of Israel cannot be broken.

- [Announcer] Relivethe battle for Jerusalem

in the six-day war.

- Jerusalem is yours forever.

- [Announcer] Discoverhow Israeli volunteers

are changing the world.

- When people need us, we volunteer

and we come and help.

- [Announcer] Explore the world

of Israeli technological innovation.

- We're people of dreams.

God gives us dreams, and that's really

the roots, I think, ofmuch of our innovation.

- [Announcer] And understand the biggest

land dispute in history.

- Many Palestinian Arabs claim

that the Jews stole Arab land,

but is that the real story?

- [Announcer] This exclusiveIsrael DVD collection

can be yours for a gift of $40 or more.

Call now or go online to get your

Israel DVD bundle today.

- Hello, I'm Dr. DavidPerlmutter, board-certified

neurologist and number one, New York Times

bestselling author.

Wouldn't it be great to boost your energy,

eliminate brain fog andeven reverse brain disease.

Well, you can, and I'm gonna show you how

along with some of the world's

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- [Announcer] Get ProtectYour Brain, a free DVD,

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Get your free copy at cbn.comor call 1-800-700-7000.

- If you wanna improvethe quality of your life,

get the DVD Protect YourBrain and get it today.

(rock music)

- With many people aroundthe world home-bound

due to the Coronavirussituation and restrictions

against international travel,we thought it would be fun

to bring Israel to youon a daily virtual tour.

We're showing you Israel from the Galilee

to the Negev Desert to here in Jerusalem

through stories we've done over the years.

Here's a look at one of our favorites,

the story of Magdala.

- [Scott] Located on the Western shore

of the Sea of Galilee,Magdala sits at a crossroad

of Jewish and Christian history.

- Magdala is very significant already

just in general culture.

One of the most known figuresof Christian discipleship

is Mary of Magdala.

And what's the importance ofMagdala for the Jewish people?

It's a first-century town,

and a very significantexcavation in the first century

for the Jewish culture.

- [Scott] In 2005, Father Juan Solana

initiated the Magdala Project to highlight

the ministry of Jesus, and an opportunity

to honor women of faith.

They broke ground in 2009,and what happened next,

Father Eamon Kellydescribes as providence.

- We bought this piece of land,

and then to find it in Magdala, the land,

and not just on any hillaround the Sea of Galilee.

And then, you startdigging with two prayers,

"Lord, spare us from archeology."

(laughing)

It was this expensive hobby.

And then, a big delay for all the project.

The second prayer was, if you do give us

archeology, give us something good.

And so, we find this incredible discovery

of a first-century synagogue.

- Seated in the synagogue,Father Kelly told me

about some of the featuresthat make it so amazing.

- So we're in a very big room.

And we can see it's organized with

two rows of seating herein the central part,

and we have another row of seating

inside the outer walls.

This is a space that's not a family home.

It's a very ornate community room

that has this mosaic andthe frescoes and the mosaic

has two parts, the rosettemosaic with the three colors,

but now the specialists are telling us

there are 26 colors in the mosaic.

And then, we have the unending pattern

which shocked some people,

but they say this was alsoin the temple in Jerusalem.

And then, we have the Magdalastone, right bang here.

This is the place where we found it.

Now this and the one out there are copies.

It's considered and treasuredby many archeologists

on the level of the Dead Sea Scrolls

in terms of archeological importance.

- [Scott] ArcheologistMotti Aviam proposed

the theory of the Magdala Stone resembling

the second temple of Jesus' day.

- I suggested that what we have here is

some kind of a model, symbolic,of the temple in Jerusalem.

We have the menorah, we havethe altar, the golden altar.

We have the showbread table and we have

a scene into the holy of holies.

- [Scott] Because of the commandment

against graven images,Aviam says the choice

was to portray God symbolicallyin a divine chariot.

- As it is in the book of Zechariah and

many other books on thesecond temple period,

which gives us adescription of the chariot

on which God is riding...

- What is the significancethen of Magdala,

going back in biblical history?

- Magdala today gives thelargest view archeologically

of the time of Jesus.

- [Scott] While there'sno physical evidence

that Jesus visitedMagdala, Father Kelly says

the signs are there.

- Scott, every day everygroup asks me this question,

was Jesus here, was he in this synagogue?

Was he in Magdala?

And I say, we don't knowbecause we lost all the videos.

(laughing)

Jesus was surely present in Galilee,

and this is on the pathfrom Nazareth to Capernaum.

There's a port here, and he'salways crossing the lake.

This is a Mecca for theGalilean sea fishermen.

- [Scott] At Magdala,the Duc In Altum Center

is a place for people ofdifferent faiths to worship.

It's Latin name is taken from Luke,

where Jesus tells Peterto launch into the deep.

The atrium is designedto honor the Jewish women

who followed Jesus in the New Testament.

Four smaller chapelsinclude mosaics illustrating

biblical events, and in the boat chapel,

a unique, boat-shaped altaroverlooks the Sea of Galilee.

- When the gospel is proclaimed up there

at the microphone, it looks like

Jesus preaching again to us from the boat.

Imagine you're havingliturgy here, prayer,

and the boats are going by.

It allows people to get into the moment

of the gospel happenings.

- [Scott] And downstairsis the Encounter Chapel,

where Father Kelly says he believes God

is healing divisions between

Christians and the Jewish community.

- This is part of the road of the

first century port.

So you know, the names ofany first-century fishermen?

(laughing)

So who walked on this street, yeah?

Now, if Jesus came to Magdala,

I say he was more often on this street

than he was in our synagogue.

- [Scott] Magdala is staffed in part

by international volunteers.

- Sometimes you realize, like, you know

very little of your faith.

So this helps you goto, like, deeper inside

and really to live all the things that

you can find out in Israel.

- I've never been in the Holy Land before.

So it was taking a huge risk.

It was very surprising to see

what we think about Israel, the Holy Land

and coming here and seeing the reality.

- And that guest house for pilgrims?

It opened just recently.

What's the vision for the future now?

- We had to make quite a few adjustments

because of the archeological discoveries,

which enriched the site immensely,

enriched it with meaning and then,

by finding a synagogue, a huge increase

of the Jewish-Christian dialogue.

And also, theChristian-to-Christian encounter,

because here, we have a placewhere we're not divided.

So, where providence is going to continue

taking this in the future, I think

we'll all be surprisedas we are every day.

- [Scott] Scott Ross for CBN at Magdala

in the Galilee, Israel.

(rock music)

- [Chris] Coming up, what you can do

during the global Coronavirus pandemic

to make an eternal difference.

- [Patrick Voiceover] Ispent many years here.

- [Announcer] Now available.

- And I've returned with a message.

- [Announcer] "I Am Patrick."

Get your DVD for a gift of $15 or more.

A splendid account of St. Patrick.

- He didn't know what hefaced, possible death.

- [Announcer] Featuring John Rhys-Davies.

"I Am Patrick," call1-800-700-7000 or go to cbn.com.

- [Announcer] Christians around the world

are standing with the Israelis, but why?

In CBN's free magazine, Friends of Israel,

you'll discover whyChristians are supporting

the Jewish state, how Israelis fulfilling prophecy

as a light to the nations,and ways you can pray

for the people of Israel.

Israel needs the supportof friends like you.

Call now or go to cbn.comto get your free copy

of Friends of Israel.

- [Announcer] Watch breakingnews, in-depth exclusive

stories and programs fromhealth to entertainment

you won't find anywhere else.

The CBN News Channel, aperspective you can trust.

Enjoy credible news reportingfrom around the world

Discover inspiring programsand stories of hope,

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The CBN News Channel, aperspective you can trust.

To watch the CBN NewsChannel, download the app

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I've written four NewYork Times bestsellers,

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(rock music)

- Recently, we posted a story online

about how you can makean eternal difference

during this global crisis.

Karen Covell of theHollywood Prayer Network

created a list of practical ways

we can reach out to ourneighbors, family and friends.

Here's three of those ways.

Send texts of encouragement,humor, wise thoughts,

quotes or encouraging words to others.

Call anyone in yourlife who comes to mind.

Take a moment to calland just let them know

you're thinking of them,and even just leaving

a loving message could make someone's day.

And pray, take neighborhood prayer walks.

Pray for everyone onyour work contact list

or make prayer lists offamily, friends, associates

and even strangers who are on your mind.

People need prayerbecause of financial hits,

isolation, discouragement and fear.

So, if you would, justjoin me in prayer right now

about this global pandemic.

Father, as we haveprayed, we pray that you

would comfort those whohave lost loved ones,

that you would healthose who were affected

by this sickness, that youwould bring divine breakthroughs

for those researchers trying to bring

medication and vaccinesto mitigate this sickness.

And finally Lord, wepray for wisdom for those

leaders around the world who need

to make these profoundlife-and-death decisions.

And we ask that in Jesus' name, amen.

So please remember to pray and reach out

to the people in your life, as we strive

to redeem this global pandemic.

Well, that's all for thisedition of Jerusalem Dateline.

Thanks for joining us.

Remember, you can followus on Facebook Twitter,

Instagram and YouTube.

I'm Chris Mitchell,we'll see you next time

on Jerusalem Dateline.

(rock music)