(shofar blares)

- This week on "Jerusalem Dateline."

Protests rock parts of Iran,

with some calling for theend of the Islamic regime.

Plus, an historic visit toIsrael by other Iranians

who want to bless the Jewish people.

And tennis becomes a bridgeover the Jewish-Arab divide.

And Amitsim, a place wherewidows and orphans find a refuge.

All this and more this weekon "Jerusalem Dateline."

(driving music)

Hello and welcome to thisedition of "Jerusalem Dateline."

I'm Chris Mitchell.

Massive protests in one Iranian province

have now spread to otherparts of the country.

The demonstrations beganover a lack of water,

but have now grown tocalls for regime change.

Thousands of angry Iranians aremarching through the streets

of southwestern Ahwaz,also known as Khuzestan.

The people accusing the government

of diverting water from their land

as part of an ethnic war.

- They use the water as a weapon

to force or they forciblymigrating the Ahwazi people.

Because Ahwaz land is theheartbeat of Iranian economy

such as oil, gas.

- [Chris] Faisal Maramaziof the Ahwazi Center

for Human Rights callsthe severe water shortage

an environmental catastrophe.

Thousands of dead fish, dry river beds,

and devastated farmland.

This shepherd says his flocks

won't drink the sewage-filled water.

For humans, it's amatter of life or death,

as illustrated by this desperate woman

drinking from a puddle.

- The Ahwazi woman wastelling the popular committee,

"Please don't stop coming to our village.

We are dying because there is no water.

Please do come regularly to us."

That's the lady telling.

Imagine in 21st century,

Ahwazi people are nearly going to die

because of the severe water crisis.

(gunshot fires)

- [Chris] In a violent crackdown,

Iranian police are firing live ammunition,

killing some protestersand injuring hundreds.

Still, the protests continue.

- Ahwazi people has nothing to lose

because everything's been taken from them.

- [Chris] Outgoing President Rohani

dismissed the demonstrations.

(speaking in foreign language)

- [Interpreter] A few hundred people

are not the people of Khuzestan.

(protesters shouting in foreign language)

- [Chris] And others are springing up,

like this in Tehran's metrocalling for the overthrow

of the government anddeath to the dictator.

US Senator Marco Rubio tweeted,

"The US should stand insupport of the protesters

instead of negotiating a deal

with the evil regime in Tehran."

That nuclear deal being renegotiated

by the Biden administrationwould give the regime

billions of dollars in sanctions relief,

and some say clear theway for a nuclear Iran.

It would also enable Iran fullaccess to the oil markets,

which could increase the speed

of environmental destruction in Ahwaz.

In what could be asignificant development,

these internet posters arecalling on the country's

second largest ethnic group,the Azeri people in the north,

to join the protests.

- If the South Azerbaijanichurch will come to the streets,

everything will change inIran and could collapse

the Iranian regime in the nearest future.

(protesters shouting in foreign language)

- It remains to be seen

how far this movement willspread, and some remain skeptical

of any regime collapse at this time.

Meanwhile, in an ominous sign,

the government has shut down the internet

in the Ahwazi province.

After that move with protests in 2019,

the regime killed 1,500 demonstrators.

While these protestscontinue inside the country,

some Iranians came toIsrael for the first time

to show support to the Jewish people.

This group came with theInstitute for Voices of Liberty,

which is dedicated toencouraging democracy in Iran.

Ellie Cohanim's family fled the republic

when she was five years old.

- They are here to tellthe people of Israel

that they support them and they reject

the Iranian regime'santi-Semitism and genocidal desire

to wipe Israel off the face of the earth.

- [Chris] In 1979, the revolutionled by Ayatollah Khomeini

turned Iran from a pro-Western power

to a country dedicatedto destroying Israel

and spreading its Islamicbeliefs worldwide.

These Iranians call the past 42 years

an aberration in Iran's long history.

- Unfortunately, this regime is at war

with Iranian history,culture, civilization,

and most importantly, Iranian values

of tolerance and acceptance.

We are here to make it veryclear to the people of Israel

that the Iranian people standwith the people of Israel

and we condemn the regime in Iran,

which is an occupying force.

- For the past year, the world has heard

about the Abraham Accords.

One of the goals of thismission is to let people know

about what they call the Cyrus Accords.

- Abraham Accords, of course,as everybody here knows

is a peace agreement betweenIsrael and its Arab neighbors.

We feel that just as thatpeace was hard to believe

that it would happen, and it did happen,

Cyrus Accords, a peace deal between Israel

and a future free democraticIran is possible as well.

- [Chris] These accords are named

after the Persian king,who allowed the Jews

to rebuild the Second Temple in Jerusalem.

- And so the Iranian peoplebelieve that, for 2,500 years,

there were warm relationsbetween the people of Israel

and people of Iran.

- My story is really theprime example of that.

You know, the Iranian Jews,we were one of the most

ancient Jewish communities in the world.

We lived side by side ourneighbors for over 2,500 years.

I am Iranian culturally.

You know, my heart is still

with my brothers andsisters in the country.

And so this regime that came in in 1979,

they're a complete aberration.

They preach hatred, but thepeople are rejecting it.

- [Chris] Ahmad Batebi servedtwo years in an Iranian jail

as a political prisoner.

- The main message iswe are not your enemy.

We love you.

We can be not necessarily friend.

We can be brother.

We have a lot of, you know,

cultural values that we can make

a good Middle East with the Israelis.

- [Chris] Although the mission traveled

throughout the country,they felt it significant,

as Iranians, to visit Jerusalem,

the city a once great Persianruler helped to rebuild.

- I wish you could have seenthe various delegates saw

when they walked in the City of David,

when they heard the history

that stems from Cyrus theGreat through various millennia

and how much the twopeople have in common.

And I think it just reinforced

the reason why they came here

and we hope that this is not a one-off,

that this is a beginningof a long-term process,

which inevitably ends up

in peace and prosperity for both people,

right after they sign theCyrus Accords, of course.

- [Chris] In the meantime,their hearts remain back home.

- Lots of my countrymen inside Iran,

which I talk to them,I read their messages,

they are hoping, they are desperate,

and they're waiting everyminute, every second

for the dismantlement of theIranian Islamic Republic.

(driving music)

- [Chris] Coming up, Ben & Jerry's says

it won't sell its famousice cream to the West Bank,

Israel's biblical heartland

(upbeat music)

- It is the most importantarchaeological site.

Nevertheless, it has never been excavated.

- [Announcer] An almost impossible task.

- The Temple Mount was thelargest religious compound

in the ancient world.

- [Gabriel] It is the mostpoliticized piece of real estate

in the world.

- [Announcer] Leads to an improbable find.

- There is an ancientroad also 2,000 years old.

- [Gabriel] That is thebuilding which is referred to

in the New Testament.

- [Announcer] That is confirmingthe stories of the Bible.

- Where the Jesus walk?

There's no question, Hewalked on these steps.

- You can see it.

There's no way to refute that.

They existed.

They walked here. They talked here.

- [Announcer] See the evidenceleft by an ancient witness.

- He lived there.

He saw it. He knew the details.

- And it's like thecrown of our discoveries.

- [Gabriel] May cause a rewriting

of the history of the Temple Mount.

- [Announcer] And discover what was.

"Written in Stone: Secrets of the Temple."

Get your copy today for agift of any dollar amount.

Available now.

- [Announcer] Watch breaking news,

in depth, exclusive stories and programs

from health to entertainmentyou 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

all in one place from aChristian perspective.

The CBN News Channel, aperspective you can trust.

To watch the CBN News Channel,

download the app orvisit CBNNewsChannel.com.

- [Announcer] The Bible tells us to pray

for the peace of Jerusalem.

In CBN's free guide,

"Ten Ways You Can Pray for Israel,"

you'll learn spiritual lessonsfrom Israel's patriarchs,

prophets, and belovedNew Testament leaders

while also discovering howyou can pray for Israel today.

Get your free copy.

Call 1-800-700-7000

or go to CBN.com/PrayForIsrael.

(driving music)

- The Boycott Divestment andSanctions Movement, or BDS,

against Israel seemedto score a major victory

when Ben & Jerry's announced

it would prohibit thesale of its ice cream

in Israeli settlements in the West Bank,

and Israel is pushing back.

Israeli Foreign Minister YairLapid went on the offensive

after Ben & Jerry's announced

it will no longer sell its products

in Jewish communities in the West Bank

and Jewish neighborhoodsin Eastern Jerusalem.

(Yair speaking Hebrew)

- [Interpreter] Ben & Jerry's decision

is a shameful surrender to anti-Semitism.

To BDS, to all that isevil in the anti-Israel

and anti-Jewish discourse,we won't stay silent.

- [Chris] Ben & Jerry'sdecision gives a boost to BDS

that has targeted Israelfor more than a decade.

(Yair speaking Hebrew)

- [Interpreter] Morethan 30 states in the US

have anti-BDS submissionlaws passed in recent years.

I'm going to go one byone and require them

to enforce these anti Ben & Jerry's laws

because they will not treat us in this way

without encountering a response.

- [Chris] Israel's ambassadorto the US, Gilad Erdan,

tweeted that he sent a letterto 35 US state governors,

saying, "I ask you to consider

speaking out againstthe company's decision

and taking any other relevant steps,

including in relation to your state laws

and commercial dealingbetween Ben & Jerry's

and your state."

Ben & Jerry's issued a statement saying

it was inconsistent with its values

for its ice cream to besold in what it called

occupied Palestinian territory.

But its parent company, Unilever, said

it had prevented the ice cream maker

from boycotting Israel proper too.

Israel gained controlof the West Bank, Gaza

and all Jerusalem duringthe 1967 Six Day War.

Known as Judea and Samaria,

some 700,000 Israelis live in areas

they believe are part oftheir biblical heritage.

- It doesn't make anysense, but it makes sense.

If you're anti-Semitic and youhate Israel, this is perfect.

Do it over something moreimportant than ice cream.

- [Chris] Rabbi Yitzchak Adlerstein

of the Simon WiesenthalCenter told CBN News

that many are underestimatingthe impact of the boycott.

- To link Ben & Jerry's, tolink that corporate image

with the idea that Israel is acolonialist, brutal oppressor

of a country that was stillbornand shouldn't be here,

that's the real problem.

Because once one company does that,

then other companieswill find it much easier

to follow suit.

- [Chris] Rabbi Adlerstein says

the most important action people can take

is to approach theirlocal supermarket manager.

- And say, "Hey, I'm justputting a suggestion forward.

Ben & Jerry's now sticks in the throats

of lots of people who shop here.

And we're not telling youwe're gonna boycott you

unless you've remove Ben &Jerry's from your shelves,

but we'd appreciate it ifmaybe you can downgrade them,

maybe you can give them a little

less favorable place on display."

- The Palestinian Authorityapplauded the boycott,

calling it legal and moral.

And the PalestineSolidarity Campaign tweeted,

"This is huge.

Very important step by Ben & Jerry's

and a message to all complicit companies.

The tide of history is turning."

Unlike this standard coffee flavor,

the boycott has inspired a number

of satirical flavors on social media

by those opposing theboycott, including one called

Push the Jews into theSea Salt and Caramel.

Israelis are now hoping this boycott

by Ben & Jerry's will meltaway in the summer heat.

(driving music)

Coming up, the sportof tennis becomes a way

to build a bridge betweenIsrael's Jews and Arabs.

- [Announcer] Now, for alimited time, you can get five

of CBN's criticallyacclaimed documentaries.

Experience the rebirth ofthe modern state of Israel.

- The historic bondsbetween 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, wevolunteer and we come and help.

- [Announcer] Explore the world

of Israeli technological innovation.

- We're people with dreams.

God gives us dreams,

and that's really the roots, I think,

of much of our innovation.

- [Announcer] And understandthe 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.

(inspirational music)

- Here, we're committed to a heritage

of rigorous scholarshipdating back over 1,000 years.

- [Man] And to a faith traditiondating back 1,000 more.

- [Woman] This is how wecreate a culture of inquiry,

where no topic is off limits.

- [Woman] And a culture of hope.

- [Group] Where anything's possible.

- It's Christian leadership.

- And it's changing theworld for the better.

- It's higher learning.

- It's greater knowing.

- It's what makes us whole.

- It's what makes us Regent.

♪ I got the joy ♪

♪ I dance around because I know it ♪

♪ Joy ♪

♪ I move around because I got it ♪

♪ Joy ♪

♪ Joy's in the heart ♪

♪ Joy ♪

♪ I dance around because I know it ♪

♪ Joy ♪

♪ I move around because I got it ♪

♪ Joy ♪

♪ Joy's in the heart ♪

(driving music)

- Violence between IsraeliArabs and Jews flared recently

in a way that rocked the country.

There is hope though, as onegroup seeks to bring Jews

and Arabs together in a uniqueway for a shared future.

Julie Stahl has the story.

(driving music)

- Ian Froman is an IsraeliJew from South Africa.

Fayez Abu Shouhaiban is the mayor

of the Bedouin Israeli town of Rahat.

What's bringing them together?

Tennis.

The Israel Tennis and Education Center

in Ramat Hasharon hasbeen here for 45 years,

and today is the fulfillment of a dream.

Israeli citizens, Jews andArabs, have come together,

not just to co-exist, but towork together in partnership

for a better future.

- This is one of the greatest days

I've spent almost ever,

because when we startedthis tennis facility,

the idea was to reach asmany children as we could.

- [Julie] Froman is a formerDavis Cup player and co-founder

of the Israel Tennis andEducation Centers, or ITEC.

Recently, ITEC hosted anArab-Jewish leadership training day

as the kickoff event forITEC's new Abraham Project.

The rollout of the projectis even more timely

following the recent riotsin mixed Arab-Jewish cities

like Lod that troubled the nation.

- To see that being afacility for children,

it now has really encompassedboth Jewish kids, Arab kids,

and of course, all other kids,and that was the motivation.

(Fayez speaking in foreign language)

- [Interpreter] It's avery exciting event for me

as the head of municipality.

It's the first time I am visitingthe Israel Tennis Center.

I was greeted by manypeople who feel very warmly

toward the residents of our city.

- [Julie] The mayor andRahat city council members

were invited for a dayof sharing food and fun

with the aim of finding a way

to help the young people in Rahat.

- [Interpreter] My vision inRahat is to have a sports city.

We have 75,000 residents.

There are many children.

The education system has 25,000 children,

many schools, many preschools,

but I want to launch them into sports

because sports gives them room to breathe,

gives them everything, andmakes them smile in the end.

- [Julie] And why tennis?

Abu Shouhaiban and his team hitthe courts to find out more.

- [Interpreter] Sport inand of itself is a language,

the language of patients, thelanguage to love the other,

to compete against one another,but to respect the other.

- I see a great opportunity here

to build bridges between the cultures,

and I feel that tennis is the best game

to build this bridge.

- [Julie] Ronen Moralli runsthe coaching program at ITEC.

- Tennis educates youto respect one another,

to compliment one each other.

There's a lot of respectand working together.

And I feel that this is what we,

the Israeli society is lacking.

- [Julie] Alam Ibrahimi is coordinator

of ITEC's Abraham Program withIsrael's Arab communities.

(Alam speaking in foreign language)

- [Interpreter] When playersplay one against the other,

each one passes theball to the other side.

The same player that receives the ball

needs to return the ballto defend what he has,

and as such, it teaches thechild how to be responsible

and dependent, know how toprotect his personal interests

for the greater good.

- [Julie] Ibrahimi said whenchildren in Rahat finish school

in the afternoon, there aren'tany activities for them.

(Alam speaking in foreign language)

- [Interpreter] So the tennis center came

and offered a hand and seesthat they are a partner

in influencing the populationand they're producing children

that are good for society.

- [Julie] Born and raised in Rahat,

Abu Shouhaiban was first ateacher and then a principal.

He says sports can be abridge builder between Arabs

and Jews, especially afterthe Arab Jewish violence

that affected both sides.

- [Interpreter] Theystart by shaking hands

and finish by shaking hands.

That's what's good about this sport.

The added value,especially in this period,

at this time that we all wentthrough as citizens of Israel,

is to join hands together.

There's no other place for us to live.

We have to live together tospeak the language of sport.

It's a language of everyone,

not a language ofanother race or religion.

- [Julie] The day wrapped up

with a heart-to-heartround table discussion.

Froman says they plan to builda tennis center in Rahat.

- There's a partnershiphere that has developed

between the city of Rahatand the tennis centers,

and so it really is the beginning

of what I think is goingto be a tremendous era

of getting together,learning to live together,

using tennis as themedium in which to do so.

- [Julie] Julie Stahl, CBN News,

ITEC, Ramat Hasharon, Israel.

(driving music)

- Up next, they callit Amitsim, the brave,

and it's reaching out in loveto the orphan and the widow.

Thank you for watching"Jerusalem Dateline."

We're committed to providing you

with unbiased reportingfrom the Holy Land.

Through weekly broadcasts,podcasts, and online media,

our vision is to reachmillions around the globe

with the true story ofwhat's happening in Israel

and the Middle East all from a biblical

and prophetic perspective.

This is a big vision andis only made possible

by the generous supportof people like you.

- [Announcer] Call ustoll-free at 1-800-700-7000

or go to CBN.com/JerusalemDatelineand make a donation

that will help spread thelight of truth about Israel

throughout the world.

- [Announcer] Celebrate the summer

with the Superbook Summer Splash Bonus.

Receive three of the bestwater adventures from the Bible

when you join the Superbook Club.

You'll receive this special bonus pack

with this month's episode,"Gizmo Go! Call the Repair Bots!"

- He said it's gonna be thebiggest souffle ever made.

- I've never seen him cook.

- Oh, no! Where did it go?

- Uh.

- [Announcer] Join the Superbook Club

and get "Gizmo Go! Call the Repair Bots!"

Plus two copies to share with others

all for your gift of only $25.

And as part of the SuperbookSummer Splash Bonus,

you'll receive threeadditional "Superbook" episodes

featuring the best ragingwater stories from the Bible.

The Superbook Summer Splash Bonus includes

"Noah and the Ark," "Jonah,"and "Let My People Go."

Join the Superbook Club,and for a limited time,

receive the Superbook Summer Splash Bonus

as our way of saying thanks.

Superbook Club members, free streaming

for seasons one throughfive is now available.

- If you're tired and exhausted all day,

you can't think clearly,

and you really just need acup or even a pot of coffee

to get through your day,then join me, Dr. Josh Axe,

for this new series,where I'm gonna teach you

how to transform your dietand use essential oils

and supplements to geta better night's sleep.

- [Announcer] Wake up to your best life.

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

of "Protect Your Sleep!" today.

- [Announcer] Spice up your summer

with these deliciousinternational recipes.

Introducing Operation Blessing's

free "Light & Lean" recipe book.

It's filled with flavorsyour whole family will enjoy.

Plus, you'll learn aboutOperation Blessing's work,

bringing nutritious food, clean water,

and medical care to millions in need.

Call 1-800-730-BLESSor go to OB.org/Summer

to get your free "Light &Lean" recipe book right now.

(driving music)

- The premature death of a spouse

threatens the stability of a family

and leaves a gaping emotional hole

for the surviving wife or husband.

One Israeli organization isreaching out to these families

and using the Bible as their guide.

Once a week, this home isfilled with kids playing,

parents meeting, and volunteers helping.

It's called Amitsim, whichin Hebrew means the brave.

The goal of Amitsim is tofulfill the biblical mandate

found in the scripturesto embrace and strengthen

the widows and orphans.

About 12,000 families in Israel

have suffered the death of a parent.

- What we do here is what God says

in Exodus 22,- Right

Listen, hear the voice ofthe orphan and the widow.

And God says, "I hear their voice.

You listen to their voice."

And it's our obligation.

- [Chris] Hadass Glick beganthis effort several years ago.

Her husband died in 2001 from a stroke.

Yehuda's wife died in 2018,

and later, he and Hadass married.

Now this former widow and widower

reach out to these families in need.

- We understand how strong of a power

and the effects a fathermeans to his children,

a mother means for her children,

and so we come to give ahand and to strengthen,

but not to replace.

- [Chris] Netanel has beena widower for 3 1/2 years.

- I quickly understoodthat this was a place

where they spoil us.

They have good fruitand food cut out for us.

We don't have to work'cause we're on 24/7.

When you're raising threechildren on your own,

you don't really get any time to rest.

And I could sit down and mykids wouldn't be on top of me

as they are all the time.

It was a place where I could rest.

And then I found

that it wasn't just aplace where I could rest.

It was a place where Icould be amongst peers,

amongst people that have hada similar experience to mine,

which provides a sort of safety.

(Linor speaking Hebrew)

- [Interpreter] My husbandpassed away two years ago.

We have two daughters, oneeight and one six years old.

We got to know the Amitsim club.

It's really good for us here.

They take care of us.

They provide for us.

It's really encouraging thatthere is a group of widows

and widowers here that,together, once a week,

help each other.

I'm really happy that Imet Yehuda and Hadass.

They are, for me, simply amazing people.

- [Chris] Trained volunteersserve hot meals and love.

- They open the heart.

They come to open the heart.

They come to get warmth from us,

from all the volunteers here.

We come every Wednesday.

We meet the people.

We know them. We know their names.

We ask if they're not coming.

They're surprised if you call,

"Why didn't you come last week?"

"Oh, this week, I will come.

I will come this week."

And they are very happy from this place.

- [Chris] 13-year-old Hila

lost her mother two years ago to cancer.

For her and her dog,Louie, it's a safe place.

- It's nice to be inthe company of equals.

- [Chris] And what's yourfavorite activity here?

- The chatting.

- [Chris] It helps the people here

that Hadass and Yehuda clearly know

the devastating loss of a spouse.

- When we see these orphans and widows

and you sit around and talkto them, they're alone.

Nobody remembers them.

And here is somebody who's caring for them

and remembering them andit gives them strength.

You can't believe.

Then they go back home andthey're like a new person.

- We realized that whenyou don't have a father

or you don't have a mother,the home needs support.

What we're doing hereis making a new concept,

rebuilding the Torah words into,

- Reality.- into reality.

- [Chris] They look toIsaiah the prophet, who said,

"Learn to do good; seek justice,

rebuke the oppressor;defend the fatherless,

plead for the widow."

Glick feels the goals ofAmitsim go hand in hand

with the Shalom JerusalemFoundation that he founded.

It seeks to build up Jerusalem

and increase Jewish accessto the Temple Mount.

- The Bible refers to an orphan,

but always says the orphan and the widow.

It says when you're celebrating with me

your holiday at the temple,

include the orphan and the widow.

When you're bringing your harvest,

don't forget to includethe orphan and the widow.

- Hadass and Yehuda hope to establish

10 centers like thisone throughout Israel.

Well that's such a heartwarming story

and we were moved byseeing the love at Amitsim.

Well, that's all for this edition.

Thanks for joining us.

Remember, you can followus on Facebook, Twitter,

Instagram, and YouTube.

And you can also access CBN content

through our CBN News and other CBN apps.

And don't forget to signup for our email blasts

so you can continue to receive

all of our exciting CBN content.

I'm Chris Mitchell.

We'll see you next timeon "Jerusalem Dateline."

(driving music)