Who: Zola Levitt.
Where: Dallas.
Organization: Zola Levitt Ministries.
Brief History: Zola Levitt, a Messianic-Jewish convert, had a Ph.D. in music from Indiana University and had written more than 200 spiritual songs and two nationally televised musicals: Beloved Thief and Mine Eyes Have Seen.
Since the 1970s, he authored more than 50 books, ranging in topics from Jewish fiction love stories to the prophetic connections between Israel and the rest of the world, with titles such as The Coming Russian Invasion of Israel and The Iranian Menace in Jewish History and Prophecy.
As a Jewish-Christian, he started a television show, Zola Levitt Presents, and a bi-monthly newsletter called Levitt Letter, to educate the world on the devil’s modern tactics to “exterminate and alienate” the Jews.
Levitt died in April 2006 after battling cancer in his lungs, liver, and brain, but not before he made doctrinal enemies with many seminaries – including the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and the Dallas Theological Seminary, which he accused, along with the King James Bible, of anti-Semitism.
Now Playing: Levitt’s legacy continues through weekly midnight programs that air Monday mornings on ABCfamily. They are hosted by Dr. Jeffery Seif and Sandra Levitt, Zola’s wife.
A recent show began with a slow motion montage of ancient warriors and modern paratroopers, tanks, and WWII footage, accompanied by what appeared to be the NFL theme song and a deep, dramatic, male voice intoning:
“Anger in Gaza, war in Lebanon, rumblings in Iran. As the world focuses on the Mid-East quagmire, Zola Levitt Ministries presents: Daniel and the Last Day’s Battle for the Planet.”
With a “hardy shalom,” Seif and Levitt welcomed their viewers to a discussion on angels, demons and the spiritual warfare that surrounds the current struggle in the Holy Land.
Within moments, Seif was standing in the valley of Elah, where David is believed to have slain Goliath. He offered a dramatic retelling of the showdown with a Bible in one hand and a sling in the other. The Hebrew spellings of key words in his sermon rose from the bottom of the screen as he spoke.
Holy Holidays: For more than thirty years, Zola Levitt Ministries has offered tours of the Holy Land. In addition to the high-profile biblical sites, the trips include an extra insider’s look at Jerusalem by visiting Messianic congregation services, families living on the West Bank, and Israeli/Arab folk dancing at the local YMCA.
Not only are the guides fully qualified, they are also Jewish-Christians and have fought in the Israeli army in multiple wars. Traveler’s bags should be relatively safe when left on the bus, since Levitt’s guides have had plenty of practice defending things that aren’t theirs.
These pilgrimages cost between $3,420 and $4,250 depending on the length of the trip and number of sites visited.
All Holocaust survivors travel free.
A Prophet’s Profit: Zola Levitt Ministeries is a non-profit organization that generated $5.8 million in revenue in 2005 (the last year figures are available) – good for a $780,000 profit, according to the Charity Navigator website. That was a million-dollar turnaround from the previous year, when the ministry lost money.
Messianic Merchandise: The organization’s online gift shop includes items such as “Pray For Peace in Jerusalem” bumper stickers, Matzoh-bread postcards, Pro-Israel collar pins, a “blood-chilling” booklet and video Ask For Death! about Palestinian children who become suicide bombers.
Free with any purchase comes a double sided “Things to Come” bookmark. This hand witnessing tool divides man’s fate into two clear categories: “The Future of the Unbelievers” and, when turned over, “The Future of the Believers.”
TV Quote: “I hate that name, Palestine,” Sandra Levitt says. “The devil uses what he has to usurp the Jews.”
A Modern-Day David: On a recent program, Seif interviewed Iraqi General Avigdor Kahalani, who spoke about the importance of not compromising the nation-state of Israel and fighting the evil Arab Goliath for the sake of God’s people.
“We need land,” Kahalani said. “When you put the flag on the hill, it’s yours. You need it to defend yourself.”
Lesson: Next time the Palestinians should plant flags around their homes. Too bad they didn’t think of that first.
Hallelujahs: 2.1
– Steve Yaccino
Posted on February 25, 2007