As I write these words, my heart is still full from a deeply moving time we shared this past week on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.
Together with my dear brother Pastor Israel Pochtar and other Jewish and Arab pastors, we gathered in one of the most beautiful and historically sacred places in Israel. Surrounded by our families, children, and even grandchildren, we came not for a conference or a big event—but simply to be together. To share life. To pray. To laugh. To rest. To seek God as one spiritual family.
We were not far from the borders of Syria and Jordan—regions filled with tension and uncertainty. Yet there, in the Galilee, we experienced shalom. Not just a peaceful atmosphere, but something deeper. A spiritual stillness. A unity that felt like a taste of heaven.
One thought kept rising in my heart: this is the Kingdom of God.
As I shared with the brothers, unity is not just a nice idea—it is the very heart of Yeshua. He prayed for it. He died for it. And when we come together—Arab and Jew, from different backgrounds but one in Messiah—we become something powerful.
I used a simple image to explain it: salt. Salt is made from two dangerous elements—sodium and chlorine. If you take either one by itself, it can harm or even kill. But when combined, they become something essential for life. Salt gives flavor. It preserves. It blesses.
The same is true for us. Separated, we struggle. But together, we complete one another. We become a witness.
We become salt and light to this land.
My friendship with Pastor Israel is not accidental. It is something God ordained. Two men from different sides of the divide—brought together by the love of Yeshua and a shared calling to build His Kingdom in Israel. We don’t get many chances to slow down. Both of us are constantly on the move—preaching, serving, ministering, reaching out. But this time was different. It was a gift. And I cherish it deeply.
I want you, our beloved friends and partners, to know that your prayers, your love, and your support make moments like this possible. Moments where healing takes root. Where walls fall down. Where unity becomes more than a dream—it becomes a reality we can touch, see, and feel.
Please continue to pray for us—pray for true unity among believers in this land. Pray that together we will shine brightly for Yeshua in these challenging times.
From my heart to yours—thank you for standing with us.
In His love and shalom,
Pastor Saleem Shalash