From April 11-12th, Jewish and Arab mothers gathered in the Nazareth Golden Crown Hotel for the Deborah’s Clan women gathering, a conference that was sponsored and hosted by Rania (House of Prayer & Exploits) & Chaya Mezrachi (Co-founder of Dugit Jewish Messianic Ministry). A wonderful team of 3 spiritual mothers, both Arab & Jewish, came alongside Rania & Chaya to support and help plan for the conference. It was a great breakthrough as we experienced a deep heart connection and unity between the Jewish and Arab mothers that attended. We had 21 Jewish mothers attending and 24 Arab mothers as well as a few younger women. In total, we were about 52 women. The Arab & Jewish spiritual mothers that attended are in various leadership roles and have great influence in the land of Israel. We felt that the Lord called us to get together for such a time as this, to birth all that is on the Father’s heart for both peoples. We have seen the Lord birth “a voice” in the women, both Arab and Jewish, through the empowering of the Holy Spirit. He has also caused a corporate authority to form with deep heart connection and oneness.

One of the beautiful things at the gathering was that both Jewish and Arab identities had plenty of room for expression. No side felt like they had to give themselves away in order to connect, but the love of God was flowing deeply in our hearts and was expressed openly in freedom. The deep heart connection created an atmosphere of a spiritual safe womb where the Holy Spirit was welcomed to overshadow the women and deposit a seed in their hearts. He also birthed all He desired through our voices released as Deborahs.

There were a few highlights of this gathering and many unforgettable moments. One highlight was the moment when both Arab and Jewish mothers faced each other after Orna & Rania shared their hearts openly with the women about the deep work that God has done to transform each of their heart’s attitudes towards the other. Jew to Arab, and Arab to Jew. In that session, Orna shared about her journey to walking out the book of Ruth & Naomi and how the Lord transformed her heart. During this journey with a few women that were both Arab and Gentile, she began to view the “identity of Israel” from being a widow to becoming a mother. Orna also addressed her experience of heart change toward the Arab people and how she fell in love with the Arab culture.

Rania shared how her heart changed towards the Jewish people and how the Lord took her on a journey of transformation and healing. The safety that was created in the atmosphere when both of them shared their hearts prepared the stage to make a historic act of covenant making as in the book of Ruth. Rania had the Arab women stand on one side, while the Jewish women were facing the Arab women on the opposite side. They were facing one on one each other. Then the Arab women were handed necklaces which had written on them the words of Ruth 1:16, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.” On the other side, the Jewish sisters had prepared scarves as a gift to the Arab mothers. The Jewish mothers began declaring the words that Boaz said to Ruth, “May the Lord reward your labor…” (Ruth 2:12) Chaya Mizrachi took the microphone and spoke over the Arab sisters the desire of her heart that the Arab people would become part of their family, just as Naomi always called Ruth, “my daughter.” These words are precious to any Jewish mother.

On the other side, the Arab mothers declared over the Jewish mothers, while they began to cover them with the scarves as if under the shadow of the God of Israel. The Arab women put the necklaces on the neck on each Jewish sister declaring to her as Ruth said to Naomi, “your people are my people, your God my God. Where you go I will go. Where you live, I will live. Where you die, I will die.” This moment will be remembered in the book of history over both of our peoples. Where hearts were melting and tears were flowing, we saw that God was forming His one family through the Deborahs of the land choosing to walk together in loyalty and love as Ruth and Naomi did.

Another highlight was the moment of honoring the senior Arab & Jewish mothers of the land. There was a heart connection, deep appreciation and thanksgiving expressed to each senior mother who has gone before as forerunners and prepared the way for this generation. The moment of honoring them and acknowledging their labor of love was like a kiss from heaven that filled our hearts with love for each other. In this honoring ceremony, we presented to each mother, from both Arab and Jewish, a beautiful necklace that had a picture of the tree of life in it.

Our hearts are full of gratitude to the Lord and to all of those who stood with us in prayer for this breakthrough.  We also want to thank all of those who have financially sown seed into this strategic and historic gathering of Deborahs.

Testimony from Sandra Teplinsky – A Jewish Spiritual Mother

1. The single greatest highlight to me was the love act of declaring Ruth scriptures with the necklaces and scarf coverings. Its power seemed to come from Holy Spirit generated genuine love without anyone artificially trying to be “prophetic.” It was beautiful and very deep, heart to heart.

2. There was a sense of empowerment of women’s voices and influence resulting from being together in unity. The unity flowed from genuine humility. This too was beautiful.

3.  As a result, I perceived a release of the expression of the feminine side of God, which has been sadly lacking in some ways in this country.

4. The unique atmosphere of love was palpable. This was due partly to the strong international intercession, the careful selection of participants, the love that flowed among the leadership team members for each other, and of course, to God’s grace.

5. It was a wonderful new beginning and the best “unity” meeting of Jews and Arabs I’ve ever been to.

 

Testimony from Norma Sarvis  – A Jewish Spiritual Mother

On Thursday and Friday of last week, I had the honor of attending a “Deborah’s  Clan” gathering in a lovely hotel on the top of Mt. Precipice in Nazareth.  The purpose was to call together Arab and Jewish “mothers in Israel.”  Those of us invited to attend were about 25 Arab and 20 Jewish women, all in positions of leadership, multiple generations coming together from the north to the south of Israel.

I have attended a number of Jewish/Arab women’s gatherings, but this was by far the most natural, unforced, prophetic.  At one point, the Jewish women honored our Arab sisters by speaking over them the words which were spoken in ancient times over the Gentile Ruth:  “The LORD repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge.” (Ruth 2:12).  The Arab mothers then spoke over the Jewish mothers:  “Wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.” (Ruth 1:16)

There were inspired speakers, with messages in English and Hebrew and Arabic; there was wonderful worship in English, Hebrew, and Arabic; there was deep prayer in Hebrew, English, and Arabic. And there was so much love and unity. At times I wept as I realized what God was doing in our midst.

The result was a clear realization that no matter our age, we are the current mothers in Israel, we have a voice and God is at this time calling forth that voice to be heard. There were prayers and declarations towards this goal, all done in great humility, while at the same time honoring our brothers, the men whom God has set in leadership here. We sensed the importance of each needing the other in order to accomplish God’s purposes in the land. We left feeling greatly encouraged and empowered.  I am so thankful to have had the privilege of being a part of this!

 

Testimony from Margaret AbuGhazaleh – An Arab Spiritual Mother  

My experience at Deborah’s Clan was wonderful. The flow of the Spirit which brought such unity among us as with all our different backgrounds, was amazing. There was so much love and acceptance, even among those who had never met before. But I feel like one of  the main things God accomplished was the raising of awareness of the mothers that He has been preparing from both sides, so that we can walk together and mother this land together. We became very aware that none of us can fully mother without the others and that we need to carry this mantle together. It was so clear that God does not want us to do this alone, each one in her own sphere, but to carry the land together for the completion of the birthing of His purposes.

In the short time we had together we saw the Lord tear down the remaining wall of separation between us, so we can walk together in full freedom, carrying each other in our hearts.