Julia Fisher is Director of The Olive Tree Reconciliation Fund (OTRF), an experienced journalist and broadcaster, most recently with Premier Radio. Julia’s radio programme, ‘The Olive Tree’ is a weekly broadcast which asks the simple question, 'What is God doing in Israel and the Palestinian Areas today?' The answers are provided by believers living in the Holy Land, both Jews and Arabs, as well as from others who know the situation well.

The programme brings together the voices and stories of Jewish and Arab believers in Jesus living in Israel and the Palestinian Areas of the West Bank. Among the contributors to her broadcast is a man named Claude Ezagouri. Born in Algeria to Jewish parents, the Claude’s family moved to southern France when Claude was just a few years old. Later, Claude and his French wife, Michelle, a converted to Judaism, decided to make ‘aliyah’ and move to Israel.

In Israel, they couple joined themselves to a kibbutz, where Claude worked on a banana plantation. This was a turbulent period in their lives as Claude’s search for the spiritual meaning to life took him in a surprising direction. Claude became convinced that the man known to history as Yeshua, or Jesus of Nazareth, really was the promised Messiah of the Old Testament. This was a decision that almost destroyed Claude and Michelle’s marriage. The couple’s spiritual journey took them to the shores of the Sea of Galilee where Claude Ezagouri is today the pastor of a Messianic congregation in Tiberias. “The main priority,” says Claude, “is for evangelism – to fulfil the vision He has given us… I believe we can do this – beyond our word. I believe we can do this by our example and what we can do.”

Other stories are told by men and women who must remain anonymous for their own safety and those around them, such as the man referred to simply as ‘J’. J lives in Jerusalem and works among Muslim Background believers – former Muslims who have become Christians – living in Jerusalem and the Palestinian areas of the West Bank. J reveals that many Muslims are coming to know Jesus but it is dangerous, even impossible, for them to keep a Bible in their own home. These people are isolated and unable to enjoy fellowship together for fear of their lives. It’s very dangerous for them to openly declare they are Christians. Equally, for Christian Arabs to witness to Muslim people is very dangerous. So J spends a great deal of his time encouraging Muslim background believers in the West Bank who many people don’t even realise exist.

Now Judith has collected her conversations with men and women like Claude, Michelle and J into a book. ‘Meet Me At The Olive Tree’ gives you the first hand accounts of how the gospel of Christ is bringing together individuals and communities from all sides of the conflict in a spirit of hope and reconciliation.