This book connects recent history with elements of autobiography. An important book that reveals truths we search for in vain in mainstream media. Ms. Nussbächer recounts harrowing life stories that have taken place in the here and now, stories of people who have had to endure terrible suffering. She does not conceal the atrocities committed by Hamas terrorists against Israelis. This gave me a new, more alert perspective and a different understanding of the attack on October 7, 2023, and the war that continues to this day. It highlights the difference between acts driven by a desire to kill, mutilate, and torture - and those motivated by defending and protecting one’s own family and people. At the same time, current decisions by global politics regarding Israel leave me stunned, especially in light of the background knowledge provided in Ms. Nussbächer’s book, which makes these decisions seem highly questionable. The book offers a great deal of illuminating information in this regard as well. Woven throughout the text are well-balanced and accessible passages on Israel’s history since its founding, helping me better understand broader connections. With this solid knowledge, I feel well-informed and better equipped to engage in discussions with others. A highly relevant and absolutely worthwhile read!

The topic of Israel naturally comes with many questions and few answers. This book provides them. Whoever reads it will understand. Connections become clear. The author’s personal experiences and heartfelt involvement led me, while reading, into a brilliant and gripping account of historical events and current developments. Highly recommended!

I literally “devoured” this book. The author and her husband know Israel well and are correspondingly well connected. This allows her to convey an Israeli perspective - without claiming to know better or to lecture. It is impressive how she manages to place the events of October 7, 2023, up to the present, into the broader context of Israel’s history. Highly recommended reading.

Brigitte Chaya Nussbächer has written a fantastic book!!!! A heartfelt “thank you” for that!!! She has structured it wonderfully, combining personal and historical background, current political context, and especially the intense reports on projects and personal relationships with people who, as a result of the horrors of October 7, have lost loved ones, been uprooted, and traumatized. I was also particularly impressed by her personal journey. You can feel while reading that she is fully committed to Israel, and that this is not mere lip service. I definitely recommend this book to others as well.

"Israel’s Trial by Fire" is presented to the reader by the author Brigitte Chaya Nussbächer in six stages. In doing so, the author follows three main threads: •Changes in her own life, giving the reader a sense of who she is and the background she comes from. •Getting to know Israel - the awe of the lifestyle there, the atmosphere in the country, and an overview of its recent history. She shows how her initial amazement develops into solidarity as she gets to know the landscape and the people, and friendships inevitably form. •The political events in the country, which are skillfully woven into each part to provide a comprehensive picture. Although the author was initially not interested in ruins and memorial churches, she soon realizes that neither can be overlooked in Israel. History and the past are kept alive; remembering and commemorating are consciously brought into the present. Through the way she structures her book, she makes it clear that in Israel everything is intertwined: yesterday, today, and tomorrow. What particularly struck me in the first part is the realization that today a large portion of Christians do not recognize what God is doing in Israel or understand Israel’s significance for us. I hope this book will lift the veil from the eyes of Christians and help them return to their roots. In the second part, Brigitte Nussbächer shows that Israel is not a topic that can be ignored without consequence - it challenges us, as it has challenged generations before us, to take a stand alongside it. This part is especially moving, as it begins with the day of horror, October 7, 2023. She addresses political and societal events in both Israel and Germany and draws parallels to the Reichspogromnacht (Kristallnacht – Night of Broken Glass) of 1938. When I read this section, content from the Bible, politics, history, and antisemitism came together like puzzle pieces to form a coherent picture. She uses clear language when describing how the Christian community has become completely disconnected from Jesus, the Jew. What impressed me most is that her friendship with Israel is genuine - she travels into a war zone not for content, likes, or reach, but because she truly cares. The danger is real to her, so much so that she even updates her will in preparation. In Part Three, she writes about the courage and strength of the people, emphasizing that this kind of resilience can only come from experiencing God’s presence in Israel every day. She wishes to make this knowledge accessible to people in Germany as well, and I am convinced that her wish is being fulfilled, in part through this book. Part Four covers Israel’s history from 1897 to 2023, which is essential for understanding today’s events in context. We often marvel at the miracles of the Old Testament and how God intervened. Brigitte Nussbächer reminds us of the incredible miracles and victories of Israel in recent years, telling compelling and moving personal and background stories, and showing how ordinary people today are used by God to accomplish great things. She also highlights organizations, as well as individuals, who contribute to providing help and comfort to widows, orphans, mothers, the unborn, and traumatized people, supporting them in continuing life after the atrocities of October 7. A highly topical book that brings together past and present events - a true eye-opener and heart-warmer for an extraordinary people.

The author travels to Israel for the first time in 2018. What happens to her is something that likely happens to many who visit the Holy Land for the first time – they fall in love. With the land and its people. “When the heart is full, the mouth overflows” – this is how she describes her feelings, which she makes tangible at home after returning from Israel. At first for her father, then for everyone interested in information about Israel. We learn a great deal about the history of Israel, which is so often completely misrepresented in the media. You can feel her love for the country and for the Jewish people. And more than once I find myself thinking – there should be many more people like her. They are so important! Her journeys that take her to Israel after October 7, 2023, leave me deeply moved and humbled. The suffering that this terrible massacre brought upon the people there is hard to comprehend. She meets with those affected and writes about what she experienced, which makes it very valuable to me. No filter – firsthand information is worth its weight in gold when it comes to Israel, especially considering the way our media reports on it. She writes: “It is my most heartfelt prayer that I succeed in conveying the current reality, the historical background, and also the biblical vision of Israel’s future in an accurate, insightful, and moving way.” Chapeau – she has absolutely succeeded. I read the book in two days; the blend of historical context, political facts, and human stories deeply moved and convinced me. THANK YOU! Am Israel Chai.

This book was written with deep knowledge, but also with a great heart for the people of Israel. It is a search for traces, illuminating the history of Israel from its beginnings to the present day. The couple is deeply affected by all the struggles, hatred, and countless losses in families. They meet people and encounter places filled with love as well as profound suffering. Within them grows a deep desire to help this God-chosen people. This brings them to their limits, yet they also witness how God opens doors. Through many hours of hard work, they found an organization, give lectures, and assist with donations. The cruel massacre on October 7 deeply wounded people. Nothing will ever be the same again, and reading about it was deeply moving. But it is precisely because of this that this small nation sticks together, helping people to heal. What continually impresses me is the fact that there is no hatred and no thought of revenge. On the contrary, they live out love in many different ways. Let us bless and pray continually, and for those whom the Lord inspires, also help in practical ways. Thank you for this wonderful book and for all the effort it represents! May God bless you!

Those who have had little or no contact with Israel will gain a concentrated experience here. But even for Israel experts, this book comes highly recommended, because it is very likely that one will recognize oneself in the accounts. That was certainly my experience. Eyewitness reports of the unimaginable atrocities committed by Hamas, accounts from the affected locations, empathetic conversations with those impacted, and repeated historical context and other facts - the reader receives a comprehensive picture of Israel and the Jewish people and can reflect on which side they want to stand on from now on. It is clear that the author’s love for Israel shines through. This is contagious - and rightly so. She does not write about trivial or unimportant things conceived at a “green table.” No, she literally takes the reader to Israel and into the events themselves. The book is very readable, completely current, and highly gripping. At the same time, it is moving and deeply touching. Personal insights into the life of the author and her family make the book very intimate. Conclusion: This book is truly valuable and will positively influence the reader’s attitude toward the Jewish people and Israel.

We live in chaotic times, so they say. Nothing seems certain anymore. Governments are increasingly overwhelmed, people are suffering, chaos reigns, and wars and violence have become everyday life… As the granddaughter of a Buchenwald survivor, I never thought that 81 years after the Holocaust, the wave of antisemitism would rise so high again. The inoculation of mercy with the conviction “Never again!” is fading. This means we are once again living in times of chaos. The review of the massacre on October 7, 2023, confirms this more than clearly. When chaos reigns, people become extremely manipulable; everyone has their own version of the truth, and one feels confused and helpless. In times of chaos, we long for order - and for that, we need clear answers to - ressing questions, open and unmanipulated sources of information, and precise historical documents. We must never forget: peace is far more than the absence of war. It must be actively built and fostered on foundations such as justice, the rule of law, education, and so on. In my opinion, the author has contributed a very important building block with this book. In Hebrew, there is a phrase: “Tikkun Olam” - repair the world. This book does exactly that. Thank you for this, Mrs. Nussbächer!

I always thought I knew a lot. But what the author offers here is a wonderful intertwining of three different worlds. First, the personal story of Brigitte Chaya Nussbächer with the Jewish people; second, the historical facts concerning the people and land of Israel; and finally, the depiction and impact of the Hamas massacre on October 7, 2023. She weaves all three areas together as naturally as she does compellingly, making this book read more thrilling than a novel. An outstanding writing style meets contemporary issues presented within a historical framework, with uncompromising accuracy and eye-opening insights. The book is not only informative but also a call to reflection for all of us, challenging the way we approach Israel, both personally and as believers. Essential reading for everyone! This masterpiece has enriched me immensely.

I had the opportunity to read this book at the manuscript stage. Impressively, the author thoroughly combines well-researched facts about Israel’s past and present with current events and deeply moving personal experiences. The result is a multilayered, vivid picture that draws readers right into the heart of the events. The author takes us on her own journey with the land and people of Israel. Despite the war and suffering of recent years, she shows how the promises of the Bible become visible and tangible in Israel. In rare openness and honesty, she describes moments of inner upheaval as well as awakening and courageous new direction - a development that ultimately finds expression in her resolute “Hineni” – “Here I am!” In today’s socio-political climate, this book is an absolute must-read, a compelling call to pay attention and seek understanding - a work that inspires courage to engage with the challenges of our time and discover new perspectives.

Brigitte Chaya Nussbächer has created a magnificent book. I was fortunate enough to read the manuscript in advance. This book has an extraordinary impact. Written in a highly gripping way, it explores the deepest human depths. The unimaginable suffering it documents - drawn from her many personal encounters in Israel with those directly affected by October 7, described openly and candidly but never mercilessly - moved me profoundly. The author’s own deeply moving, lived family story is intuitively interwoven with the fateful current events in Israel and the (biblical) history of the Jewish people, creating a brilliantly radiant work of art as a whole. The book concludes with an utterly honest, immersive search for traces of blessing: How does this small nation so often manage, through suffering, to rise again, not despair, and develop immense vitality?