Why do Christians REALLY give to Israel?

In this episode of You Are What You Give, Avi Zimmerman speaks with Heather Johnston - arguably the most innovative Christian partner to Israel - about calling, purpose, and why giving is often about living out identity before it’s about any specific need.

This is a conversation about faith, responsibility, leadership, and long-term commitment.

Why do Christians choose to support Israel - and what truly motivates that commitment?

Heather Johnston is a pioneering Christian leader whose work has shaped leadership education in Israel and influenced how senior U.S. lawmakers understand the region.

Heather is a woman of deep faith, and her faith infuses her worldview. Her language and frames of reference are drawn directly from scripture. For listeners who do not share that worldview, some of her terminology may sound unfamiliar or even uncomfortable. But listening carefully offers rare insight into how millions of people think, decide, and act.

• Why Christian support for Israel is rooted in a personal and communal calling
• How faith and pragmatism work together rather than in opposition
• How giving can reflect the purpose of the giver more than the needs of the recipient
• What long-term commitment looks like when it’s driven by belief rather than trends

• The Ariel National Leadership Center, which has hosted more than 130,000 participants, cultivating leadership grounded in responsibility, values, and service
  Supported by JHI: https://jhisrael.com/
• The U.S.–Israel Education Association, which brings senior Members of Congress to Israel on both sides of the Green Line to engage directly with Israel’s leadership, security, and societal realities
  https://usieducation.org/

Heather’s book, Uncommon Favor, explores the themes of calling, faith, and responsibility that shape her life and work:
https://www.heatherjohnston.org/

Consider following You Are What You Give on Substack:

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Giving isn’t always about meeting the needs of the beneficiary.
Often, it’s about living out the purpose of the benefactor.

We give because life is bigger than us.
Because responsibility doesn’t end where comfort begins.
Because, in the end, we are what we give.

Pause and ask yourself why you give.

Not where your giving goes, but what within you compels it.
Then take one small step that aligns your giving more clearly with your sense of purpose.

Special thanks to Victoria Hearst for supporting You Are What You Give and making these conversations possible.

If this episode gave you a new lens on giving, consider sharing it with someone else. Expanding the conversation is itself an act of generosity.

Some people break under trauma. Others turn it into light.
After conducting dozens of funerals following October 7th, cantor and IDF reservist Tzvi Grinhaim was diagnosed with PTSD. Instead of shutting down, he transformed pain into purpose—bringing strength, joy, and presence to soldiers on the front lines and in recovery.

After October 7th, Tzvi Grinhaim stepped into one of the most devastating roles imaginable - serving at the IDF’s Shura base, conducting funeral after funeral and standing with families at the darkest moments of their lives.

He held everything together in public, only to break down at home. Eventually, Tzvi was diagnosed with PTSD. But here is where his story becomes something extraordinary.

Rather than collapse under tragedy, Tzvi redirected it.

Today, he brings light where it’s needed most:

• barbecues and concerts for soldiers on the front lines,
• weekly visits with wounded warriors at Sheba Hospital,
• one-on-one support for bereaved families,
• and creating spaces where soldiers feel seen, remembered, and valued long after public attention fades.

This Hanukkah episode goes beneath the surface of the holiday to explore:
What does it mean to add light when your own world has gone dark?
How do you keep showing up when the grief never fully recedes?
And what does giving look like when it grows from one day to the next?

Links:
• On The Front Lines Together (Tzvi’s organization): https://onthefrontlinestogether.org/
• Subscribe on Substack for weekly episodes + Giving Challenges: https://youarewhatyougive.substack.com/
• With deep thanks to our sponsor Victoria Hearst, whose generosity helps make this series possible.

You Are What You Give is a podcast about generosity, purpose, and the stories of lives worth living hosted by Avi Zimmerman.

Recorded in Jerusalem just weeks before his retirement, Coach Bruce Pearl joins You Are What You Give for a candid conversation about leadership, responsibility, faith, and giving. He shares the story behind publicly naming hostage Edan Alexander during Auburn’s Final Four run, why he believes we must “earn” the opportunities we’re given, and how he measures impact by asking what would happen if an organization disappeared tomorrow.

We explore the difference between coaching talent and coaching people, the power of serving quietly, and why your most important platform may be your own kitchen table.

Key Takeaways:
– Earn this. Live in a way that honors the responsibility you carry.
– Coach them as hard as you love them. Leadership requires relationship.
– When evaluating where to give, ask: If this didn’t exist, what would happen?

Organizations Mentioned:
Athletes for Israel — https://www.athletesforisrael.org/
U.S.–Israel Education Association — https://www.usieducation.org/
Auburn AUTLIVE (Cancer Initiative) — https://auburntigers.com/autlive

Giving Challenge:
Use your platform, public or personal, to tell someone what you care about. Let your giving begin with clarity.

Follow us on Substack for more: https://givewithus.com/

Tila Falic’s public profile is growing, but her real story begins at home, where giving was a family lifestyle long before it became a headline. In this episode, Tila shares how she was raised to give with purpose, how she teaches her six children to turn kindness into action, and how October 7 reshaped her philanthropy. She explains why meaningful, mindful, and measurable giving matters, and how each of us can expand our own circle of generosity.

Episode 1: Rob Adams — From Hunger to Heroism: A Thanksgiving Promise Kept

In this inaugural episode of 'You Are What You Give', host Avi Zimmerman engages with Rob Adams, founder of Thanksgiving Heroes, to explore the profound impact of generosity and community service. Rob shares his personal journey from experiencing food insecurity as a child to creating a nonprofit that delivers holiday meals to families in need. The conversation delves into the importance of keeping promises, the ripple effect of giving, and how acts of kindness can foster connection and purpose in our lives. Listeners are encouraged to reflect on their own giving experiences and consider how they can contribute to their communities.

Takeaways

• Thanksgiving can be more than just reflection; it can be a promise to give.
• Rob's childhood experience of food insecurity shaped his commitment to helping others.
• The act of giving creates a ripple effect in communities.
• Generosity is about creating spaces for love and connection.
• Keeping promises can define who we are and who we want to be.
• Volunteering can lead to personal fulfillment and community impact.
• Gratitude is a powerful motivator for giving.
• The dynamics of volunteerism are essential for nonprofit success.
• Business skills can enhance nonprofit operations and impact.
• Engaging with local nonprofits can lead to meaningful contributions.

Chapters

00:00 The Spirit of Thanksgiving and Generosity

02:53 Rob Adams: A Journey from Need to Giving

06:07 The Promise of Generosity

08:37 Creating a Culture of Giving

11:40 The Ripple Effect of Generosity

14:37 The True Meaning of Wealth

17:44 The Power of Service and Connection

20:41 Awakening to Purpose

23:46 Building Bridges Across Communities

30:03 The Journey to Life Purpose

33:48 Purpose in Business and Nonprofit

36:33 Motivating Volunteers

41:07 The Role of Community in Giving

45:03 Engagement and Responsibility in Giving

48:48 Thanksgiving Heroes: A Local Impact

49:47 Thanksgiving Traditions and Family

52:32 Future Aspirations in Giving

Get involved with Thanksgiving’s Heroes:
Visit thanksgivingheroes.org to nominate a family, volunteer, or donate. Chapters operate in multiple states, and the model is local by design: local volunteers serving local families.

This week’s Giving Challenge – Make a Thanksgiving Promise:
Turn your gratitude into a specific promise about your giving for the year ahead. Decide one way you will “level up” your giving between this Thanksgiving and next – whether in time, attention, or resources. Write it down and put a reminder in your calendar for next Thanksgiving to check in with yourself: How has your giving grown?

If this conversation resonates, please subscribe to You Are What You Give. It's a simple way to build a community that values what we give more than what we take.

Keywords

Thanksgiving, generosity, community, giving, nonprofit, Rob Adams, Thanksgiving Heroes, gratitude, purpose, volunteerism

https://www.givewithus.com

Discover You Are What You Give — a weekly conversation exploring generosity, purpose, and the people whose giving reshaped their lives and communities. Hosted by Avi Zimmerman, giving coach and strategist, this show dives into the defining choices that reveal who we are and what we stand for.

If you’re ready for honest conversations, powerful stories, and a fresh way to think about how you give — start here.

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