TYN Jerusalem Rising Brochure - Flipbook - Page 5
From the Author
Hello Friends,
I’m Doug Hershey, author of Israel Rising and Jerusalem Rising.
It was while working in and flying over Jerusalem during the photo shoots on the first book in the Ancient Prophecy/Modern Lens Series that I knew I needed to return to focus on only Jerusalem and the
mystique that it carries. Since then, a quote from Shmuel Yosef Agnon has stirred my heart and become
my prayer: “I returned to Jerusalem, and it is by virtue of Jerusalem that I have written all that God has
put on my heart and into my pen.” I have prayed this to be true of this project.
“Shake o your dust; rise up, sit enthroned, Jerusalem.” (Isaiah 52:2)
The idea for the Ancient Prophecy/Modern Lens series and Israel Rising took root about sixteen years
ago, as I was driving south on Highway 90 from the Sea of Galilee through the Jordan Valley to Jericho
and the Dead Sea. It is a trip that normally takes about two hours. About twenty minutes into my drive,
I was struck by the amazing contrast between the rich, fertile farmland of the Galilee that I had just left
and the desolate, brown and barren desert that I now entered. The view was periodically punctuated
by small communes scattered along the way until I crested a ridge and saw the lush green oasis of the
ancient city of Jericho some ninety minutes later. Today, the same trip is a completely dierent experience. Due to new Israeli desert farming technology, this same journey is virtually green from beginning
to end with beautiful orchids, vast greenhouses, and small farms throughout. The land has changed so
much, in fact, it now exports 1.5 billion flowers to the U.S. and Europe grown mostly in what was once
desert. Through historical quotes and photographic evidence this book shows that the prophecy foretold by the ancient prophet is being fulfilled before our very eyes.
Israel Rising: The Land of Israel Reawakens
celebrates the 70th anniversary of the birth of Israel.
A unique visual story of Israel’s miraculous journey
from unforgiving desert to thriving land.