Meet Mati Shoshani, Director of Operations for TBN’s Jerusalem studios.
Mati is one of many amazing individuals who help make TBN’s presence in Jerusalem a powerful beacon of truth about Israel to the world.
We recently caught up with Mati so we could bring you some of his first-person insights into what it’s like to be a Messianic Jewish Believer in Israel, as well as a key part of TBN’s work in the land where Jesus walked.
As the main article in this issue of your newsletter makes clear, the threat of attack by terrorist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, from both the north and the south, is a constant reality of daily life for people living in certain areas of Israel. And every Israeli citizen lives in constant awareness of Iran’s periodic threats to wipe Israel from the map of the Middle East.
Nevertheless, Mati is quick to add that the vast majority of Israelis live in safety and enjoy life, that Israeli citizens have enormous confidence in the nation’s military and security measures, such as the Iron Dome anti-missile defense system.
Even so, decades of conflict and threats have taken a subtle toll on the average Israeli’s soul. Mati recalls an observation that his wife made shortly after she immigrated to Israel from the United States. She noted, “No one in this country talks about the fact that everyone here is walking around with some level of PTSD” (post-traumatic stress disorder). Mati agrees. “We’ve just learned to live with this idea that we’re surrounded by enemies and that there’s always a small, but ever-present level of threat.”
Sadly, the Shoshanis have also had to learn how to reassure their small children when the missile sirens sound or when they come home troubled after hearing other children talk about disturbing news reports. This, too, is a reality of living in Israel today.
What Israelis like Mati and his wife find far more upsetting is how their beloved home country is portrayed in the news media around the world. Lies, myths, distortions, and half-truths about Israel are common. This powerful anti-Israel propaganda campaign, in turn, fuels efforts like the global BDS movement (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) aimed at isolating and crippling Israel economically.
That’s just one of the many reasons TBN Networks around the world play such a vital role right now. With dozens of networks broadcasting in 17 languages, TBN is combatting lies about Israel with the truth. And TBN’s Jerusalem studios give TBN the ability to give the entire world a window into what an amazing place Israel really is.
Many TBN original and sponsored programs—including The Watchman with Erick Stakelbeck, Drive Thru History, Why Israel Matters, and others—are often produced in Israel with the help of TBN staff like Mati, as well as our facilities and equipment. Mati’s deep knowledge of the country and its unique customs has proven to be a vital resource for TBN programmers filming in Israel. Whenever you see a TBN programmer broadcasting from Israel, it’s likely that Mati Shoshani and his team helped make that broadcast possible.
Of course, TBN Partners make that help possible too. Mati is grateful to TBN’s friends and partners for being a part of his vital work. That work involves nothing less than showing the real, beautiful, diverse Israel to the world.
