ROAD TO ZION
CONFERENCE
Held on May 9, 2009

Thank you to all
225 of you who
attended!

CONFERENCE SPEAKERS

Amir Gissin

Consul General
Consulate General of Israel

Amir R. Gissin was born in Israel in 1963.

Most recently, Mr. Gissin served as Director of the Public Affairs Department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, where he coordinated public relations policy and activities in Israeli missions worldwide.  For three years, he headed Israel's branding project.

Other key governmental positions previously held by Mr. Gissin include Chief of Staff to the Minister for the World Jewish Community, and Assistant to the Prime Minister's Foreign Policy Advisor (in the Netanyahu and Barak governments).  Prior to that, he served as Deputy Spokesman within the Ministry.

Mr. Gissin has held several positions within the Israeli NGO and philanthropic arena during a leave from governmental service.  These include Director General of the “Mosaica” Research Centre for Religion, State and Society; and Director General of the “Shalom Beinenu” Foundation.

Mr. Gissin graduated in 1990 from Tel Aviv University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. He served in the Israel Defense Forces from 1981-1984, specializing in IDF Education and Heritage.

Nonie Darwish

Author / Speaker
Arabs for Israel

Considered a traitor and too liberal in her country of origin, Nonie Darwish is the daughter of an Egyptian Lt. General Mustafa Hafez, former commander of Army intelligence and founder of the Palestinian Fadayeen. Nonie's book ‘Now They Call Me Infidel' is a biography of 30 years of her life in Egypt and Gaza where she lived under oppressive dictatorships. The book describes the culture behind the jihad and world wide terrorism and accounts her transformation after she moved to America in 1978 into a supporter of peace and the state of Israel. Her book uniquely describes the impact of polygamy and oppression of women on Muslim society.

With a background in journalism and a degree in socio-anthropology from the University of Cairo in Egypt, Nonie is a spokesperson for progress, minority rights, human and women's right in the Middle East. Like most Arab children she was taught hatred, jihad, vengeance and retaliation. Nonie states, “When I was growing up, we had to recite poetry vowing jihad against Israel. We would have tears in our eyes, pledging that we wanted to die.” She grew up listening to the cursing of Jews and Christians from the pulpits of mosques and says that “if you grow up with such cursing, it can feel and sound normal.”

In July 1956 when Nonie was eight years old, her father was killed in the first targeted assassination by the Israeli Defense Forces. President Nasser of Egypt, in his speech to nationalize the Suez Canal, vowed that all of Egypt would take revenge for Hafez's death.  Nonie remembers Nasser coming to her home and asking “Which one of you will avenge your father's death by killing Jews?”

After moving to America she struggled for years to look the other way when she would hear about the suffering of her people. 9/11 was a turning point as she realized "jihad has come to America".  She began to speak out against the countless threats against Arab feminists and reformers whose voices were being silenced. She was featured in the documentary Obsession, and is the founder of “Arabs for Israel”, an organization of Arabs and Muslims who reject suicide terrorism as a form of jihad and promote constructive self criticism and reform in the Arab Muslim world. Her mission is to promote ‘forgiveness' which she stressed in her interview with Al- Arabaya TV.

Joe Amaral

Producer / Author / Speaker
Joe Israel Productions

In November 2002 Joe took his first trip to Israel that changed his life and ministry forever. The Lord opened his eyes to see that Israel is the land and place where Jesus lived, died and rose from the dead, and where the roots of our Christian faith originated. Since that initial trip he has been studying First Century Jewish culture, idioms and practices, through which many fascinating truths can be discovered.

In 2005 Joe authored the book entitled “First Century Foundations”. In February 2009, he released his newest book entitled “Understanding Jesus”. Joe has recorded several DVD teachings about the Hebraic roots of the Christian faith.

Joe is the founder and host of the weekly Christian television program called “First Century Foundations” that airs across Canada and the United States . Each and every year he organizes and takes groups to Israel and teaches about the Hebraic roots on location in the Holy Land.

Joe also produces Christian documentaries. He is an award winning film producer for the documentary "Unearthed—The Talpiot Tomb".