Last month marked the opening of a significant visitors center in Har Bracha, a town in the Samaria region of the West Bank. This achievement was spearheaded by The Israel Guys, a Christian Zionist organization devoted to supporting the development of the Land of Israel. Over the last 20 years, they have brought over 5,000 volunteers from across 35 countries to assist in this mission.

Joshua Waller, the CEO of The Israel Guys—formerly known as HaYovel—emphasizes their mission of showcasing the progress and vitality in the biblical heartland. This stands in contrast to widespread media depictions that often highlight conflict in the area.

“We live among the local communities, witness their daily lives, and share these realities globally,” Waller shared with News Media. “Our goal is to invite thousands of people from around the world to experience this for themselves.”

“Many support the Jewish community yet struggle with the term ‘settler violence,’ often influenced by propaganda. Jews living in Judea and Samaria are sometimes mischaracterized as a radical threat, but by visiting the center, you’ll discover a completely different narrative,” Waller stated.

“You will see that it is a fake narrative built by the international community … it is a straight-up war against the Jewish [people],” he added.

The organization’s volunteer programs include the Heartland Experience, a 10-day trip to Israel combining touring, volunteer work and interaction with local residents; the Grape Harvest trip, a two-week program held in late summer and early fall that focuses on helping farmers with the harvest; and the Men’s Pruning trip, a two-week program in early spring focused on pruning vineyards.

Other programs include Zion Ops, a four-week program for young adults ages 18 to 30, and Day Visits, which offer two-hour visits to Har Bracha.

In 2004, Tommy Waller, Joshua Waller’s father, traveled to Israel for the first time, where he met Nir Lavi, founder of Har Bracha Winery. Lavi shared his plan to fulfill the vision of the Prophet Jeremiah: “You shall again plant vineyards on the mountains of Samaria; the planters shall plant and eat them as ordinary food” (Jeremiah 31:5).

Waller Sr. asked how he could help.

In 2007, after moving with his wife, Sherri, and their 11 children from Tennessee to Har Bracha, Waller Sr. established HaYovel, a U.S. nonprofit that provides Christian volunteers with an opportunity to work the land alongside Israeli farmers.

In 2013, the organization sought to counter anti-Israel rhetoric by launching The Joshua & Caleb Report TV show, its first dedicated pro-Israel media project, which in 2018 transitioned into a weekly podcast. Five years ago, the organization rebranded as The Israel Guys and stepped up its advocacy efforts.

The Israel Guys currently counts more than 20 team members and, since its founding, has helped develop some 120 farms. Volunteers who come to Judea and Samaria work alongside local farmers, planting trees, erecting fences, harvesting crops and assisting with infrastructure projects.

In the aftermath of the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, massacre of 1,200 Israelis, The Israel Guys launched Operation Ittai and raised $3.85 million to provide tactical supplies to communities in the area and strengthen their defenses against possible terrorist attacks.

The group went viral at the time after bringing American cowboys to Israel to help farmers whose workers had been called up as reservists.

Addressing media coverage of recent incidents involving Christians in Israel, Waller said the narrative that they are no longer welcome in the country is false.

“People put a lot of money into trying to make it seem as though Christians would somehow be better off living in Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Jordan or other Arab countries surrounding Israel. Factually, that is completely wrong,” he told News Media.

“I know Christians living in those places, and I even know Christians living in areas under the control of the Palestinian Authority, and they suffer immensely. The fact is that Israel is the safest place for Christians in the entire Middle East. It is the only place where the Christian population is growing,” he added.

Volunteers, Waller explained, have come from a wide range of Christian denominations, including Catholics, Protestants, Evangelicals, Mormons, Amish and Mennonites.

He emphasized that Israel is a partner for peace and urged nations to align themselves with biblical values, which he said could pave the way for “some incredible days ahead.”

If antisemitism leads to efforts to destroy Israel, he added, “that’s not an option,” saying Israel would have to fight that war while The Israel Guys would continue to “help on the information side.”

“The Bible says that this land that was desolate will become like the Garden of Eden. We are literally seeing it happen. It’s beautiful to see volunteers participate in the fulfillment of that prophecy and witness the ancient words of the Bible come back to life,” Waller said.

Fans at Fenway Park experienced a sense of déjà vu, something that is all too familiar in the world of baseball.

Rafael Devers made a notable return to Boston, marking his first game back as a rival player. He hit a remarkable 26th home run of the season for the Giants, although they fell to the Red Sox, 6-4, on Friday night.

Devers, who spent nine solid seasons at Fenway Park before being traded to the Giants by the Red Sox in June 2025, was back in a setting he once called home.

As Devers stepped up to bat in the top of the first inning, the Fenway crowd offered a mixed but mostly chilly reception, with boos drowning out applause, despite his cheerful demeanor.

Devers’ pivotal moment unfolded during his second appearance at the plate in the fourth inning, as he made a significant impact for his team.

The Giants entered the inning trailing 5-1 after the Red Sox scored five runs against Logan Webb in the bottom of the third.

With two outs in the fourth, Drew Gilbert hit a two-run home run off Red Sox starter Sonny Gray to cut the deficit to 5-3.

Devers came to the plate next and took Gray dead center, taking a four-seam fastball yard to bring the Giants within a run of his old team, cutting the lead 5-4.

It was Devers’ 26th home run of the season and his first at Fenway Park since leaving the Red Sox.

Devers’ homer continued a season in which he has remained the Giants’ primary power hitter despite the team’s overall struggles, as they arrived in Boston at 52-75, long out of the National League’s otherwise contentious playoff chase.

Entering Friday, the 29-year-old had played in all 127 of the Giants’ games and was hitting .244 with a .320 on-base percentage and .470 slugging percentage.

He had 117 hits, including 31 doubles and 25 home runs, along with 69 RBIs and 67 runs scored.

Devers’ .789 OPS is his lowest since 2018 — his first full MLB season — but he’s still top three among Giants hitters in WAR for the fourth-place NL West club.

The Red Sox originally signed Devers as an international free agent in 2013.

He debuted in 2017 and became one of the franchise’s most productive hitters, helping the team win the 2018 World Series, where he hit .294 in the postseason overall.

His relationship with the organization worsened during the 2025 season following disagreements over his defensive role, and Boston eventually traded him to the Giants.

In a tragic sequence of events, a beloved mother of four from Idaho met an untimely death following a devastating car crash, resulting from two critical mistakes, as confirmed by police authorities.

The incident claimed the life of 30-year-old Courtney Cramer, who lost her life after a collision involving two vehicles at approximately 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday. The tragic crash occurred at the intersection of N 3900 E and County Line Road in Idaho Falls.

Residing in Rigby, Cramer was heading north on North 3900 East when she failed to come to a stop at a stop sign, according to the Idaho State Police, who released a statement on Wednesday.

Subsequently, her vehicle was hit by a white 2026 Ford F250 pick-up truck, driven by a 59-year-old man, as the officials reported.

The eastbound pick-up collided with the driver’s side of Cramer’s silver 2018 Honda Odyssey, sealing the unfortunate fate of this young mother.

Cramer was not wearing a seatbelt when the collision happened, while the male driver, whose identity was not disclosed, was.

She was rushed to a local hospital after the violent crash, which left both cars totaled and on the side of the road.

Cramer died in the hospital from injuries sustained in the accident, according to the Bonneville County Coroner’s Office.

Cramer had not been publicly identified until Friday afternoon when the coroner’s office offered condolences to her family and friends in a Facebook post.

The coroner’s office explained they had responded to a report on Wednesday at 10am about a 30-year-old woman who had been involved in a car crash the previous day.

Photos of the wreckage posted by East Idaho News showed how Cramer’s silver car had suffered massive damage after the crash.

One door was completely missing, while the driver’s side and the front of the vehicle were caved in.

The front of the Ford pick-up truck was completely ruined and an airbag appeared to be popping out of the driver’s side.

A GoFundMe posted by Cramer’s family remembered her as a ‘loving wife, a devoted mother, and someone who meant more to our family than words can express.’

She is survived by her husband, Kyle Cramer, and their four children.

The fundraiser sought to raise money to make life easier for Cramer’s husband and kids as they mourned her death.

As of Friday evening, it had raised about $44,500 of its $45,000 goal.

Cramer’s public social media said she had been born in Lehi, Utah, but lived in Rigby, a small city with a population of about 6,000.

The mom-of-four had posted about one of her daughters as recently as May 4, celebrating her baptism.

‘She looked like the little angel she is,’ Cramer wrote.

Cramer regularly uploaded cheery pictures of her children and idyllic family life.

In October, she posted that one of her daughters, who had experienced medical issues, had just turned one year old.

‘I will never be able to put into words how much I love her and how much she has brought to our family,’ Cramer wrote.

Cramer’s funeral has been scheduled for Saturday. A public obituary has not yet been released.

The Daily Mail has reached out to the Idaho State Police, Cramer’s family and the Bonneville County Coroner for further comment.

CHICAGO (WLS) — In a harrowing incident Friday evening on DuSable Lake Shore Drive in Chicago’s bustling downtown, a crash left four individuals, including a 4-year-old child, with serious injuries.

The Chicago police reported that the situation unfolded after a driver attempted to evade a routine traffic stop, prompting the chain of events that led to the collision. The driver is currently in custody.

Chicago fire officials confirmed the crash occurred around 5:15 p.m., near Grand Avenue in the Streeterville neighborhood, a busy section of the city often buzzing with commuters.

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Responders, including a fleet of ambulances and police vehicles, swiftly converged on the northbound lanes to offer emergency assistance and manage the chaotic scene.

According to officials, the four victims were transported to nearby hospitals, their conditions ranging from serious to critical as the medical teams work tirelessly to aid their recovery.

Police said prior to the crash, officers attempted a traffic stop at the location and punctured the tires of a white sedan, which then continued northbound on the road, disobeyed a traffic signal and crashed into a green SUV.

Charges are pending against the driver of the white sedan, a 35-year-old man, who was among those injured. A 23-year-old woman who was a passenger in his vehicle was also injured, CPD said.

A 40-year-old woman and a 4-year-old boy who were injured were in the green SUV, police said.

No further information was immediately available.

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