While the South African government took a strong stand against Israel and the war in Gaza, Elizabeth (Liz) Campbell, a Christian artist who lives with her husband in Cape Town, launched an initiative to show Israelis that many South Africans stand firmly with Israel in its fight against terrorism. In conjunction with the South African Women’s Zionist Organization (WIZO), she and her friends began writing letters of support to ordinary Israelis and IDF troops.
Within weeks, LOVE LETTERS 2 ISRAEL spread like wildfire, and today, after sending thousands of letters from South Africa to the Holy Land, it is reaching other countries as well. “Thanks to this project, my poor husband has nowhere to take a nap anymore,” Campbell said. “The house is covered with ready-to-go packets of love bombs to Israel. It’s just blown me away.”
As South Africa held elections on May 29 in which the ruling African National Congress lost its majority for the first time in 30 years, Campbell told me about her success story.
How did you come up with the idea?
It was mid-March 2024, five months after October 7, 2023, when my heart started really anxiously pounding as to how we Christians could help Israel on a more practical level. Praying day and night has its benefits, but so many of us were frustrated beyond measure, needing to do something more. I literally prayed a desperate prayer to the Master idea giver to give me something that most people could do or give to bring comfort to Israel. Being an artist, I naturally drew on that side of my brain, and I thought how my cards over the years have been so well received, when my lights went on: That’s it! Anyone and everyone can write a love letter to Israel – especially my large data base of thousands of Israel supporters, also traumatized by what has been going on. LOVE LETTERS 2 ISRAEL was born!
How do you explain how quickly it has caught on in South Africa?
It’s because we know we are living in the end of days, and it’s time to favor Zion. So one WhatsApp to all by buddies, with a little self-made clip of what I envisaged with the terms and conditions – and bang! Within two weeks, I had over 1,500 letters/cards clogging up our home, even from Zimbabwe. Then we got messages from friends abroad in Singapore, the UK, USA, New Zealand, and Taiwan as this vision caught on. It was unbelievable! All because I, like many others, know that Israel is given to you as an everlasting inheritance. So what happened in October last year, we believe was the start of this good and evil showdown as the prophets foretold before redemption comes. Therefore, everyone just jumped into action and wanted to play a small part and help in this unique way to encourage and comfort you all to stay the course, and read your Tanach [Bible] rather than listen to the fake news media and become those people you are destined to be. A light unto the world.
Is there any one letter or highlight that you can share with me?
No, that’s impossible, as 90% of the letters are handwritten, and many handmade cards are just so beautiful that we could never say one stands out. Everyone sends their batches of letters to our team here in Cape Town, where we stamp and check to see if our terms are obeyed, and it’s here where we get so side tracked. We all end up in tears reading the incredible messages, which in itself is such a highlight. Then also when we get the feedback through clips and voice notes from our foot soldiers, those handing these letters out on the ground in Israel. They say many tears and wonderful conversations are shared from astounded Israelis when receiving unexpected love and acceptance. Especially a love letter from South Africans, quite a few are at first very dubious or anti, so we have to work hard at first to break this ice. Then they soften once they read and see the love and effort people have gone to in making and writing these letters. So it’s hard to say what any one highlight is because for us the whole process is one big fat glorious highlight.
What is the basis of your support for Israel, when officially South Africa has become vehemently anti-Israel?
The basis for our love is the Tanach and knowing the truth about Israel’s destiny! Our government does not represent the people of South Africa and unfortunately for us, this brings a curse upon our nation. So the heat is on, and there is no more time for sitting in our pews like Christianity in the past. There is a new breed of us, gentile believers, thousands of us, who are prepared to pay the price where already many of us having been kicked out of conventional church structures because of our stance with Israel. We believe the war is not only physical but spiritual, and we need you to understand that we, a remnant within each nation, not only in SA, are here for you, and we need each other like never before. Sadly, more isolation and hatred are going to be the norm, but the difference now is that we, too, will get punished for standing with you, and it will be both our fate in the future for a season, until your God shows up again, like He always does, to show who is BOSS. Just yo wait and see.
How do you go about distributing these love letters in Israel?
So far, it’s been amazing how many people are wanting to take bags over to hand out. Since our first 10 bags of 50 letters in each went out, the feedback has been astounding. To the point that now we get calls daily from people wanting to be our foot soldiers (as we call them) handing out to IDF soldiers, people in restaurants or at the bus stop, etc. So we now have a few exciting options, the one being also through WIZO. Yes, sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. Believe it or not, 10 years ago I became the first Christian chairlady of the WIZO–Ruth Branch in Cape Town. Forming an incredible Jew/gentile sisterhood, together we raise money for Israel. So, we proudly mark every letter with our WIZO stamp, giving us so much credibility and honor, which we are so grateful for. So together we distribute them, with many other trusted friends traveling to Israel with the same heart when it comes to wanting to stoke Israel’s fire in this unique personal way.
What are your plans for the future?
Well, depending on how long we need to keep you all loved up and strong, going global sounds the way to go. But our simple and sole purpose right now is to comfort you, as the Book of Isaiah says, in these dire times. We need hundreds more love letter writers to bump up our quota of 4,000 in less than three months. A great start, but the rest of the world is badly wheel-spinning until Israel gets it – that she, (whether she likes it or not) is not to be like the other nations but stand out from them. So our future plan is to remind you, encourage you, try to heal you and bring you hope, that this Jew/Gentile unity is prophetic and reserved for the end game. Like Ruth says in the Bible: ”Your people are my people, your God my God…” and who knows, a redemptive miracle from this oneness could happen again? So as the WIZO motto says, let’s keep doing what matters! We love you!