×
We have detected your country as:
Please click here to go to the USA website or select another country from the dropdown list.
We have detected your country as:
Please click here to go to the USA website or select another country from the dropdown list.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
By: Rev. Rebecca J. Brimmer, International President
I have always loved trees. Israelis also love trees, and they plant them for all sorts of occasions. In fact, Israel is one of the only countries in the world that entered the 21st century with more trees than 100 years before. Let’s take a brief look at the relationship between Israel and trees.
Tu BiShvat – the New Year of Trees
Tu BiShvat, also known as the New Year for Trees, is a postbiblical Jewish holiday which celebrates trees. The name means the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shvat, which falls in January or February, at the time of year when the trees in Israel are just beginning to bud and the almond trees begin to put forth their delicate pink and white blooms.
By: Ilse Strauss, News Bureau Chief
Jenan Matari wrung her hands uneasily as she peered bravely into the camera. “This is a very heavy, uncomfortable video,” she began. Matari paused briefly, as if bracing under the burden of the message she was about to deliver.
“We’re going to talk about the existence of Israel as a sadist entity as a whole,” she announced, hands now red from the tormented wringing. “Sadism is the tendency to derive pleasure…[from] inflicting pain, suffering, violence or humiliation on someone else…Israeli society as a whole operates off of the dehumanization and humiliation of Palestinians, and Israelis have made it very, very clear that they enjoy it. That is the very definition of sadism.”
Matari identifies as an Arab–American, writer, content creator, influencer and a whole host of other things. But there’s one thing missing from her resume: she hasn’t spent any length of time living among Israelis in Israel to familiarize herself with Israeli society.
National Director of Bridges for Peace USA, Patrick Verbeten and Planned Giving Manager, Andy Benedick talk through recent Israel events and how your year-end donations and planned gifts can sustain our impact in 2025.
All logos and trademarks in this site are property of their respective owner. All other materials are property of Bridges for Peace. Copyright © 2025.
Website Site Design by J-Town Internet Services Ltd. - Based in Jerusalem and Serving the World.
