Shekel Goes International

{image_1} The Israeli shekel joined the foreign exchange market’s CLS [Continuous Linked Settlement] Bank global settlement system on May 26, making it available for international payment instructions.

The State of Negotiations

{image_1} Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen), the President of the Palestinian Authority, is described by many as a moderate man. That assessment is based on the observation that he is rarely seen making inflammatory calls for violence and his public comments have, from time to time, opposed the murder of innocent people. In the international arena, his champions include US President George W. Bush and the former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. They insist Abbas is the appropriate partner for peace and have worked to establish that prospect in their advice to Israel.

A Vintage Homecoming

By Ron Ross, BFP Israel Mosaic Radio Host

{image_1} When Yaniv Cohen walked into the UK offices of Nefesh B’Nefesh (NBN, “Jewish Souls United”), he planned to seek their help to make aliyah (immigration to Israel). He wanted to join more than a million Jewish people who have made that same choice in the past 10 years. It is part of a miracle that clearly fulfills Bible prophecy. NBN is committed to promoting aliyah from North America and the United Kingdom.

Iran Supports Terrorists in West Bank

{image_1} Iran continues to have a foothold with terror groups partly based in the West Bank [Judea and Samaria], according to the recently released US Country Reports on Terrorism for 2007. In addition to supporting Hizbullah in Lebanon and Hamas in Gaza, Iran also is involved with the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, a terror group with past links to Mahmoud Abbas’s (Abu Mazen’s) West Bank-based Fatah party, as well as the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. According to the US report, Iran supplies the various Palestinian terror agencies with “extensive funding, training, and weapons.”

The Sun—a Humble Servant—Shemesh

By Teri Riddering, Coordinator, BFP Spanish Resource Center

{image_1}In Hebrew, words have a very intriguing way of interrelating, depending on the basic structure of the word and the different connotations of the same root letters. For example, the Hebrew letters shin-mem-shin [שמש ] form shemesh, the word for “sun,” and shamash, the word for “servanthood.” The vowels are different, but the consonants are the same, forming what is called a root word. Looking at words that share the same root letters is something that is commonly done in the Hebrew word study of the Scriptures by Jewish scholars. So, is there a relationship between shemesh and shamash?

Golda’s Kitchen Cabinet

{image_1}
“When the word ‘greatness’ comes to mind,
Golda Meir comes immediately to the forefront. Her commitment to her
Land and to her people was the paragon of human dedication. Her
complete involvement, tempered with love, fired by fierce devotion,
caused the world to know that she was a true mover of
mountains.” What a great description of Israel’s
fourth prime minister, who was only the third woman in the world to
hold such an office. David Ben Gurion, Israel’s first prime
minister, called her the “only man in the
government”!  

In a Dry & Thirsty Land

By Joshua Spurlock, BFP Israel Mosaic Radio

{image_1} Exposed shorelines on the Sea of Galilee and the possibility of an estimated 150,000 tons (136,000 metric tons) of fruit lost due to water cuts sound pretty drastic, but are these the worst aspects of the current water crisis in Israel this year? Far worse is the prospect that it may not end next year either.

Our Vision Still Going Strong after 50 Years

Over 50 years ago, founder of Bridges for Peace Dr. G. Douglas Young came to Israel and lived a life that showed God’s love in action to the Jewish people, while simultaneously educating the Church about Israel and the Hebraic roots of Christianity. Today, the staff of Bridges for Peace around the world keeps that vision alive through our actions and words.

Warm Casserole of Dried Fruits

Tu'Bshvat: Happy New Year for Trees

{image_1}Tu’Bshvat is Israel’s Arbor Day, every year on the fifteenth of the Jewish month of Shvat, which falls this year on January 22. Though it is not a biblical holiday, it does have its roots in biblical law, as fruit had to be tithed according to its age, so a New Year for trees was created from which the age of all trees could be calculated.

Remembering Miracles: Meringue Cups with Strawberries

By Charleeda Sprinkle, Assistant Editor

{image_1}“In Israel, in order to be a realist, you must believe in miracles.”  David Ben Gurion

In The Land Of Shepherds:  Roasted Leg of Lamb

{image_1}Although Israel is a very modern country, one of the things that reminds me I’m living in the land of the Bible is the shepherd and his sheep. Since shepherds here are usually Arab, and Arabs often dress in a long, flowing robe and a kaffiyeh on their head, they easily resemble the pictures in Bibles of shepherds of long ago.

Spice It Up with Za’atar

{image_1} Because of Israel’s year-long celebration of their 60th and this month’s Jerusalem Day (June 2), I wanted to pick a recipe that was particularly descriptive of Israeli cuisine. But, is there really an Israeli cuisine? Because Jewish people have been making aliyah (immigrating to Israel) since the state was born, it’s hard to say what is Israeli. Immigrants have come from more than 50 nations, which makes for a very unique Israeli “soup.” Others say that there is no original Israeli cuisine because everything Israelis eat can be found in other Middle Eastern countries. So, za’atar (or zatar or zahatar) may not be a distinctive Israeli spice, but you can’t be in Israel for long without bumping into it. And once you do, you don’t want to go home without it.