Christian Exodus from the Holy Land

Is Israel the oppressor or protector?

{image_1}Throughout their history, regardless of where they have lived, the Jewish people have been blamed for everything from the plague to the high cost of automobile insurance. They have been accused of poisoning wells, intentionally spreading the HIV virus, killing Christian children to use their blood to make Passover matzah (unleavened bread), and attempting to take over the world through their alleged control of its finances. No matter how ludicrous some of these may sound, there have always been anti-Semites at hand ready to believe the current rhetoric and incite the local populations to hatred, violence, and even murder.

The Geography of Israel

{image_1}Have you ever wondered why God asked Abraham to move? Why couldn’t he have served God in Ur? Moving his household was a major event. Remember, they didn’t have moving trucks, so moving took weeks, maybe months. There is a very good answer, and it has to do with geography.

IDF Celebrates 64 Years of Defending the State of Israel

{image_1}Facts about the Israel Defense Forces [IDF] you have never heard before:

—When the IDF was formed on May 26, 1948, its structure was based on that of its predecessor, the Haganah.

Pirkei Avot: A Banquet of Wisdom

{image_1}”Moses received the Instructions of the Lord from Sinai and passed it on to Joshua, and Joshua to the Elders, and the Elders to the Prophets.” This encapsulation of the beginning of the transmission of the Torah (God's teachings) has been a fundamental truth for the Jewish people for thousands of years.

Off the Beaten Track

{image_1}One of the advantages of living in Israel as volunteers with Bridges for Peace instead of just touring Israel for a week or two is being able to see some sites off the beaten track that are usually not part of a tour. In May, our staff from Karmiel and Jerusalem came together for our annual retreat. Besides spiritual refreshment, another delightful ingredient of the three-day event is going on fun excursions.

Worship His Majesty–Hod

{image_1}The word hod is one of several translated as “majesty” in the Hebrew Scriptures. It is used several times to describe and define God. He is called the majestic Lord (Isa. 33:21, NKJV), and the Bible speaks of the majesty of His Name and the majesty of His presence. I think it would benefit us to understand the word and the concept in truly biblical terms.

Finally!—Help with Customer Service Calls

{image_1}When Israeli biotech executive Saadia Ozeri dialed a call center to get information about his mother-in-law’s cell phone bill, he realized something was terribly wrong in the customer service department. “Every time I tried to speak to an agent, I couldn’t find the right path,” he recalls. “I thought to myself: If this information was written down and provided visually, it would be much easier.”

A Lock with an Eye

{image_1}If locks could talk, what would they say? A new joint venture between two Israeli companies has created the WatchLock, a smart lock that sends an alert if a lock has been tampered with, opened by the wrong person, or moved to a different location.

Fantastic Voyage to Fight Colon Cancer

{image_1}Only a few years ago it would have belonged to the realm of science fiction: A tiny capsule that travels through the intestines, snapping 360-degree X-ray images and continuously transmitting information to a wrist-worn [or belt] data receiver reporting on the prevalence of polyps, the precursors of colorectal cancer. Thanks to the ingenuity of Israel’s Check-Cap, all you’ll have to do is swallow a tiny capsule containing a miniaturized X-ray source and several imaging sensors. No colonoscopy, no hospital visit.

A Mosque Divided: A Look at the Fractured Palestinians

{image_1}Earlier this year, the Israeli–Palestinian conflict looked like a complicated algebra equation mixed with diplomacy and tragedy. In a span of two-and-a-half months, the following occurred: Palestinian Group A broke off talks with Israel aimed at restarting peace negotiations. Palestinian Group A and Group B made progress in reconciling with each other after years of conflict. Israel attacked the leadership of Palestinian Group C for plotting a terror attack, which led to Group C and Group D firing rockets at Israel. Group B was blamed for the conflict since they are technically in charge of Groups C and D. Groups A and B accused each other of mishandling Gaza’s power supply and eventually created an electricity crisis there by not cooperating. Group A then conducted a letter exchange with Israel to make demands in any future peace talks.

Bethlehem’s Existence Proven

{image_1}The first ancient artifact constituting tangible evidence of the existence of the city of Bethlehem was recently discovered in Jerusalem. A bulla—piece of clay used for sealing a document or object—measuring c. 1.5 cm [0.6 in] was found during the sifting of soil removed from archaeological excavations in the City of David. It was impressed with the seal of the person who sent the document or object.

First Evidence of Jewish Worship in David’s Day

{image_1}For the first time, a place of worship from the time of early biblical kings has been uncovered. Three large rooms, which pre-date the construction of Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem by 30 to 40 years, correspond to descriptions of Israelite worship in the Bible. The absence of cultic images of humans or animals provides evidence that the inhabitants practiced a different way of worship than that of the Canaanites or the Philistines.