Blessing Israel

The Right Thing To Do

{image_1}Our Jewish speaker spent over an hour explaining the efforts of his team to bridge the gaps between disparate groups living in Israel: Jews and Arabs, religious and secular, and Ashkenazi and Sephardi (Jews from European background or from Middle Eastern background). I found his talk fascinating because just like him, Bridges for Peace is working to bring reconciliation. During the question-and-answer time, I asked for his opinion on how we could improve our efforts to build relationships between Christians and Jews.

His response was simple, but profound: “You know the right thing to do.”

Helping Dreams Come True

{image_1}The Jewish people have been coming back “Home” to the Promised Land since the 1880s by the millions…and they are still coming. Sometimes they don’t really know why. It’s like a great shofar (ram’s horn used in Bible times to assemble the people) has been blown by God in the heavens, and His people are following the sound back home. For others, it’s a life-long dream, not just for themselves but one that has been dreamed for generations in their family.

What can you do in 15 seconds?

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I can read a paragraph, eat two-and-a-half bites of apple, drink a small glass of water, or walk down two flights of stairs. Fifteen seconds is also the amount of time residents of Sderot have to run to a bomb shelter after the Tevah Adom alarm (Color Red Alert) sounds, telling them a missile has been fired at them. Over the past eight years, thousands of missiles have been launched at this small town in the western Negev, situated right next to the Gaza Strip. Sderot’s population of 24,000 people live under the shadow of terror, running for bomb shelters frequently.

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.

Robots Square Off in a Technological Tournament

{image_1} “Three, two, one, it’s robot fighting time!”

Thirty-six Jewish and Arab teams from various high schools and technical colleges recently gathered in Tel Aviv for a competition to display their technical prowess. Each of the teams was given six weeks to design and build a robot for entry to the FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science) Israel Robotics Competition, sponsored by Microsoft, GM, Chevrolet, and other industry heavyweights. The goal of the competition was to promote excitement and interest in young people for studying technology.

Why Should Christians Give to Israel Through Bridges for Peace?

{image_1}A recent poll revealed that more than 80% of American Christians say they have a “moral and biblical obligation” to support the State of Israel. We agree! Apostle Paul said, “…For if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister to them in material things” (Romans 15:27). We understand that you have many choices of organizations through whom you can help the people of Israel. You may wonder why you should give to Bridges for Peace. Here are a few reasons:

It’s Time to Bring Them Home!

{image_1}Last month, Israel held their annual
memorial of the Holocaust, honoring the six million Jews who died.
Sixty years ago, Hitler’s anti-Semitic regime was crushed,
but anti-Semitism is far from dead. Jeff Jacoby of the Boston Globe
recently wrote, “The fires of anti-Semitism are sweeping
across Europe today as it did just prior to the dreadful Holocaust
years.”

New Outreach Center Opens in Karmiel

Showing God’s Love in the North

Summer Camp in Beit Shemesh

{image_1}July 12 marked the final day of a two-week summer camp at the Eliyakim religious school in Beit Shemesh, sponsored largely by our Bridges for Peace Feed a Child project. With this support, some 90 children, in grades one through five, from underprivileged families in Beit Shemesh, were able to attend the camp and take part in many learning activities and field trips.

Building Bridges Around the World

{image_1}Bridges for Peace is not just working in Israel to build bridges between the Christian and Jewish communities! We are also building friendships and showing unconditional support and love to the Jewish people around the world. On a recent trip to Australia, we met with many Jewish leaders in locations all across the continent. On each occasion, we were blessed to see their open appreciation of Christian support and their willingness to extend a hand of friendship. In Perth, I had the opportunity to share my heart with 40 Jewish community leaders. This is just one example of a growing relationship between the evangelical world and the Jewish people. Each of our eight national offices work to develop Jewish–Christian relationships in their countries. Let me share a few examples.