Dispatch from Jerusalem

Israel’s Heroes

Nearly all Jewish men and women serve in the Israeli army. Bedouin and Druze also are conscripted. Some Christians (mostly Arabs) volunteer. At the age of 18, young people are inducted into the army before they go to college. Young men serve for three years, and the young women for two. There is also compulsory reserve duty of up to 32 days a year for men under the age of 40. When Israel is attacked, the standing army engages the enemy. Reservists are called up if the conflict persists or is particularly intense. Most of Israel’s army consists of accountants, truck drivers, shopkeepers, dads, husbands, etc. In other words, the army is the guy next door.

God’s Wake-Up Call: Tilapia (fish) Twist

The Jewish New Year is celebrated on Rosh Hashanah, Hebrew for “head of the year.” However, you will not find that name in the Bible, even though it is one of the seven biblical feasts. Its biblical name is Yom Teruah, the day of the sounding of trumpets (Lev. 23:23–25). The Jewish New Year is quite solemn compared to rowdy, Western New Year’s Eve parties, as it is understood to be the day God judges His people.

Israel’s First Mass Wedding

Despite the war, a mass wedding for 50 couples from the war-torn Galilee area, with 5,000 guests, took place in Tel Aviv’s old port Hangar 11 on August 14, the day the cease-fire began.

“This is the first time in Jewish history an event like this has happened,” said Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger, who supervised the event.

The War and Its Aftermath

“ America is fighting a tough war against an enemy whose ruthlessness is clear for all to see. The terrorists attempt to bring down airplanes full of innocent men, women, and children. They kill civilians and American servicemen in Iraq and Afghanistan, and they deliberately hide behind civilians in Lebanon. ”
President George Bush, September 12, 2006

Digging at Dor

In July, Teri and I went on our first archaeological dig, for five days. The dig was probably a once-in-a-lifetime experience for me, as I’m not a young person anymore, and the work is physically quite demanding. However, I’m really glad I did it once and hope that my tale might encourage you to also consider going on a dig sometime.

Dor, an ancient natural seaport just north of Ceasarea, has been dug for 20 years. It is mentioned in the Bible several times. Joshua won it in battle (Josh. 11:1–12), and it became part of the tribe of Manasseh (Josh. 17:11–13). David’s unfortunate census included Dor (2 Sam. 24:1–7).

Lebanon in the Bible

• “Lebanon” means “the white one,” probably referring to the snow-capped peaks of the Lebanon Mountains.

• The Hittite word for cypress or juniper is close to the Hittite name for the Lebanon Mountains, so “Lebanon” could refer to the trees of Lebanon.

• It is mentioned 71 times in the Old Testament.

Hizbullah welcomes World War lll

Iran’s Hizbullah, which claims links to the Lebanese group of the same name, said it stood ready to attack Israeli and United States interests worldwide.

More on Megiddo Prison Find

In the January-February issue of the Dispatch, we wrote about the oldest Christian church discovered in Megiddo prison, which includes an inscription in a mosaic that says, “The God-loving Aketous has offered this table to the God Jesus Christ as a memorial.” It is the first time, anywhere in the world, that the name of Jesus has been found in a mosaic.

Secular or Religious

Israel is a unique place, where the secular and the religious mix at all levels of society, often causing cultural clashes. There are rifts in Israeli society between the two groups, who don’t agree on a wide variety of issues affecting everyday life. Israel has a mainly secular government, but the chief rabbis and the rabbinical court control many aspects of life, including marriage, divorce, burial, and conversion to Judaism. There is not a clear separation of Church and State in Israel like in many western countries.

Iranian TV encourages boycott of zionist products

The Iranians have called for a boycott on “Zionist” products. Household brand names like Coca Cola, Pepsi, Calvin Klein, and Nestles have been listed as pro-Israel companies with Zionists among their biggest shareholders. Viewers were told PEPSI stands for “Pay Each Penny to Save Israel.” Also on the Iranian TV hit-list are McDonalds, Timberland, Revlon, Garnier, Hugo Boss, and L’Oreal.