Sorrow and Hope

Dispatch from Jerusalem

Fatherhood, Israeli Style

Ever since I set foot in the beautiful city of Jerusalem, I have been absolutely fascinated by the variance of fatherhood in Israeli culture versus the western norm. From the very beginning I watched fathers in their daily routine and their diverse roles intrigued me greatly. Israeli fathers seemed somehow different to me than any

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Outplaying Hitler: The Creation of the Palestine Symphony Orchestra

As anti-Semitism cast a dark shadow over Europe in the 1930s, a Polish Jew named Bronislaw Huberman chose to fight it with the only weapon he had—his music. Finding Sanctuary In Germany, Hitler had begun to crack down on the Jewish population, banning them from employment in German companies. Even cultural institutions were not exempt—in

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Taste & See

I wish you could all join us in our sukkah (booth) on our balcony in Jerusalem overlooking the Gan Sacher Park and the Knesset…however it only comfortably fits about eight people. If you were here you would most probably be served one of our favorite salads. We always look forward to the fall festivals for

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Israel’s Warming Global Relationships

In Africa PM Netanyahu’s purpose in pursuing African relations is to “Dissolve this majority, this giant bloc of 54 African countries that is the basis of the automatic majority against Israel in the UN and international bodies.” —PM Netanyahu speaking with press before leaving for ECOWAS summit in Liberia   “I believe in Africa, I

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Setting the Captives Free

Jewish people settled in the land of Egypt for millennia, ever since Abram, the patriarch, “…went down to Egypt to dwell there, for the famine was severe in the land” (Gen. 12:10). Throughout the centuries, Egypt seemed to provide a good escape from the troubles that periodically descended upon Israel and a number of biblical

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Malicious Opportunity, Iran Using Syrian War to Expand Empire

Iran and Syria have long been allies in the fight against Israel and the West, with Iran generally the more powerful benefactor in the relationship. But the civil war in Syria—and Iran’s military involvement there—has given Iran the opportunity to not just help their ally, but to use them as a testing ground for a

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Energy Can Grow on Trees!

We’ve all heard the saying, “money doesn’t grow on trees” but now we can say that energy really can grow on trees! The “eTree” is an innovative Israeli idea that combines clean, green energy with an invitation to slow down and relax. Modeled after the acacia which provides welcome shade in the desert, the eTree

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3,000-Year-Old Colored Textiles Found in the Negev

Excavations conducted since 2013 in the Timna Valley have recovered dozens of fragments of 3,000-year-old textiles, preserved thanks to the region’s extreme arid climatic conditions. The textiles date to the early Iron Age (12th–10th centuries BC), the time of the biblical kings David and Solomon. Some pieces are decorated with a red-and-blue band pattern. These

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President Trump and Israel

 On US Election Day in November 2016, I was leading a Solidarity Mission. The audience was full of Christians who love Israel. Many were from the US and were anxiously checking their smart phones for early election results. The air was electric with expectation as it became clearer that Donald Trump had a good chance

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Benjamin Netanyahu: Our Man in Jerusalem

Calling Israel “no ordinary country” can certainly be considered an understatement. The strip of land perched on the edge of the Middle East serves as the stage against which numerous biblical events played out—and the backdrop for ancient prophecy fulfilled today. The building blocks of the modern state are the promises spoken by the God

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