Sorrow and Hope

Dispatch from Jerusalem

Fascinating Facts About Israel and the Jewish People

Israel is an amazing country. As you peruse the pages of this magazine, you may discover things about this incredible place that you might not have known. You may be surprised as you learn about the size of the country, the prophecies God is fulfilling here in our lifetime, the beauty and majesty of the

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Israel Goes Above and Beyond: Assessing Operation Protective Edge

 War crimes were committed during the 2014 conflict between Israel and terrorists in the Gaza Strip, and Palestinian civilians were deliberately put in harm’s way—but it was Hamas who drew their own people into the fighting, not Israel. Hamas intentionally placed military targets in civilian areas, disguised militants as civilians, and even forced their own

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Ancient Water Course Revealed

Section of the newly revealed aqueduct that brought fresh water to Jerusalem two thousand years ago A section of Jerusalem’s Lower Aqueduct, which conveyed water to the city more than 2,000 years ago, was exposed in the city’s Umm Tuba quarter (near Har Homa) during the construction of a sewer line in the neighborhood. The

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1,500-year-old Church Discovered

Aerial view of excavation Archaeological excavations near Highway 1 (Jerusalem–Tel Aviv), at the entrance to Abu Gosh, have uncovered a large Byzantine-period road station that included a church. Initiated and funded by the National Roads Company, the excavations were conducted while upgrading and widening the highway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. The site lies next

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Druze Community Honors Israeli Divers

A Druze sheikh with a replica of a coin from the treasure A gold treasure off the Caesarea coast was discovered in February 2015 by a group of six Israeli divers—Tzvika Feuer, Kobi Tweena, Avivit Fishler, Shai Milner, Yoav Lavi and Yoel Miller (see June 2015 Dispatch for story). The treasure, which was completely uncovered

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Pope Recognizes Palestine: Tipping Point?

Pope Francis The Roman Catholic Church announced in May that it has all but finalized a formal agreement with “the State of Palestine.” While it is not the first entity to do so, it might be the most significant. Because of its perceived moral authority, especially in the West, Rome’s official recognition may be the

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Egyptian President Strengthens Ties with Russia

Egyptian President Sisi Egyptian President Sisi was in Moscow in May to participate in celebrations marking the 70th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany in 1945. According to the Jerusalem Post (JPost), Sisi met with Russia’s President Putin. In that meeting, he “expressed his desire to strengthen cooperation between the nations.” Putin reciprocated the

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Israel’s Security Policy in Syria

 Over the past three years a series of incidents involving attempted attacks from Hezbollah and the movement of weapons through Syria have caused concern in Israel and action to thwart such actions. In this article, retired Brig. Gen.Yossi Kuperwasser explains. The attacks and reported air strikes indicate an ongoing battle between Israel and the Iranian-led

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A Profound and Lasting Impact Through Our Feed a Child Program

In Israel, according to a report released in December of 2014, 35.1% of children live in poverty, while 25% go to bed hungry at night. That means nearly a million Israeli children face a very uncertain future, struggle to keep up with their classmates, perhaps are even forced to drop out of school and work

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Christians, Jews Praised God for the Miracle of Israel

The restoration of Israel to its God-given homeland has long since been regarded as nothing short of miraculous. Each year, the Jewish nation marks the day with thanksgiving and praises to God.  This year, Dr. Shlomo Riskin, Chief Rabbi of the Israeli city of Efrat, launched an initiative inviting Christians to join the people of

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