Good News

The Nations Come to Learn How the Desert Bloomed

Ben-Gurion University of the Negev hosted a major international conference last November on combating desertification, with experts coming to study Israel’s successes in “making the desert bloom.” The conference was sponsored by the Blaustein Institute of Desert Research (BIDR), Ben-Gurion University, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The conference was part of international activities marking 2006 as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification, as declared by the United Nations in recognition of the acute problem of desertification or land degradation worldwide.

Cleaning Up the Kinneret

Before the winter rains began, while the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) was still low, police divers began an underwater clean-up campaign. Over the years, junk—dangerous to both swimmers and the environment—has piled up. Magen David Adom, Israel’s emergency service, reported that dozens of Kinneret swimmers have been injured by cans, broken bottles, metal pieces, and other items. Plastic bags, boxes, and other environmental hazards were also removed from the underwater beach.

A Lost Tribe Returns

In late 2006, 218 Bnei Menashe immigrants arrived at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport on El Al flights from Bombay, the largest group of Bnei Menashe ever to come to Israel at once. The newcomers moved into absorption centers in the northern Israeli towns of Karmiel and Upper Nazareth. The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews donated US $1.5 million for their flights.

WONDERful Jerusalem

A panel of American journalists, writers, and scientists has chosen the Old City of Jerusalem as one of the seven wonders of modern times. The panel chose the city for its central place in religious history and struggle for tolerance. Among the sites said to have elevated Jerusalem to this status are the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and the Dome of the Rock, along with the walls and gates of the city.

New Bike Trails in Israel

A new bike trail will allow bicyclists to ride across the Jewish state. The first 30 kilometers [18 miles] was opened during the holiday of Sukkot [Feast of Tabernacles]. The trail is being built by Derech Eretz, the operator of the Trans-Israel Route 6 Highway, Israel’s first toll road. Bicyclists were just one of the many groups opposed to the construction of the highway, which covered many of their favorite trails with asphalt. Now, the company intends to return some of what was taken.

Israel – A Technology Powerhouse

The World Economic Forum published its yearly 2006–2007 report, in which it ranks Israel as one of the world’s most competitive economies ahead of Canada, France, and South Korea.

The Bible – Road Map to Israel’s Oil

Oil spurted from a drilling site north of the Dead Sea recently. Drilling partners, Ginko Oil Exploration and Lapidot (20%) estimate they have about 6.5 million barrels of crude oil, worth about US $300 million. The oil was struck at a 1,800 meter-depth (5,906 feet). It is a small quantity by world standards, providing 100 to 150 barrels per day. Number one producer Saudi Arabia produces nine million barrels a day, but Eli Tannenbaum, geologist for Ginko, said there are signs that larger amounts of crude are nearby.

Special Delight

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The Land of Milk and Honey

For thousands of years, the Land of Israel has flowed with milk and honey, but now it is official: Israeli cows are the biggest producers in the world. How now, proud cow? But sheep and goats can take a bow as well.

A report released this week by the Central Bureau of Statistics [CBS] says that Israeli cows are the number one milk producers in the world. According to the CBS report, last year Israeli dairies produced some 1,221 million liters [323 million gallons] of the white liquid for public consumption, providing 185 liters [49 gallons] per person per year.

Cow’s milk comprised the bulk of production at 94% of the total volume. Sheep produced 3.6%, with goat’s milk at the lowest percentage of volume, 2.3%.

Kanafim – wings of protection

“How priceless is Your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of Your wings.” Psalm 36:7.

Often in the Scriptures, we hear references to physical attributes of God. We hear about the “arm of the Lord,” and we pray that “His face will shine upon us.” We should understand that Israelites were not imagining that God literally had a physical body, but because the Hebrew language does not contain many abstractions, they were using physical imagery to express ideas about God’s nature.