I know for many who love Israel and follow the Hebraic roots of our faith, whether or not to celebrate Christmas can be a real struggle. And I usually get some chastising notes and emails from well-meaning folks who are aghast that I allow a pagan Christmas tree in my home, when I should know better! So I will apologize in advance if talking about Christmas or saying “Merry Christmas” is offensive to you.
My sisters and I returned home from school on that first night of Chanukah the year we moved,...
For the Lord comforts Zion; he comforts all her waste places and makes her wilderness like Eden, her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the voice of song. Isaiah 51:3
One of my friends once joked, “Jews have a blessing for everything!” We laughed at the time, but it’s true.
do know that I’ve never felt safer than when I am in Israel. Because it truly is the Holy Land and because I am right where God wants me to be, there is an incredible sense of peace as you walk the land.
There is something very innate about wanting to create a space or shelter for ourselves. This is why I’ve always liked the holiday of Sukkot. During this week-long festival we get to live in temporary huts topped with branches and often beautifully decorated with artwork, flowers, and foliage.
The first month of the Jewish year is always an exciting one. Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year, catapults us right into a festive celebration of this year’s potential – we say special prayers, we blow the shofar, and we eat special foods that symbolize the blessings we hope to benefit from and bring with us into the new year.
Don’t come to Israel just for the food – the Bible will come alive for you in Israel and I must say that is a far more important reason to come than the food. But I have to admit – food runs a close second!
The last month of the Jewish year, called Elul in Hebrew, is upon us. As the last month of the year, and the last month before the High Holidays, Elul is a time of self-reflection, a time to look inward and take mental stock of the year.
Feeling the presence of God in the Land of Israel is something that defies logic. God said that it was His Holy Mountain, and it is still His Holy Mountain. My personal belief is that if God hadn’t chosen Israel, we would never hear of this tiny strip of land on the coast of the Mediterranean! It wouldn’t be fought over, it wouldn’t be contested, and it would never make front page news. And yet it is. An area that is 50 miles wide and 200 miles long is in the news every single day!