News and Reflections

News from the Land

In Memory of Ted Beckett

Ted was a big man. He towered above most of the people he met in Israel and his booming voice often dominated the conversation. He loved Israel because he loved G-d and he was determined to follow G-d’s direction and do everything he could to help Israel.

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Ted Beckett
NewslettersReflections from IsraelWord to the Nations

What made Caleb different?

So whatever situation you are facing today, know that your God is bigger than any giant you are facing, any mountain standing in front of you. I have often heard it said: “Don’t talk to God about how big your mountain is; talk to your mountain about how big your God is.” So I have to ask myself, what made Caleb different? Why didn’t he go with the majority? Why did he see the situation differently than the others?

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2017 CFOIC Tour in Hebron
News from the Land

In Memory of my Father: Joseph Oster זצ״ל

My father was a committed Jew and very active in the Jewish community of Cleveland before moving to Israel more than a decade ago. When we were children, he supported the local Bnei Akiva religious Zionist youth group, ensuring that his children and all our friends had quality activities and meaningful Jewish experiences. He was active in the synagogue, the Jewish school, the Jewish federation. He loved Israel and was always there, ready to help, whenever Israel faced a crisis.

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Reflections from IsraelUncategorized

Losing a Loved One

Death is a natural part of life – everyone will experience the loss of a loved one and will grieve in a personal and profound way. But every culture and faith has created their own ways to help deal with the grief and the loss. Judaism has a unique set of customs surrounding death, burial and mourning that reflect a profound wisdom with regard to human needs as well as a theology of the everlasting.

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Reflections from IsraelUncategorized

Celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles

The Feast of Tabernacles, or Sukkot, as it is known in Hebrew, has begun to resonate among Christians in recent years. Thousands of Christians celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem each year in fulfillment of Zachariah 14:16. How has this holiday been celebrated by Jews since Biblical times and what is it about this holiday that is so meaningful to Christians?

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Reflections from IsraelUncategorized

The Meaning of Shabbat

Sondra Oster Baras, an Orthodox Jew who has devoted her life to reaching out to Christians all over the world to bless Israel, explains the Jewish Sabbath (Shabbat) so that Christians can gain a better understanding of how Jews revere and observe this holy day.

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