News and Reflections
Is it Safe to go to Israel?
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.
Spread His shelter of peace over us!
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.
Looking Forward, Not Back.
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.
Netanyahu has become a liability!
Netanyahu is a talented leader with an ideological position that represents the majority of the country. But Netanyahu has become very problematic. He has driven many talented leaders away from the Likud or from leadership positions because he saw them as political rivals. He is mired in corruption scandals and will probably stand trial for some of his actions. Clearly, his left-wing political rivals have manipulated this to their advantage.
The Stuff Dreams are Made Of
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!
Man and God in the Month of Elul
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.
A Time to Strengthen Relationships
September has always been a month of new beginnings for me. When I was a child, school began the first week of September, usually 2 days after the American holiday of Labor Day. When I was in university, classes began that day as well. In Israel, school begins...
Why Visit Israel?
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!
Rebuilding in the Wake of Destruction
Perhaps we are the generation who will, finally, put an end to anti-Semitism, to hatred within the Jewish people, to intolerance and bigotry. Perhaps we will be the ones leading by example, teaching others how to counteract baseless hatred and come together in love. Perhaps we will be the ones to build the Third and final Temple. Perhaps we can bring an end to the loss. Perhaps.
Connecting Generations to the Bible
This week is one of the most enjoyable weeks of the year for me. Each year, thousands gather in Gush Etzion, at the Herzog College in Alon Shvut, for a 5 day Bible Seminar. Herzog is a religious college which began as a Bible School and then expanded to include a...
