A Day of Prayer and Inspiration
This is the holiest time in the Jewish calendar. Just two days ago, we celebrated Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, a day which is dedicated to repentance, prayer and fasting. “The Lord spoke to Moses, saying: Mark, the tenth day of this seventh month is the Day of Atonement. It shall be a sacred
Win This War
Tuesday, September 2, 2014 After 50 days, the war has ended. At least for now. The missiles have stopped firing, the artillery fire has gone quiet. Worst hit by far were the communities closest to Gaza. The four-year old boy killed in Nahal Oz and the middle aged men killed in Nirim at the end
The Nation of Israel Lives!
As I write this newsletter, it is still unclear whether Israel will continue to be involved in a war with Hamas, whether we will move on to a war of attrition, or whether some sort of agreement will be reached between the parties. As an Israeli, watching the news day in and day out during
Bringing the Torah to Roi
This past Friday I participated in a moving ceremony in the Jordan Valley that I would like to share with you. Very dear friends of mine decided to commission the writing of a Torah Scroll in order to donate it to a community in need. A Torah Scroll contains the entire text of the Five
We Are One
The roller coaster ride that is living in Israel! There is no other way to describe the events of the last few days and the emotional highs and lows that we have experienced. On Sunday night there was a gathering dedicated to unity, prayer and song surrounding the kidnapping of the three young boys from
Israel Independence Day
May 6, 2014 Sondra Oster Baras It was a wonderful day! Today, we celebrated Israel Independence Day, honoring 66 years of statehood, the rebirth of the Nation of Israel in the Land of Israel. The festivities began last night, after 24 hours dedicated to mourning the soldiers who gave their lives to protect the nation,
A Fresh Look At Peace
January 2014 US Secretary of State John Kerry just spent 24 hours in Israel, trying, yet again, to jump-start negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. When this round of US-brokered negotiations began, the parties agreed to negotiate for nine months and the US expressed confidence that an agreement would be produced at the conclusion of
Standing Tall For Israel
Today is the first day of Adar, the Hebrew month corresponding to the 11th Biblical month. There is an ancient Hebrew saying: “When Adar begins, we revel in happiness.” The reason for the joyous nature of the month is the occurrence, on the 14th day of the month, of the holiday of Purim. On this
The Blessings of a Start-Up Nation
Several days ago, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu addressed the international economic conference in Davos, Switzerland. At a time when newspapers around the world are full of threats of economic boycott of Israel, Netanyahu invited businesses from all over the world to learn from Israel, to do business with Israel and to share in the wonder
The Irony of a Bulldozer
Former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon passed away yesterday afternoon. It is an opportunity to review the life and legacy of this man who for so much of Israel’s history held positions of leadership and influence. Beginning in Israel’s War of Independence in 1948, Sharon distinguished himself on the battlefield, rising to become one of Israel’s
The Blessing of Snow – December 2013
It started snowing on Wednesday evening and kept snowing. On Thursday, Judea was covered in snow, in Gush Etzion and in Hebron. I was supposed to meet a tour group in Hebron that day but it was cancelled — there was no way to get anywhere near that area. Where I live, in Karnei Shomron,
France – Israel’s ally – November 19, 2013
President Francois Hollande landed in Israel yesterday for what would be the longest visit of this French president in a foreign country. The visit could not happen at a more opportune time. Just last week, negotiations between the western nations and Iran broke down when France refused to approve the concessions that the other western
