Each winter we celebrate the Jewish Holiday of Tu B’Shvat, the 15th day of the Biblical 11th month, known in Hebrew as Shvat. It is a time when we all go out and plant trees, setting down roots in the Land of Israel and celebrating the return of the Jewish people to our land. This year was particularly joyous as it marked the first Tu B’Shvat after the Sabbatical year, when we did not plant any trees.
One of the things that distinguishes Nofei Nechemiah from so many other communities is the fact that it was established by young people who themselves had grown up in Judea and Samaria and wanted to continue the pioneering life-style and values of their parents.
For years, we have been talking about the Land of Israel. It is a land holy to both Jews and Christians and people of both faiths are responding to current events in Israel from a Biblical perspective. But how do Christians and Jews each see the Land?
I became a Zionist at the age of 13. My parents had always been Zionists in a typical American way. They loved Israel, went to every emergency meeting about Israel, and they gave generously to Israeli causes. Whatever they could do for Israel from the comfort of Cleveland, Ohio, they did.
One of the things that distinguishes Nofei Nechemiah from so many other communities is the fact that it was established by young people who themselves had grown up in Judea and Samaria and wanted to continue the pioneering life-style and values of their parents.
The concept of Messiah is a Jewish concept rooted in the words of the Biblical prophets.
Those of different faiths have some awareness of Christmas. But what does this holiday mean to Jews, who have always been outsiders to the Christian experience even as they live comfortable lives in Europe or North America?
This month, I visited the community of Kiryat Arba, one of the original Jewish communities in Judea, established just after the Six Day War.
Hanukkah is a popular Jewish holiday, usually celebrated in December. Because of its proximity to Christmas, some people assume that it is a Jewish version of Christmas. But Hanukkah is a unique holiday that celebrates a special miracle of salvation to the Jewish people. And its messages can resonate deeply to Christians as well.
