Re: Israel Uncovered

Admin Sun 19 Jul 2015, 7:54 am

The 12 Tribes of Israel
"Now these are the names of the sons of Israel, who came into Egypt with Jacob; every man came with his household: Reuben, Simeon, Levi, and Judah: Issachar, Zebulun, and Benjamin: Dan and Naphtali, Gad and Asher. And all the souls that came out of the loins of Jacob were seventy souls; and Joseph was in Egypt already." (Exodus 1:1-5)
The Nation of Israel began as the twelve sons of Jacob. After leaving Egypt, the Children of Israel traveled and camped in a 4 sided formation according to tribes. By divine instruction, each tribe had its own flag and every three tribes camped as a unit, with the flag of the dominant tribe as the unit flag. At the center of this formation camped the Levites and the priests surrounding the Tabernacle at the center. The symbolism of the Israelite encampment is clear. Every person, family and tribe had a special place, if you will, a position, in this ideal society dictated by divine decree in the desert. The individualism of each person, his family and tribe was preserved while creating a common goal to serve God, represented by the Tabernacle at the center of the encampment.
When the Nation of Israel entered the land of Israel, the land was divided among the tribes according to regions. Judah and Simeon received land in the south, Reuben, Menashe and Gad received land on the eastern side of the Jordan river (today known as Jordan), Dan in the metropolitan Tel Aviv Jaffa area (known today as the Dan region) Benjamin and Efraim (Joseph) were just north of Judah and the city of Jerusalem, Menashe in the Shomron area, and Issachar, Zebulun, Asher and Naphtali in the Galilee. The tribe of Levi did not receive a region of land as the bible tells us in Deuteronomy (10:8-9) "At that time the LORD separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister unto Him, and to bless in His name, unto this day. Wherefore Levi hath no portion nor inheritance with his brethren; the LORD is his inheritance, according as the LORD thy God spoke unto him.
The Levites were the spiritual leaders of the Nation of Israel and lived in cities within each tribal inheritance in order to inspire and give spiritual guidance. The other tribes, in turn, supported the Levites by giving them tithes from their crops and livestock.
When the Jewish people returned to their homeland thousands of years later, they began to rebuild and settle the land of old. They searched for names to express their exhilaration and gratitude, and to help them reconnect to the land of their ancestors. And they found those names in the scriptures.
On the ancient land of Judah the new settlers rebuilt, for example, the cities and towns of Kiryat Yearim (1950), Kisalon, Beit Shemesh and Kiryat Ekron (1948).
“And the border was drawn from the top of the mountain unto the fountain of the waters of Nephtoah, and went out to the cities of mount Ephron; and the border was drawn to Baalah–the same is Kiriath-jearim. And the border turned about from Baalah westward unto mount Seir, and passed along unto the side of mount Jearim on the north–the same is Chesalon–and went down to Beth-shemesh, and passed along by Timnah.” (Joshua 15:9)
In the region of Naphtali, the modern Nation of Israel established the towns of Hukok (1945), Hammat (Hammat Teveria), and Hazor Galilee.
As scripture tells us in Joshua 19:
And the border turned westward to Aznoth-tabor, and went out from thence to Hukok; and it reached to Zebulun on the south, and reached to Asher on the west, and to Judah at the Jordan toward the sunrising. And the fortified cities were Ziddim-zer, and Hammath, and Rakkath, and Chinnereth; and Adamah, and Ramah, and Hazor;
The list of kibbutzim, towns and cities named for places in scripture is extensive. Today, these names seem self-evident. It’s almost as though the names and places of the past hadn’t lain dormant and unused for thousands of years. These places are coming alive. Kibutzim such as Shaalvim, Dovrat, Sarid and Evron; cities such as Ashkelon, Bnei Braq, and Ashkelon; and regional councils such as Bnei Shimon (Simeon), Matteh Yehudah (Judah), Matteh Binyamin ( Benjamin), and Matteh Asher, have all returned to the map as if they’d never been erased. These places are alive and thriving, just as the Jewish People have returned and are once again thriving in their ancient homeland.
It’s as if they never left.

Admin Tue 14 Jul 2015, 4:17 pm

Israel Video Network

The Strength And Power Of Holocaust Survivors
“And I will bring a sword upon you, that shall execute the vengeance of the covenant; and you shall be gathered together within your cities; and I will send the pestilence among you; and ye shall be delivered into the hand of the enemy.” (Leviticus 26)
It is not possible to relay the story of millions of innocent men, women, teenagers, and children who endured the horrors and suffering of the Nazi Holocaust. For the minority that survived, the horrors continued on after their release from what can only be described as hell on earth. For many, their lives, bodies, minds and souls had been contorted and devastated. Life it seemed had gone back to normal, yet they had not. Left with their memories, the horrors they had experienced, their parents, siblings and children killed and thrown into pits or burned to ashes, many did not know how to begin again. And although their ravaged bodies could be nursed back to normalcy, it was much harder to rehabilitate their shattered minds and souls. For those who held on to their faith in God, and their love for the People and the Land of Israel, the journey back to normalcy was a drop easier.
For Rabbi Yekusiel Yehudah Halberstam, a descendant of the Sanz Hassidic dynasty, and himself a Hassidic Rebbe and founder of the Klausenberg Hassidic dynasty, it was his unyielding faith in God which brought him through the horrors of the holocaust, and gave him the strength to lead his followers to the U.S. and then to Israel, to rebuild a community and begin anew. Rabbi Halberstam lost his wife and eleven children in the holocaust. It was then that he vowed that if God helped him survive the inferno, he would do everything in his power to build a hospital to save lives and bring new life to the world. After the war, Rabbi Halberstam spent every hour he had helping to rescue those that had survived, and help them restart their lives.
Several years later, Rabbi Halberstam brought his followers who had survived to Brooklyn, New York. There, they tried to pick up the pieces of their lives and begin anew. Rabbi Shlomo Riskin of Efrat relates that one Sabbath morning, he walked over 40 minutes to pray with Rabbi Halberstam’s congregation. He heard people moaning and crying as they prayed. He watched as they lifted the Torah Scroll from the holy Ark and laid it on the ornate table to be read. That Sabbath, the weekly Torah portion included a section known as the “tochacha” (rebuke) which talks about the horrible things that will happen to the People of Israel if they leave God’s ways. It is customary to read this list of “curses” which discuss exile form the land of Israel and the suffering in the Diaspora as quietly and as quickly as possible. As the traditional Torah reader began to quietly chant the list of curses, the Klausenberger Rebbe banged on the table and said “Read it loudly!” The chanter, bewildered and unsure as to how to proceed, continued to read quickly and quietly. He had never read this section any other way. The Rebbe once again said loudly “Read it out loud.” And then added, “we have no reason to fear this section. We experienced every single word of it and far more. Let God in Heaven hear us read it and fulfill the rest of the verses. Those that read ‘But I will for their sakes remember the covenant of their ancestors, whom I brought forth out of the land of Egypt in the sight of the nations, that I might be their God: I am the LORD.’ (Leviticus 26:45) and, ‘And I will walk among you, and will be your God, and you shall be My people.’ (Leviticus 26:12) And as the prophet Ezekiel says ‘ And the tree of the field shall yield its fruit, and the earth shall yield her produce, and they shall be safe in their land; and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bars of their yoke, and have delivered them out of the hand of those that made bondmen of them.’ (Ezekiel 24) “Then the Rebbe added, “We must leave this community and continue our journey back to the Land of Israel where God intended for us to be.”
Several years later, the Rebbe moved his flock to the city of Netanya in the Land of Israel. There, he created a strong and vibrant Hassidic community and singlehandedly planned, raised money and built the Laniado Hospital in Netanya as he had vowed to do. He himself remarried and had seven more children
The Laniado hospital cares for over 60,000 patients yearly, and has recently opened an additional large and modern maternity ward to accomodate the large numbers of women who choose to give birth there. Laniado is known for promoting natural childbirth and has a special natural birthing center. The hospital is a shining example of professionalism coupled with good-will, respectful and caring treatment and the highest regard for human life.
For the many survivors of the atrocities of the holocaust, the Laniado hospital, as well as the Sanz–Klausenberg communities of Netanya, Haifa and Brooklyn, are a symbol of triumph over evil, a small spark of light and hope and light whose inception occurred when none seemed to exist.

Admin Fri 12 Jun 2015, 6:41 pm

ISRAEL UNCOVERED
What Lies Behind The Start-Up Nation
“And there was a famine in the land, beside the first famine that was in the days of Abraham. And Isaac went unto Abimelech king of the Philistines unto Gerar.” (Genesis 26:1)
“And Isaac sowed in that land, and found in the same year a hundredfold; and the LORD blessed him.” (Genesis 26:12)

Astonishingly, even during a period of famine and drought, what Isaac planted not only grew, but grew a hundredfold. The connection between the land of Israel and the nation of Israel began thousands of years ago, with the forefathers and mothers. At that period of time, land was the most important, and nearly only, resource one could acquire. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were truly connected to the land, as were their descendants, not just because it was a natural resource, but because the land was promised to them by God. It was, and is, special.

For thousands of years the Nation of Israel was cut off from its land. As they wandered in the exiles, the Jewish people learned to use ingenuity and creativity to get by. They couldn’t just “live in the box”. At times there was no box… Yet the dream of the land remained.

Consequently, as Jews began to return to the Promised Land in the 18th and 19th centuries, they began to rediscover the soil and the fields. Although a slow learning process, the new olim connected to land and built agricultural towns, settlements and the famous” kibbutzim”. An agricultural “start-up” had begun.

It’s hard, though, to ignore a later start-up which utilized Israeli ingenuity and know-how and that is the technological/industrial start-up going on in Israel. Israel is a world leader in technological “start-up” companies which have lead to great breakthroughs.

Processing chips for computers, the first cellphone, Microsoft Windows NT operating system, Skype, Vanage, email, antivirus software, large scale solar electricity, medical breakthroughs such as the pill-cam, treatment to slow Alzheimer’s, a blood pumping device for those with congestive heart failure, smartphones for the seeing impaired, expandable luggage, and the list goes on.

Yet the true surprise comes from the way in which Israeli entrepreneurs combined the two. Today, Israel’s high-tech start-up industry is huge, but its tech-agriculture industry is so unique that it’s almost exclusive to Israel. God’s Promised Land has produced a wave of new technological products which have enhanced and enlarged food production in Israel and throughout the world.

For example, the Bio-Bee company from Kibbutz Sde Eliyahu has found biological solutions for pest control instead of the poisonous pesticides that have been used and ingested by consumers worldwide. A large percentage of Californian strawberries have been treated with Israeli grown orange spiders which efficiently get rid of “spider mites” in the strawberry crops. Sweet pepper farmers who have switched to Bio-Bee solutions have reduced use of chemical pesticides by 75 percent. Agricultural

Knowledge On Line is a kibbutz based company which creates one-of-a-kind software to assist agriculturalists in growing fruit and vegetables, raise livestock and poultry, and produce olive oil. The newest applications provide farmers worldwide with vital information on dealing with drought, choosing the appropriate crops for their region, storage and temperature control and much more. Israel has held an annual Agritech conference, hosting delegations from around the world for three days of exhibits, lectures, presentations and opportunities for investments in the newest biotechnology and agricultural advancements.

Beyond doubt, Israel has made a real impact on the world with its enormous amount of start-ups in every possible field. Perhaps the most monumental start-up is the State of Israel itself. It testifies to the ability to make something from what appears to be nothing. That is a trait which is God given. A blessing of knowing how to make do – successfully.
Forefather Isaac must be quite proud.

Admin Fri 22 May 2015, 4:35 pm

Israel Uncovered
Discover the Truth About Judea and Samaria‏
Judea and Samaria are ancient Jewish terms, referring to a geographic area located at the center, in essence the heart, of the land of Israel. The name Judea, is derived from the tribal name “Judah”. It refers to Judah’s biblical inheritance in the land of Israel as described in the book of Joshua (15): “And the lot for the tribe of the children of Judah according to their families was unto the border of Edom, even to the wilderness of Zin southward, at the uttermost part of the south…” The verses continue through the chapter to describe the inheritance of the sons (tribe) of Judah. Cities and areas such as Hebron, the Dead Sea (Salt Sea), Beit Shemesh (a modern Israeli city), Adumim (today’s city of Maale Adumim) and onwards until the Great Sea (the Mediterranean) are mentioned in passing. There is something electrifying in knowing that Israel’s modern-day cities carry the names and are built on the locations of the ancient cities of Israel. In truth, there is a special government committee which approves names of new towns and cities in Israel, based on archeology and biblical background. So too the name Judea. Judea is the mid-southern region of Israel, the inheritance of the tribe of Judah, which they settled in the days of Joshua, 4000 years ago.
The city of Samaria or “Shomron” in Hebrew, located adjacent to the village of “Sebastia”, was the capital city of the Kingdom of Israel (the ten tribes) which split off from the Kingdom of Judah around 930 BCE. The kingdom of Israel ruled the area north of Jerusalem, leaving the Kingdom of Judah with the area South of Jerusalem. The city, Shomron, was purchased by King Omri who proclaimed it the captital of his kingdom, Israel. “And he bought the hill Samaria of Shemer for two talents of silver; and he built on the hill, and called the name of the city which he built, after the name of Shemer, the owner of the hill, Samaria.” (Kings I 16) Today the ancient city is a national park and there you can see archeological findings including the Palace built by King Omri’s son King Achav, and a complete theater from the Roman period built by King Herod. The city of Samaria became the inspiration of the name of the regional council of Samaria, which includes the mountainous area north of Jerusalem and continues northward until the Galilee region.

Ancient Samaria includes two modern Israeli regions: the Regional Council of Shomron in the north, and the Regional Council of Binyamin (Benjamin) in the south. The Benjamin Regional Council lies in the general area of the ancient inheritance of the tribe of Benjamin. In this region stand two famous biblical mountains, Mt. Gerizim and Mt. Eibal. The two mountains lie on either side of the ancient city of Shechem or Nablus. It was on these mountains that God commanded the Children of Israel to stand (6 tribes on one mountain and six tribes on the other mountain) when they entered the land of Israel, and renew their covenant with Him.
And Moses charged the people the same day, saying:
“These shall stand upon mount Gerizim to bless the people, when you are passed over the Jordan: Simeon, and Levi, and Judah, and Issachar, and Joseph, and Benjamin; and these shall stand upon mount Ebal for the curse: Reuben, Gad, and Asher, and Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali.”
The Priests stood in the valley between the two mountains in the city of Shechem and shouted out that he who keeps God’s commandments will be blessed, and the tribes on Mount Gerizim answered “Amen”. Then they shouted that those who transgress His commandments will be cursed and the tribes on Mount Eibal answered “Amen”. Until this day, the mountain to which were directed the curses (Eibal) lies barren and rocky, and the mountain to which the blessings were directed is covered with foliage.
There are those that say that the ceremony on these two mountains represents the inverse of the famous giving of the Five Books of Moses on Mount Sinai. At Sinai, God gave the People of Israel His Word from above, and in the land of Israel the Word of God came from below. This seems to be a symbolic message to the People of Israel. God wants us to live on the land, in this world, and live in holiness. To consecrate that which is seems unspiritual.
This Sunday is the Jewish Festival of Pentecost, the celebration of receiving the Five Books of Moses at Sinai. From above. And also from below…

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