Israel 365 News

Shalom Zahara, Please enjoy today's Daily Inspiration from Israel.

You shall be a consternation, a proverb, and a byword among all the peoples to which Hashem will drive you.
וְהָיִ֣יתָ לְשַׁמָּ֔ה לְמָשָׁ֖ל וְלִשְׁנִינָ֑ה בְּכֹל֙ הָֽעַמִּ֔ים אֲשֶׁר־יְנַהֶגְךָ֥ יְהֹוָ֖ה שָֽׁמָּה
Deuteronomy 28:37 (The Israel Bible, p. 508)
v'-ha-YEE-ta l'-sha-MAH l'-ma-SHAL v'-lish-nee-NAH b'-KHOL ha-a-MEEM a-SHER y'-na-heg-KHA a-do-NAI SHA-mah
The Perils of Being a Parable
By Rabbi Pesach Wolicki
Towards the end of this week’s Torah portion, the portion of Ki Tavo (Deuteronomy 26:1-29:8), we find one of the darkest passages in the entire Bible. Fifty-four consecutive verses detail the harsh punishments that will befall the people of Israel should they turn their backs on God in disobedience. Plague, famine, defeat in war, exile, and all manner of suffering are listed (Deuteronomy 28:15-69). Among the many frightening and disturbing punishments, there is one that is difficult to understand.

You will be a source of astonishment, a proverb, and a conversation piece among all the peoples where God will lead you. Deuteronomy 28:37

What does it mean to be “a proverb,” a mashal in Hebrew?

READ MORE
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Rare Blue Supermoon to Appear With Messianic Undertones
https://www.israel365news.com/375018/rare-blue-supermoon-to-appear-with-messianic-undertones/?
The appearance of a larger-than-normal moon is a necessary precursor to the Messianic era.#ndertones
And the light of the moon shall become like the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall become sevenfold, like the light of the seven days, when Hashem binds up His people's wounds and heals the injuries it has suffered.
ISAIAH 30:26(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)
Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz
BIBLICAL NEWS AUGUST 29, 2023
Arare blue supermoon will appear on Wednesday night. The third supermoon of the year, it will be the brightest and largest moon of the year. In kabbalistic terms, this is an emphasis of the feminine aspect as a necessary part of the Messianic process.

A supermoon occurs when the moon is at the part of its elliptical orbit that brings it closer to Earth, appearing up to 14 percent bigger and 30 percent brighter than when it is viewed at its furthest point. On Sunday, December 2nd, a supermoon was visible over the United States, and two more supermoons are expected over the course of the beginning of the new year.

It is also a ‘Blue Moon,’ so called because it is the second full moon in a single calendar month. A supermoon also appeared on August 1. On average, blue moons happen every two and a half years. While around 25% of full moons are supermoons, just 3% of full moons are blue moons.

The next blue moon after the one on August 30 will be in May 2026. The next blue supermoon will rise in 2037.

The blue moon of August 2023 will also be joined by a special guest in the sky. Saturn will be just a few days past opposition, the point at which it lies directly opposite the sun as seen from Earth, making it especially bright in the night sky. 

As viewed from the Northern Hemisphere, Saturn will be in the constellation Aquarius, above and to the right of the moon. From the Southern Hemisphere, however, Saturn will appear below the moon. 

One of the wonders that will be seen in the end-of-days is an increase in the moon as described by the Prophet Isaiah.

And the light of the moon shall become like the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall become sevenfold, like the light of the seven days, when Hashem binds up His people’s wounds and heals the injuries it has suffered. Isaiah 30:26

It is interesting to note that the appearance of the sun and the moon being the same size is the product of a set of coincidences that are unique to the Earth. The sun is 400 times larger than the moon but because the moon is 400 times closer than the sun, they appear to be the same size in the sky. Were this not so, solar and lunar eclipses would be impossible.

The Talmud (Hulin 60B) describes this as a product of Creation. It does so through the seeming contradiction in the Biblical verse describing the creation of the sun and the moon.

Hashem made the two great lights, the greater light to dominate the day and the lesser light to dominate the night, and the stars. Genesis 1:16

The Talmud notes that the beginning of the verse describes two great lights while the end of the verse describes only one, the sun, as being great. The Talmud relates a midrash (homiletic teaching in which the moon said before the Holy One, Blessed be He: Master of the Universe, is it possible for two kings to serve with one crown? One of us must be subservient to the other. God answered the moon saying, “If so, go and diminish yourself.” The moon was distressed at being diminished upon raising a valid point. God then tried to appease the moon, saying that, unlike the sun, the moon will appear during the day as well as the night. God also noted the importance of the moon in the calendars and that many holy men would be known as ‘small.’ None of these claims comforted the moon.   God then requested that a sin offering be brought into the Temple on every new moon to atone for His injustice. The Holy One, Blessed be He, said: Bring atonement for me, since I diminished the moon. 

Sara Yehudit Schneider, an author and director of A Still Small Voice Torah teaching institution, believes the appearance of a larger-than-normal moon is a necessary precursor to the Messianic era. Though a supermoon is a purely astronomical appearance, it embodies a God-based feminism that was hinted at in the Story of Creation, and the moon’s phases are a constant reminder of mankind’s Messianic mission.

“There is an aspect of the geula (redemption) process that is a repairing of the moon, which basically means the rising of the feminine,” Schneider told Israel365 News. “In Jewish symbology, the masculine archetype conflates the sun and the feminine with the moon.”

“The moon was diminished as part of the creation, surrendering her throne,” Schneider explained. “The rest of history, from Creation to Messiah, is the moon reattaining her fullness of stature. The bliss of the messianic era is when the masculine and feminine meet face-to-face, completely equal, as represented by the Cherubim on the ark of the covenant.”

“Our messianic goal is for the ‘he’ and ‘she’ to become completely equal,” Schneider said. “The feminine polarity, or shechina (divine presence), is that aspect of the universe that is engaged in a dynamic moving towards perfection, represented by the moon. The masculine is represented by the sun, completeness in a state of unwavering perfection. All of creation has an aspect of feminine and is moving towards a sun-like completeness.”

“To do this, the sun and the moon need to be completely equal, but they aren’t, which is why the solar and lunar calendars are out of sync,” Schneider said. “Though the lunar cycle appears circular, returning to the same point each month, each ascent to fullness leaves a trace of growth, bringing us closer to completion and Moshiach (Messiah).”

Rabbi Yosef Berger, a former member of the Sanhedrin, agreed with Schneider but emphasized that the biggest danger to this process was the Western liberal claim that blurs the line between men and women.

“The ideal is for men to be the best they can be, as close as possible to serving God in the intended manner,” Rabbi Berger said. “Women must be the most powerful women possible. They are the basis for the family. They are the manner in which God continues his Creative aspect in the world. If a man presents himself as a woman, he is taking that out of the world.”

Rabbi Berger cited the Hasidic saying, “A little light dispels a lot of darkness”.

“This little bit of extra light from the moon, the manifestation of the feminine, will reveal the lies that surround feminine identity.”

According to NASA, the Moon is moving away from the Earth at a rate of about four centimeters per year, due to the tidal interaction between the Earth and the Moon. If this is true, the moon is becoming less prominent in the sky, directly contradicting the prediction made in the Talmud. This trend is estimated to continue for the next 50 billion years, when the moon’s distance will stabilize. 
Unless something unexpected happens.

https://www.israel365news.com/374919/euphrates-river-hits-historic-lows-preparing-for-end-of-days/?
שְׁמַ֖ע יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל יְהֹוָ֥ה אֱלֹהֵ֖ינוּ יְהֹוָ֥ה ׀ אֶחָֽד
Deuteronomy 6:4 (The Israel Bible, p. 454)
sh'-MA yis-ra-AYL a-do-NAI e-lo-HAY-nu a-do-NAI e-KHAD
‘Rabbi, what is the central idea of Judaism?’
By Rabbi Pesach Wolicki
Last week, I had the opportunity to meet with a group of Christian students who were visiting Israel for the first time. They were here with Passages, a Christian organization that brings Christian college students on pilgrimage trips to teach them about the Jewish people and state. With recent polling showing a sharp decline in pro-Israel attitudes among younger Evangelicals, it is impossible to overstate the importance of the work of Passages in promoting a positive Christian-Israel relationship for the next generation.

The organizers asked me to speak about the Jewish-Christian relationship, past, present, and future. I spoke about the history of Christian anti-Semitism, the sensitivities of the Jewish community to evangelism, and the importance of recognizing that which is shared by our faith communities.

After my talk, I agreed to take a few questions. The first student that I called upon asked me a question I had never been asked before. And I found the question both challenging and fascinating. Fascinating enough that I am writing this column about it. He asked:
“What is the main, central idea of Judaism?”
MORE https://www.israel365news.com/374779/rabbi-what-is-the-central-idea-of-judaism/?

https://www.israel365news.com/374919/euphrates-river-hits-historic-lows-preparing-for-end-of-days/?
Euphrates River hits historic lows, preparing for end-of-days
On that day Hashem made a covenant with Avram, saying, “To your offspring I assign this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates:
GENESIS15:18
(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)
Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz
MIDDLE EAST
AUGUST 27, 2023
3 MIN READ
Home » Euphrates River hits historic lows, preparing for end-of-days
TURKEY WATER
The water level at the Tabqa Dam on the Euphrates River in Syria has plummeted to historic lows over the past three weeks, causing multiple crises in the region. The Alouk water station, the primary water source for the northeast Syrian agricultural zone, has been non-functional since June 23, impacting close to one million residents.  Dwindling water resources threatens to worsen food insecurity in Syria, creating pressure that could contribute to new waves of refugees leaving the country.

Turkey is reportedly releasing sewage into the river. Coupled with lowered water levels leading to the formation of stagnant pools where algae thrive, this has caused a spike in waterborne diseases in the region. 

At 1,700 miles, the Euphrates is the longest and one of the most historically important rivers in Western Asia. The Tabqa Dam, located 25 miles upstream from Raqqa, is the largest dam in Syria. Its construction led to the creation of Lake Assad, Syria’s largest water reservoir. Research indicates that the salinity of the Euphrates water in Iraq has increased considerably since the construction of the dam.

Turkey provides over 98% of the Euphrates’ discharge and about 50% of the Tigris River’s discharge. The remaining flow of the Tigris comes from Iraq (about 40%) and Iran (about 10%). Together, the Tigris, Euphrates, and their tributaries serve as water sources for about 90 million people. 

Iraq’s Ministry of Water Resources has predicted that unless urgent action is taken, the country’s two main rivers will be dry by 2040.

When the flow of the Euphrates was reduced in 1974 to fill the lake behind the dam, a dispute broke out between Syria and Iraq (which is downstream) that was settled by intervention from Saudi Arabia and the Soviet Union. 

In 1987, Turkey signed an agreement with Syria that mandates releasing 500 cubic meters of water per second, which Syria subsequently divides with Iraq. Since 2011, Syria has been engaged in a civil war, and in recent years, Turkey has taken advantage of this to unilaterally renege on these obligations, pulling more water from the Euphrates than agreed upon. 

Iraq and Turkey have agreed to establish a permanent joint committee to resolve the water-related dispute between the two countries, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on 22 August.

In addition, the region has been plagued by conflicts with the Islamic State (ISIS).

Together, the Tigris and Euphrates make up the ancient Mesopotamian Fertile Crescent. It is first mentioned in the Bible as one of four rivers that issues forth from the garden of Eden. (Genesis 2:14)

It was also cited as the eastern border of the land given to Abraham in the covenant:

On that day Hashem made a covenant with Avram, saying, “To your offspring I assign this land, from the river of Egypt to the great river, the river Euphrates: Genesis 15:18  

Jacob crossed over the Euphrates when he fled Esauk, crossing the river again when he returned with his family (Gen 31:21).  

In the Bible, the Euphrates is sometimes referred to simply as “the River” (e.g., Josh 24:3, Ezra 4:10).

The river also plays a major role in Biblical prophecy. Isaiah promised that God will bring back the Jews “from the Euphrates to the Wadi of Egypt” (Isaiah 27:12).

The prophet Jeremiah described how the waters of Babylon, the region currently including Syria and Iraq, would dry up as a punishment for their idolatrous practices, the devastation being so complete as to render the region, once part of the so-called ‘fertile crescent’, uninhabitable.

“A drought against its waters, that they be dried up! For it is a land of idols; They are besotted by their dread images. Assuredly, Wildcats and hyenas shall dwell [there], And ostriches shall dwell there; It shall never be settled again, Nor inhabited throughout the ages.” Jeremiah 50:38-39 

The Euphrates’ role in the end of times is cited in Islam and Christianity. The Koran states that the Mahdi (Messiah) will not come “before the River EUPHRATES DRIES UP to unveil a mountain of gold, for which people will fight. Ninety-nine out of one hundred will die (in the fighting), and every man amongst them will say: ‘Perhaps I may be the only one to remain alive (and thus possess the gold).’”

In the Christian Book of Revelation, it is prophesied that in the ” near future, the Potamos Euphrates or “breaking forth like water” of the Middle East will dry up in preparation for the Battle of Armageddon. In Apocalypse described by John, four angels are bound in the Euphrates, and when the end is near, they will be released (Rev 9:14). In Rev 16:12 another angel will dry up the river so “the way of the kings of the east might be prepared” (Rev 16:12). The New Testament also describes that the lost tribes of Israel who are hidden beyond the Euphrates will return to the land of Israel while in another place, it is stated that the lost tribes live across the Euphrates until the end times.

You shall love Hashem your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
וְאָהַבְתָּ אֵת יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ בְּכָל־לְבָבְךָ וּבְכָל־נַפְשְׁךָ וּבְכָל־מְאֹדֶךָ
Deuteronomy 6:5 (The Israel Bible, p. 454)
v'-A-hav-TA AYT a-do-NAI e-lo-HE-kha b'-khol l'-va-v'-KHA uv-khol naf-sh'-KHA uv-khol m'-o-DE-kha
Torah From the Heart
By Mindy Rubenstein
Sixteen years ago, my husband and I--with our two toddlers--attended a beautiful Shabbat dinner with a rabbi and his family. Though I was born Jewish, I was brought up secular and had little connection to Judaism until then. At that meal I literally fell in love with Judaism, but it was not a mutual infatuation. I saw a holy, meaningful and exciting lifestyle, and wanted to jump in with both feet. My husband, however, was hesitant. Together, over the next decade and a half, along with our children, we navigated what would become an all-encompassing lifestyle.

We started somewhat slowly, from lighting Shabbat candles and eating challah and chicken soup on Friday nights, to eventually fully observing Shabbat, keeping kosher (Jewish dietary laws) in and out of the home, and adhering to family purity laws. We also had more children, in essence doubling the family size to which we were both accustomed.

In time, we acted and dressed the part of Torah-observant Jews.
King David wrote: “Your decrees are my eternal heritage; they are my heart’s delight.” Psalms 119:111
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ewish leaders come out in support of Christian orgs. in Israel after visa denial
Praise Hashem, all you nations; extol Him, all you peoples, 2for great is His steadfast love toward us; the faithfulness of Hashem endures forever.
PSALMS117:1(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)
ADAM ELIYAHU BERKOWITZ
CHRISTIAN ZIONISM
AUGUST 24, 2023
4 MIN READ
Home » Jewish leaders come out in support of Christian orgs. in Israel after visa denial
CHRISTIANS ISRAEL
Several Christian organizations, including the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ), recently had their requests for clergy visas denied, inhibiting them from carrying out projects that benefit Israel. Several Jewish leaders came out in unequivocal support of the organizations.

Rabbi Tuly Weisz, the head of Israel365, called on the Israeli government to fix the visa issue and open the doors to more Israel-loving Christians.

“Rather than slamming the door in the face of our Christian friends and excluding them from Israel,  Israel’s government should be finding new ways to open more doors for the non-proselytizing Christian friends of Israel. At a time when we are seeing a global decline in support for Israel, especially from the young generation of Jews and Christians, Israel needs to maintain a close relationship with its allies. We need to be doing everything we can to strengthen existing relationships and build new ones with our Christian friends.

“Most Knesset members have never interacted personally with Christian Zionists,” Rabbi Weisz said. “Tragically, their notions of Jewish-Christian relations come from many centuries of bad history. They are unaware that this has changed, and there are now many millions of Christians around the world who love and support us unconditionally. We shouldn’t be afraid of engaging with Christians.”
Read more 

Christian Embassy in Jerusalem denied visas for clergy
I will bring them to My sacred mount And let them rejoice in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices Shall be welcome on My mizbayach; For My House shall be called A house of prayer for all peoples.”
ISAIAH56:7(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)

Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz
ADAM ELIYAHU BERKOWITZ
CHRISTIAN ZIONISM
AUGUST 23, 2023
Home » Christian Embassy in Jerusalem denied visas for clergy
ICEJ ISRAEL
Several Christian organizations in Israel had their requests for clergy visas denied, inhibiting them from carrying out projects that benefit Israel. They fear that this is a product of elements in the new right-wing government. Behind this is a rising fear among religious Jews that the Christian organizations’ love of Israel is based on a desire to proselytize and convert Jews to Christianity. 

Haaretz reported on Thursday that “Israel’s Interior Ministry has stopped issuing clergy visas to evangelical Christian organizations based in Israel, in a sudden and unexplained policy change they say threatens their future operations.”

This policy change seemed to be behind the Ministry of the Interior rejecting a request by the  International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ) for clergy visas. The ICEJ was informed that the requests had been rejected on the grounds that it no longer qualifies as a religious institution. 

“This denial comes despite the fact that we are in both name and nature a Christian organization, are duly registered as a ‘Christian association’ and have been receiving clergy visas from the Ministry of the Interior for decades,”  David Parsons, vice president and senior spokesperson of the ICEJ, told Haaretz.

According to Parsons, the change in policy came without warning. He blames this change on several factors, including “improper supervision” in the Ministry of the Interior during the pandemic. The ministry stopped issuing work and clergy visas to ICEJ’s international staffers during the global pandemic and since the formation of Israel’s new government, has ceased issuing clergy visas altogether.

According to the immigration law firm Kan-Tor & Acco, “A-3 Religious visas (Clergy) are granted to non-Israeli nationals who intend to serve in an acknowledged religious establishment in Israel and permit global religious figures to carry out their religious duties.”

The A-3 visa is valid for a year and requires annual renewal. Its maximum duration stretches to five years, with potential for extension.

The law firm’s website noted the situation, specifically addressing the issue the ICEJ faced. 

“The Ministry of Interior has recently reported delays or in some cases did not issue religious visas for clerics from evangelical Christian groups operating in Israel, marking a significant shift in the nation’s policies,” it wrote. “It is not yet clear if this is a policy alteration that began with the establishment of the current Israeli administration. The Population and Immigration Authority noted that this matter has previously been discussed and will soon be reviewed by its director-general.”

Parsons believes the rejection of the ICEJ’s request comes from a “mid-level bureaucrat” within Israel’s Interior Ministry. He also blamed elements in the new government which are critical of Christians, suspecting that they are here to proselytize to Jews.

“We are slowly being squeezed out of existence by the interior ministry,” Parsons said. “We cannot continue our vital work to build global Christian support for Israel under these strict new rules.”

Juergen Buehler, president of the Christian Embassy, told All Israel News that his team hasn’t been told why the Interior Ministry has made this policy change towards ICEJ and other Evangelical groups. 

“The situation we face at the moment with the Ministry of Interior is unprecedented,” Buehler said. “It has made us unable to operate effectively in our mission to stand and support the State of Israel.”

“In particular, our television and media department is affected by the new visa policy which is even more difficult to understand. This is the main arm of the Christian Embassy for ‘hasbara’ [a Hebrew expression meaning public relations], telling good news about Israel and fighting anti-Semitism,” Buehler added.

“So, we are clueless and disappointed in this new change of policy in the Ministry of Interior and, of course, we hope this will be reversed to the previous mode of operation as soon as possible.”

ICEJ has helped Israel enormously. The organization has been active in Israel since 1980 with branches in over 90 countries, keeping its embassy in Israel when most countries moved their embassies to Tel Aviv. The ICEJ has played a significant role in assisting Jews to immigrate to Israel. The group has provided more than 250 bomb shelters, cared for hundreds of Holocaust survivors and invested $25 million a year in various humanitarian projects in the country.


The Baptist Convention of Israel and Christian Friends of Israel have also encountered problems obtaining A-3 visas in recent months. Lacking A-3 visas, workers for the religious organizations must obtain volunteer visas which are far more limited. Volunteer visa holders are restricted to traveling alone, without dependents. Additionally, the terms of the visas mandate a departure from the country for a minimum of six months every two years.

Calev Myers, an attorney representing ICEJ, said that the ICEJ plans to appeal the decision. If the appeals are denied, he warned that they would take the case to court.

“These organizations cannot continue to function without at least 10-15 permanent staff members,” Myers told the Jerusalem Post. “These are very large organizations with 40 to 60 employees, most temporary or volunteers. But to build an organization, you have to have stable leadership. You cannot have people who come and go every year.”

Tensions between Orthodox Israeli Jews and Christians have been rising. In March, a law was proposed in the Knesset by the United Torah Judaism alliance that would have criminalized missionizing in Israel. 

Incidents of anti-Christian activity in Jerusalem have become so prevalent that the Israeli branch of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) penned a letter on Wednesday to Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion. 

Carol Nuriel, the CEO of the ADL in Israel, wrote that “In light of the continued attacks against Christians in Jerusalem by a minority of Jewish individuals, I am writing to convey the deep concerns of the League.” She stressed the role of leaders in curbing such sentiments, stating, “As a Jewish leader, it’s imperative that you condemn this anti-Christian sentiment, just as we would expect other leaders to denounce antisemitism wherever it’s found.”

“Our collective vision is for Jerusalem to be an inclusive city… I implore you… to make it abundantly clear that there is no room for hatred against Christians in our sacred city.”

In the first three weeks of July, 17 discriminatory acts against Christians were reported across Israel, as reported by independent researcher and activist Yisca Harani. They included spitting, verbal abuse, vandalism, and stone-throwing.

Freedom of religion is mandated by Israeli law. Classified as free speech, proselytizing is currently legal in the country and missionaries of all religious groups are allowed to proselytize all citizens; however, a 1977 law prohibits any person from offering material benefits as an inducement to conversion. It is also illegal to convert persons under 18 years of age unless one parent is an adherent of the religious group seeking to convert the minor. The law, which had been unsuccessfully proposed many times in the past, did not pass.

https://theisraelbible.com/conversations-with-god/?
Shalom Zahara, Please enjoy today's Daily Inspiration from Israel.

After that, I will pour out My spirit on all flesh; Your sons and daughters shall prophesy; Your old men shall dream dreams, And your young men shall see visions.
וְהָיָה אַחֲרֵי־כֵן אֶשְׁפּוֹךְ אֶת־רוּחִי עַל־כָּל־בָּשָׂר וְנִבְּאוּ בְּנֵיכֶם וּבְנוֹתֵיכֶם זִקְנֵיכֶם חֲלֹמוֹת יַחֲלֹמוּן בַּחוּרֵיכֶם חֶזְיֹנוֹת יִרְאוּ
Joel 3:1 (The Israel Bible, p. 1361)
v'-ha-YAH a-kha-ray KHAYN esh-POKH et ru-KHEE al kol ba-SAR v'-ni-b'-U b'-nay-KHEM uv-no-tay-KHEM zik-nay-KHEM kha-lo-MOT ya-kha-lo-MUN ba-KHU-ray-KHEM khez-yo-NOT yir-U
Conversations with God
By Mindy Rubenstein
I grew up secular: American first, Jewish by birth. No one in my circle of family or friends talked about God. Life as I knew it was about work, food and intellect. My extended family includes medical directors, college deans, lawyers, judges, scientists and accountants. But we were in it alone, pushing forward as feeble humans. Or so it seemed.

Yet in the darker, lonelier moments of childhood, somehow I knew to use my voice to cry out to God for help: I’m here, and I need You.

I realized then, and know now, that there is some greater Power out there, or within me, that is pure love and goodness, even if the humans in my life aren’t. There is a Power beyond what I can see and understand.

Shalom Zahara, Please enjoy today's Daily Inspiration from Israel.

They pass through the Valley of Baca, regarding it as a place of springs, as if the early rain had covered it with blessing.
עֹבְרֵי בְּעֵמֶק הַבָּכָא מַעְיָן יְשִׁיתוּהוּ גַּם־בְּרָכוֹת יַעְטֶה מוֹרֶה
Psalms 84:7 (The Israel Bible, p. 1573)
o-v'-RAY b'-AY-mek ha-ba-KHA ma-YAN y'-shee-TU-hu gam b'-ra-KHOT ya-TEH mo-REH
A Metaphor Made Real: The Unforgettable Valley of Tears
By Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz
Many of the places described in the Bible are still identifiable today. One site, however, described in Psalm 84, did not physically exist in Biblical times but does exist in modern times; the Valley of Baca, or the Valley of Tears.

The Psalm begins by singing the praises of the Temple:

How lovely is Your dwelling-place, LORD of hosts. I long, I yearn for the courts of Hashem; my body and soul shout for joy to the living Hashem. Psalm 84:2-3

But in a confusing phrase, the psalmist describes the path to the Temple as passing through the mythical valley:

Happy is the man who finds refuge in You, whose mind is on the [pilgrim] highways. They pass through the Valley of Baca, regarding it as a place of springs, as if the early rain had covered it with blessing. Psalms 84:6-7

From all corners of the land, pilgrims make their way to the Holy City for the three pilgrimage festivals, bearing gifts to present in the Temple. Some traverse long distances, while others walk a short way to get to Jerusalem and the Temple. The psalmist writes how the pilgrims would pass through the Emek Habakha, literally ‘the valley of tears,’ struggling to make their way home.

The reference to the Valley of Tears appears only once in the Bible and is clearly intended as an allegory and not as a reference to an actual location. According to the medieval commentator known as Rashi, it refers to "those who transgress Your law. Behold, they are in the depth of Gehinnom with weeping and wailing."

Yet in 1973, the allegorical Valley of Tears became a reality.
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https://theisraelbible.com/a-metaphor-made-real-the-unforgettable-valley-of-tears/?

https://www.israel365news.com/374669/normalization-deal-may-see-saudis-replace-jordan-as-custodians-of-temple-mount/?
Normalization Deal May See Saudis Replace Jordan as Custodians of Temple Mount
But look only to the site that Hashem your God will choose amidst all your tribes as His habitation, to establish His name there. There you are to go
DEUTERONOMY 12:5(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)
Baruch Yedid and Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz
BARUCH YEDID AND ADAM ELIYAHU BERKOWITZ
JERUSALEM
AUGUST 20, 2023
4 MIN READ
Home » Normalization Deal May See Saudis Replace Jordan as Custodians of Temple Mount
TEMPLE MOUNT
The timing was not accidental when Saudi Arabia announced over the weekend that its ambassador to Jordan will also take on the roles of ambassador to the Palestinian Authority and consul general in eastern Jerusalem.

The announcement came days after The Wall Street Journal reported that U.S. and Saudi officials have agreed on the general outlines of an agreement for Riyadh to normalize relations with Israel. The White House then downplayed the idea that Riyadh had agreed to the “broad contours” of a normalization deal.

Although Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen on Sunday quickly shot down the idea of a Saudi consulate for the Palestinians in eastern Jerusalem, Saudi and Palestinian officials said, “The Saudi move is an indication of the possibility of an agreement to normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia soon and is a signal to the entire region.”

But Saudi and Palestinian officials also said, “Saudi Arabia wishes to signal to Jordan that it considers itself entitled to set foot in the al-Aqsa mosque in east Jerusalem, which would make the crown prince and the Al Saud dynasty responsible for the three holy places of Islam: Mecca, Medina and al-Aqsa.”

Saudi sources stressed that the religious issue is critical in the eyes of the royal palace, which must deal with a large group of Saudi princes and dignitaries who do not look favorably on Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s pivot towards the West.

For several years, Saudi Arabia has been signaling to Jordan that it intends to replace Amman as custodian of Jerusalem’s Temple Mount.

Since the Six-Day War of 1967, the day-to-day administration of the Temple Mount has been overseen by the  Islamic Waqf, a religious trust, while Israel is responsible for security. However, the Israel-Jordan peace treaty of 1994 placed the Waqf under the purview of the Jordanian monarchy. As custodian of the Temple Mount, the Jordanian monarchy funds the Waqf and appoints its leadership.

Encroachment in Jerusalem
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas visited Jordan’s King Abdullah in Amman on Tuesday and, according to Arab reports, the two men discussed their concerns about what they consider Saudi encroachment in Jerusalem.

A Waqf official warned, “The Jordanian weakness since King Abdullah ascended to the throne [in 1999] is being exploited by the Muslim Brotherhood and by their main patrons, Qatar and Turkey, and it is not liked by the Saudis, who tend to interfere in the management of the holy place for Muslims.”

The source added that both the Waqf and the P.A. are “concerned” and “disturbed” with the way Abdullah treats his position as custodian of the Temple Mount and his “lack of vigorous action” over the holy sites.

“Unlike his father, King Hussein, [Abdullah] transferred the al-Aqsa case to other officials at home. The monarchy is unable to be a significant authority vis-à-vis the Muslim Brotherhood and the Turks, which led to the weakening of the Waqf.”

During Ramadan, which overlapped with the week-long Passover holiday, Palestinians incited by Sheikh Raed Salah of the Muslim Brotherhood-aligned Northern Branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel barricaded themselves inside the Al-Aqsa mosque. Israeli officials had appealed to Amman not to allow Palestinians to spend the night in the mosque, given the security tensions at the time.

The source also said that “in response to this, officials from eastern Jerusalem previously turned to the Saudis so that they would act as a counterweight to Turkey, which is operating in the Old City and in the holy places.”

The Israel-Turkey diplomatic thaw is paving the way for the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) to resume its efforts to undermine Israeli sovereignty in eastern Jerusalem and boost Turkish influence in the city.

The Saudis are seeking American security guarantees regarding Iran and advanced weapons and US assistance to develop a civilian nuclear program.

Sources close to the Saudi and Israeli leadership have made conflicting comments on Palestinian linkage.

According to the Gulf sources, the Saudis are conditioning normalization with progress on the Palestinian front, but the Israeli sources say Riyadh has made no such stipulations.

Dr. Mordechai Kedar is a senior lecturer at Bar-Ilan University and the vice president of NEWSRAEL. He served for 25 years in the IDF military intelligence specializing in Syria, Arab political discourse, Arab mass media, Islamic groups, and Israeli Arabs. He is an expert on the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamist groups. He is fluent in Hebrew, Arabic, and English and has debated Muslims on Arab media in Arabic. He emphasized that this story has many levels and aspects; religious and political.

“I doubt that the Saudis want to get behind and reinforce the holy status of Jerusalem in Islam,” Dr. Kedar said. “This would lend credence to the narrative that Al Aqsa is in Jerusalem and not in Al Juraana, as the Saudi Sunni believe. Making Jerusalem holy would challenge the status of Mecca. Their most prominent philosophers insist that the mosque in Jerusalem is no holier than the mosque in Cairo Alexandria.”

“So the question is what do the Saudis want to do in Jerusalem,” Dr. Kedar said. “The Saudi royal family has been telegraphing this intention to the Hashemites in Jordan for many years. It is doubtful that this Saudi interest has its basis in Sunni but perhaps it is political. As it is today, Jerusalem is way more prominent in the news, media, and public perception than Mecca. This is an insult to the Saudis.”

“When considering the negotiations to bring normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia, it is important to remember that the Saudis do not consider the Palestinians to be Arabs,” Dr. Kedar said. “They see the Palestinians as the genetic result of all the nations that passed through the Middle East. If the Saudis take over the Temple Mount, it will be a huge blow to the Palestinians. Without Al Aqsa, the Palestinians have nothing; no connection to the land, no political claim, no claim to status in Islam, even a fake one. If you add to that normalizing relations with Israel, the Palestinians will be off the map entirely.”

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Shalom Zahara, Please enjoy today's Daily Inspiration from Israel.

He may be given up to forty lashes, but not more, lest being flogged further, to excess, your brother be degraded before your eyes.
אַרְבָּעִים יַכֶּנּוּ לֹא יֹסִיף פֶּן־יֹסִיף לְהַכֹּתוֹ עַל־אֵלֶּה מַכָּה רַבָּה וְנִקְלָה אָחִיךָ לְעֵינֶיךָ
Deuteronomy 25:3 (The Israel Bible, p. 498)
ar-ba-EEM ya-KE-nu LO yo-SEEF pen yo-SEEF l'-ha-ko-TO al AY-leh ma-KAH ra-BAH v'-nik-LAH a-KHEE-kha l'-ay-NE-kha
Who is the Truly Great Man?
By Rabbi Elie Mischel
John Wayne was one of Hollywood’s most famous and most successful actors, appearing in more than 175 movies. He was nominated three times for the Academy Award, winning the Oscar for Best Actor in 1969 for True Grit. And his powerful performance in The Searchers has been singled out by filmmakers and actors alike as the greatest performance by an actor on film, ever. But Wayne was more than that. He was a symbol of America itself. He epitomized the Western, which epitomized America. He was larger than life.

In his 2015 biography of Wayne, Scott Eyman shares some touching stories about the "Duke" that stood out to me. One of Wayne’s employees remembered that one day, he was walking through LA with Wayne when they saw the actor Alan Ladd standing on a street corner, surrounded by a group of fans. Alan Ladd was only 5 foot 6, while John Wayne was 6 foot 4. When John Wayne saw this much shorter actor half a block ahead of him, he quickly ducked into a store. He hid to avoid embarrassing Alan Ladd in front of his fans; he would have made him look like a dwarf!

Another touching story occurred in 1972, when Wayne walked into the Beverly Hills Hotel where Cesar Romero, an older actor, was signing autographs for a group of women. When the fans realized that John Wayne had walked into the room, they completely forgot about Romero. Romero, deprived of his audience, said without enthusiasm: "Hi Duke." But then John Wayne spent the next 15 minutes telling his fans stories about his old friend Cesar Romero, making sure all the ladies knew that Romero was still a big star.

Summing up the life of John Wayne, Eyman writes that "John Wayne was an American icon and an all-time great actor, who also happened to be a very nice guy."  Personally, I think he completely missed the point.
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https://www.israel365news.com/374597/advocacy-group-petitions-ben-gvir-to-blow-shofar-on-temple-mount-on-rosh-hashanah/?utm_
Advocacy Group Petitions Ben-Gvir to Blow Shofar on Temple Mount on Rosh Hashanah

Whilst not blown in modern times on Shabbat, the shofar was blown in the Temple era even when Rosh Hashanah fell on Shabbat.
READ MORE » https://www.israel365news.com/374597/advocacy-group-petitions-ben-gvir-to-blow-shofar-on-temple-mount-on-rosh-hashanah/?

Shalom Zahara, Please enjoy today's Daily Inspiration from Israel.

May they know that Your name, Yours alone, is Hashem, supreme over all the earth.
וְיֵדְעוּ כִּי־אַתָּה שִׁמְךָ יְהֹוָה לְבַדֶּךָ עֶלְיוֹן עַל־כָּל־הָאָרֶץ
Psalm 83:19 (The Israel Bible, p. 1572)
v'-yay-d'-U kee a-TAH shim-KHA a-do-NAI l'-va-DE-kha el-YON al kol ha-A-retz
Victory Beyond Battle
Life, in all its beautiful complexity, often has an uncanny way of reminding us that some things never change. This thought becomes particularly poignant when we consider the universal themes and perennial conflicts embodied in ancient texts such as the Psalms. Psalm 83, composed by King David, presents a striking illustration of this principle. It portrays a scenario of strife and opposition, but it also provides us with timeless lessons about faith, resilience, and the human struggle against forces that aim to erase the divine.

In Psalm 83, David prays fervently to God about his numerous enemies. He enumerates a total of eleven adversary nations: Edom, the Ishmaelites, Moab, the Hagrites, Gebal, Ammon, Amalek, Philistia, and the inhabitants of Tyre, all united against him. Even Assyria, a previously neutral entity, has aligned itself with David's enemies. To compound the situation further, they enlisted mercenaries from all significant nations in the vicinity, hoping to completely overwhelm Israel with their vast legions.

This Psalm also brings up Oreb and Zeeb, the two princes of Midian defeated by Gideon (Judges 7:25), and the kings of Midian, Zebah and Zalmunna, slain during the same war (Judges 8:10-12). The references to these historical figures underscore the depth and extent of the hostilities faced by the Jewish people.

While conflicts between nations are as old as the concept of nationhood itself, the onslaughts faced by Israel are not typical. They are not just about the conquest of territories or power dynamics; the intent is far more sinister.
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Iran’s 400-second hypersonic threat and a 300-year-old prophecy
At eventide, lo, terror! By morning, it is no more. Such is the lot of our despoilers,The portion of them that plunder us.
ISAIAH17:14(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)
Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz
ADAM ELIYAHU BERKOWITZ
MIDDLE EAST
AUGUST 14, 2023
Home » Iran’s 400-second hypersonic threat and a 300-year-old prophecy
IRAN ISRAEL
In June, the IRNA, the official news agency of the Islamic Republic of Iran, reported that the regime had unveiled its first domestically made hypersonic ballistic missile at a ceremony attended by President Ebrahim Rahisi and commanders of Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards Corps. The report, replete with photos of the Fattah (conqueror) medium-range ballistic missile, raised concerns among Western powers. According to Iran, its high maneuverability and speed allow it to defeat all missile defense systems.

“The precision-guided Fattah hypersonic missile has a range of 1,400 km, and it is capable of penetrating all defense shields,” Amirali Hajizadeh, the head of the Guards’ aerospace force, was quoted as saying by Iranian state media.

“It can bypass the most advanced anti-ballistic missile systems of the United States and the Zionist regime, including Israel’s Iron Dome,” Iran’s state TV said.

The Fattah missile was first announced last November at an event marking the anniversary of the death of Hassan Tehrani Moghaddam, known as the father of Iranian missile technology, who died in an explosion at a missile base in 2011, which also killed more than a dozen other IRGC members. Iran accused Israel’s intelligence service, the Mossad, of orchestrating the explosion.

Reports claim the Fattah is a precision-guided two-stage solid-fueled missile with a range of 1400 km and terminal speed of Mach 13 to Mach 15. Its warhead has a spherical engine running on solid fuel with a movable nozzle that allows the warhead to increase its own speed and move in all directions. According to Iran, it can maneuver in and out of the atmosphere and is capable of bypassing missile defenses. It can also target anti-ballistic missile systems to clear the way for other ballistic missiles.

The Fattah falls short of being able to cover the 2,300 km trip to Israel, but IRGC aerospace chief commander Amir Ali Hajizadeh stated that a new version of the hypersonic missile will have a  greater range. 

At the claimed speeds, Fattah could theoretically reach Israeli targets in under seven minutes. A media campaign featured the slogan, “400 seconds to Tel Aviv,” appearing in Persian, Hebrew and Arabic.

The only countries believed to currently have hypersonic missiles are China and Russia. The US is lagging behind in this new military hardware. 

 Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant responded to the report:

”I hear our enemies boasting about weapons they are developing,” Gallant said. “To any such development, we have an even better response – whether it be on land, in the air, or in the maritime arena, including both defensive and offensive means.”

Two weeks after Iran’s announcement, Israel’s Rafael defense company announced that it had developed an interceptor, called “Sky Sonic,” designed to down hypersonic missiles.

According to Rafael, “Sky Sonic” possesses exceptional maneuverability, representing a major technological leap. The interceptor operates above the 20-kilometer mark and below the 100-kilometer level, where hypersonic threats are active and where current air defense systems are not.

Iran has several other ballistic missiles that can reach Israel; Iran unveiled a liquid-fueled ballistic missile, dubbed “Kheibar,” named after the location of a seventh-century battle between early Islamic forces and inhabitants of a Jewish fortified oasis, resulting in the Jews being massacred. The Khaibar has a range of 2,000 km and can carry a 1,500-kilogram warhead. The two-stage solid propellant “Sejjil” missile has a range of 2,400 kilometers. 

The Houthi rebels in Yemen possess the Quds 3 version of the Iranian “Soumar” cruise missile with a range of some 2,000 kilometers, putting Israel in range. 

In assessing the projectile threat to Israel, it is also necessary to combine the Iranian arsenal with Hezbollah’s stockpile of over 200,000 warheads, which includes 65,000 short-range rockets and missiles with a range of 150 to 200 kilometers [93 to 124 miles], 5,000 medium-range and long-range missiles with a range of 300 to 350 kilometers [186 to 217 miles] and beyond, over 2,000 unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as tens of precision-guided missiles. Hezbollah also possesses some 145,000 mortar shells, according to estimates by the Alma Center, a defense research group.

Israeli missile defense is multi-layered, with the Arrow 3 defending against attacks originating in space, followed by the Arrow 2 defending the upper atmosphere, and the David’s Sling. For low altitude threats, Israel relies on the battle-tested Iron Dome.

It should be noted that the US is currently increasing its military presence in the Strait of Hormuz due to Iran’s threat targeting that vital shipping lane.

The War of Gog and Magog is described in prophecy as being an unusually short war. A tradition from the Vilna Gaon (a prominent 18th-century Torah authority) teaches that the war of Gog and Magog will last 12 minutes. According to a 20th-century interpretation, “A third of the world will die, a third will suffer from plague and a third will survive.”

This 18th-century prophecy of a 12-minute war was surprising, as it came several hundred years before the advent of nuclear weapons. Conventional wars necessarily last much longer and such a quick war was inconceivable at the time. Such a short war, possibly a  nuclear exchange, may have been hinted at in the Bible.

At eventide behold terror; and before the morning they are not. Isaiah 17:14

Indeed, 12 minutes might be just enough time for the Iranian 400-second attack on Israel and an Israeli response. Rabbi Pinchas Winston described this aspect of the end of days in his new book, Estimated Time of Arrival. He explained that as Messiah approaches, time will seem to speed up and the main aspect of a war could indeed transpire in a few minutes.

[url=https://theisraelbible.com/echoes-of-ancient-melodies/?utm_source=ActiveCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Echoes+of+Ancient+Melodies&utm_campaign=I365+-+Daily+-+August+13%2C+2023 לַמְנַצֵּחַ עַל־הַגִּתִּית לְאָסָף׃]For the leader; on the gittith. Of Asaf.[/url]

lam-na-TZAY-akh al ha-gi-TEET l'-a-SAF

Psalms 81:1
The words of King David’s Psalms echo through time, resounding in the hearts of billions around the globe. The Psalms served as the musical bedrock of the Temple service. And though we still recite them daily, we find ourselves in an era distanced from the physical elements of that bygone period, leading to a cloud of mystery surrounding many of its aspects. One such mystery lies at the heart of Psalm 81, in the form of the elusive gittith.

Psalm 81 begins with the words “For the leader; on the gittith. Of Asaph”. What is the gittith that King David alludes to at the beginning of this psalm?

The term gittith, which appears three times in the Psalms – in Psalm 8, Psalm 81, and Psalm 84 – has been the subject of many thoughtful interpretations. The great medieval sage Rashi, drawing on the work of Menahem ben Saruq, suggests that a gittith is a musical instrument. He then connects the gittith to Gath, a Philistine city known to us from the Bible. Based on this understanding, a gittith would have been made by a Gittite, a craftsman from Gath. Perhaps David discovered this unique Philistine instrument while seeking refuge in Gath as he fled from Saul (I Samuel 21).

Rabbi Abraham Ibn Ezra, another medieval scholar, sees the gittith as an instrument crafted for the Levite descendants of Obed-Edom, a Gittite.

Although we may not know exactly what a gittith looked like, these interpretations suggest it was a stringed instrument, perhaps similar to a lyre.

But the gittith is not the only intriguing instrument in Psalm 81. The Psalm also calls attention to the shofar, or ram’s horn, whose sound resonates with so many of us:

“Blow the horn on the new moon, on the full moon for our feast day. For it is a law for Israel, a ruling of the God of Jacob” (Psalms 81:4-5).

The shofar is blown on the holiday of Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year). Rosh Hashanah is a time of repentance and return to God, and the shofar serves as both a spiritual alarm clock as well as a wordless plea to God for mercy.

The act of blowing the shofar has been a command deeply cherished by Jews throughout the ages. Many Jews have risked their lives to heed this command and experience its haunting sound. A poignant example from Holocaust researcher, Dr. Judith Tydor Schwartz, involves her father, Chaskel Tydor, a prisoner at Auschwitz. In 1944, Chaskel was responsible for arranging the work schedules of his fellow inmates. Recognizing the importance of Rosh Hashanah to his fellow Jews, he arranged for a group of devout men to undertake less closely monitored tasks that day. This gave them the opportunity to quietly recite the High Holiday prayers. What Chaskel didn’t know was that they had managed to bring a shofar with them and they sounded its call, a forbidden act punishable by death had they been caught. As the camp was later evacuated, this very same shofar was entrusted to Chaskel for safekeeping.

Jack Kliger, the president and CEO of the Museum of Jewish Heritage and a child of Holocaust survivors, also recalled being told by his parents’ friend about the sounding of a shofar at Auschwitz. In his words:

“If there’s an artifact that symbolizes the Jewish soul, you’d be hard-pressed to find something more indicative than a shofar.”

Remarkable stories, like that of Chaskel Tydor in Auschwitz, reveal the bravery and dedication of those who risked their lives to honor this cherished tradition. The shofar’s significance echoes far beyond its musical notes; it symbolizes the resilient spirit of the Jewish people, surviving and thriving even in the darkest of times. The shofar remains a poignant reminder of the enduring faith and indomitable spirit that have carried the Jewish people through trials and triumphs alike, a symbol of hope, resilience, and a timeless bond with our ancient heritage.

Reconciliation of Jews and Christians final stage before Redemption – scholar
I have shown you love, said Hashem. But you ask, “How have You shown us love?” After all—declares Hashem—Esau is Yaakov's brother; yet I have accepted Yaakov and have rejected Esau.
MALACHI
1:2(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)
Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz
BIBLICAL NEWS
AUGUST 10, 2023
3 MIN READ
Home » Reconciliation of Jews and Christians final stage before Redemption – scholar
CHRISTIANS JEWS
In recent years, elements of Christianity are reconciling with Judaism and Israel. This is taking on new forms, such as Hebrew Roots and the Noahide Movement. One Jewish scholar sees this as the manifestation of prophecy as interpreted by Jewish sources, bringing about the reconciliation between the Biblical twin brothers Esau and Jacob. He explains that Judaism is the physical and spiritual descendant of Jacob, while Christianity is the spiritual descendant of his twin brother, Esau.
MORE https://www.israel365news.com/374414/reconciliation-of-jews-and-christians-final-stage-before-redemption-scholar/?

https://www.israel365news.com/374439/ancient-marble-disc-to-protect-ships-from-evil-eye-discovered/?
Ancient Marble Disc to Protect Ships From Evil Eye Discovered
An off-duty lifeguard was diving off the Palmachim Beach found a 2,500-year-old marble disc that was once commonly used by ships to ward off the evil eye.
But Hashem cast a mighty wind upon the sea, and such a great tempest came upon the sea that the ship was in danger of breaking up.
JONAH1:4(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)
Staff Writer
ARCHEOLOGY
AUGUST 11, 2023
Home » Ancient Marble Disc to Protect Ships from Evil Eye Discovered
An off-duty lifeguard was diving off the Palmachim Beach found a 2,500-year-old marble disc that was once commonly used by ships to ward off the evil eye.

David Shalom was diving at the Yavne-Yam archaeological off Palmachim Beach, a natural rocky bay near the modern city of Rishon Lezion when he discovered the large white marble disc measuring about 20 cm in diameter. It is flat on one side and curved on the other, and it has a central cavity with traces of paint appearing as two circles around the center. He turned the disc over to the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) who identified it as an eye motif, known in Greek as “ophtalmoi”. Lead or bronze nails attached the center of the disc to the ship’s hull.
Yaakov Sharvit, Director of the Marine Archaeology Unit at the Israel Antiquities Authority, explained: “From drawings on pottery, mosaics, and ancient coins, as well as from historical sources from the 5th century BCE, we learn that this design was common on ships’ bows and served to protect against the evil eye and envy, aided navigation, and acted as a pair of eyes looking ahead and warning of danger. This decoration is still common today on modern ships in Portugal, Malta, Greece, and the far east.”

While these were commonly used, only four similar ancient items have been discovered to date in the Mediterranean: two from the wreck of an ancient merchant ship found at the Tektaş Burnu site off the western coast of Turkey, between the islands of Samos and Kios, dating to 440–425 BCE, and two on the Mediterranean coast of Israel—one from the Carmel Beach and the other, just discovered, on the Yavneh-Yam coast.
“Yavne-Yam was settled for the first time in the Middle Bronze Age,”
Sharvit says, “and was settled down to the Middle Ages. Near the ancient mound, there is a natural sheltered anchorage protected by a rock promontory.”
Researchers have also found items that were used on ships including a lead cooking oven, grinding stones, stone bowls, storage jars and cooking pots.
Yeshiva University Opens Master's Program for Christians


Yeshiva University Opens Master’s Program for Christians
Yeshiva University, a private Orthodox university, will, for the first time, be offering a two-year Hebraic Studies program specifically for Christian students.
For instruction shall come forth from Tzion, The word of Hashem from Yerushalayim.
ISAIAH 2:3(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)
READ MORE » https://www.israel365news.com/374445/yeshiva-university-opens-masters-program-for-christians/?


200 Israelis, Jews Rescued From Northern Ethiopia
The Prime Minister's Office organized the rescue flights in collaboration with the Jewish Agency for Israel.
Tribute-bearers shall come from Egypt; Cush shall hasten its gifts to Hashem.
PSALMS68:31(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)
ISRAEL NEWS
AUGUST 11, 2023
2 MIN READ
Home » 200 Israelis, Jews rescued from northern Ethiopia
More than 200 Israelis and Ethiopian Jews were rescued from northern Ethiopia on Thursday afternoon amid ongoing violence, the Prime Minister’s Office and Israeli Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem announced in a joint statement.
A total of 174 Israeli citizens and Jews eligible for aliyah visas were evacuated from the besieged city of Gondar, while 30 others were rescued from the city of Bahir Dar, the statement noted.
“In the last few days, citizens of Israel and [persons] entitled to make aliyah from Ethiopia entered into distress in the battle zones. I ordered them to be taken out of there,” said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “The State of Israel takes care of its citizens wherever they are.
“The people are now on their way from Gondar and Bahir Dar to Addis Ababa, and from there they will come to the State of Israel. We will receive them here with warmth and welcome,” the premier added.
READ MORE » https://www.israel365news.com/374431/200-israelis-jews-rescued-from-northern-ethiopia/?

[WATCH] Tensions in the Gulf: U.S. Ups Naval Presence to Counter Iran
Over 3,000 U.S. sailors and Marines have arrived in the Red Sea, tasked with defending U.S. interests being targeted by Iran. The deployment adds to a growing U.S. military build-up in tense Gulf waterways.
WATCH » https://www.israel365news.com/video/over-3000-us-sailors-and-marines-arrive-at-red-sea-amid-iran-tensions/?

Christian Embassy Provides Bomb Shelters for Towns in Israel’s North
ith tensions rising on Israel’s border with Lebanon due to recent provocations by Hezbollah, the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ) is mobilizing to help protect vulnerable towns and villages in northern Israel.
This includes placing six new portable bomb shelters and refurbishing 53 existing shelters in the Israeli border town of Shlomi, home to 9,000 residents.
A recent government study found that the north lacks adequate shelters for its growing population, especially given the terror organization’s vast arsenal of more than 200,000 missiles, rockets and mortars. Local officials are working to upgrade existing bomb shelters and add new ones.
Thanks to a Swiss Christian family, over the past week the ICEJ delivered six new bomb shelters to Shlomi, which was struck by a rocket on the first day of Passover that landed in a busy intersection next to a synagogue and bank. These newest shelters are being placed in public areas to serve the entire community, including playgrounds and kindergartens.
Funds are also going to refurbish 53 existing underground shelters.
READ MORE » https://www.israel365news.com/374435/christian-embassy-provides-bomb-shelters-for-towns-in-israels-north/?

-Israel Police Meet Church Leaders to Address Anti-Christian Hate Crimes in Jerusalem

The meeting comes amid a wave of attacks and hate crimes targeting Christians and Christian sites.
The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as one of your citizens; you shall love him as yourself, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I Hashem am your God.
LEVITICUS 19:34(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)

Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz
ADAM 
https://www.israel365news.com/374361/israel-police-meet-church-leaders-to-address-anti-christian-hate-crimes-in-jerusalem/?

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Shalom Zahara, Please enjoy today's Daily Inspiration from Israel.

If your brother, your own mother's son, or your son or daughter, or the wife of your bosom, or your closest friend entices you in secret, saying, “Come let us worship other gods”—whom neither you nor your fathers have experienced
כִּי יְסִיתְךָ אָחִיךָ בֶן־אִמֶּךָ אוֹ־בִנְךָ אוֹ־בִתְּךָ אוֹ אֵשֶׁת חֵיקֶךָ אוֹ רֵעֲךָ אֲשֶׁר כְּנַפְשְׁךָ בַּסֵּתֶר לֵאמֹר נֵלְכָה וְנַעַבְדָה אֱלֹהִים אֲחֵרִים אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָדַעְתָּ אַתָּה וַאֲבֹתֶיךָ
Deuteronomy 13:7 (The Israel Bible, p. 473)
kee y'-see-t'-KHA a-KHEE-kha ven i-ME-kha o vin-KHA o vi-t'-KHA o AY-shet khay-KE-kha O ray-a-KHA a-SHER k'-naf-sh'-KHA ba-SAY-ter lay-MOR nay-l'-KHA v'-na-av-DAH e-lo-HEEM a-khay-REEM a-SHER LO ya-DA-ta a-TAH va-a-vo-TE-kha
Best of Friends, Worst of Enemies
By Rabbi Elie Mischel
The great Charlie Chaplin, master of the silent film era, was incredibly close with his older brother Syd. They went through so much together; their father abandoned their family and their mother was an alcoholic. And so Syd and his little brother Charlie took care of each other – they became inseparable. Syd became Charlie’s manager, and the two were incredibly close until the day they died.

But Charlie also had a younger half-brother, Wheeler, whom he never mentioned in either of his autobiographies.  Wheeler was raised separately from Charlie, and while Wheeler repeatedly tried to form a relationship with his famous older brother, Charlie refused to have anything to do with him. Wheeler spent the rest of his life worshipping Charlie from afar, collecting memorabilia and newspaper articles about his big brother.

I believe there is an important lesson in the complicated story of Charlie Chaplin and his two brothers.
MORE
https://theisraelbible.com/best-of-friends-worst-of-enemies/?

Haifa Church Erects Metal Gates to Prevent Jews Entering Cave of Elisha

The visits by the ultra-Orthodox Jews are not solely for the purpose of prayer and occasionally are focused on vandalizing the church.
Fences were erected around the Stella Maris Church in Haifa in order to prevent Jews from entering. The action comes after several months of disruptive visits by Hasidic Jews who believe a grotto inside the church was the final resting place of the Prophet Elisha. Catholics believe the grotto is associated with the Prophet Elijah.
“Extremist Israeli groups have on several occasions in recent weeks attempted to storm the Stella Maris Monastery and Catholic church in the northern port city of Haifa, Israel, prompting Christians to take measures to protect the holy site,” The Catholic News Agency reported. “After several attempts last week, intruders managed to infiltrate the outer courtyard of the monastery and disrupt the prayer session taking place, causing fear and anger among the Christian community.”

The visits by the ultra-Orthodox Jews are not solely for the purpose of prayer and occasionally are focused on vandalizing the church.
READ MORE » https://www.israel365news.com/374271/haifa-church-erects-metal-gates-to-prevent-jews-entering-cave-of-elisha/


Shalom Zahara, Please enjoy today's Daily Inspiration from Israel.

See, this day I set before you blessing and curse:
רְאֵה אָנֹכִי נֹתֵן לִפְנֵיכֶם הַיּוֹם בְּרָכָה וּקְלָלָה
Deuteronomy 11:26 (The Israel Bible, p. 468)
r'-AY a-no-KHEE no-TAYN lif-nay-KHEM ha-YOM b'-ra-KHAH uk-la-LAH
Living for Today
In her 2002 book, "Riding the Bus with my Sister", Rachel Simon, a very successful but unhappy professor, tells the story of her sister Beth, a woman with special needs who spent her days riding public buses and talking to the bus drivers. In an effort to better understand and connect with her sister, Rachel spent a number of weeks riding the bus with her sister and getting to know the drivers.

One of the drivers was a man named Tim, who truly loved his job and always seemed to be smiling. Rachel asked Tim what he used to do before he became a bus driver. Tim explained: “I used to be what you might call ‘searching,’ except I’m not sure how much I ever let myself see. I came from a college educated family and dreamed of being an archaeologist, but I got so lost in my own head that I couldn’t buckle down to a career or even school. I studied to be a photographer, but I ended up getting married and needed more income. So I left college and became a bus driver. It’s a rewarding life!”

Rachel, who had achieved all of her professional dreams and yet was so unhappy with her life, couldn’t understand how Tim - whose career path was one of total frustration - could be so happy with his life. What was Tim’s secret?

Tim explained: “You could say I left college behind.  But I think all I really did was find another major: the details – the ones that are so easy to overlook. There is so much richness on a bus – really, so much richness everywhere – if you just develop the ability to look at life with a different eye, and appreciate the opportunities offered to you.”

What did Tim mean by this? What was the secret to his happiness?
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE
https://theisraelbible.com/living-for-today/?

https://www.israel365news.com/374191/ekev-what-is-a-blessing/?
Ekev – What is a Blessing?
When you have eaten your fill, give thanks to Hashem your God for the good land which He has given you.
DEUTERONOMY
8:10(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)
Rabbi Pesach Wolicki
RABBI PESACH WOLICKI
OPINION
AUGUST 3, 2023
5 MIN READ
Home » Ekev – What is a Blessing?


JEWISH HISTORY TORAH PORTION
This week’s Torah portion contains the commandment to bless God after eating.

You will eat, you will be satisfied, and you will bless the Lord, your God, for the good land that He has given you. –  Deuteronomy 8:10

This blessing of God, known liturgically as birkat hamazon – Grace after meals, is one of very few prayers that is biblically mandated. Almost all Jewish liturgy is rabbinic rather than biblical. But here, in an explicit verse in the Torah, we are commanded to bless God after we eat.

How are we to understand this obligation? The text explicitly instructs us to “bless” God after we eat. That is the verb that is used. But what exactly does it mean to “bless” God? When we say that someone is “blessed,” we usually mean that the person in question has had something good bestowed upon them. Examples that come to mind are someone who is “blessed” with wealth or with a particular talent. Are we to understand that when we bless God, we are bestowing something upon Him? The implication that there is some good that we could give God makes no sense. That God is complete and perfect is essential to His definition. To say that we could bestow anything upon Him implies that there is some way in which He could be improved. Furthermore, as God’s creations, we cannot possibly possess anything to give God that does not come from Him to begin with. The inescapable conclusion is that when we talk about blessing God, we must be referring to something other than the conventional use of the term.

Is it “Thank You”?

Some might suggest that what we bestow upon God when we bless Him is our thanks and appreciation. I mentioned that Grace after Meals is biblically mandated by the verse quoted above. The problem with this simple explanation is that there is a word for thanks in Biblical Hebrew and this verse does not use it. If the intent of the Bible was to command us to thank God for the food, a different verb would have been used. The text clearly tells us to “bless” God. Furthermore, within the Jewish traditional understanding of the verse going all the way back two thousand years, we see that this obligation to “bless” God after eating was not understood as simply thanking Him. 

In the Talmud, the rabbinic requirement to recite a blessing of God before eating food is derived from the Biblical commandment to bless Him after eating.

The sages taught: What is the Torah source for Grace after Meals? [The Torah] states ‘You will eat, you will be satisfied, and you will bless the Lord, your God, for the good land that He has given you. (Deut. 8:10)’ … This teaches us only [that we must bless] after eating. From where do we know [that we must bless] before eating? It is logical. If one must bless when one is satisfied [i.e. after eating], then when one is hungry how much more so [must he bless]? – T.B. Berachot 48b

Here, the Talmud explains that it makes more sense to bless God when one is hungry than when one is satisfied. Therefore, if the Torah requires a blessing after food, it is only logical that a blessing is required before food as well. It seems from this Talmudic passage that the primary purpose of blessing God is not as an expression of thanks. If it were, the Talmud’s logic would not make sense. Why would it make more sense to thank God when hungry than when satisfied?

Blessing = Actualizing the Potential of Creation

Rashi’s (11th century France) comment in the Talmud is as follows: 

When he is hungry and he is about to alleviate his hunger with the creation of the Holy One Blessed is He, how much more so is he required to bless God even more. – Rashi, Talmud Berachot ibid

Obviously, a hungry person who is about to eat intends to alleviate his hunger with “God’s creation.” What else could he possibly eat? What is Rashi alluding to with this choice of words?

The Hebrew word for “blessing” is beracha. The first time this word – or its verb root – appears in the entire Bible is on the fifth day of creation.

He blessed them [the fish] saying, ‘Be fruitful and multiply and fill the water in the seas.’ – Genesis 1:22 

Rashi comments:

AND HE BLESSED THEM — Because people decreased their number, hunting them and eating them, they needed a blessing (see Genesis Rabbah 11:2); it is true that beasts also were in need of a blessing, but on account of the serpent that was to be cursed in the future, He did not bless them, in order that it not be included in the blessing. – Rashi, Gen. 1:22

God told the fish that there would be many of them. In Biblical Hebrew the word beracha – blessing – implies “abundance.” God blessed the fish by saying, “May there be a lot of you.” Blessing is the realization of potential abundance. Two fish, or two people, may have the potential to reproduce. This potential by itself is not, technically speaking, a “blessing.” The “blessing” is the realization of this potential when a child is actually produced. When we bless a friend, we are wishing upon them the realization of potential abundance in their lives.

When we “bless” God we are not bestowing anything on God. We are attempting to realize and actualize the hidden potential for abundant Godliness in the world. When we say, “Blessed are You, our Lord…” we are saying to God, “Let there be more of you in the revealed reality of this world.”

Let’s sum up what we have said. Everything that God created can be used to reveal Him. Every one of God’s creations contains latent Godliness. This Godliness exists in potential form. When we connect what we experience in the world to God, we are using His creation for its true purpose. We are using His creation to manifest His presence in the world. For example, if I take an apple and eat it without recognizing the Godliness within it – that it is one of God’s creations – I have not revealed the potential Godliness in that apple. As a result, there is less awareness of God in the world. On the other hand, when I first recite a blessing, and thus declare my recognition that this apple is an external manifestation of God, merely one small example of God’s creation, I have actualized the potential of this apple to be a vehicle for the revelation of God in the world. Now when I eat the apple, I am no longer simply enjoying the flavor and nutrients. I am experiencing God. As a result of my blessing God, there is more God revealed in the world. 

When blessings are recited, there is more perception of God in the world. For this reason, there are blessings to be made on so many natural experiences. There is a blessing to say when one hears thunder, when one sees blossoms in the spring, when a Torah commandment is performed, and even after going to the bathroom. Every experience in life is an experience of a particular aspect of God’s world. When we say blessings over one of life’s experiences – however great or small – we actualize the latent potential Godliness within that particular experience. We welcome God’s presence into the world. In a revealed sense, there is more of Him. When we say, “Blessed are You, Lord,” we are saying, “Dear God, we want Your presence to be revealed in abundance.”

There is a famous Hassidic anecdote that expresses this point. The students of Reb Mendel of Kotzk asked him, “Rabbi, where is God?” Reb Mendel replied, “Wherever you let Him in.”

Rabbi Pesach Wolicki is Executive Director of Ohr Torah Stone’s Center for Jewish-Christian Understanding and Cooperation and cohost of the Shoulder to Shoulder podcast

Shalom Zahara, Please enjoy today's Daily Inspiration from Israel.

When you have eaten your fill, give thanks to Hashem your God for the good land which He has given you.
וְאָכַלְתָּ וְשָׂבָעְתָּ וּבֵרַכְתָּ אֶת־יְהֹוָה אֱלֹהֶיךָ עַל־הָאָרֶץ הַטֹּבָה אֲשֶׁר נָתַן־לָךְ
Deuteronomy 8:10 (The Israel Bible)
v'-a-khal-TA v'-sa-VA-ta u-vay-rakh-TA et a-do-NAI e-lo-HE-kha al ha-A-retz ha-to-VAH a-SHER NA-tan LAKH
Ekev – What is a Blessing?
By Rabbi Pesach Wolicki
This week's Torah portion contains the commandment to bless God after eating.

This blessing of God, known liturgically as birkat hamazon – Grace after meals, is one of very few prayers that is biblically mandated. Almost all Jewish liturgy is rabbinic rather than biblical. But here, in an explicit verse in the Torah, we are commanded to bless God after we eat.

How are we to understand this obligation? The text explicitly instructs us to “bless” God after we eat. That is the verb that is used. But what exactly does it mean to “bless” God? When we say that someone is “blessed,” we usually mean that the person in question has had something good bestowed upon them. Examples that come to mind are someone who is “blessed” with wealth or with a particular talent. Are we to understand that when we bless God, we are bestowing something upon Him? The implication that there is some good that we could give God makes no sense.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE
https://www.israel365news.com/374191/ekev-what-is-a-blessing/?

https://www.israel365news.com/374203/rabbi-tuly-weisz-interviewed-by-christian-media-we-have-more-in-common-than-we-thought/?
Rabbi Tuly Weisz Interviewed by Christian Media: “We have more in common than we thought”
n the days to come, The Mount of Hashem's House Shall stand firm above the mountains And tower above the hills; And all the nations Shall gaze on it with joy.
ISAIAH 2:1(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)
Staff Writer
CHRISTIAN ZIONISM
AUGUST 4, 2023
4 MIN READ
Home » Rabbi Tuly Weisz Interviewed by Christian Media: “We have more in common than we thought”
On Wednesday, Rabbi Tuly Weisz, the founder of Israel365 and the publisher of The Israel Bible, was interviewed by The Christian Post. In the interview, Rabbi Weisz discussed the Biblical implications of the Land of Israel for Jews and Christians. The article appears below in its entirety:

Rabbi Tuly Weisz, the founder of Israel 365, believes it’s time in the prophetic biblical timeline for Jews and Christians to work together.

Weisz has devoted much of his work at Israel 365 to forging a relationship between Christians and Jews and sharing the significance of Israel throughout the Bible and God’s love for His people. The rabbi believes some take “Israel for granted” and others are disconnected from the land.

“God had a very specific plan for specific people to be in a specific area, and all of the landscape and the geography is so essential to understanding the Bible. Because the Jews have been outside of Israel for so long, we’ve been disconnected from Israel, the land. And the Christian world has been disconnected from the land of the Bible,” Weisz said in an interview with The Christian Post.  

It’s been 75 years since Israel became a Jewish state, and Weisz, who studied for his rabbinical ordination at Yeshiva University in New York, said the reunification of the Jewish people and the land of Israel feels like a marriage. The reunion marks another phase of the three sections of Scripture that Weisz said will take place before the End Times. 

The Jews returning to Israel, himself among them, has opened his eyes “to the spiritual shift that’s happening” in the world. 

“I started to really appreciate the Bible much more once I understood Israel’s role. I also appreciate Israel’s role in the world by understanding the Bible,” he added.

Weisz talked about looking at the Old Testament as being in three sections: First, the history, which tells of the forefathers, the Kings, and wars. Second, are the laws, the list of “thou shalts and thou shalt nots,” and lastly, spiritual prophecy.

“The prophetic sections are harder to navigate. We don’t really understand all the context. Things are out of order a little bit. However, there are very clear milestones in the prophetic sections of the Bible,” Weisz added.

“The first stage [of prophecy] is that the Jews, who have been scattered and disconnected and exiled from the land, are going to come back to the land. We’ve seen that happening, he continued.

“The second milestone after the Jews start to come back, the land is going to start to come back. There’ll be a revitalization of the land itself, which was just a barren wasteland not that long ago, just from 100 years ago till today; it’s night and day. So that’s the second stage of the prophecy, the redemption.”

He described the final stage as a transition from the physical restoration of the land and the people to a more spiritual restoration or redemption.

“It’s all over the Bible, but Isaiah 2 is my favorite passage where it talks about how, in the end of days, the mountain of God will stand firm over all of the other areas,” Weisz added. “It says that all of the nations will flow towards and up to Jerusalem. Why? Because from Zion shall come forth the Torah, the instruction, the Word of God, and the Word of God from Jerusalem.”

“What that represents is this idea that the Word of God and the recognition of the One God of Israel will start to spread all over the world to the Jews, to the Gentiles,” he continued. “It’s describing a spiritual partnership between all faiths, Jews, non-Jews, who recognize God and who recognize Jerusalem.”

Israel is the only majority-Jewish country in the world and the land is flourishing since the return of Jews to the Holy Land, which can be seen in the book IsraelRising. With a strong economy and military, Weisz noted that the next step in the biblical timeline is “spiritual redemption.”

“We are rapidly moving forward and it’s because outlets like The Christian Post are so interested in what’s going on in Israel and are educating and informing the audience of Christians of the miracles that are happening in Israel,” he said. 

“The mainstream media either don’t report on the news in Israel at all or blames Israel for all of the problems in the world. We need to wake people up — both Jews and Christians — to start working together for the first time, in recognition that we have more in common than we thought.” 

Weisz, who’s also the editor of The Israel Bible, which contains books of the Hebrew Bible and is dedicated to highlighting the relationship between the land and the people of Israel, insisted that Jews and Christians “have more in common than what divides us, even though there are important distinctions. Of course, between Judaism and Christianity, we have so much in common.”

Due to the history between the Jews and Christians in which Weisz sighted “persecution, anti-Semitism and replacement theology,” it can be challenging to foster unity between both religions. 

“We’re kind of navigating unchartered territory, but it’s worth that,” he declared. “It really is very encouraging to me that our work with Israel 365 is really important in helping to build bridges between Jews and Christians. There’s so much that we have in common, but there’s so much that still separates us because we don’t know each other.

“Jews don’t really know Christians and how much they love Israel sincerely. Christians don’t understand the Jewish experience.”

Weisz stressed that due to the complicated history between the Jewish people and those who persecuted them in the name of Christianity, the word “Christian” sometimes even “triggers trauma” in Jewish people. 

“That’s really just because all we have is our history. The Jewish people have a long memory, and we retell the stories of the Bible, and we’re commanded in the Bible to remember when God took us out of Egypt, remember what happened to Miriam, and remember, remember, remember,” Weisz added.

“Now, for the first time, we’re in this golden age of Christian-Jewish relationships, but it’s still in its infancy, and it’s still in its baby stages. We need to nurture that and we need to encourage others to participate. It’s a blessing to be a part of God’s plan. It’s not just a plan for Israel; it’s a plan for the Jew, the Gentile, Israel, America, and the whole world.”
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https://www.israel365news.com/374140/unesco-designates-biblical-jericho-as-palestinian-heritage-site/?
UNESCO designates biblical Jericho as ‘Palestinian Heritage Site’
When King Adoni-zedek of Yerushalayim learned that Yehoshua had captured Ai and proscribed it, treating Ai and its king as he had treated Yericho and its king, and that, moreover, the people of Givon had come to terms with Yisrael and remained among them,
JOSHUA10:1(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)
Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz
ARCHEOLOGY
AUGUST 2, 2023
Home » UNESCO designates biblical Jericho as ‘Palestinian Heritage Site’
JERICHO UNESCO
In a move that poses a threat to Israel’s security, UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee is expected to list Jericho as one of its sites, citing the location of the Biblical city as being in the fictitious state of “Palestine.” The committee will be voting on a total of 53 natural and cultural sites when it meets in Saudi Arabia in September.
In its application, the Palestinian Authority wrote:

“The long and diverse history of Jericho narrates the undisputed story of 10,000 years of human civilization. It witnessed some of the most significant cultural milestones of human history, is one of the oldest towns on Earth, and is unparalleled in all human history. Jericho is a unique example of well-documented settlements of different development stages of human civilization.”

The World Heritage Committee is made up of 21 voting members: Argentina, Belgium, Bulgaria, Egypt, Ethiopia, Greece, India, Italy, Japan, Mali, Mexico, Nigeria, Oman, Qatar, Russia, Rwanda, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Thailand, and Zambia.

Jericho, located in the Jordan Valley, is the oldest continuously inhabited city in the world, with signs of habitation dating back to 9,000 BCE. Jericho is mentioned many times in the Bible, most notably as the first city conquered by Joshua in Israel. In addition to its role in the Bible in the time of Joshua and as the home of Elisha the Prophet, there are two ancient synagogues that attest to the historical Jewish presence in Jericho: the Shalom Al Yisrael Synagogue first built in the 6th century and still in use today and the Wadi Qelt Synagogue which dates from between 70 and 50 BCE and is one of the oldest synagogues ever found.

Rabbi Levi Sudri, an award-winning Bible expert, noted Jericho’s spiritual significance.

“In the Bible, we see that Jericho is the key to all of Israel, Rabbi Sudri told Breaking Israel News. “If you have the key in your hand, only then can you enter, but after you do, the entire land will be open in front of you.”

As noted in the Israel Bible, the first time Jerusalem is mentioned in the Bible is in response to Joshua conquering Jericho.

When King Adoni-Zedek of Yerushalayim learned that Yehoshua had captured Ai and proscribed it, treating Ai and its king as he had treated Yericho and its king, and that, moreover, the people of Givon had come to terms with Yisrael and remained among them Joshua 10:1

The rabbi noted that the two cities seem quite different in many respects. 

“Jerusalem is the heart of Israel, and Jericho is on the edge,” Rabbi Sudri said. “Jerusalem, whose name means ‘complete,’ is symbolized by the sun, whereas Jericho’s name contains the word Yareach (moon). Though they are adjacent on a map, they are actually quite distant from each other, with Jerusalem on a mountaintop and Jericho in the deepest part of the world.”

“But there is a strong connection between Yericho and the Temple in Jerusalem,” Rabbi Sudri said. “Jericho’s name comes from the word re’ach (smell) because the smell of the incense from the Temple could be smelled in Jericho.”

Located 40 kilometers from Jerusalem, Jericho is the largest city in the Jordan Valley and is currently occupied by some 18,000 Arabs. It was designated as Area A in the Oslo Accords and, as such, is under the supervision of the Palestinian Authority. Jews are prohibited from entering Jericho. With the Jordan River to the east, Bet Shean to the North, and the Dead Sea to the south, the valley covers 926 square miles or almost one-third of Judea and Samaria.

The Jordan Valley was illegally occupied by Jordan in the 1948 War of Independence. Israel conquered the region in the 1967 Six-Day War. Though conquering territory in a defensive war is recognized as valid by international law, UN Resolution 242 allowed for the fate of parts of Judea and Samaria to be determined by bilateral negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians.

The UNESCO website, describing Jericho makes a single passing reference to the Biblical narrative. The UNESCO description then rejects the Biblical narrative, writing, “Though archaeological excavations apparently show that Jericho’s mighty fortifications had collapsed around 1550 BC, at the end of the Middle Bronze age, before the time assumed for Joshua’s conquest”. UNESCO names the site as “Ancient Jericho/ Tell es-Sultan”, stating that the name “Jericho” is the ancient Canaanite God of the moon. It should be noted that the Hebrew word for moon is “Yareach”. 

The UNESCO site never uses the word “Jewish” or “Israel”, though it uses the word “Palestine” ten times. 

While there has never been an independent country named Palestine, UNESCO designated the region as “Palestine” in 2011. UNESCO then designated three sites in Israel as World Heritage Sites in Palestine: the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem in 2012; the ancient terraces of Battir in 2014; Hebron’s Old Town, including the Tomb of the Patriarchs, in 2017, and the ancient terraces of Battir in 2014. The Old City of Jerusalem is also listed by UNESCO as a Palestinian Heritage site. 

The PA has filed requests for UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee to recognize 13 other sites, including Sebastia, also known as Samaria, the site of the former capital of ancient northern Israel; the Biblical Mount Gerizim, Shechem, the burial site of Biblical Joseph, and the Qumran caves, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered.

The World Heritage Committee has recognized nine Heritage sites in Israel,

After President Trump and Israel left UNESCO in 2019 due to anti-Israel bias,  the US rejoined the organization last  month despite a law prohibiting funding institutions that recognize states that don’t meet international standards of statehood, which includes the “State of Palestine.”

Israel has not rejoined UNESCO but its officials are still invited to attend the World Heritage Committee meeting because it remains a state party to the World Heritage Convention.

Israel’s Foreign Minister Eli Cohen met with Director-General Audrey Azoulay in Paris in June to discuss the possibility of Israel rejoining. During the meeting, Cohen asked Azoulay for UNESCO to work with Israel to preserve ancient Jewish biblical sites in the West Bank from being destroyed by the Palestinians. 

“Jewish heritage sites in Judea and Samaria were damaged and looted, and UNESCO, which is responsible for preserving heritage sites worldwide, must act to prevent damage to sites that represent the history of the people of Israel,” Cohen told Azoulay. 

The Israeli government allocated NIS 120 million last year for a plan to protect ancient Jewish archaeological sites in Area C, which is under IDF military and civilian control. Archeological sites in Area A and B are open to predation as Jews may not enter those areas.

Nations’ Ninth of Av Recognizes Rabbi Weisz and Tommy Waller for Reconciling Jews and Christians

The event honored Rabbi Tuly Weisz, the head of Israel365, for his remarkable work in bridging ties between Israel-loving evangelicals and the State of Israel.
Thus said the lord of Hosts: The fast of the fourth month, the fast of the fifth month, the fast of the seventh month, and the fast of the tenth month shall become occasions for joy and gladness, happy festivals for the House of Yehuda; but you must love honesty and integrity.
ZECHARIAH 8:19(THE ISRA
Read More
https://www.israel365news.com/374171/nations-ninth-of-av-recognizes-rabbi-weisz-and-tommy-waller-for-reconciling-jews-and-christians/

Shalom Zahara, Please enjoy today's Daily Inspiration from Israel.
This is the day that Hashem has made— let us exult and rejoice on it.
זֶה־הַיּוֹם עָשָׂה יְהֹוָה נָגִילָה וְנִשְׂמְחָה בוֹ
Psalms 118:24 (The Israel Bible, p. 1615)
zeh ha-YOM a-SAH a-do-NAI na-GEE-lah v'-nis-m'-KHAH vo
Why is Today the Happiest Day of the Year?
What are the happiest days of the Jewish year?

It seems like a simple question. Most people would guess - for good reason! - one or a combination of the following holidays: Passover (who doesn’t love Matzah and late night parties that celebrate redemption?), Hanukkah (lighting candles and eating fried food is always a win!), or Purim (dressing up in costumes as we celebrate the downfall of those who tried to kill us!). Surprisingly, however, the Rabbis disagree.

Rabbi Shimon ben Gamliel says, "There were never happier days for the Jews like the fifteenth of Av and Yom Kippur…” (Mishnah Ta’anit)

Two unexpected answers, to say the least! What is so joyous about these days? Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) is a fast day, and who ever heard of the 15th of Av? The Talmud explains that Yom Kippur is joyous because on this day, God forgives our sins - and nothing could be more joyous than that!

But what about the 15th day of the month of Av - which just so happens to be today? Why is today the happiest days of the year?