Israel 365 News

https://www.israel365news.com/365546/mesha-stele-mystery-solved-king-david-was-real-researchers-say/
Mesha Stele Mystery solved: King David was real, researchers say
He also defeated the Moabites. He made them lie down on the ground and he measured them off with a cord; he measured out two lengths of cord for those who were to be put to death, and one length for those to be spared. And the Moabites became tributary vassals of David.
SAMUEL8:2
(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)
Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz
ADAM ELIYAHU BERKOWITZ
ARCHEOLOGY, BIBLICAL NEWS
JANUARY 17, 2023
3 MIN READ
Home » Mesha Stele Mystery solved: King David was real, researchers say
ARCHAEOLOGY KING DAVID
Newly concluded research using advanced photographic techniques claim to having ended a longstanding dispute over a 2,800-year-old Moabite inscription, concluding that it is indeed referring to the royal Israelite House of David.

The Mesha Stele, also known as the Moabite Stone, was discovered intact in Jordan roughly 15 miles east of the Dead Sea in 1868. Archaeologists dated the inscription to around 840 BCE. The next year, the stele was smashed into several fragments by the Bani Hamida tribe as an act of defiance against the Ottoman authorities. In Biblical times, the location, Dibon, was the capital of Moab. 

The stele, inscribed with 34 lines of text in the Moabite language, glorifies the military victories of King Mesha,  including vanquishing Israel and possibly Judah, referred to as the “House of David” and also refers to the “Altar of David.” 

The account inscribed in the stele parallels, with some differences, an episode in the Books of Kings (2 Kings 3:4–28) which describes the king of Mesha in Moab rebelling against paying a tribute to the king of Israel. 

The black basalt stele is the most extensive inscription ever recovered that refers to the kingdom of Israel and bears the earliest extrabiblical reference to the Israelite god. Its authenticity has been disputed over the years, and some biblical minimalists suggest the text was not historical, but a biblical allegory. Due to it being broken, archaeologists have been unable to decipher it with absolute certainty.  The Moabite phrase “House of David” consists of five letters but only the first and fourth letters of the series, bet and waw were completely clear. Three letters completing the reference to David were assumed to be taw (like modern Hebrew tav), dalet, and dalet.

But these letters were unclear and the actual reference to King David was in doubt.

In 2019, the prominent Israeli archaeologist Israel Finkelstein, contested the reference to David in the stele, suggesting that the letters had been misidentified. Finkelstein suggested that the monarch referred to in the stele was Balak, a biblical Moabite who lived 200 years before David.

The Mesha Stele is currently on display at the Louvre Museum in Paris, France. Before the Mesha Stele was damaged in 1869, a squeeze (paper-mache impression) of the inscription was made.

Researchers André Lemaire and Jean-Philippe Delorme examined the squeeze to determine if the reference to the “House of David” referred to the Biblical king. Their conclusions were published in the Biblical Archaeology Review in an article titled “Mesha’s Stele and the House of David.” The publication is not a peer-reviewed journal.

Using digital photographs taken by the West Semitic Research Project of the University of Southern California in 2015 as well as digital photographs of the stele, the team applied a method called Reflectance Transformation Imaging (RTI), in which numerous digital images are taken of an artifact from different angles and then combined to create a precise, three-dimensional digital rendering of the piece. The Louvre also used these new, high-resolution pictures and projected light onto them coming directly through the 150-year-old squeeze paper. 

The “House of David ” reference appearing on its 31st line consists of five letters: btdwd (bt = “house of” and dwd = David). The first and fourth letters, bet and waw, were visible beforehand. Lemaire and Delorme discovered traces of the other three letters, taw, dalet, and dalet, on the new images. They concluded that the Mesha Stele is indeed referring to “the house of David”.The historicity of Biblical King David as referred to in the Mesha Stele was corroborated by the Tel Dan Stele discovered in 1993 and is believed to have been created in 870–750 BCE. The stele contains several lines of Aramaic referring to an individual who killed Jehoram of Israel, the son of Ahab and king of the house of David. This is described in II Kings 9:24.




https://www.israel365news.com/365522/foxes-on-mount-zion-bring-biblical-book-of-lamentations-to-life/?
Foxes on Mount Zion bring biblical book of Lamentations to life
Because of Mount Tzion, which lies desolate; foxes prowl over it.
LAMENTATIONS5:18
(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)
Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz
ADAM ELIYAHU BERKOWITZ
BIBLICAL NEWS, JERUSALEM
JANUARY 17, 2023
Home » Foxes on Mount Zion bring biblical book of Lamentations to life
JERUSALEM MOUNT ZION
Arare sighting of a fox running across Mount Zion conjured up images described in the Book of Lamentations Tuesday morning. Jewish tradition teaches that the appearance of foxes on the Temple Mount is proof that the Third Temple shall be built.
“I only saw one fox but I assume that there are more in the area,” said Joshua Wander, a resident of the Mount of Olives, who spotted the animal running through the cemetery.  

“It is definitely unusual to see them,” he added. “That’s why I filmed it. It’s something that I rarely see. Maybe it’s a sign.”

The image of foxes on the Temple Mount was described in the Book of Lamentations, which some Biblical scholars believe was written by the Prophet Jeremiah.

Because of Mount Tzion, which lies desolate; Jackals prowl over it. Lamentations 5:18

The Hebrew word used in this verse (שׁוּעָלִים) is most accurately translated as ‘foxes.’ This verse appears in the fifth and final chapter of Lamentations which culminates in the prophecy that Jerusalem will return to its former days of glory.

A fox on Mount Zion. Courtesy of Joshua Wander.
For truly, You have rejected us, Bitterly raged against us. Take us back, Hashem, to Yourself, And let us come back; Renew our days as of old! Lamentations 5:22

The Talmud describes foxes on the Temple Mount as a sign that Jerusalem will be rebuilt. This precise scenario was discussed in the Talmud (Makkot 24b), relating that Rabban Gamliel, Rabbi Elazar ben Azaria, Rabbi Joshua, and Rabbi Akiva went up to Jerusalem.

When they reached the Temple Mount, they saw a fox emerging from the place of the Holy of Holies. The others started weeping but Rabbi Akiva laughed. Rabbi Akiva asked the rabbis why they cried and they explained that to see a wild animal in such a holy place, a place that was forbidden to unfit men, was distressing. Rabbi Akiva noted that this was precisely the reason he laughed. He explained that the fox was the manifestation of the prophecy of Uriah as related by the Prophet Micah described the total destruction of Jerusalem.

Assuredly, because of you Tzion shall be plowed as a field, And Yerushalayim shall become heaps of ruins, And the Har Habayit A shrine in the woods. Micah 3:12

The fact that this dire prophecy had come to pass was proof that the prophecy of Zechariah would also come to be. The Prophet Zechariah described the return of Jerusalem to its days of glory.

Thus said the lord of Hosts: There shall yet be old men and women in the squares of Yerushalayim, each with staff in hand because of their great age. And the squares of the city shall be crowded with boys and girls playing in the squares. Zechariah 4-5

The last time foxes were sighted in the area was in 2019.

https://www.israel365news.com/365554/after-jews-trump-accuses-evangelicals-of-being-disloyal/
After Jews, Trump accuses Evangelicals of being disloyal
Ah, shepherds who let the flock of My pasture stray and scatter!—declares Hashem.
JEREMIAH 23:1
(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)
Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz
ADAM ELIYAHU BERKOWITZ
BIBLICAL NEWS, WORLD NEWS
JANUARY 17, 2023
3 MIN READ
Home » After Jews, Trump accuses Evangelicals of being disloyal

DONALD TRUMP EVANGELICAL CHRISTIANS
Former US President Donald Trump has accused Evangelical Christians of disloyalty. 

Trump’s term in office was punctuated by evangelical and Jewish faith leaders praying over the president in the Oval Office. But as he gears up to campaign for the 2024 presidential election, a schism is appearing. 

On Monday, Trump appeared on Real America’s Voice where he was interviewed by The Water Cooler host David Brody. Trump took the opportunity to rail against the evangelical leaders. Though the evangelical vote played an important role in his successful 2016 victory, Trump complained that the same evangelical leaders were reluctant to support him in his bid for a second term in 2024.

“That’s a sign of disloyalty,” Trump said. “There’s great disloyalty in the world of politics and that’s a sign of disloyalty because nobody, as you know…has ever done more for [the] right to life than Donald Trump. Three Supreme Court justices and they all voted [to overturn Roe v. Wade]…they won, they finally won!”

VIDEO

He went on to blame the evangelical leaders for the lackluster results of the recent midterm elections that failed to present a decisive victory for the Republican party.

“I was a little disappointed because I thought they could have fought much harder during the election,” Trump said. “A lot of them didn’t fight or weren’t really around to fight, and it did energize the Democrats. But a lot of the people that wanted and fought for years to get it, they sort of…they were there protesting and doing what they could have done.

“But with all of that being said, there’s nobody that did more for the movement than I have. And that includes the movement of evangelicals and Christians and the movement very much of ‘right to life,'” he said.

In November, Trump announced his intention to run in 2024. His announcement was considered to be earlier than usual to begin campaigning. Following the announcement, Robert Jeffress, an influential pastor who has described himself as “Trump’s Apostle”, said that he will wait for the Republican Party nomination to endorse the former president.

A recent article in Vanity Fair cited several prominent evangelical leaders as saying they are shifting their support away from Trump. Bob Vander Plaats, one of America’s top evangelical thought leaders, who backed Trump in 2016, told Vanity Fair that he would not support Trump in 2024 and that he knew many other evangelical leaders who agreed.

Everett Piper, a Washington Times columnist and the former president of an evangelical university, published an article last month critical of Trump, saying that the former Republican president was “hurting…not helping” American evangelicals. “The take-home of this past week is simple: Donald Trump has to go,” Piper wrote. “If he’s our nominee in 2024, we will get destroyed.” 

“There’s a lot of people who share a lot of our similar thoughts but don’t want to go on record,” Vander Plaats said. “You can see that it’s almost a silent majority right now.” 

Mike Evans, a devout Christian Zionist leader, told The Washington Post in November that Trump “used” evangelical voters.

“We had to close our mouths and eyes when he said things that horrified us,” Evans told the newspaper. “I cannot do that anymore.”

Trump has lashed out at Jewish leaders in the same manner. After hosting the notorious antisemitic personalities, Kanye West and Nick Fuentes, at his Mar-a-Lago resort, many prominent Jewish leaders publicly broke with Trump. Rather than apologize or denounce the two, the former president posted on his Truth Social platform, lashing out at the Jewish leaders who criticized him.

“…How quickly Jewish leaders forgot that I was the best, by far, president for Israel,” he wrote. “They should be ashamed of themselves. This lack of loyalty to their greatest friends and allies is why large numbers in Congress, and so many others, have stopped giving support to Israel,” he added.

In an Oval Office press conference in August 2019, Trump criticized Jews who voted for Democrats.

“I think any Jewish people that vote for a Democrat,” Trump said. “It shows either a total lack of knowledge or great disloyalty.”

Evangelical support is essential if Trump hopes to win in 2024. About one in four American adults belongs to an evangelical Christian denomination according to a Pew Research Center 2014 study, making evangelicals the most common religious group. This demographic boosted Trump to victory in 2016. The 2016 National Election Pool Exit Survey had Donald Trump leading Hillary Clinton among white evangelicals by a staggering 79% to 16%. In that exit survey, white evangelicals composed 46% of Trump’s coalition compared to 9% of Clinton’s coalition. 

In 2021, the Pew Research Center published a poll showing Trump’s widespread support from the evangelical community. The poll found that 59 percent of respondents who “frequently attend religious services” voted for Trump, while 40 percent sided with Biden.

“Among those who attend services a few times a year or less, the pattern was almost exactly reversed: 58% picked Biden, while 40% voted for Trump,” the poll said.

The poll also found that 85 percent of “white evangelical Protestants” voted for Trump in the 2020 election. Among white Catholic voters, the poll found 63 percent voting for Trump in the election compared to 36 percent who sided with Biden.

Greek Orthodox Patriarch Disgraced for Selling Land in Jerusalem to Jews Passes Away
EZEKIEL 22:26
(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)
Her Kohanim have violated My Teaching: they have profaned what is sacred to Me, they have not distinguished between the sacred and the profane, they have not taught the difference between the unclean and the clean, and they have closed their eyes to My Shabbatot. I am profaned in their midst.
Irineos I, The Greek Orthodox Church announced on Monday that Irineos I, the 140th patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Church of Jerusalem, passed away in a hospital in Athens last Tuesday at the age of eighty-three after years of illness. In 2005, Irineos was dismissed from his role after selling some properties to Jews. His burial took place in Samos, his birthplace after the current patriarch, Theophilos III, refused to hold his funeral in Jerusalem.
Born Emmanouil Skopelitis, Irineos served as the patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Church of Jerusalem from his election in 2001 until his dismissal. He was the first patriarch to be dismissed from the position in over 200 years.The 140th patriarch of the Greek Orthodox Church of Jerusalem, was the first patriarch to be dismissed from the position in over 200 years.
READ MORE » https://www.israel365news.com/365457/greek-orthodox-patriarch-disgraced-for-selling-land-in-jerusalem-to-jews-passes-away/?


After 70 Years, Scientists Have Finally Given a Face to the 9,000-Year-Old “Jericho Skull”.
A new technique allowed scientists to create a detailed image of a resident of Jericho who lived approximately 5,000 years before Abraham came to Israel.
A man's wisdom lights up his face, So that his deep discontent is dissembled”?
ECCLESIASTES 8:1
(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)
Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz
ADAM ELIYAHU BERKOWITZ
ARCHEOLOGY
JANUARY 16, 2023
3 MIN READ
Home » After 70 years, scientists have finally given a face to the 9,000-year-old “Jericho Skull”.
ARCHAEOLOGY JERICHO
Anew technique allowed scientists to create a detailed image of a resident of Jericho who lived approximately 5,000 years before Abraham came to Israel. While the image had several surprises for the researchers, the face produced was described as being remarkably similar to people walking around today.
Seven skulls were unearthed by British archaeologist Kathleen Kenyon in 1953 at Ain Ghazal near Jericho in the Jordan Valley. The skulls were found covered in plaster and with cowrie shells for eyes and some showed traces of paint. The skulls were 9,500 years old, an era when Jericho was one of the largest settlements in the Middle East. It is believed that the skulls were used for rituals, and worshiped as ancestor figures. 
READ MORE » https://www.israel365news.com/365464/after-70-years-scientists-have-finally-given-a-face-to-the-9000-year-old-jericho-skull/?


Martin Luther King Jr.'s Stance on Antisemitism
Today is the day designated to commemorate the life and work of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., who was an icon in civil rights for blacks and a vocal proponent of nonviolent activism. Jan 16, 2023
וַיֹּאמֶר אֶל־עַמּוֹ הִנֵּה עַם בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל רַב וְעָצוּם מִמֶּנּוּ׃
And he said to his people, “Look, B'nei Yisrael are much too numerous for us.
Exodus 1:9
By Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz
The beginning of the Book of Exodus is the first time that we encounter antisemitism. Pharaoh was the first to use the antisemitic tropes that have, unfortunately, become all too familiar: “There are too many of them”, “They are too powerful”, and “They want to take over.” In Pharaoh’s words:
And he said to his people, “Look, B’nei Yisrael are much too numerous for us. Let us deal shrewdly with them, so that they may not increase; otherwise in the event of war they may join our enemies in fighting against us and rise from the ground.” (Exodus 1:9-10)
These ideas, which were first expressed in Egypt, have been repeated over and over again throughout Jewish history. In fact, the sages saw Egypt in all governments that oppressed and persecuted the Jewish people over the years. As Rabbi Jose b. Hanina said:
“All governments may be called by the name Mitzrayim (Egypt) since they oppressed (in Hebrew, meitzerin, the same root as Mitzrayim) Israel.” (Vayikra Rabbah 13:5)
Unfortunately, these same ideas are still repeated today. According to a poll recently released by the Anti-Defamation League, 20% of Americans believe that Jews have “too much power” in the United States, 26% believe that Jews have “too much power in the business world,” and 21% agree that Jews “don’t care about anyone other than themselves.”
Martin Luther King Jr. was an icon in the civil rights movement for blacks and a vocal proponent of nonviolent activism. He also had a strong connection to Israel and took a powerful stand against antisemitism. 
READ MORE » https://theisraelbible.com/martin-luther-king-jr-stance-on-antisemitism/?


[WATCH] Herzi Halevi Becomes 23rd IDF Chief of Staff
In a swearing-in ceremony, Halevi was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general, officially taking over from Aviv Kochavi.
WATCH » https://www.israel365news.com/video/watch-herzi-halevi-becomes-23rd-idf-chief-of-staff/?
Israel Defense Forces Maj. Gen. Herzi Halevi on Monday became Israel’s 23rd chief of staff.
In a swearing-in ceremony attended by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, Halevi was promoted to the rank of lieutenant general, officially taking over from Aviv Kochavi.
Halevi had been serving as the IDF’s deputy chief of staff, and previously headed the military’s Southern Command and Military Intelligence Directorate. He also commanded the General Staff Reconnaissance Unit (Sayeret Matkal) during the Second Intifada.
Later on Monday, Halevi was scheduled to visit the National Memorial Hall for Israel’s Fallen located adjacent to the Mount Herzl military cemetery, and then the Western Wall.
He was also scheduled to meet with President Isaac Herzog before heading to Tel Aviv for another ceremony at IDF headquarters.
A father of four, Halevi was born in Jerusalem and currently lives in Kfar HaOranim, which is under the jurisdiction of the Binyamin Regional Council. He holds a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and business administration from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and a master’s degree in resource management from the National Defense University in the U.S.
Halevi was named after his uncle who died in the 1967 Six-Day War.
For his part, Kochavi on Sunday held a final meeting with Netanyahu to discuss the major operational challenges facing the country.
Netanyahu thanked Kochavi for his more than 40 years of service in the IDF and his significant contribution to the security of the state.




Poll: Israelis Remain Proud of Identity, Youth Identify More as Right-Wing
The survey found a shift to the political right among younger Israelis.
READ MORE » https://www.israel365news.com/365473/poll-israelis-remain-proud-of-identity-youth-identify-more-as-right-wing/?
He brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey.
DEUTERONOMY26:9
(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)
ISRAEL NEWS
JANUARY 16, 2023
Home » Poll: Israelis remain proud of identity, youth identify more as right-wing
ISRAELI ARABS
Israelis’ national pride remained stable in 2022, and a higher percentage of young Israelis identified as right-wing, according to the 2022 Israeli Democracy Index, whose findings were released by the Israel Democracy Institute (IDI) on Sunday.
“Pride in being Israeli has remained stable among the Jewish public over the years (multi-year average: 85.9%),” the poll found. Among the Arab public, 2022’s figure of 38% was much lower than the multiyear average of 46%.
However, the poll also found that since 2019 and until June 2022, there was a decline in the percentage of those surveyed who saw Israel’s situation as “good or very good,” and a rise in the percentage who said the situation was “bad or very bad.”
The survey found that over the last 20 years, a higher percentage of younger respondents than of older respondents identified as politically right wing (73% in the 18-24 age group).


‘Imam of Peace’ Calls on Arabs, Muslims to Embrace Israel
Hassen Chalghoumi strives to bring people together to fight antisemitism and Islamism, more specifically political Islam.
Born in Tunisia in 1972, Hassen Chalghoumi received his undergraduate degree from a university in Damascus before studying theology in Pakistan.

The father of five children, he arrived in 1996 in France, where he became the imam of the Drancy mosque in the northeastern suburbs of Paris. He has served as president of the Conference of Imams in France for almost 20 years, during which time he developed close ties to the Jewish community.

Chalghoumi’s work has in some circles earned him the moniker “Imam of the Jews,” in others as the “Imam of Peace.”

His mission: To bring people closer together in order to fight antisemitism and also Islamism, more specifically political Islam.

We sat down with Chalghoumi during his recent visit to Israel.

JNS: What brought you here? 

A: In 2004-2005, I often had encounters with the members of the Jewish community and also went to Holocaust memorials since I am the imam of Drancy, a city known for its relationship to the Shoah. I have friends who spoke to me about Israel but initially I said, we are French Muslims, you are French Jews, it’s unnecessary to speak about Israel because we are neither Palestinians nor Israelis.

I had this tendency to avoid speaking about politics or international affairs and instead focus on France. But whenever I attended events that were related to the Shoah and getting closer to the Jewish community, and in relation to the [Conseil Représentatif des Institutions Juives de France, the umbrella group representing Jews in France], I was brought back to Israel and the Palestinians and Gaza.
In 2009, I made the decision to come to Israel, to get to know the Israeli population and the geopolitical situation first-hand. 
JNS: Do you believe that additional Arab and Islamic countries will make peace with Israel? 

A: Years ago, nobody believed that Arab countries would do so. And I would like to recognize four people, the first being Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, the president of the United Arab Emirates, a courageous man who deserves respect. He helped bring the UAE into the modern world and he made history. Second is the king of Bahrain, I know him very well, I have great relations with him, Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. Also, the king of Morocco, his majesty Mohammed VI. Finally, Vice President of Sudan Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.
They had the courage to forge peace with Israel.
You know, the population is changing, we have hope in the Arab and Muslim worlds as it pertains to Israel. Previously, this was impossible because of all the lies by Islamists and extremists and antisemites, this defamation and this racism against Israel and against the Israeli population.
And also the ignorance and the Arab media for 60 years, the Arab nationalism manipulated the spirits of the Arab world. Today, spirits are free and see the truth for themselves. Today there are synagogues in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Morocco and soon in other places. I believe that this year, God willing, and by the way during my visit to the Knesset, we talked with ministers who are close to [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu on the importance of continuing this dream, so that the Abraham Accords extend everywhere in the world.
READ MORE » https://www.israel365news.com/365441/imam-of-peace-calls-on-arabs-muslims-to-embrace-israel/?


Netanyahu Discusses Military Challenges in Final Meeting With Outgoing IDF Chief
Aviv Kochavi was succeeded by Herzi Halevi on Monday.
He brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey.
DEUTERONOMY 26:9
(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday met with outgoing IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Aviv Kochavi, with the two men holding a final consultation on the major operational challenges facing the country, according to a statement
Netanyahu thanked Kochavi for his more than 40 years of service in the IDF and his significant contribution to the security of the state, the Prime Minister’s Office said.
In a series of interviews last week, Kochavi was notably critical of the government’s plan to hand over partial decision-making powers over the IDF’s actions in Judea and Samaria to National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who also holds the title of minister in the Defense Ministry.
Last month, the government announced that the Israel Border Police is to be separated from the Israel Police and made into an independent body under the control of the national security minister.
Until now, Border Police units in Judea and Samaria have operated under the command of the IDF’s Central Command.
READ MORE » https://www.israel365news.com/365437/netanyahu-discusses-


Israel a World Leader in Volunteering, Ahead of the US, Switzerland, Study Finds
He who is generous to the poor makes a loan to Hashem; He will repay him his due.
PROVERBS19:17
(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)
Aviv Kochavi was succeeded by Herzi Halevi on Monday.sraeli President Isaac Herzog was presented on Monday with the results of the annual survey on volunteerism in Israel, which showed that almost half of the population (42.5%) engage in such activities to various degrees.
The study, which included 503 participants, found that Israel is one of the leading countries in volunteering, along with Canada (79%), Britain (63%), Australia (57%), New Zealand (51%) and ahead of Switzerland (39.9%), the Netherlands (39%) and the United States (25%).
It further showed a balance between male volunteers (42.6%) and female ones (42.2%). In terms of age groups, 34% aged 18-34 said they volunteered on a regular basis, as well as 47.9% aged 35-54 and 42% aged 55 and older.
In addition, Israelis with tertiary education and those with higher-than-average incomes reported higher rates of volunteering. Sector-wise, the highest rate of volunteering was reported among the ultra-Orthodox (60%).
Most respondents said they preferred to volunteer in areas of welfare and assisting disadvantaged populations, followed by education, health, environment, religion and social change.
READ MORE » https://www.israel365news.com/365445/israel-a-world-leader-in-volunteering-ahead-of-the-us-switzerland-study-finds/?


Reports of the Death of Israeli Democracy are Greatly Exaggerated
by Sean Durns
Countless pundits and analysts of varying motives and backgrounds have asserted that the end is near for Israeli democracy. For some, democracy seems to only be under threat when they don’t get their desired electoral outcome.
READ MORE »https://www.israel365news.com/365449/reports-of-the-death-of-israeli-democracy-are-greatly-exaggerated-opinion/?


Lapid’s Lament: ‘There’s only one truth, and the rest is a lie’
by Ruthie Blum
n a lengthy screed on Thursday in the Hebrew daily Haaretz, Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid impressed upon like-minded members of the public the imperative to “translate our unbridled rage into effective political action.”

His use of the first-person plural pronoun in the piece—titled “They wanted absolute victory, void of doubts, and to hell with the truth”—wasn’t an oversight. On the contrary, it was a rhetorical device that the Yesh Atid Party chairman employed to emphasize the divide between the superior “us” and the inferior “them,” the latter being the nation’s right-wing majority.

Still, it wasn’t merely the ploy of a sore loser whose brief interim premiership was cut even shorter by the recent electoral victory of his nemesis, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Nor was it simply a stab at uniting an otherwise disparate camp around a shared sense of despair in the face of a ruling coalition with an ideologically conservative agenda.
No, Lapid’s diatribe went way deeper, revealing a post-Zionist mindset that’s become increasingly fashionable in chattering-class circles. “If this government doesn’t fall, Israel will cease being a liberal democracy, its constitutional structure will be beyond rehabilitation,
MORE https://www.israel365news.com/365436/lapids-lament-theres-only-one-truth-and-the-rest-is-a-lie-opinion/?


Biden Tells Israel to Give Money to Terrorists, Not Terror Victims
by Daniel Greenfield
he Biden administration condemned Israel for giving $39 million in Palestinian Authority tax revenues to the victims of terrorism instead of the terrorists.
“It is morally just and important for the war against terror. There is no greater justice than using the funds for the victims of terror,” Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said of the move.
U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price condemned Israel’s actions as a “unilateral response” that will “exacerbate tensions,” and warned that the administration will raise the issue with Israel.
Price did not address whether the P.A. spending hundreds of millions of dollars a year to finance terrorist attacks against Israelis through its “Pay-to-Slay” program raises any tensions. The ruling PLO body spending millions to kill Jews is not unilateral, but Israel refusing to finance the murder of its own citizens is a dangerous move that will make peace difficult.
Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh claims that if Israel doesn’t give it $39 million, that “will promptly lead to its collapse.”
The terror organization has been claiming variations of the same thing for over two decades.
“Palestinian Authority broke and in disarray,” the media agonized in 2004. “Palestinians threaten to collapse the Palestinian Authority,” they clamored in 2009. “Suspended tax transfers leave Palestinian economy on the brink” came the warnings in 2015. “Palestinian finances near collapse as cuts deepen,” we were told in 2019.
The PLO’s terror infrastructure is always on the verge of collapse, but sadly never does.
MORE https://www.israel365news.com/365453/biden-tells-israel-to-give-money-to-terrorists-not-terror-victims-opinion/?

New Space Telescope Observing Creation of Stars "Consistent With Day Four of Genesis,” Scientist Says
The James Webb space telescope recently turned its lens toward NGC 346, a cluster of stars located in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) more than 200,000 light-years from Earth.
READ MORE » https://www.israel365news.com/365418/new-space-telescope-observing-creation-of-stars-consistent-with-day-four-of-genesis-scientist-says/


British Minister Prays at Al Aqsa on Temple Mount; Emphasizes “Jordanian Custodianship”
Lord Tariq Ahmad, the Minister of Middle East Affairs at the British Foreign Ministry, decried Israel’s “occupation” of “Palestine” while meeting Palestinian officials.
READ MORE »https://www.israel365news.com/365414/british-minister-prays-at-al-aqsa-on-temple-mount-emphasizes-jordanian-custodianship/?

A Sinkhole Swallowed a Car in Central Israel. The Bible Has Something to Say About it
For the Biblically inclined, sinkholes are a reminder of Divine punishment.
READ MORE » https://www.israel365news.com/365429/a-sinkhole-swallowed-a-car-in-central-israel-the-bible-has-something-to-say-about-it/?

IDF Forces Thwart Two Terror Attacks, Three Terrorists Killed
A knife-wielding Palestinian charged Israeli troops near Ofra, while two members of Islamic Jihad were shot while carrying out a drive-by attack near Jenin.
READ MORE » https://www.israel365news.com/365411/idf-forces-thwart-two-terror-attacks-three-terrorists-killed/?


Are Science and Fear of God Compatible?
When I try to imagine what ancient Egypt was like, I envision something like modern-day New York City. It was the most prestigious and important city of its day. The people were cultured.
READ MORE » https://theisraelbible.com/are-science-and-fear-of-god-compatible/?


[WATCH] A Closer Look at the New Israeli Government’s Policies
The Israel-based Christian NGO “Israel Guys” takes a closer look at the first policies the government led by Benjamin Netanyahu is promoting.
WATCH » https://www.israel365news.com/video/watch-a-closer-look-at-the-new-israeli-governments-policies/?


Herzog: ‘Profound’ division over judicial reform ‘tearing our nation apart’
The Israeli president has been working “full time” to create “wide-reaching, attentive and respectful discussion and dialogue.”
READ MORE » https://www.israel365news.com/365407/herzog-profound-division-over-judicial-reform-tearing-our-nation-apart/?

80,000 Israelis Take to the Streets in Protest Against Judicial Reform Plan
“The government of Israel went to war against the democratic institutions themselves,” said former Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni.
READ MORE » https://www.israel365news.com/365403/80000-israelis-take-to-the-streets-in-protest-against-judicial-reform-plan/?


IDF Soldier Killed, 3 Injured in Accidental Explosion on Base

The blast was caused by a grenade found during a training exercise and brought back to the barracks, according to a preliminary investigation.
READ MORE » https://www.israel365news.com/365400/idf-soldier-killed-3-injured-in-accidental-explosion-on-base/?

New Exhibit on DP Camps Showcases ‘Extraordinary Energy’ of the Jewish People

“You see this extraordinary power of their will to live, to create a future for their children and themselves that is connected to their heritage to their traditions,” said Jonathan Brent, YIVO CEO and executive director.
READ MORE » https://www.israel365news.com/365384/new-exhibit-on-dp-camps-showcases-extraordinary-energy-of-the-jewish-people/?


An Ancient Spoon Stirs American Mischief Against Israel
by Melanie Phillips
The Department of Homeland Security has internalized the Palestinian big lie.
READ MORE » https://www.israel365news.com/365395/an-ancient-spoon-stirs-american-mischief-against-israel-opinion/?

https://www.israel365news.com/365367/report-pa-plans-to-build-a-neighborhood-on-top-of-joshuas-altar/?
REPORT: PA plans to build a neighborhood on top of Joshua’s Altar
At that time Yehoshua built a mizbayach to Hashem, the God of Yisrael, on Har Eival,
JOSHUA
8:30
(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)

Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz
ADAM ELIYAHU BERKOWITZ
ARCHEOLOGY
JANUARY 13, 2023
2 MIN READ
Home » REPORT: PA plans to build a neighborhood on top of Joshua’s Altar

The Fight for Every Dunam forum released a report on Thursday titled, Mount Ebal: a Wake-Up Call outlining the plans of the Palestinian Authority to build a neighborhood on top of the archaeological site containing the Biblical altar of Joshua.

The PA has already made efforts to begin implementing the plan by paving roads connecting the suburbs of the city of Shechem to Mount Ebal. The roads pass over sensitive archaeological areas and stray into Area C which, according to the Oslo Accords, is reserved exclusively for Israeli construction.


Activists for Fight for Every Dunam acquired construction plans for dozens of lots from the PA’s Local Government Ministry in which aerial photographs clearly show the plans will obliterate the archaeological site.

The PA’s blueprint for a neighborhood on Mount Ebal. / Fight for Every Dunam
“According to the plans, most of the area of the site is going to be razed to gravel, and whatever is left will also be destroyed in short order and be completely out of Israeli control once the Arab neighborhood swallows it up,” the organization warned.

Highlighted in red: damage to the outer wall of Joshua’s altar (courtesy: Tzvi Sukkot/Facebook)
The site was discovered in 1980 by Professor Adam Zertal from the University of Haifa. He was able to date the site to the end of the 13th century BCE and found it to be an unusual ritual site whose dimensions correspond directly with the biblical altar described in the book of Joshua after the victory over Ai.

  At that time Yehoshua built a mizbayach to Hashem, the God of Yisrael, on Har Eival, Joshua 8:30

According to PA officials, the claim that the site is a Jewish altar is a fabrication of “Palestinian history” – a phenomenon rejected by all major historians.

Zertal’s conclusion is frequently challenged by archaeologists who claim the Bible is not a historically accurate account of events. Zertal was himself anti-religious and also denied the Biblical connection of his find for several years.

https://www.israel365news.com/365350/the-us-belief-in-antisemitic-stereotypes-nearly-doubles/?
The US: Belief in antisemitic stereotypes nearly doubles
They encircle me with words of hate; they attack me without cause.
PSALMS 109:3
(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)
JNS
ANTISEMITISM
JANUARY 13, 2023
< 1 MIN READ
Home » The US: Belief in antisemitic stereotypes nearly doubles
The number of people in the U.S. who harbor extensive prejudice against Jews has doubled since 2019 and reached the highest level in decades, according to a comprehensive study the Anti-Defamation League released on Thursday.

“ADL has been conducting these attitude surveys since the 1960s, and in some respects, this one is the most alarming,” said ADL CEO and National Director Jonathan Greenblatt in a press release.

The survey asked more than 4,000 U.S. adults about anti-Jewish tropes. Twenty percent of respondents—a proportion the equivalent of 52 million persons among the total population—agreed with six or more of the 11 anti-Jewish statements presented to them.

The findings represent a rise of 9 percentage points from the 11% measured in 2019.

Twenty percent of respondents say Jews have “too much power” in the U.S. Twenty-one percent agree with the statement that Jews “don’t care about anyone other than themselves,” and 53% say that Jews will go out of their way to hire other Jews.

“These findings reveal substantial beliefs that Jews are too powerful, selfish and insular,” Greenblatt said.

A high number of those surveyed harbor extremely negative views about Israel and people who support Israel. Eighteen percent say they are uncomfortable spending time with a pro-Israel person. It was also found that younger adults hold significantly more negative sentiments towards Israel and its supporters.

“Those of us on the front lines have expected such results for a while now—and yet the data are still stunning and sobering: There is an alarming increase in antisemitic views and hatred across nearly every metric—at levels unseen for decades,” said Greenblatt. “From Pittsburgh to Charlottesville to the near-daily harassment of Jews in our greatest cities, antisemitic beliefs lead to violence. I hope this survey is a wake-up call to the entire country.”

https://www.israel365news.com/365345/manhattan-da-offers-antisemitic-nyc-attacker-plea-deal-with-minimal-jail-time/?
Manhattan DA offers antisemitic NYC attacker plea deal with minimal jail time
Assuredly, the evil man will not escape, But the offspring of the righteous will be safe.
PROVERBS11:21
(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)
JNS
ANTISEMITISM
JANUARY 13, 2023
3 MIN READ
Home » Manhattan DA offers antisemitic NYC attacker plea deal with minimal jail time in the wake of rising attacks against Jews in New York City, a violent antisemitic attacker could be back on the streets in six months’ time. 

According to the Canary Mission watchdog, Waseem Awadeh has been offered a plea deal by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office. Awawdeh was charged with a hate crime for attacking a yarmulke-wearing Jewish man who was heading to a pro-Israel rally in May 2021.

“If I could do it again, I would do it again,” Awawdeh declared to one of his jailers, according to a prosecutor at Awawdeh’s arraignment in Manhattan Criminal Court. The original charges against Awawdeh carried a sentence of upwards of 10 years in prison. Under the terms of the plea deal, his sentence would be reduced to six months.

“It is outrageous that the office of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is willing to let Awawdeh, who is violent and unrepentant, back on the streets of New York after only six months,” Canary Mission said in a statement. “With skyrocketing attacks on Jews in New York—close to 200 documented cases since 2018, there have been only two convictions that resulted in prison sentences.”

“We have only one question: Why?” Canary Mission asked.

Plea deal reduces Awawdeh’s charges
According to statistics from the New York Police Department, there were 45 reported antisemitic hate crimes in the city last month, for an average of one every 16 hours. This represents a 125% increase over the same period last year. Anti-Jewish attacks made up 60% of all hate crimes in the city in November, far more than against any other minority group.

Awawdeh was originally charged with assault as a hate crime, gang assault, menacing aggravated harassment as a hate crime and criminal possession of a weapon.

Under a plea deal, Canary Mission explains, the charge would be reduced to a violent class D felony, which in New York usually results in a three-to-seven-year sentence for a person found guilty at trial. However, Awadeh is being offered six months in prison if he pleads guilty to these lesser charges and forgoes a trial.

Awawdeh’s antisemitic hate crimes
Awawdeh is accused of violently attacking Joseph Borgen, who was on his way to a pro-Israel rally on May 20, 2021, near Manhattan’s Times Square.

“They hit me with fists, kicked me, hit me with crutches, hit me with signs….They were saying, You dirty Jew, f*** Israel, go back to your country,” Borgen said in an interview with the New York Daily News after the attack.

Borgen also reported that he was maced and pepper-sprayed and suffered a concussion in the attack.

The same day, Awawdeh was part of a mob that attacked another Israel supporter. Awawdeh raised and swung his crutch wildly at the man, while fellow pro-Palestinian protester Ahmad Othman sucker-punched him and knocked him to the ground.

At the same demonstration, Awawdeh also spat on a female police officer who was attempting to maintain a barricade separating the pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel demonstrators.

That same day, Awawdeh was filmed standing with other pro-Palestinian protesters on the back of a pickup truck driving a convoy through Manhattan’s heavily Jewish Diamond District. After fellow protester Mohammed Othman threw a firework at a passerby, Awawdeh could be seen waving his crutch in a celebratory manner.

The firework burned a woman; she required hospitalization. As police and passerby tended to the victim, Awadeh and other anti-Israel protesters, some walking by and some in cars, shouted abuse.

Awawdeh later returned to the scene of the crime on foot. While running from the police, he fell and was arrested for his attack on Borgen.

Three days later, Awawdeh was released after posting $10,000 bail. He was

greeted by friends, who shouted, “Raise your head up! …You a f**kin’ Hero!!”

Awawdeh’s friends then hoisted him onto their shoulders as he held his crutch. His friends chanted, “Free, free Palestine!” while Awawdeh responded in kind and pumped his arms in triumph.

Awawdeh’s connections to a dangerous NYC anti-Israel group
Awawdeh has led anti-Israel chants at rallies organized by Within Our Lifetime, a radical anti-Israel activist group in New York City known for its violent street protests. Within Our Lifetime states on its website, “We defend the right of Palestinians as colonized people to resist the zionist occupation by any means necessary.”

Another Within Our Lifetime activist identified by Canary Mission, Saadah Masoud, pleaded guilty in November 2022 to being part of a conspiracy to commit violent hate crimes against Jews in April 2022, June 2021 and May 2021. At anti-Israel rallies in New York City, Masoud has repeatedly assaulted Israel supporters, had multiple violent altercations with police and been arrested for assault and robbery. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 3.

https://www.israel365news.com/365319/shemot-the-three-signs-pharaohs-perspective/?
Shemot – The Three Signs: Pharaoh’s Perspective
And Hashem said to Moshe, “When you return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the marvels that I have put within your power. I, however, will stiffen his heart so that he will not let the people go.
EXODUS 4:23
(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)
Rabbi Pesach Wolicki
RABBI PESACH WOLICKI
OPINION, WEEKLY TORAH PORTION
JANUARY 12, 2023
4 MIN READ
Home » Shemot – The Three Signs: Pharaoh’s Perspective
MOSES TORAH PORTION
When God called Moses to go to Egypt to liberate the children of Israel, Moses told God that he feared that the people would not believe that God sent him. So God gave Moses three miraculous signs to perform to convince the people. (Exodus 4:1-9)

The three signs are:

Moses would throw his staff on the ground. The staff would turn into a snake. When Moses grasped the tail of the snake, it would then turn back into a staff.
Moses would put his hand into his bosom. His hand thus became “leprous like snow.” When he then put his hand back into his bosom, his hand returned to normal.
God told Moses to take water from the Nile and pour it on the ground. The water became blood on the ground.
What is the meaning of these three signs? Numerous explanations are offered by the commentaries, all of which explain their meaning either to the children of Israel or to Moses himself.

But here’s the problem, a few verses later, God told Moses to perform these same three signs before Pharaoh.

And Hashem said to Moshe, “When you return to Egypt, see that you perform before Pharaoh all the marvels that I have put within your power. I, however, will stiffen his heart so that he will not let the people go. – Exodus 4:21

As mentioned above, the classic explanations of these signs deal with their meaning either for Moses himself or for the People of Israel. If these very same signs were also to be performed before Pharaoh, what did they mean to Pharaoh and the Egyptians? If they have no specific meaning and message for Pharaoh, God should have given Moses alternative signs to perform before Pharaoh. Surely, God has no shortage of signs!

An additional question about these three signs relates to their “rehearsal” at the burning bush. In the passage in Exodus 4 when God gave Moses the signs, He told Moses to demonstrate the first two signs right then and there, which Moses did. But He did not tell Moses to demonstrate the third sign, turning water into blood. Why did God make Moses practice the first two signs but not the third?

I’d like to suggest that in order to understand the message of these three signs to Pharaoh and his Egyptian advisers, we should look at what meaning they might have according to the Egyptian culture and belief system at the time. In other words, for these signs to carry any message for Pharaoh, he must readily understand that message.

The Power of a Staff-Snake

The first sign is Moses’s – or Aaron’s – staff turning into a snake and back into a staff. It is important to note that snakes were a symbol of magic and protection in Egypt. More specific to Moses’ sign, it was common for Egyptian gods to be depicted holding snake-wands. For example, a statuette found by archaeologists in the Ramasseum in Egypt depicts a female sau, a type of sorceress, who could provide magical protection. This statuette holds a snake-wand in each hand. The snake-wand was a sign of magical power and protection in Egypt.

Perhaps Aaron’s staff turning into a snake served to mock the powers of Egyptian sorcery. This point is emphasized by Aaron’s staff then devouring the staff-snakes of the magicians of Egypt (Exodus 7:12). By performing this sign before Pharaoh, Moses was saying, in effect, “I do not believe in your gods and yet, not only is my staff a snake and vice versa, but my staff-snake can even devour yours. What of your protective and magical powers now?” Moses and Aaron were demonstrating that the power of God was greater than the power of Egyptian sorcery.

The Meaning of Leprosy

According to Sir James Frazer, author of the classic on ancient pagan religion The Golden Bough, Egyptians believed that leprosy afflicted sinners, in particular those who sinned by eating of the flesh of a sacred animal. (Golden Bough Ch. 49 section 4) Amazingly, it is precisely this ‘sin’ that Moses told Pharaoh that the Israelites were going to commit with offering animal offerings to God in the desert. As Moses made clear later after the third plague.

Then Pharaoh summoned Moshe and Aharon and said, “Go and sacrifice to your God within the land.” But Moshe replied, “It would not be right to do this, for what we sacrifice to Hashem our God is untouchable to the Egyptians. If we sacrifice that which is untouchable to the Egyptians before their very eyes, will they not stone us!”(Exodus 8:21-22)

Seen this way, the second sign, like the first, was a mockery of Ancient Egyptian beliefs. Moses was again saying, “It is our God, and not the offended Egyptian deities, who determines who does and does not have leprosy. Who is and who is not considered a sinner is in the hands of the God of Israel alone.”

The Nile

It is common knowledge that the Nile was worshiped as a god in by Egyptians. The Nile was seen as the giver and sustainer of all life. This was a natural pagan result of Egypt’s dependence on the rising tides of the Nile for economic well-being.

Moses’s third sign – turning water into blood – was not about just any water. God specifically told Moses to “take some water from the river” (4:9) and turn it into blood. “The river” obviously refers to the Nile. This explains why God did not tell Moses to rehearse the sign while standing at the burning bush – somewhere in the Sinai peninsula. The point of the sign was not to turn water into blood, but to turn the Nile into blood.

Like the first two, the third sign as well is a direct affront to Pharaoh’s Egyptian pagan beliefs. Let’s add that Pharaoh himself was seen by Egyptians as the human embodiment of the creator and protector of the Nile.

The Beginning of the Plagues

It is clear from a number of verses in the Bible that the primary purpose of the Ten Plagues was not the salvation of the People of Israel from Egypt. That could have been accomplished without the plagues. The purpose of the plagues was the refutation of the gods of Egypt in the eyes of the Egyptians.

“But I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, that I may multiply My signs and marvels in the land of Egypt. When Pharaoh does not heed you, I will lay My hand upon Egypt and deliver My ranks, My people the Israelites, from the land of Egypt with extraordinary chastisements.

And the Egyptians shall know that I am Hashem, when I stretch out My hand over Egypt and bring out the Israelites from their midst.” (Exodus 7:3-5)

As we now understand, the repudiation of the gods of Egypt – the “signs” and “wonders” in this verse – began with the three signs given to Moses at the burning bush.

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

https://www.israel365news.com/365305/israeli-archaeologists-uncover-6th-century-church-with-unique-mosaics-near-jericho/?
Israeli archaeologists uncover 6th-century Church with unique mosaics near Jericho
All the nations of the earth shall bless themselves by your descendants, because you have obeyed My command.
GENESIS
22:18
(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)

Rossella Tercatin
ROSSELLA TERCATIN
ARCHEOLOGY
JANUARY 12, 2023
2 MIN READ
Home » Israeli archaeologists uncover 6th-century Church with unique mosaics near Jericho


ARCHAEOLOGY JUDEA AND SAMARIA
The remains of a large 1500-year-old church ornated with colorful mosaics were uncovered in the area near Jericho by the Archaeology Unit of the Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories, COGAT announced on Wednesday.

“I am excited about the amazing historical find, that joins a number of discoveries made by the Civil Administration’s archeology department,” said Hananiah Hizami, the head of the unit. “We’ll continue to work to discover and preserve the history of Judea and Samaria.”


1500-year-old church uncovered in the area near Jericho by the Archaeology Unit of the Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories. Credit: COGAT’s Spokesperson.
The colorful mosaic floors depicting birds, animals and plants have maintained an exceptional level of preservation, according to the Archeology Unit’s Lieutenant Commander, Beny Har-Even.

Probably built in the 6th century, the structure continued to be used also after the Muslims conquered the region in the first half of the 7th century. While under Muslim rule sometimes figures were defaced – due to the prohibition of sentient beings’ depiction in Islam – this did not happen to the newly discovered church. While many churches were destroyed and abandoned after a major earthquake in 749 CE, in this case, the church appeared to have been abandoned several years before the event, and its entrance was blocked.

The large size of the building – around 250 square meters (2,700 square feet), its magnificent mosaics and the expensive materials imported to build it, including marble and bitumen stones, suggest that the church was a major center of worship in the region.


1500-year-old church uncovered in the area near Jericho by the Archaeology Unit of the Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories. Credit: COGAT’s Spokesperson.
In addition, the archaeologists uncovered a very large Greek inscription – about three meters long – mentioning the names of Georgios and Nonnos as leaders who contributed to the building of the church.

COGAT plans to transfer the Church’s remains and its mosaic to the Good Samaritan Museum located just off the highway connecting Jerusalem to the Dead Sea. The museum’s exhibit already includes numerous mosaics from the Byzantine period.

“The antiquities from this region are part of the world’s cultural heritage. They belong to everyone and therefore everyone is responsible for preserving them,” said Har-Even.

https://www.israel365news.com/365196/christian-tourists-at-the-temple-mount-forced-by-waqf-to-wear-humiliating-yellow-garment/
Christian tourists at the Temple Mount forced by Waqf to wear humiliating yellow garment
My house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.
ISAIAH 56:7
(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)
Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz
ADAM ELIYAHU BERKOWITZ
CHRISTIAN ZIONISM, JERUSALEM
JANUARY 10, 2023
5 MIN READ
Home » Christian tourists at the Temple Mount forced by Waqf to wear humiliating yellow garment

Some Christian tourists visiting the Temple Mount have been forced by the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf to wear garments adorned with bright yellow stripes, some Israeli tour guides have denounced. The choice of color does not appear to be a coincidence, as in the past yellow garments symbolized non-Muslims’ diminished status in the world of Islam.

The Waqf is the Jordanian entity that has a custodial status at Jerusalem’s holy sites. The Temple Mount is known to Muslims as the Haram al-Sharif or Noble Sanctuary, where the Al-Aqsa Mosque stands. Non-Muslims, including Jews, can visit the compound where the Holy Temple of Jerusalem used to stand only under severe restrictions. 

About two months ago, a Norwegian Pastor who prefers to remain anonymous led a group of 35 Christian tourists on a visit to Israel. The pastor arrived a week ahead of the group to prepare for the trip. He ascended to the Temple Mount with three Christian women. When they arrived, representatives of the Waqf approached the group and instructed them to wear special garments they provided. The long brown garment covered their entire body and they were also required by the Waqf to wear a large head covering. The garments had a prominent yellow stripe running down the sides. 

The pastor explained that he had visited Israel dozens of times and ascended the Temple Mount several times in the past. This was the first time he had been required to wear the strange garb. He added that the women felt humiliated. The pastor described the episode to Amit Barak, the head of the Jerusalemites Initiative and a tour guide. He emphasized that due to the humiliating incident, he will no longer take groups to the Temple Mount. 


Visitors at the Temple Mount wearing yellow garments. Courtesy of Beyadenu.
This story was corroborated by the Temple Mount activist organization Beyadenu, which runs tours at the site. Their guides have witnessed Waqf representatives requiring Christian and non-Muslim tourists to wear the same long garments with the yellow stripe.  

“I don’t remember this happening until recently,” one tour guide told Israel365 News. “Certainly never with such a complete covering and certainly not a head covering.”

Yaakov Hayman,  an activist for Jewish prayer on the Temple Mount, frequently visits the Temple Mount and has observed the Waqf telling tourists to wear the garment on numerous occasions.

“It is not new but it is becoming more frequent,” Hayman said. “It may have to do with their strict code of modesty. The Muslim-Arab concept of modesty is very different than in the West and even male tourists are targeted for the Waqf garb. For this reason, this is more common in the summer when people tend to dress in more revealing clothing.”

“Since it was clearly intended to be humiliating, the Women for the Temple made modest skirts available for women,” he added. “But since the police intentionally separate Israeli Jews from tourists, the skirts have not been made available to tourists.”

Women for the Temple is the division of Beyadenu that deals with Temple Mount issues specific to women.

Immodestly dressed tourists at the site have generated Muslim ire in the past. Israel365 News obtained photos from the Norwegian pastor and also pictures taken at different times by Beyadenu tour guides. The Christian tourists in the photos did not appear to be immodestly dressed. 

HISTORY OF YELLOW GARMENT
Barak suggested a different motive behind the peculiar garments with the prominent yellow stripe. He explained that in the ninth century, Umayyad Caliph Umar II published the “Pact of Omar” which detailed the conditions under which the Jews and Christians were permitted to live within Islam. This Islamic code of laws allowed the protégés to live safely, manage their communities and even authorized religious worship but under certain restrictions. Jews, Christians, and Samaritans were not allowed to build new prayer houses, ride horses, hold religious worship in public and, among other things, were required to wear clothes different from those of Muslims in the public sphere. 

Visitors at the Temple Mount wearing yellow garments. Courtesy of Beyadenu.
In the Baghdad Caliphate, non-Muslims were ordered to wear yellow pieces of clothing.

During the Mamluk rule in the thirteenth-sixteenth centuries, non-Muslims, referred to as Dhimmi, were forced to wear clothes that distinguished them from the Muslims. Jews were required to wear yellow turbans, the Christians blue turbans, and the Samaritans wore red. Alternatively, Christians were required to wear a yellow belt called a Zunār. 

As recently as 2001, Afghanistan’s Hindus were required to wear yellow badges to segregate “un-Islamic” and “idolatrous” communities from Islamic ones.

Dr. Mordechai Kedar, a senior lecturer on Arabic culture at Bar-Ilan University who served for 25 years in IDF Military Intelligence, specializing in Islamic groups, does not agree that the yellow garment is a form of Zunār.

“The Waqf is fighting two battles,” Dr. Kedar explained. “They want to dominate the Jews and control the Temple Mount. They do this by actively abusing and confronting the Israelis in every way they can, on all fronts. But at the same time, they are fighting a public relations propaganda battle. They want to present themselves to the world as a peace-loving oppressed minority. So the Waqf gives this distinctive clothing to tourists as a sign to their people not to attack or abuse them.”

“The Palestinians present one face to Israelis and another very different face to the outside world,” Dr. Kedar emphasized.

MUSLIM MONOPOLY AT TEMPLE MOUNT
While Israeli law mandates equality and freedom of religion at holy sites, the Israeli police enforce restrictions on the Temple Mount due to threats of Muslim-Arab violence in response to a Jewish presence at the site. Israeli Jews are limited in the times they can visit the site, must undergo a background check and a search, and may not bring ritual objects or books onto the site. Israeli flags and nationalist images are prohibited. They may not pray or perform any rituals. They are only permitted to enter the site via one gate and must adhere to a strict time frame and path. They must remain in limited groups and are accompanied at all times by a police officer for their safety and ensure they adhere to the restrictions. 

Similar restrictions apply also to tourists, Jewish and Christian alike. Tourists are only allowed to enter the Temple Mount through one gate (the Mughrabim/Hillel Gate), creating very long lines. There are no directions or signs leading to the Temple Mount at the entrance in Hebrew or in English. While they are permitted to wander the site freely, they are not offered police accompaniment which leaves them open to harassment by Arabs at the site.

Akiva Ariel, a spokesman for Beyadenu, explained that non-Israeli visitors are not given instructions at the site. While the Israeli police will not prevent them from praying or performing rituals at the site, Ariel has overheard tour guides instructing their groups to refrain. Christian tourists who violate this have been verbally and even physically assaulted by Muslims at the site. 

Nisani stated that the situation was dangerous and unacceptable.

“The Israeli police neglect the tourists,” Nisani said. “There is no protection of Tourists on the Temple Mount. Israel is opening the door for the humiliation and assault of Christian tourists every day. The Israeli police’s only concern is to ensure that religious Jews adhere to the political ‘status quo’ This comes at the expense of the security of the tourists of all religions.”

The Israeli police responded to an inquiry by Israel365 News about the Waqf treatment of non-Muslim tourists at the Temple Mount:

“The Israel Police are responsible for ensuring the security and order on the Temple Mount, in accordance with long-standing established hours and rules. Security operations are conducted based on the situation and a range of considerations, using a variety of resources and methods, with a focus on the safety of all visitors, whether they are Jews, Christians, tourists, or Israelis. The Israel Police will continue to maintain order and ensure the safety of all visitors to the Temple Mount.”


https://www.israel365news.com/365193/bill-re-extending-israeli-laws-to-citizens-in-judea-and-samaria-passes-first-reading/?
Bill re-extending Israeli laws to citizens in Judea and Samaria passes first reading
He brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey.
DEUTERONOMY 26:9 (THE ISRAEL BIBLE)
A bill seeking to apply Israeli criminal and various civil laws to communities located in Area C of Judea and Samaria passed its first reading in the Knesset on Tuesday.
The proposed legislation seeks to renew a set of “emergency” regulations enacted in the aftermath of the 1967 Six-Day War, meant to be reapproved every five years but which were last approved in 2017.
Israel’s previous government did not renew the regulations due to opposition from members of the coalition, specifically the left-wing Meretz and Islamist Ra’am parties.

However, they were automatically extended when the government fell in June, and remain in effect for three months after the date of the swearing-in of the new government.

 The “Law to Extend the Emergency Regulations (Judea and Samaria—Jurisdiction and Legal Aid 5727-1967)” effectively applies Israeli jurisdiction to citizens living in Judea and Samaria, including as it relates to obligations such as paying taxes and fulfilling mandatory military service, as well as the extension of rights such as national and state health insurance.
The law also delineates the legal powers of state authorities in Palestinian Authority-controlled territories.
The bill will now move to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee for approval before returning to the plenum for its final two readings.
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https://www.israel365news.com/365208/christians-and-jews-join-in-mourning-pioneer-zionist-pastor-jack-hayford/?
Christians and Jews join in mourning pioneer Zionist Pastor Jack Hayford
The death of His faithful ones is grievous in Hashem's sight.
PSALMS 116:15
(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)
Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz
ADAM ELIYAHU BERKOWITZ
CHRISTIAN ZIONISM
JANUARY 10, 2023
3 MIN READ
Home » Christians and Jews join in mourning pioneer Zionist Pastor Jack Hayford
CHRISTIAN ZIONISM
Pastor Jack Hayford, a pioneer in Christian Zionism, passed away at the age of 88 on Sunday.
Pastor Hayford was an American author, Pentecostal minister, and Chancellor Emeritus of The King’s University in Texas. Pastor Hayford spent 30 years ministering at The Church On The Way in Van Nuys, California which has grown to more than 12,000 members. He is also known for writing more than 500 songs including the popular hymn “Majesty”, which is rated as one of the top 100 contemporary hymns and performed and sung in churches worldwide. He was also a prolific and best-selling writer, authoring or co-authoring more than fifty books.

Pastor Hayford was a founding pioneer in the pro-Israel movement in Christianity. He led faith-based tours to Israel, leading thousands of Christians to the Holy Land at least 40 times.

His Christian love of Israel was perhaps best expressed in an article he wrote in 2002 titled, “Why Stand With Israel Today?”

“Israel is a land about which God says uniquely, prophetically, redemptively, and repeatedly in the Bible ‘This is Mine’,” the article began. “God refers to Israel as He does to no other land on Earth. Israel was raised up to be a light to the Gentiles.”

“The Church at its inception was virtually entirely Jewish, and it remained so until the Gospel began to spread,” it continued.

“We are living in a sobering moment in history that calls us, as believers in Jesus Christ, to take a stand with Israel,” the pastor wrote. “We could be people of the last hour. We are not to be passive in the face of prophecy; we are called to pray with passion, to intercede, and to minister according to the words of the Savior who said it is not our task to speculate when the end will be. It is our responsibility to do Kingdom business until He comes (Luke 19:13).

The pastor argued that his call was not about politics.

“This is about the Word of God, but the political ramifications are extremely dramatic,” he explained. “Scripture declares there will come a time when all the nations of the world will turn against Israel. It is so highly conceivable this could happen in our time that it is critical to outline why we should stand with Israel today.”

Pastor Hayford then outlined eight reasons Christians should stand with Israel. Among the reasons, he emphasized that the covenant God made with the Biblical patriarchs concerning the land of Israel is still in effect today. He also stated that the threats to the Jews and Israel are also directed at Christians today. 

David Nekrutman, the author of “Your Sabbath Invitation”, has been building bridges between Israel-loving Christians and Jews. He wrote a touching tribute to Pastor Hayford on his Facebook page.

“I just heard the news of Pastor Hayford’s passing,” Nekrutman wrote. “To the Hayford family and all those who have been influenced by him; May God comfort you.”

“I had the honor to meet pastor Hayford in May of 2002, during my time as director of Christian affairs at the Israeli consulate in New York, he flew in for a major meeting of Christian leaders at the consulate to meet with the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Rabbi Michael Melchior, which was coordinated by Bishop Robert Stearns and me.

Nekrutman related to Pastor Hayford’s role in establishing the Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem.

“It was Pastor Hayford, who suggested that the day should be near the Day of Atonement,” Nekrutman wrote. “His reasoning was that although the individual Christian is not convicted by the church’s past history of anti-Semitism toward the Jewish people, we have a responsibility to ensure that it never happens again. The Day of Atonement will remind us of this responsibility.”

“Thank you, Pastor Hayford, for years of service to the kingdom of God, as well as standing in the gap for Israel,” Nekrutman concluded. “This included a love for all who live in the land.”

Jonathan Feldstein, the president of Run for Zion, was a friend of Pastor Hayford and was influenced by his love for Israel.

“Pastor Jack was known for many things, including his unabashed love for Israel and the Jewish people,” Feldstein said. “This support was not simply on an individual basis between the pastor and a select group of friends. He set the standard for many in the church today. His physical and theological fingerprints are all over Israel today. He supported Israel and the Jews because God commanded him to bless Israel. But it was also a constant source of spiritual inspiration for him.”

“I didn’t get to speak with him often but when I did, he had an incredible ability to make me feel like I was the only person in the world at that moment. But he also made it clear that through me he was connecting to all of Jewish history and the Jewish people.” 

According to Feldstein, the pastor “embodied a remarkable level of grace that was magnified in his interactions related to Israel.” 

“I got to experience this through his enthusiastic support and endorsement of projects I was working on,” he said. “It was simply magnificent to be in his presence. These were conversations that I will cherish for the rest of my life.”

https://www.israel365news.com/365156/us-and-israel-must-stand-together-on-iran-netanyahu-tells-aipac-conference/?

US and Israel must ‘stand together’ on Iran, Netanyahu tells AIPAC conference
He brought us to this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey.
DEUTERONOMY 26:9
(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)
US-ISRAEL RELATIONS
JANUARY 10, 2023
< 1 MIN READ
Home » US and Israel must ‘stand together’ on Iran, Netanyahu tells AIPAC conference
AIPAC BENJAMIN NETANYAHU IRAN
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the AIPAC Political Leadership Forum through a video call from his office in the Knesset on Monday, speaking about the importance of U.S.-Israel cooperation on Iran in the pro-Israel lobbying group’s first major conference since the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The time has come for Israel and the United States, along with other countries, to stand together, and I look forward to discussing this with President Biden and his team,” said Netanyahu. “Today, more people agree on the issue than ever before.”

Netanyahu was met with a standing ovation from conference attendees, including 1,000 pro-Israel activists and senior AIPAC management.

The prime minister said that people around the globe are now seeing the Iranian regime’s internal repression of its citizens. Demonstrations are taking place across the country following the death of 22-year-old Kurdish Iranian woman Mahsa Amini in the custody of the regime’s morality police. Amini was arrested for not wearing her hijab in accordance with government standards.

“So now, because of the brave men and women of Iran, the entire world sees what we’ve been talking about, that this is a terrible, repressive, terrorist regime,” said Netanyahu.

He also said that he is working to expand the “circle of peace,” describing diplomatic efforts between Israel and its Arab neighbors.

https://www.israel365news.com/365026/ben-gvir-orders-police-to-enforce-ban-on-flying-palestinian-flags-in-solidarity-with-terrorists/?
Home » Ben-Gvir orders police to enforce ban on flying Palestinian flags in solidarity with terrorists


ITAMAR BEN-GVIR PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY
Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir on Sunday directed police to enforce an existing ban on the flying of Palestinian flags to identify with terrorist groups.

“We will fight terrorism and the encouragement of terrorism with all our might,” Ben-Gvir tweeted Sunday.

The decision comes in the wake of the homecoming ceremony in the Arab village of Ar’ara on Thursday for Karim Younis, who was released from prison earlier that day after completing a 40-year sentence for murder. Younis was convicted in 1983 for the murder of Israel Defense Forces Cpl. Avraham Bromberg.

The compound where the homecoming was held was decorated with P.L.O. flags, and Younis himself also carried one.

Flying the P.L.O. flag in public is not on its own a criminal offense in Israel. However, police have the authority to take them down if they are displayed in solidarity or sympathy with a terror group, or if there is a high probability that leaving the flag up will result in a public disturbance.

https://www.israel365news.com/365045/russian-general-accuses-israel-of-harvesting-organs-in-ukraine/
Russian General accuses Israel of harvesting organs in Ukraine
But for your own life-blood I will require a reckoning: I will require it of every beast; of man, too, will I require a reckoning for human life, of every man for that of his fellow man!
GENESIS 9:5
(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)
Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz
ADAM ELIYAHU BERKOWITZ
ANTISEMITISM, UKRAINE-RUSSIA WAR
JANUARY 9, 2023
Home » Russian General accuses Israel of harvesting organs in Ukraine

RUSSIA RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR UKRAINE
In a recent interview, a Russian general accused the Ukrainian military of harvesting the organs of Russian POWs and sending them to labs in Israel. After being divested of their organs, the bodies were burned “like in Auschwitz” since “they are heirs of Hitler.”

Ynet News reported on Thursday that in an interview with Russian outlet Moskovskij Komsomolets, retired Major General of Police, and ex-head of the Russian Central Bureau of Interpol Vladimir Ovchinsky that the Ukrainian military collects human organs that were harvested from the dead and wounded in the war. These organs, taken from Russian prisoners of war and even Ukrainian civilians while they are still alive, are sent overseas for processing, destined to be used as organ transplants. 

“The most effective and successful ‘workshops’ are located in four countries – Turkey, India, Israel and South Korea,” Ovchinsky said. “Israel is also a leader in the field of innovative medical techniques, which are used throughout the world. The clinics of this country successfully perform organ transplant operations.”

He claimed that this was the motive behind Israel providing medical equipment to Ukraine for its war effort.

He was asked what is done with the bodies after the viable organs are harvested.

“They burn them like in Auschwitz or Dachau, they are after all heirs of Hitler,” Ovchinsly said. “There is also information about mobile crematoria to burn the remains of people whose organs were removed.”

Ovchinsky claimed that networks of “black-market” medical businesses have prospered in Ukraine under the cover of international humanitarian organizations.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry said in response: “We consider the attempts to tarnish Israel with such baseless atrocity publications very severe. The Israeli embassy in Moscow will raise the issue with the relevant officials in the Russian government. The ministry brought the issue in front of the Russian ambassador.”

These libelous accusations of Israeli organ harvesting come from both sides of the conflict and have been perpetuated in major media. In December 2009, Haaretz reported that several Ukrainian Web sites claimed Israel brought some 25,000 Ukrainian children into the country over the course of two years in order to harvest their organs. The online articles cited a Ukrainian philosophy professor based in Kyiv. 

Haaretz reported that the online rumors began following a report in a Swedish tabloid alleging that Israel Defense Forces soldiers have killed Palestinian civilians for their organs. This came at the same time that Egyptian media reported that Israeli doctors were barred from attending a medical conference in Egypt due to claims that Israel was harvesting the organs of Palestinians.These unsubstantiated claims are consistent with ancient and recurring blood libels falsely accusing Jews of murdering Christian boys in order to use their blood in the performance of religious rituals, typically for use in baking Matzot for Passover. Most such libels took place in the Middle Ages and resulted in deadly pogroms.

https://www.israel365news.com/365007/us-returns-looted-artifact-to-the-pa-some-experts-question-the-decision/?
US returns looted artifact to the PA. Some experts question the decision
And Hashem shall be king over all the earth; in that day there shall be one Hashem with one name.
ZECHARIAH14:9
(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)

Rossella Tercatin
ROSSELLA TERCATIN
ARCHEOLOGY, US-ISRAEL RELATIONS
JANUARY 8, 2023
Home » US returns looted artifact to the PA. Some experts question the decision
ARCHAEOLOGY PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY
Alooted Assyrian ivory cosmetic spoon dating back to some 2,700 years ago was handed over to the Palestinian Authority by the Manhattan District Attorney on Thursday.  Some experts however expressed perplexity about the decision, calling it “political” rather than based on scientific reasons.

The artifact was seized pursuant to a multi-national criminal investigation into American Jewish billionaire and philanthropist Michael Steinhardt, together with some other 180 stolen antiquities. According to the DA press release, the object was used to ladle incense onto fires as offerings to the gods or the dead and was found in El Kom. El Kom, also known as Al Kum, is a Palestinian village some 13 kilometers south of Hebron. An archaeological site in the area, known as Khirbet el-Qom, revealed several remains from a similar period, including two Hebrew inscriptions that refer to the God of Israel. The site was part of the biblical Kingdom of Judah.

“It is impossible to put a value on the cultural and historical significance of looted antiquities and I thank our talented team of attorneys and investigators who are continuing their incredible work of returning these objects to where they rightfully belong,” said District Attorney Alvin Bragg. 

 “The US Office of Palestinian Affairs is proud to facilitate the return of this rare antiquity, an example of Palestinian cultural patrimony,” the Chief of the US Office of Palestinian Affairs George Noll stated during the ceremony at the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities in Bethlehem, as reported by the PA news agency Wafa. “This is a historic moment between the American and Palestinian people and a demonstration of our belief in the power of cultural exchanges in building mutual understanding, respect, and partnership.”

According to the statement by the DA, the spoon first surfaced on the international art market in 2003, when Steinhardt acquired the artifact from Gil Chaya, an Israeli antiquities dealer. The move, the statement highlights marks “the first time a cultural object has been returned to the Palestinian people from the United States.”

Two experts however expressed perplexity at the US authorities’ decision to return the object to the PA.

“This is a political issue, not a scientific one,” said Hebrew University archaeologist Yosef Garfinkel.

“It is good that stolen antiquities are returned to their countries of origin,” he added, “but as this is a looted object how do you know where it came from? Maybe it was looted in Jordan or Lebanon or Israel? We only have the story told to the buyer by the antiquity dealer.”

Garfinkel also emphasized that while he could only see a picture of the spoon, he had never seen something similar unearthed in the region.

Dr. Scott Stripling, director of excavations for the Associates for Biblical Research (ABR) at ancient Shiloh and provost at the Bible Seminary in Katy (Texas), echoed Garfinkel’s doubts.

“I don’t know how anyone could prove that that particular artifact came from the Hebron area if it hasn’t undergone scientific testing,” he said. “Unless there’s some evidence that they have, it seems to me that it [the decision] is merely political, that the Biden administration is looking for an opportunity to recognize the Palestinian Authority.”

“This is something that’s never been done before,” he added.

In March, another 39 artifacts seized from Steinhardt’s collections were returned to Israel, including two 7,000-year-old gold masks. Other artifacts were repatriated to Jordan and Greece, the Associated Press


  https://www.israel365news.com/365119/recent-study-reveals-secret-of-roman-magnificent-buildings/?
Recent study reveals secret of Roman magnificent buildings
Unless Hashem builds the house, its builders labor in vain on it; unless Hashem watches over the city, the watchman keeps vigil in vain.
PSALMS 127:1
(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)
Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz
ADAM ELIYAHU BERKOWITZ
ARCHEOLOGY
JANUARY 9, 2023
3 MIN READ
Home » Recent study reveals secret of Roman magnificent buildings
ARCHAEOLOGY CAESAREA
Modern concrete has a lifespan of fewer than 100 years, so it is a mystery that Roman structures made from concrete are still holding up. A recent study may have solved this mystery.
Romans were master builders who left their mark all across the ancient world. Their influence is still evident today thanks to a material known as pozzolanic concrete. Thanks to the unique properties of this concrete, Romans were able to build larger, more complex-shaped architectural structures for purposes that were not previously possible, including constructions in the sea. And remarkably, many of these structures are still standing.

The material gets its name from its principal component; volcanic ash which is predominant in the Italian city of Pozzuoli. The ash is mixed with sand, quicklime (burned limestone), ceramic fragments (cocciopesto), or another pozzolana. An team of researchers from Harvard University, and laboratories in Italy and Switzerland and led by Prof. Admir Masic from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) found that not only are the materials slightly different from what we may have thought, but the techniques used to mix them were also different. Water was added in a process called hot mixing that raised the temperature of the mixture to up to 200 degrees.

Roman concrete is less uniform than modern concrete, containing tiny granules of white calcium, called lime clasts, that don’t dissolve but remain trapped in the concrete.

“The idea that the presence of these lime clasts was simply attributed to low quality control always bothered me,” Masic told Eureka Alert. “If the Romans put so much effort into making an outstanding construction material, following all of the detailed recipes that had been optimized over the course of many centuries, why would they put so little effort into ensuring the production of a well-mixed final product? There has to be more to this story.”
Masic and his team collected samples of concrete from Privernum, an ancient settlement 100 kilometers south of Rome, and studied the mortar’s composition using electron microscopy and x-ray spectroscopy. They discovered that cracks in the concrete had been filled with calcium carbonate, the same material as the lime clasts.
They understood that if water runs through the fissures, it dissolves the calcium in the lime clasts. The calcium then precipitates and recrystallizes along the cracks, eventually sealing them.

This self-healing property allows Roman concrete to remain durable in a variety of environments including direct and extended contact with saltwater. By the middle of the first century CE, the principles of underwater construction in concrete were well-known to Roman builders. The Israeli Mediterranean port city of Caesarea was the earliest known example to have made use of underwater Roman concrete technology on such a large scale. One of the outstanding features of the city is the harbor which is protected by a massive breakwater that was formed using enormous rocks and concrete. At the time of its completion, it was the largest artificial harbor ever built in the open sea. It is regarded as one of the most remarkable examples of Roman engineering of the Augustan Age. Parts of the underwater concrete construction, which are visible today, show little erosion or damage 2000 years later.


The scientists tested their hypotheses by making cylinders of Roman concrete using the hot mixing technique. After the concrete set, they intentionally cracked it, separating the two halves by .5 millimeters, and running water over it. After a few weeks, the cracks had sealed themselves. Control sets of modern concrete cylinders remained separated.
The researchers hope that replacing current techniques with Roman concrete will positively affect the environment. Modern concrete, the most common building material in use today, is a mixture of sand, gravel, water and so-called Portland cement. Portland cement is made by burning limestone, clay and other materials in kilns that reach temperatures of more than 1,400 degrees centigrade. This process releases up to 1 metric ton of CO2e emissions per metric ton of produced material. The production of Portland cement accounts for up to 8% of total global greenhouse gas emissions. By reverting to Roman concrete, the resulting extended use life, combined with a reduction in the need for extensive repair, could thus reduce the environmental impact and improve the economic life cycle of modern cementitious constructs.

https://www.israel365news.com/365041/israel-moves-ahead-with-transfer-of-pa-funds-to-terror-victims/?
Israel moves ahead with transfer of PA funds to terror victims
Comfort, oh comfort My people, Says your God.
ISAIAH40:1
(THE ISRAEL BIBLE) JNS
ISRAEL NEWS, TERROR WATCH
JANUARY 9, 2023
< 1 MIN READ
Home » Israel moves ahead with transfer of PA funds to terror victims
BEZALEL SMOTRICH PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY
Israel on Sunday transferred 138.8 million shekels ($39.5 million) of revenues collected for the Palestinian Authority to the victims of terrorism and their families.
At a press conference on Sunday, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said, “We promised to fix this, and today we are correcting an injustice. This is an important day for morality, for justice and for the fight against terrorism. There is no greater justice than offsetting the funds of the Authority, that acts to support terrorism, and transferring them to the families of the victims of terrorism.”

The P.A. pays monthly stipends to Palestinians, and/or their families, for carrying out terrorist attacks against Israel. In 2021, the P.A. paid out an estimated 512 million shekels ($157 million) as part of this “pay for slay” policy.

Asked if the move would strengthen P.A. rival Hamas, Smotrich said, “The group weakening the P.A. is the P.A. itself, which chooses to be involved in and encourage terrorism and the murder of Israeli citizens.”

In response to a question regarding the possible economic collapse of the P.A., Smotrich replied, “As long as the Palestinian Authority encourages terrorism and is an enemy, what interest do I have in helping it exist?”

The Israeli government’s decision to transfer P.A. terror funds to victims of terror was one of several announced on Friday in the wake of the P.A.’s latest act of lawfare against the Jewish state.
On Dec. 30, the P.A. orchestrated a United Nations General Assembly resolution urging the International Court of Justice to render an advisory opinion on Israel’s “prolonged occupation” of Palestinian territory.

https://www.israel365news.com/365048/christian-birthright-celebrates-10000-participants/
‘Christian Birthright’ celebrates 10,000 participants
All the nations of the earth shall bless themselves by your descendants, because you have obeyed My command.
GENESIS 22:18
(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)
STAFF WRITER CHRISTIAN ZIONISM
JANUARY 9, 2023
Home » ‘Christian Birthright’ celebrates 10,000 participants

BIRTHRIGHT ISRAEL CHRISTIAN ZIONISM
Aprogram aimed at bringing Christian college students to visit Israel celebrated its 10,000th participant this week at an event in Jerusalem. Dubbed the “Christian birthright,” the group organizes subsidized trips to the country to present to the participants “both the ancient roots of their biblical faith and a modern and thriving Israel firsthand.”

The initiative was established in 2016 after its founders noted that most tours to Israel cater to older generations. The goal was to create a project for younger Christians, also in light of the fact that support for Israel among them had begun to wane. The group partners with Christian universities and colleges and plans to start working with public schools in the near future.

“We are at a unique moment in history, where Jews and Christians can come together for the first time and create positive and impactful experiences,” said Rivka Kidron, co-founder of Passages. “Now more than ever, Jews and Christians have to come together around our shared values and stand up for what’s right in this world.”

Passages is an initiative by the Philos Project, an organization that describes itself as seeking “to promote positive Christian engagement in the Near East by creating leaders, building community, and taking action in the spirit of the Hebraic Tradition.”

During winter 2022 it brought to Israel 450 from dozens of universities including University of Chicago, Patrick Henry College, The King’s College, Hannibal LaGrange University and Regent University.
“Unfortunately, anti-Semitism is on the rise, and I think we need each other now more than ever,” Kidron said. “I feel very blessed to be here and living here at this moment, and share it with you.”

People in biblical Levant paid in silver 3,600 years ago, study shows
My lord, do hear me! A piece of land worth four hundred shekalim of silver—what is that between you and me? Go and bury your dead.”
GENESIS23:15
(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)
https://www.israel365news.com/365003/people-in-biblical-levant-paid-in-silver-3600-years-ago-study-shows/?
Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz
ADAM ELIYAHU BERKOWITZ
ARCHEOLOGY
JANUARY 8, 2023
Home » People in biblical Levant paid in silver 3,600 years ago, study shows

ARCHAEOLOGY HEBREW UNIVERSITY UNIVERSITY OF HAIFA
The use of silver as a means of payment in the Levant began about 500 years earlier than previously thought, a new study has shown. But since silver is not found in the region, the practice required active trade with Turkey to import the precious metal.

Archaeological records show that the use of silver pieces as a pre-monetary currency seems to have begun in the third millennium BCE in Anatolia, Mesopotamia, and Syria. Previous theories stated that this practice came to the southern Levant in the Iron Age about 3,200 years ago. But  a new joint study by the University of Haifa and the Hebrew University concluded that the use of silver as currency began in the region as much as 3,700 years ago in the Middle Bronze Age.

The study identified Anatolia, Turkey as the source from which the silver came, which indicates continuous and long-term trade with Asia Minor. 

“Moving to an economic method based on silver, which does not spoil and has a small volume and weight compared to, for example, grain, brings with it many advantages and new possibilities that will surely contribute to the urban and economic development of the entire area,” said Dr. Tzila Eshel from the University of Haifa, who led the study. As such, silver and gold were reserved for large exchanges. 

“However, it also requires that the silver continue to arrive frequently, evidence of long trade relations with Anatolia, which were unknown to researchers until now.” 

Previously, a silver hoard was found in a cultic site in Nahariya, Israel’s north, dating to the early Middle Bronze Age about 4,000 years ago. But the silver discovered there was composed of silver sheet figurines, metal tools, thin sheets, and scrap. The silver was used for metal-working and clearly not intended for use as currency.

Similar non-currency hoards of silver dating to that period were found in northern Israeli settlements such as Dan, Beth She’an, Megiddo, and Gezer.

The use of silver as a means of payment was known in Mesopotamia as early as the third millennium BCE, however,  it was previously believed that in the southern Levant region, known in the Bible as the Land of Canaan, the use of silver only began in the Iron Age, starting from the 12th century BCE. Silver trading between Hazor in Israel and Mari in Syria is mentioned in financial documents found in Hazor from the Middle Bronze Age.

The silver pieces were unpolished and unformed, clearly indicating that they were not jewelry or ornamental objects. Unlike the previous hoards, no silversmithing tools were found. The fact that they were usually found together, wrapped in cloth, and kept in pottery, indicates that they were used as a means of payment.

The team of researchers was composed of Dr. Eshel together with Prof. Yigal Aral and Prof. Naama Yahlom-Mack from the Hebrew University and Prof. Ayelet Gilboa from the University of Haifa.  

In the current study, the researchers examined silver hoards from Tel Shiloh and Tel Gezer, which were dated to the end of the Middle Bronze Age, from the 17th century BCE, and hoards from Tell al-Ajjul, which were dated to the beginning of the Late Bronze Age, to the 16th century BCE. 

“In the first step, we had to establish that these were indeed silver pieces used for payment,” the researchers said. “Their shape, the fact that many of them looked like bracelets made in pieces sizes that were not for ornamental use, and the fact that they were found in public areas, inside a warehouse or near the city gate, led us to assume that they were indeed in silver pieces used for trade.”

The second step was to determine if it was a widespread phenomenon and not a sporadic and unrepresentative case. According to the researchers, the amount of silver found in the hoards in Shiloh and Gezer was not small. In addition, in old excavation reports of Tel Gezer, another significant number of silver hoards were discovered from the Middle and Late Bronze Ages which indicated a large distribution of silver throughout the region.

“The initial belief was that the use of silver as a means of payment was a phenomenon that characterized the Iron Age, but as soon as we examined it in depth, we saw that the use of silver already existed since the Middle Bronze Age,” the researchers concluded. “The amount of silver in the hoards at Tell el Ajjul illustrated this very well. In these hoards, gold ornaments were also found. However, when we examined the composition of the hoards, it turned out that there were many more pieces of silver and the gold objects were the minority,” said the researchers.

After coming to the conclusion that the quantities of silver indicated its widespread use as a means of payment, and since silver does not occur naturally in the Levant, it is therefore a result of long-distance, usually maritime trade. To identify the source of silver, a lead isotope analysis (LIA) test was performed and compared to the isotopic composition of ores of known origin, as well as to other silver objects. In the examination carried out by the researchers, a similarity was found to ores originating in Anatolia, as well as to ancient silver objects found in excavations in Anatolia. In addition, other findings found in the vicinity of the hoards, such as an ax head or a pendant, which apparently originate from Anatolia, led the researchers to the conclusion that the most likely source of the silver was there.

“This is the first evidence that there was a continuous and long-term trade of metals from the Levant region to Anatolia already in the 17th century BCE,” the researchers conclude. “We know for sure that in the Iron Age, this trade existed, but our findings move the beginning of such trade in metals back at least 500 years.”

In Egypt, gold and copper, rather than silver, were the main means of exchange during this time. The use of silver in the north, in Mesopotamia and Anatolia, is known from a much earlier period, so it makes sense that the increase of trade with these regions in the Middle Bronze Age also brought with it the use of the payment methods from these regions,” concluded the researchers.

Silver pieces were used by Abraham to purchase the Machpelah Cave in Hebron (Gen. 23:15). Many scholars believe this purchase took place around 2,000 BCE.

The research was made possible thanks to the cooperation of the researchers with Dr. Tzvika Tzuk, from the joint expedition for excavations in the Tel Gezer National Park of the Nature and Parks Authority and the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary under the auspices of the Antiquities Authority, and the Rockefeller Museum. The research was funded by a grant from the Gerda Henkel Foundation, the Rottenstreich Foundation, and internal grants at the University of Haifa and the Hebrew University.

https://www.israel365news.com/364925/biden-state-department-slams-israel-for-allowing-jewish-minister-to-visit-temple-mount/
 Biden State Department slams Israel for allowing Jewish Minister to visit Temple Mount
The impious man destroys his neighbor through speech, But through their knowledge the righteous are rescued.
PROVERBS11:9
(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)
US-ISRAEL RELATIONS
JANUARY 6, 2023
< 1 MIN READ
Home » Biden State Department slams Israel for allowing Jewish Minister to visit Temple Mount

ITAMAR BEN-GVIR TEMPLE MOUNT US STATE DEPARTMENT
U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price this week accused Israel of actions that could provoke Palestinian violence.

“We are deeply concerned by the visit of the Israeli minister at the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif. This visit has the potential of exacerbating tensions and lead to violence,” Price said.
On Tuesday, Israeli Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir visited the Temple Mount.
U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) responded to Price’s statement via Twitter, saying, “If the Biden Administration is concerned about violence in Israel, they should condemn the Palestinian terrorists causing it. Not our Israeli friends.”

Omri Ceren, national security adviser to Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), responded, “Team Biden has strong opinions on where elected Israeli government officials walk around in their own country.”

When Ben-Gvir’s intended visit was announced on Sunday, Hamas proclaimed that violence could result, threatening it would “blow up the situation.” Hamas spokesperson Abd al-Latif al-Qanou insisted that the “criminal Ben-Gvir’s announcement of his intention to storm Al-Aqsa Mosque reflects the arrogance of the fascist settler government and its premeditated intentions to escalate incursions and attacks on Al-Aqsa Mosque with the aim of dividing it.”

Numerous Muslim countries, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Turkey also issued condemnations of the visit. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas vowed he would demand a Security Council resolution on the matter.

Ben-Gvir remained undeterred by the Islamist terror group’s threats of violence. He tweeted on Tuesday (translated from Hebrew), “The Israeli government of which I am a member will not surrender to a vile murdering organization. The Temple Mount is open to everyone and if Hamas thinks that if it threatens me it will deter me, let them understand that times have changed. There is a government in Jerusalem!”

https://www.israel365news.com/364907/democratic-congressman-calls-netanyahu-government-apartheid-terrorist-regime/?
Democratic Congressman calls Netanyahu Government “Apartheid Terrorist Regime”
A ruler who listens to lies, All his ministers will be wicked.
PROVERBS 29:12
(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)
Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz US-ISRAEL RELATIONS
JANUARY 5, 2023
2 MIN READ
Home » Democratic Congressman calls Netanyahu Government “Apartheid Terrorist Regime”
ANTISEMITISM CONGRESSMAN GENOCIDE
Congresswoman Jamie Zahlaway Belsito, a Democrat representing Massachusetts’ 4th Essex district, posted a tweet on Friday slandering Israel’s new coalition government under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, accusing Israel of carrying out “genocide” against the Palestinians.

Jamie Zahlaway Belsito (Photo via Wikipedia)

Belsito is an Arab American and has a Palestinian, Syrian, and Ukrainian flag on her Twitter profile but no US flag. She has a history of anti-Zionist comments and remarks. A week prior to the previously mentioned tweet, she posted on Twitter accusing Israel of genocide. 
Her accusation is counterfactual. According to a 2020 review of Palestinian population statistics by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics, despite accusations of Israeli-perpetrated genocide, “the number of Palestinians in the world has doubled more than nine times since…[the founding of the modern state of Israel in] 1948.” Furthermore, “more than half of them [were living] in historical Palestine [as of the end of 2019], where their number reached 6.64 million.”

Earlier last month, she tweeted that she had watched the HBO movie Farha which portrayed a fictional account of Israel’s actions in the 1948 War of Independence. The film portrayed the Israeli forces murdering an Arab family. Belsito reacted to the film by referring to the Nakba, an Arabic word used to describe the creation of the state of Israel as a “catastrophe.”

“The truth cannot be silenced,” Belsito tweeted. “1948 European British Zionists created a hell on earth. This movie is about visceral hate, ethnic cleansing, terrorism and apartheid.”


https://www.israel365news.com/364886/minister-proposes-revoking-terrorists-israeli-citizenship/?
Minister proposes revoking terrorist’s Israeli citizenship
Whoever sheds the blood of man, By man shall his blood be shed; For in His image Did Hashem make man.
GENESIS 9:3
(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)
TERROR WATCH
JANUARY 5, 2023
< 1 MIN READ
Home » Minister proposes revoking terrorist’s Israeli citizenship
Interior Minister Aryeh Deri requested on Wednesday that Israeli citizenship be revoked for two Palestinian terrorists who murdered an IDF soldier 40 years ago.

Brothers Maher and Karim Younis murdered Cpl. Avraham Bromberg on his way home in 1980, and the two terrorists are set to be released in the coming days after spending four decades in jail.

“It’s unthinkable that these kinds of people will continue to hold Israeli citizenship,” Deri wrote in a letter to Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, reported Ynet.

“Canceling their citizenship will send an important message when it comes to those who have become symbols of committing terrorist and criminal acts. This [move] has legal validity in circumstances when people use their Israeli citizenship to harm the State of Israel and its citizens,” Deri added.

The two terrorists assaulted the 20-year-old soldier, stole his weapon, shot him in the head and left him on the side of the road. In critical condition, he was moved to Haifa’s Rambam Health Care Campus, where he died four days later on Dec. 1, 1980.

https://www.israel365news.com/364834/temple-mount-activists-petition-ben-gvir-to-permit-passover-sacrifice/
Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz
ADAM ELIYAHU BERKOWITZ
BIBLICAL NEWS
JANUARY 4, 2023
4 MIN READ
Home » Temple Mount activists petition Ben Gvir to permit Passover sacrifice
PASSOVER TEMPLE MOUNT
In the wake of National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir (Otzma Yehudit Party) ascending to the Temple Mount to commemorate the Tenth of Tevet on Tuesday, the Return to the Mount activist group petitioned the minister to permit the Biblical Passover offering at Judaism’s holiest site. 

Rafael Morris, the head of Return to the Mount, told Israel365 News that there is actually strong grassroots support for reinstating the Passover offering on the Temple Mount.

“We have lots of people, private and even in the government, that support this quietly but who are scared to say so in public,” Morris said. “And there’s no reason why we shouldn’t do it.”

Morris pointed to the exponential growth in the number of Jews ascending to the Temple Mount.

“One hundred years ago, it would have been crazy and an incitement of the Arabs to talk about a Jewish state in Israel,” Morris said.”Eighty years ago it was a crazy incitement to talk about Jews praying at the Kotel (Western Wall) or Hebron. The Korban Pesach (Passover sacrifice) is a Biblical commandment the Jewish people perform for thousands of years in Jerusalem. It is the most normal thing.”

“Where we are today, to bring the Passover sacrifice is quite a small step,” Morris said.

Morris emphasized that this “small step” is necessary and must necessarily be on the Temple Mount.

“The only place Jews can perform the hundreds of commandments described in the Torah is on the Temple Mount,” he said. “It is not our most holy site. It is our only holy site. Without the Temple Mount, we cannot be Torah Jews.”

“Not bringing the Korban Pesach (Passover offering) carries the punishment of Karet, the most severe punishment described in the Bible. And since King David consecrated the Temple Mount 3,000 years ago, the Temple Mount has been the heart of Judaism and the only place we can perform these mitzvot.”

Morris emphasized that the Passover offering is essentially intended to prepare the animal to be consumed in a respectful manner.

“Few people criticize the Samaritans who carry out the same ritual every year that they learned from us,” Morris said. “People come from all over the world to see it.”

Morris explained that the entire Temple Mount movement was once considered fringe in Israeli society but is becoming more mainstream.

“Ten years ago, the Temple reenactments were described in the Israeli media as extremist incitement carried out by a bunch of crazies,” Morris said. “The police and municipal authorities used to complain when we applied for permits. Now they come to us and ask us when we are going to apply.”

“The Temple events are considered a positive cultural contribution and people are more willing to admit that Arab threats of violence are what shouldn’t be tolerated.”

He added that the opposition to Ben Gvir visiting the Temple Mount is explicitly racist.

“This is a human rights issue but it is more than that,” Morris said. “The people who oppose Jews going to the Temple Mount also oppose Jews living in Tel Aviv. It is the same thing. If we don’t have the right to be Jews on the Temple Mount, we don’t have any right to be here.”

Morris said that if given the okay by the government, everything is in place to jump-start the Biblical ritual.

“We have everything we need and we have been practicing for over a decade but we still don’t really know all the questions,” he said. “Mitzvot are practical and the actual performance is part of the learning process. Before we returned to Israel, we really had no clue how to practically perform Shemittah (agricultural sabbatical ) and we are still working on it. We are much better prepared for the Passover offering and what we don’t know, the rabbis and Kohanim (priests) will work on.”

He explained that performing the Passover service does not require a Temple structure.

“We only need an altar,” he said. “That is essentially a pile of rocks. We don’t need to build anything or change anything on the Temple Mount. We can perform the Passover sacrifice and the next day, all signs of the service will be gone.”

Printed below it the petition from the organization:

Monday, January 2, 2023

To the right honorable

MK Itamar Ben Gvir

Minister of National Security

Re: Passover sacrifice of 2023

Greetings,

As you know, we, the “Return to the Mountain” movement, have been engaged for the last decade in activities concerning the issues of the Temple Mount and the Temple, and one of the main subjects we deal with is the offering of the Passover sacrifice in our days.

Every year we make many efforts to promote the Passover sacrifice both on the conceptual-educational level and on the practical level. Every year we try to offer the sacrifice in its place and time.

In past years, several applications were submitted to the Israel Police in order to fulfill the commandment in an approved and coordinated manner.

The importance of the Passover sacrifice is well known to you from your past activities, but nevertheless, it is important to note that this is a positive commandment, the abstention of which carries the punishment of karet – spiritual death, something that otherwise exists only in the mitzvah of circumcision – a mitzvah of the people of Israel have given their lives for generations to preserve this important mitzvah.

This year, in light of the political situation and the establishment of a “fully right-wing” government for the first time in a long time, there is an actual possibility that the offering of the Passover sacrifice will be carried out by a large group of Jews in a dignified, approved and permitted manner, authorized by all the various factors, first and foremost by the Israel Police, which is under your authority as the new Minister of National Security of the State of Israel.

We hereby address you with an update and a request, an update that this coming Wednesday (January 4, 2023) we will submit a request to the Israel Police for holding the event, and with the request that you act with all the powers given to you by virtue of your new position to approve this request as soon as possible so that we can organize at all levels (logistic, halachic, bureaucratic and others) as soon as possible.

There is a golden opportunity to return the crown to its former glory and to renew the Passover sacrifice for the first time in about two thousand years, a move that will advance the Geulah, Redemption, immediately and will be recorded in the pages of history as the beginning of the building of the third Temple.

Best regards,

Raphael Morris

Hozrim Lahar

“Returning to the Mountain” movement

(translation: Gidon Ariel)

https://www.israel365news.com/364798/rabbi-glick-ben-gvir-ascending-to-temple-mount-may-bring-zechariahs-prophecy/?
Rabbi Glick: Ben Gvir ascending to Temple Mount may bring Zechariah’s prophecy
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 ISRAEL BIBLE)
n Tuesday morning, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir (Otzma Yehudit Party) ascended to the Temple Mount to commemorate the Tenth of Tevet, the fast day commemorating the siege of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar that led to the destruction of the Temple. Former MK Rabbi Yehudah Glick asked whether this event may trigger Zechariah’s prophecy.

It was Ben-Gvir’s first ascent to the holy site since being sworn in as national security minister last week and marks the first time in five years that a sitting Israeli minister visited the Temple Mount. During his visit, the entrance for Israelis to the Temple Mount was blocked

TWITTER VIDEO

“Our government will not surrender to threats from Hamas,” Ben Gvir said at the conclusion of his visit.

“The Temple Mount is the most important place for the people of Israel. We maintain the freedom of movement for Muslims and Christians, but Jews also go up to the site, and those who make threats must be dealt with with an iron fist,” he said.

Last night Ben Gvir held a situation assessment with the police commissioner and the Jerusalem District Commander and met with the head of the Shin Bet and they all determined that there is no obstacle for him to go up to the Temple Mount. Security officials who participated in the assessment of the situation also believed that capitulation in the face of the threats would be a reward for terrorism and legitimize future actions against Israel. 

Netanyahu reportedly spoke with Ben-Gvir on Monday and gave his approval to the visit, with Likud confirming that the prime minister did not object to the pilgrimage after consultations with security officials.

Opposition head and former prime minister Yair Lapid on the other hand warned that if Ben Gvir went to the Temple Mount, “people would die.”

“Ben-Gvir must not go up to Temple Mount. It is a deliberate provocation that will put lives in danger and cost lives,” said Lapid. “As weak as [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu is, he must, at least this time, stand up and tell him, ‘You are not going to the Temple Mount.’ People will die,” he added.

“MKs go up [to the Temple Mount], ministers don’t — especially not the minister in charge of the National Security Ministry,” Lapid added in response to a reporter’s questions. “It will be viewed by the whole world as breaking the status quo, even if it’s not.”

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich responded to Lapid’s statement at a religious Zionism meeting on Monday, emphasizing that “going up to the Temple Mount is part of the status quo.”

Labor MK Gilad Kariv, a rabbi from the Reform Movement, warned that by ascending to the Temple Mount, Ben Gvir was promoting the same type of policies that led to the destruction of the Temple by the Babylonians.

“Particularly on the fast day of the 10th of Tevet, it is important to remember that the connection between political extremism, intoxication from power and government corruption led to the destruction of the Temple,” Kariv said in a statement. “Standing up against these phenomena is essential to guaranteeing the future of Israel.”

The Palestinian Authority’s Foreign Ministry on Tuesday condemned the visit, describing Ben Gvir’s  thirteen-minute tour of the site as “unprecedented provocation.”

“Netanyahu bears responsibility for this attack on al-Aqsa,” the PA said in a statement.

Hussein al-Sheikh, the secretary general of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, called for an international response to the visit.

“[Ben-Gvir] brazenness necessitates a Palestinian, Arab and international response,” he said. “This is the first step of this government and its occupation policy.”

Last night, Hamas spokesman Abdel Latif al-Qanua released the following statement:

“Netanyahu’s invasion of the Western Wall, which included Talmudic ceremonies, alongside Ben Gvir and the criminal announcing of his intention to invade al-Aqsa Mosque, express the arrogance of the fascist settler government and its intentions to further the raids on al-Aqsa and divide it. These escalations in al-Aqsa are like the fuse of an explosive device. The Zionist occupation government will bear the consequences, and our people will confront these acts of stupidity and provocations with bravery, not allowing the occupation’s plans to go through.”

Former Member of Knesset Rabbi Yehudah Gick and head of the Shalom Jerusalem Temple Mount organization praised Ben Gvir’s actions. 

“Today the People of Israel mark the Tenth of the month by fasting,” Rabbi Glick said in a comment. “Today, thousands of years later, our new Minister of National Security ascended the Temple Mount, the heart of the sovereign State of Israel.”

Rabbi Glick referred to a verse in the Book of Zechariah

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

“Is this what we are seeing unfolding in front of our eyes?” Rabbi Glick asked. “I am praying to Hashem, God Almighty; Let it be.”

Rabbi Yehuda Levi, Co-founder of High on the Har and Director of Outreach for Yeshivat Har Habayit, praised Ben Gvir’s actions, saying it should be the “rule and not the exception.”

“It’s about time that a minister of the Israeli government ascended to the Temple Mount,” Rabbi Levy said. “It is the holiest site in Judaism and the fact that most ministers do not ascend and have never even been to the site is a much more shocking story that should be in the news today.  What Ben Gvir did is praiseworthy and should be the rule, not the exception.”

“We are putting out a call for all the MKs and Ministers to do the same. This sends out an unmistakable message that we are not afraid to go to our holy sites. No Israeli politician would go into an election without visiting the Kotel (Western Wall) but it should be that they go to the Temple Mount, which is the real heart of the Jewish people.”

Tom Nisani, CEO of Beyadenu for the Temple Mount, congratulated Ben Gvir’s ascendence to the Mount: 

“Minister Ben Gvir deserves all the respect for ascending the Temple Mount and not capitulating to Hamas’ threats. The sun keeps shining and the Middle East isn’t on fire. Even if there are those who would try to ignite the area, the time has come to truly be a free people in our land, including the Temple Mount.”

https://www.israel365news.com/364774/analysis-jewish-gog-and-magog-vs-christian-gog-and-magog/?
ANALYSIS: Jewish Gog and Magog vs. Christian Gog and Magog
All who survive of all those nations that came up against Yerushalayim shall make a pilgrimage year by year to bow low to the King lord of Hosts and to observe the festival of Sukkot.
ZECHARIAH
14:
16
(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)

Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz
ADAM ELIYAHU BERKOWITZ
BIBLICAL NEWS
JANUARY 2, 2023
4 MIN READ
Home » ANALYSIS: Jewish Gog and Magog vs. Christian Gog and Magog


GOG AND MAGOG WAR
Described in Ezekiel 38-39, the War of Gog and Magog is a concept shared by Judaism and Christianity which refers to the end-of-day conflict in the New Testament Book of Revelation.

This Christian perspective was clearly evident when tele-evangelist Pat Robertson made a special appearance on the700 Club in February 2022 and declared that Russian President Vladimir Putin was “being compelled by God” to invade Ukraine in order to follow God’s plan to instigate “armageddon.” Citing the Book of Ezekiel, Robertson stated that Putin’s plan was to create a land bridge via Turkey in order to lead a multi-nation army against Israel. 


In Jewish eschatology, Gog and Magog lead a confederation of enemies who rise against Israel. The war will be devastating but the armies of Gog and Magog will ultimately be defeated by the king of Israel, ushering in the Messianic era. 

Rabbi Pinchas Winston, a prolific end-of-day author and speaker, explained the Jewish perspective.

“The war is like a final pre-Messiah clean-up, which is why we can mitigate it,” Rabbi Winston said. “It depends on how effective we were until then in bringing people to the One God and doing mitzvoth.”

“One purpose of Gog and Magog is that when it is over, evil will be entirely defeated,” he said. “There will be no more evil in the world. Since Mount Sinai, the Jewish people have been rectifying certain things since creation. We are preparing the world so that it gets to the point where everyone says that they recognize the Biblical God as One. We never completed the task so Gog and Magog is the final point where everything comes together.”

Rabbi Winston emphasized that the final rectifications also include changes within the nation of Israel. He compared it to King David’s battle against Goliath. 

“Goliath comes from the word ‘galut’ (exile),” Rabbi Winston said. “King David defeated Goliath and subsequently the Philistines but the defeat had a huge impact on the Israelites. Many of the Jews who saw Goliath being defeated so dramatically had a sudden blinding revelation of faith in God. It was cataclysmic for them.”

“The same is true of the War of God and Magog,” Rabbi Winston said. “It will bring many from the nations to believe in the One God. But there will also be many Jews who will be deeply shocked and suddenly believe in God. We saw this after the Six Day War when even the secular Jews in Tel Aviv danced in the streets, describing the military victory as the Hand of God.”

Rabbi Winston related this to what was taught about Gog and Magog by the Polish rabbi Israel Meir Kagan (1838-1933) who revealed before he died that the war would be fought in three stages. The first stage that Rabbi Kagan experienced in his lifetime was WWI, which began in 1914. Rabbi Winston believes that WWII was the second stage. 

“That was so shocking to the nations that they declared Israel as a Jewish state,” Rabbi Winton said. “It was even more shocking for many Jews who, even though they didn’t become religious, suddenly believed in the prophecies about God returning the exiles. The final stage of Gog and Magog will be so shocking to the nations that they will declare God as One.”

Ezekiel’s description of the final war is horrifying but Rabbi Winston explained that Jewish tradition related to this with equanimity. 

“It depends on our merits, whether we have served God with the commandments faithfully,” Rabbi Winston said. “If we have not, then it will be horrible.”

He cited a parable from the 18th century Moshe Chaim Luzzatto. “It is like a king who gets angry at his son and sentences him to be stoned to death. The son repents but the father cannot repeal a royal decree. So he orders the stones to be shattered into pieces before being thrown at his son. It is not pleasant but the son does not suffer nearly as much.”

Rabbi Winston suggested that as descendants of Esau, Christians emphasize the aspect of judgment to a degree that Jews, as descendants of Jacob, do not.

“Esau was entirely red, the color of judgment, which is why Isaac, who embodied judgment, favored him,” Rabbi Winston said. “They are focused on Heaven and Hell as a result of a final judgment. They talk about judgment day as the culmination of the battle with Satan. They believe in Apocalypse. Judaism does not believe in this level of judgment. Jews do not believe that God will ever judge the world and destroy it.”

 A different perspective was offered by John Enarson, the Christian Relations Director for Cry For Zion. Enarson also noted a difference in how Jews and Christians view this aspect of the end-of-days.

“Christianity is using the same Biblical scenario as Judaism for Gog and Magog but I think we paint a more dire image,” Enarson said. “For Christians, it is an apocalyptic nuclear holocaust. But Jews see past that and see the final redemption that comes after.”

Enarson noted that both religions base their eschatology on the same Biblical literature though they come to different conclusions.

“I think the difference comes from Christians trying to be very honest readers of the Bible,” Enarson said. “Jews do to and the prophecies are disturbing any way you read them. But as the ultimate judgment, it’s more fearful for the nations than it is for Israel. We see Gog and Magog as God’s judgment on the nations. It is also a judgment on Israel but not a final judgment.”

He also noted that according to the prophecies, the final stages of the war will be fought in the Holy Land, making it a far more local concern to the Jewish people.

“In Christianity, we have the concept of the Rapture,” he explained. “Some Christians believe that they will be raptured before the beginning of the War of Gog and Magog. It makes speaking about the war a spectator sport. Pop media has adopted the Christian perspective of Gog and Magog, sensationalizing it while at the same time remaining almost uninvolved in a direct way.”

Enarson described a different approach for Christians that was depicted by Zechariah as being the aftermath of Gog and Magog for Israel-friendly nations.

All who survive of all those nations that came up against Yerushalayim shall make a pilgrimage year by year to bow low to the King lord of Hosts and to observe the festival of Sukkot. Zechariah 14:16

“Ideally, the Christian perspective should be based on the survivors from the nations coming to celebrate Sukkot in Jerusalem with the Jews,” Enarson said. “This should be the model guiding how they view Gog and Magog in the future and also how they relate to Israel in the present.”

https://www.israel365news.com/364719/kabbalist-dismisses-gloomy-doomsday-clock/?
Kabbalist dismisses gloomy Doomsday Clock
“But you, Daniel, keep the words secret, and seal the book until the time of the end. Many will range far and wide and knowledge will increase.”

Home » Kabbalist dismisses gloomy Doomsday Clock

NUCLEAR WEAPONS UKRAINE
In three weeks, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists is set to release its 2023 setting for the Doomsday Clock. 

The Doomsday Clock is a symbol that represents the likelihood of a man-made global catastrophe as determined by a group of scientists who take into account threats to humanity from unchecked scientific and technological advances.

The clock is currently set to 23:58:20, 100 seconds away from doomsday, the closest it has ever been to midnight since its inception in 1947. And while the scientists warn that global threats have increased, one rabbi Kabbalist dismissed the scientific evaluation, explaining that “until God’s mercy ends, the world cannot end, no matter what men do.”

In January 2022, the report by Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists cited several reasons that the election of Joe Biden was cause for optimism. It noted that the new administration had renewed strategic stability talks with Russia, was working to reinstate the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with Iran, and had returned to the Paris Climate Accords The scientists on the board of the Doomsday clock lauded “the return of science and evidence to US policy-making in general, especially regarding the COVID-19 pandemic,” and “a more moderate and predictable approach to leadership”. 

Nonetheless, eleven months ago, the report warned that the trends that threatened global well-being were not reversing.

“In view of this mixed threat environment—with some positive developments counteracted by worrisome and accelerating negative trends—the members of the Science and Security Board find the world to be no safer than it was last year at this time and therefore decide to set the Doomsday Clock once again at 100 seconds to midnight,” the report warned.

This assessment was echoed by President Joe Biden in October when he warned of the dangers of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 

“’We have not faced the prospect of Armageddon since Kennedy and the Cuban missile crisis’ in 1962,” Biden said at a private fundraising event in New York. “[Russian President Vladimir Putin] is not joking when he talks about the potential use of tactical nuclear weapons. I don’t think there’s any such thing as an ability to easily use a tactical nuclear weapon and not end up with Armageddon.”

One month later, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warned that the globe was in imminent danger from global warming.

“We are in the fight of our lives, and we are losing,” Antonio Guterres told the COP27 climate change summit. “We are on a highway to climate hell with our foot still on the accelerator.”

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists was set up in 1947 by a group of researchers, some of whom had participated in the Manhattan Project producing the first nuclear bomb. Cognizant of the destructive power of the weapons they helped create, the scientists set up the Bulletin as a means of reminding the public about the consequences of using them. In 1947, the Doomsday Clock was created to graphically illustrate the global threats of nuclear weapons and climate change.

The setting of the clock is the result of a complex evaluation of many factors. The Clock’s original setting in 1947 was seven minutes to midnight. It has since been set backward eight times and forward 16 times for a total of 24, the farthest from midnight being 17 minutes in 1991.

Throughout the year, the Bulletin gave mixed messages. In an update on “global warming”, the organization noted that despite record-high carbon dioxide emissions, the summer of 2022 was the fifth warmest year in recorded history. This was offset by $370 billion in subsidies for clean energy included in the Democrats’  Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).

Established by scientists, the bulletin touted technology as the potential savior of mankind from the threats that had originated from technology. Misinformation on the internet and artificial intelligence were listed as threats to mankind. The bulletin also listed the overturning of Roe v. Wade as an existential threat to humanity as it might lead to government surveillance of pro-abortion groups.

The Bulletin emphasized the increasing threat of nuclear war. Russia’s incursion into Ukraine increased the threat that Putin would become desperate and resort to nuclear weapons. At the same time, the possibility of an accident at one of Ukraine’s many nuclear facilities loomed imminently. In addition, despite the JCPOA signed with European countries, Iran has renewed its nuclear program which is clearly focused on producing a weapon.

Israel365 News spoke to Rabbi Yitzchak Batsri, a noted Kabbalist from Jerusalem, who was unconcerned about the global threats used to determine the doomsday clock. “While the world exists, it is through God’s mercy and not because of our merit. Therefore, until God’s mercy ends, the world cannot end, no matter what men do. Men simply do not have the power to destroy God’s creation against His will,” he said.

Rabbi Batsri described the concept of doomsday as it appears in Jewish sources.  “The Rambam writes that the world will never be destroyed.  But the Talmud says in Tractate Sanhedrin that the world will exist for 6,000 years, and in the 7,000th year it will be destroyed, as prophesied in Isaiah 2:11, ‘And the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day’.”

Rabbi Batsri explained this seeming contradiction. “The Rambam explains that in the 7,000th year, there will be only a partial destruction of the world, that evil will be destroyed and only good will remain. Other sages understand this to mean that there will be complete destruction. According to all opinions, until the year 7,000 by the Hebrew calendar, there can be no total destruction, only in certain countries or regions.”

“And even when the world ends, the souls of those who follow God will remain here, flying above the earth, as it is written in Isaiah 40:31, ‘But they that wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles’,” Rabbi Batsri said. “So even when this world is destroyed, there will be a place above the earth, a different kind of existence.”

https://www.israel365news.com/364615/israels-new-government-everything-you-need-to-know/?
Israel’s New Government: Everything You Need to Know
Every spot on which your foot treads shall be yours; your territory shall extend from the wilderness to the Lebanon and from the River—the Euphrates—to the Western Sea.
DEUTERONOMY
11:
24
(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)

Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz
ADAM ELIYAHU BERKOWITZ
ISRAEL NEWS
DECEMBER 29, 2022
7 MIN READ
Home » Israel’s New Government: Everything You Need to Know


BENJAMIN NETANYAHU JUDEA AND SAMARIA
The new Israeli government was expected to be sworn in by the end of Thursday.

On Wednesday, Prime minister-elect Benjamin Netanyahu and the head of the Likud party, presented to the Knesset the coalition agreements needed to form a right-wing government composed of 64 seats out of a total of 120 in the Knesset. The new government will be composed of United Torah Judaism (UTJ), Religious Zionism, Noam, Shas, and Otzma Yehudit (Jewish power). The government will be sworn in on Thursday after a hearing and confidence vote.

Foremost in the coalition agreement was the issue of Israel’s territory. 

“The Jewish people have an exclusive and inalienable right to all areas of the Land of Israel,” the government said in its overall policy statement, promising to “promote and develop all parts of the Land of Israel.”

The agreement went on to specify that this development policy would include Judea and Samaria.

“The nation of Israel has a natural right to the Land of Israel,” section 118 of the coalition agreement stated.

“In light of the belief in that aforementioned right, the prime minister will formulate and promote policies within whose framework sovereignty will be applied to Judea and Samaria,” the document stated, specifying that this included the Galilee, the Negev and the Golan Heights which have all been officially annexed by the Israeli government. It described the Golan as a “strategic region” with a large potential for development.

Though this seems positive, the wording of the agreement left the timing of annexation open-ended, dependent on Israel’s “national and international” interests.

SMOTRICH: THE NEW HEAD OF JUDEA AND SAMARIA
On Tuesday, the Knesset voted to approve Amendment 11 to the Basic Law, allowing two ministers to serve in one office. This will allow Smotrich to appoint a minister within the Defense Ministry who will oversee Judea and Samaria. This position will be responsible for the civil administration and coordination of government operations there including authority over construction.

In an op-ed published in the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday titled “Israel’s New Government Isn’t What You’ve Heard”, Smotrich said there would be no “changing the political or legal status” of the West Bank, indicating that annexation would not immediately take place.

“They say I am a right-wing extremist and that our bloc will usher in a ‘halachic state’ in which Jewish law governs,” Smotrich wrote. “In reality, we seek to strengthen every citizen’s freedoms and the country’s democratic institutions, bringing Israel more closely in line with the liberal American model.”

SAMARIA: REPAIRING OLD WOUNDS
Most importantly, the agreement transfers the civil administration of Judea and Samaria from the IDF to the newly formed branch of the Defense Ministry assigned to Smotrich.

Changes will be made to the Disengagement Law passed in 2005 that paved the way for the dismantling of Gush Katif and four communities in Samaria. The section of the law concerning Samaria will be repealed, presumably to allow those communities to be legalized and resettled. The agreement promised to authorize the establishment of a yeshiva at the site of the former Homesh settlement. There was also a promise that the government would uphold an agreement made to the Samaria Regional Council and the Nahala Movement in 2021 calling for the construction of a settlement and a yeshiva in Evyatar.

HEBRON
The agreement signed by the new government promised to work on behalf of the Jewish community of Hebron where Itamar Ben Gvir, head of the Otzma Yehudit party, lives.

 The agreement also changes a military law that prevents Jews who owned property in Judea and Samaria prior to 1948 from claiming their property if it is currently abandoned. 

The agreement also detailed additional steps that would be taken to further develop Jewish settlements, infrastructure, and road work as well as to preserve open spaces in Area C.

OBSTACLE: ABRAHAM ACCORDS
The coalition agreement promised to “promote peace with all our neighbors while preserving Israel’s security, historical and national interests” which includes expanding cooperation with the Arab countries that signed the Abraham Accords while “working to promote additional peace agreements in order to end the Israeli-Arab conflict.”

This may be problematic as Netanyahu has been working to sign a normalization agreement with Saudi Arabia. If he accomplishes this, Saudi Arabia will be the fifth Arab nation to sign the Abraham Accords. This will mark a significant advance in Israel’s relations with the Arab nations in the region. 

According to media reports, in initial negotiations with the Saudis, Netanyahu agreed to suspend plans for annexation in exchange for a normalization deal. 

It is unclear how Netanyahu will achieve that goal without disenfranchising his coalition partners.

NETANYAHU’S ANNEXATION PROMISES
As far as the future of Judea and Samaria is concerned, Netanyahu has made promises on the topic in the past. In 2019, he promised to annex the Jordan Valley and northern Dead Sea if he won the elections. As the campaign progressed, Netanyahu increased the scale of this promise to include Israeli sovereignty over all of the Juea and Samaria “without exception.”

He did not win the elections so the annexation never materialized and the current coalition agreement is an expression of intent and is not legally binding.

JERUSALEM
In its policy statement, the government promised to strengthen the status of Jerusalem, underscoring the importance of preserving and developing a united Jerusalem as Israel’s sovereign capital. The agreement pledged to prevent Palestinian Authority (PA) activities in the city. 

The coalition agreement pledged to retain the current rules regarding the holy sites in Israel. Netanyahu has stated in the past that he will not permit Jews to pray on the Temple Mount whereas Itamar Ben Gvir has pledged to make this a reality, describing the current police policy of preventing Jewish prayer as racist discrimination. Equality of religion is mandated by Israeli law but the courts permit the police to suspend this right based on security considerations. In the case of the Temple Mount, the police claim that Arab and Muslim violence precludes Jewish prayer. 

Netanyahu has given mixed messages about Jewish prayer on the Temple Mount. But during coalition negotiations earlier this month, Likud rejected outright a demand from Otzma Yehudit to allow Jews to pray on the Temple Mount.

After elections last year, Netanyahu explained that allowing Jews to pray on the Temple Mount “would have ignited the Middle East and brought down the anger of one billion Muslims on us. And there are things I am not willing to do in order to win the elections.” 

In 2019, he explained his position in different terms, saying, “The right of the Jewish people to their holy place, the Temple Mount, is unquestionable. I believe that the right of prayer for Jews in this place should be arranged, and even more so that we should provide for the freedom of worship for all religions in Jerusalem.”

He jokingly added, “Don’t worry, it will happen, and before the arrival of the Messiah.”

OTHER ISSUES

-The agreement pledged to combat Iran’s nuclear program.

-The government agreed to actively work to boost national security and provide personal security to its citizens, while resolutely and determinedly fighting violence and terrorism.

-Religious Zionism and Likud agreed to pass a High Court override law designed to reduce judicial checks on executive and legislative power.

-Legislation is expected to permit more gender-segregated events as the result of Netanyahu’s agreement with the Haredi Orthodox United Torah Judaism alliance

-The right-wing party Noam will get almost $20 million annually to create and operate a new “Department of State Jewish Consciousness.”

-LGBT: An amendment would enable private businesses to refuse to provide a product or service due to religious belief if the same product or service could be obtained in near proximity at a similar price. MKs Simcha Rotman  (Religious Zionist Party) and Orit Strock  (Religious Zionist Party) told the media on Sunday that this would allow a doctor to refuse to supply care if it violates his religious belief, and a hotel owner refusing to give a room to a gay couple. This must pass a Knesset vote in order to be enacted as law.

-The Knesset passed an amendment referred to as the “Deri Law” that will allow Aryeh Deri (Shas)  to serve as a minister. The law allows an MK to serve as a minister if he did not actually serve any prison time for a conviction. Deri was convicted in 2000 for taking $155,000 in bribes while serving as interior minister.

-The government promised to work for social justice by developing the outlying communities and reducing societal gaps, while uncompromisingly combating poverty through education, employment, and increased assistance to the weaker segments of the population.

-The government will act to encourage the use of public transportation and to solve the traffic congestion problems on the roads.

-The new government will advance a plan to cope with the soaring cost of living and will work to create economic conditions that will enable sustainable growth.

-Reducing housing prices and increasing the supply of apartments will be a national goal, and the coalition will act to lower housing prices.

-The government will take steps to guarantee governance and to restore the proper balance between the legislature, the executive and the judiciary.

-The government will act to increase Jewish immigration from all countries around the world.

-Education will be a top priority and the government will work to advance reforms in the education system while ensuring equality between all populations in the various education systems, and strengthening Jewish identity.

-The government will preserve the Jewish character of the state and the heritage of Israel by respecting the practices and traditions of members of all religions in the country in accordance with the values of the Declaration of Independence.

-The government will act to address the problem of personal security in Arab society and to fight crime in Arab society, while encouraging education, providing adequate and appropriate solutions for young people, and investing as necessary in infrastructure in Arab localities.

-The government will act to advance vocational training and education in technological professions in order to adequately meet the current needs of the industry in Israel as a major economic growth factor.

-The government will work to integrate people with disabilities of any kind into societal life, while assisting in their education and employment, will take care of the basic needs of those who are unable to sustain themselves, and will act to improve the status of the elderly, the disabled and families with many children.

-The government will act to protect the environment in Israel, to improve the quality of life of the country’s residents, and to have Israel contribute to the global effort on climate and environmental issues.

-The government will work to strengthen the security forces and to give backing to soldiers and police officers in order to fight and defeat terrorism.

READ MORE https://www.israel365news.com/364615/israels-new-government-everything-you-need-to-know/?

https://www.israel365news.com/364559/an-israeli-scholar-says-he-translated-an-inscription-proving-the-reliability-of-the-bible-others-disagree/
An Israeli scholar says he translated an inscription proving the reliability of the Bible. Others disagree
As for the other events of Hezekiah’s reign, all his achievements and how he made the pool and the tunnel by which he brought water into the city, are they not written in the book of the annals of the kings of Judah? Hezekiah rested with his ancestors. And Manasseh, his son, succeeded him as king.
KINGS 20:20
(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)
Adam Eliyahu Berkowitz
ADAM ELIYAHU BERKOWITZ
ARCHEOLOGY, BIBLICAL NEWS
DECEMBER 28, 2022
4 MIN READ
Home » An Israeli scholar says he translated an inscription proving the reliability of the Bible. Others disagree
Aprominent Israeli professor is at the center of controversy concerning his deciphering an inscription dated to the 8th century BCE that was discovered at the Siloam Spring in Jerusalem. The professor claims that the inscription refers to Biblical King Hezekiah and “emphasizes the reliability of the Bible.” But his critics disagree.

The story began two weeks ago when Prof. Gershon Galil, a Professor of Biblical Studies and Ancient History and former chair of the Department of Jewish History at the University of Haifa, announced that he had successfully deciphered five royal inscriptions of King Hezekiah, including hundreds of letters and dozens of lines of text. The inscriptions, etched into the walls of the City of David’s Hezekiah Tunnel in Jerusalem, described the King’s accomplishments during the first 17 years of his kingship, which began in the late 8th century BCE and continued into the early 7th century BCE. These included the water project (the cutting of the Siloam Tunnel and the pool), ritual reform, the conquest of Philistia, and property accumulation. Dating to the Late Bronze Age II (probably 1400-1300 BCE), seven inscriptions in total were discovered in 2007 by archaeologist Eli Shukron and Ronny Reich in an area known as the “Pillar Temple” near a man-made pool in the Siloam tunnel. In the 15 years since they were discovered, the inscriptions had not been deciphered.

Prof.Galil described his finding in-depth on his Facebook page.

One inscription measuring 5.3 inches long by 3.8 inches wide features two lines of writing containing six letters inscribed in Old Hebrew script. Until Prof. Galil released his results this month.


The three letters of the first line of the inscription, (z)q y h, are part of a single word which has been reconstructed as: 

ח]זקיה] / [H]zqyh / [He]zekiah. 

The initial letter h/ח is missing (Hebrew is read from right to left and doesn’t contain vowels.)

The first word of the second line includes the two letters kh and is reconstructed as:

ב]רכה] / [br]kh / bricha (berecha) or pool in English. 

Again, the initial letter is broken off. Then, there is a dot that follows and a third letter. The dot was used to separate words so the third letter is the start of a new word.

Prof. Galil concluded the full inscription was:

“Hezekiah made the pool in Jerusalem.”

A parallel passage found in 2 Kings 20:20 reads:

“As for the other events of Hezekiah’s reign, all his achievements and how he made the pool and the tunnel by which he brought water into the city…” 

“This is an extremely important discovery that changes [some basic assumptions of] research, since until today it was commonly accepted that the kings of Israel and Judah, unlike the kings of the ancient Middle East, did not make themselves royal inscriptions and monuments… to commemorate their achievements,” said Galil.

“The Israeli kings were indeed mentioned in extra-biblical Assyrian, Babylonian, Aramaic, Moabite inscriptions as well as on Hebrew seal impressions,” added Galil, “but this is the first time that a fragment of a monumental Hebrew royal inscription has been deciphered that mentions the name of the king whose achievements were detailed in it.”

“The discovery strengthens the approach of researchers who emphasize the reliability of the Bible, since it teaches that right in front of the eyes of the Bible’s authors stood monuments with royal inscriptions… [engraved at the very] time of the kings mentioned in the Bible,” he continued.

Galil’s conclusion was affirmed by Dr. Peter van der Veen of Germany’s Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz who came to the same conclusion in 2009. His claim was published in a German-language journal at that time.

But a group of 34 archaeologists and researchers released a public statement on Saturday criticizing Galil’s claims. The open letter, published on the blog of Bar-Ilan University Prof. Aren Maeir, did not mention Galil by name nor did it dispute his conclusions or methods.The letter criticized Galil’s method of publicizing his study. 

“Occasionally, and up until recent days, archaeological finds and discoveries (that are at times presented as revolutionary and game changers in the history of the Land of Israel) have been published in the popular press and on social media, prior to peer review, and to the full presentation, with high quality illustrations, of these finds in scientific publications, even long after the initial public notification.

“As is clear to anyone dealing with science and research, one of the foundations of all research and discovery is that results must go through a process of peer review prior to publication, to check for quality, suggest improvements and comments, and in some cases, reject a suggestion. Without this process, research is conducted without proper checks and balances. In addition, research colleagues (in this case archaeologists and historians) cannot properly ascertain, and if need be disagree, with these claims.”

Prof. Maeir spoke to Times of Israel, acknowledging that he was skeptical of Galil’s findings based on his method of publicizing them.

“I wish it was true, and I hope it is. It would change everything that we know,” said Maeir of the recent Galil announcement. “But it’s like saying you’ve disproved Einstein’s theory of relativity, but you’ll only publish the findings on ‘Saturday Night Live.’”

A source who is close to the issue and the researchers involved commented on the condition of anonymity. 

“Far more prominent and respected Israeli scholars declined to sign the statement than did sign it,” he said to Israel365 News. “The list is almost endless.”

The source also noted that Prof. Maeir, who posted the critical letter on his blog, edited at least one authoritative text co-written by Galil. Publicity is an important tool for funding archaeological research and has been used by Maeir who has been touted in the media as “Israel’s Indiana Jones” for his research at Tel Gath, the city described in the Bible as the home of Goliath and the location where a blinded Sampson knocked down the temple pillars.

“Galil is brilliant but problematic,” the source admitted. “He can be valuable as part of a team, but as a lead author or sole author, he can be impulsive. In general, I agree with the statement of the Israeli scholars, but there are exceptions to the expectation that findings be initially published in peer reviewed journals. Sometimes, it is expedient to publish in mainstream media, for example when there is a danger of academic piracy. This is especially true when the journals publish highly detailed photos.”
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https://www.israel365news.com/363955/israeli-leaders-send-christmas-greetings-to-christians-all-over-the-world/?
Israeli leaders send Christmas greetings to Christians all over the world
All the nations of the earth shall bless themselves by your descendants, because you have obeyed My command.
GENESIS 22:18
(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)
Staff Writer
STAFF WRITER
ISRAEL NEWS
DECEMBER 25, 2022

Home » Israeli leaders send Christmas greetings to Christians all over the world

CHRISTIANS CHRISTMAS
Ahead of Christmas, several Israeli leaders sent out their greetings for the holiday to Christians in Israel and all over the world.

“From the holy city of Jerusalem, I wish Christian communities in the Holy Land and around the world a very Merry Christmas!” tweeted Israeli president Isaac Herzog, who sent out the message also in Hebrew and Arabic.

“The friendship we share is not only about our history here in Israel, it is also about the future,” outgoing Prime Minister Yair Lapid said in a statement. “It is about how Israel is home to a Christian community that continues to grow and thrive – unlike anywhere else in our region.”

“On behalf of the people of Israel, on behalf of the Jewish people, I want to thank the millions of Christians around the world who love Israel, pray for Israel, and always stand with Israel,” he added. “We are all looking forward to seeing our special friendship continue to grow in the new year.”

Defense Minister Benny Gantz disseminated his Christmas wishes in Hebrew through a video posted on social media.

“I wish everyone joy with their families, health and that everyone can celebrate in their own way,” he said. “May it be a holiday of light and of happiness and may everyone in Israeli society continue to kindle the lights of hope, each of us in our own holiday and according to our own faith.”

“Merry Christmas to all our Christian friends in Israel and around the world!” tweeted designated Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Jewish-Christian Council calls on Churches to “redouble their efforts” to root out antisemitism
For thus said the lord of Hosts—He who sent me after glory—concerning the nations that have taken you as spoil: “Whoever touches you touches the pupil of his own eye.For I will lift My hand against them, and they shall be spoil for those they enslaved.”
ZECHARIAH 2:12
(THE ISRAEL BIBLE)

ANTISEMITISM CHURCH
In what they titled a “A National Reckoning of the Soul”, the Council of Centers on Jewish-Christian Relations (CCJCR) released a statement last week calling on churches in the US to address “the greatest crisis of public antisemitism in a century”. 

“Prominent figures—entertainers, athletes, media personalities, politicians—are using twenty-first century technologies to spread antisemitic lies and conspiracies to millions of people,” the statement read. “So-called ‘Christian’ nationalists openly declare that true Christians hate Jews. Jews are being verbally and physically abused in the streets, vilified in social media, attacked on campuses, and assaulted and shot in their synagogues.”

In November, FBI director Christopher Wray addressed the ADL, saying, “The tragic reality [is] that the Jewish community uniquely ends up on the receiving end of hate-fueled attacks from all sides.” He noted that “a full 63% of religious hate crimes (in the U.S.) are motivated by antisemitism.” It should also be noted that Jews represent 2.4% percent of the general population.

The statement emphasized that the members were “increasingly alarmed that we may be witnessing the normalization of antisemitism in American discourse, which recalls events that happened in Germany when the Nazis rose to power in the 1930s. History also shows that the dehumanization of one minority group is often accompanied by the dehumanization of other minorities, as is happening today as well.”

The statement noted the Christian interest adopted by most churches as stated in the New Testament in the eleventh chapter of Romans which states that the Jews have a special status in God’s eye:

“God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew… So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace…for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.”

The CCJCR statement continued:

“We are living in a strange time when there is both a blessed and growing friendship between Christians and Jews alongside a resurgence of antisemitism and neo-Nazism,” it read. “We implore all churches to redouble their efforts to denounce antisemitism publicly as antithetical to the very essence of Christianity itself.  We appeal to preachers and teachers to reiterate that hatred of Jews is a sin against God and humanity.”

At the same time, the statement acknowledged the role Christianity had played throughout history in antisemitism.

“There is a further profound reason why all this is morally obligatory for Christians. As students of history, we know that the roots of modern antisemitism and associated conspiracy theories grew out of Christian libels perpetuated against Jews in medieval Europe and out of centuries of Christian religious teaching of contempt for Jews. In Nazi Germany, certain theologians went so far as to call for the ‘de-Judaization of Christianity,’ with some even arguing that Jesus himself was not really a Jew, but an ‘Aryan.’ As many recent official church statements have observed, this anti-Jewish legacy weakened resistance to Nazism even among those Christians who discerned the sacrilegious nature of antisemitism.”

The statement offered points for Christians to consider in determining if antisemitism was rooted in their thoughts:

Do we think about Jesus as if he were an outsider to Judaism, or as a Jew devoted to the Torah and its proper interpretation?
Do we contrast the teachings of Jesus with the Old Testament as if his own spirituality was not inspired by those sacred texts?
Do we conceive of the crucifixion as primarily motivated by Jewish figures or as a Roman execution of one more Jew among the thousands of Jews crucified by Rome?
The statement was unanimously endorsed by 30 of the group’s member organizations, most of which are based at colleges and universities throughout the US and Canada.

The call comes as the Anti Defamation League (ADL) reported 2,717 antisemitic incidents across the United States. This represents a 34% increase from the 2,026 incidents recorded in 2020 and is the highest number on record since ADL began tracking antisemitic incidents in 1979.

The CCJCR is is an association of centers and institutes in the United States and Canada devoted to enhancing mutual understanding between Jews and Christians. 

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https://www.israel365news.com/363566/idf-reveals-new-terrorist-rocket-launch-sites-near-gazan-schools/
IDF Reveals New Terrorist Rocket Launch Sites Near Gazan Schools
IDF reveals new terrorist rocket launch sites near Gazan schools
For they cannot rest until they do evil; they are robbed of sleep till they make someone stumble.
PROVERBS4:16 (THE ISRAEL BIBLE)
This development comes about two weeks after the U.N.'s Palestinian refugee agency, UNRWA, disclosed that the ground beneath one of its schools had fallen—and that the construction of a Hamas terrorist tunnel caused the collapse.
he IDF announced on Wednesday that more cases of Hamas employing children as human shields are now being revealed.

This development comes about two weeks after the U.N.’s Palestinian refugee agency, UNRWA, disclosed that the ground beneath one of its schools had fallen—and that the construction of a Hamas terrorist tunnel caused the collapse. The agency said in a statement that after “recently” identifying the cavity, it had protested strongly to the relevant authorities in Gaza to “express outrage and condemnation.”

“Hamas stationed a rocket launch site adjacent to the Mo’ath Bin Jabal school in the Shejaiya neighborhood of Gaza City. Near the school, which UNRWA uses as a shelter during emergencies, is a Hamas rocket launch site,” stated the IDF.

Hamas set up a rocket launch facility near the Khalil Al Nobani school in Gaza City’s Zeitoun area. The school is a public building meant to be a safe place for children in Gaza, but Hamas used it to launch rockets.
This comes after Hamas held an arms exhibition in Gaza on Dec. 9, showing off locally made weapons as part of a series of events leading up to the 35th anniversary of the Palestinian terrorist group’s founding, according to a report from the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI).

https://www.israel365news.com/363532/rare-2000-year-old-temple-tax-silver-coin-found-near-temple-mount/?
Rare 2,000-year-old ‘Temple tax’ silver coin found near Temple Mount
This is what everyone who is entered in the records shall pay: a half-shekel by the sanctuary weight—twenty giera to the shekel —a half- shekel as an offering to Hashem.
EXODUS 30:15 (THE ISRAEL BIBLE)
Rossella Tercatin ROSSELLA TERCATIN
ARCHEOLOGY
DECEMBER 14, 2022
Home » Rare 2,000-year-old ‘Temple tax’ silver coin found near Temple Mount
ARCHAEOLOGY TEMPLE MOUNT
Arare silver “half-shekel” coin from the time of the Great Jewish Revolt against the Romans (66-70 CE) was uncovered in Jerusalem in the Ophel excavation south of the Temple Mount, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem announced Tuesday.

“This is the third coin of this type found in excavations in Jerusalem, and one of the few ever found in archaeological excavations anywhere,” said Prof. Uzi Leibner, who led the excavation conducted in partnership between the Hebrew University and the Armstrong College last summer.
According to the Bible, every Jewish man was required to pay a half shekel every year as a tribute to the Holy Temple.

“This is what everyone who is entered in the records shall pay: a half-shekel by the sanctuary weight—twenty giera to the shekel —a half- shekel as an offering to Hashem,” reads the 30th chapter of the book of Shemot (Exodus). “Everyone who is entered in the records, from the age of twenty years up, shall give Hashem’s offering: the rich shall not pay more and the poor shall not pay less than half a shekel when giving Hashem’s offering as expiation for your persons.”

According to Dr. Yoav Farhi, curator of the Kadman Numismatic Pavilion at the Eretz Israel Museum in Tel Aviv, who examined the artifact, “until the revolt, it was customary to pay the half-shekel tax using good-quality silver coins minted in Tyre in Lebanon, known as Tyrean shekels or Tyrean half-shekels.”

While these coins were chosen for their silver’s purity, they were also problematic because they bore the image of Tyrean gods.

“The Romans did not allow Jews to strike coins, so when the revolt began, they took the opportunity and they started to do it,” Farhi explained. “It was a national symbol.”

At the time, minting coins was an expression of sovereignty. During the revolt, the Jews in Jerusalem minted both bronze and silver coins.

The artifact was found in the remains of what appears to be a monumental public building, surrounded by mikvaot (ritual baths). The structure was destroyed when the Romans eventually conquered Jerusalem and destroyed the Temple in 70 CE.

The coin features a goblet similar to those used in temple service together with the words “half-shekel” in ancient Hebrew script on one side, and a branch with three pomegranates and the inscription “Holy Jerusalem” on the other side.

“The silver coins from the Great Revolt were the first and the last in ancient times to bear the title ‘shekel,’” the researchers noted. “The next time this name was used was in 1980, on Israeli Shekel coins produced by the Bank of Israel.”