Reflections on Michael Freund's article on Christians and Repentance

posted by Jewishisrael

"WhenChristians Repent", is an article by Michael Freund, currently featured on Aish HaTorah’s website. The article also appeared in the Jerusalem Post. With all due respect to Mr. Freund and the extraordinary work that he does, Jewishisrael has repeatedly taken issue with his unreserved approach to embracing evangelical Christians. 

We again feel Mr. Freund has missed the mark, as it is neither anti -Semitism, replacement theology, or missionary activity which is the primary reason for Jews maintaining a respectful and necessary distance from zealous Christians. JewishIsrael takes a profound look at the issue …more

HOLOCAUST! Can it Happen Again?

Today is Holocaust Memorial Day in Israel.  Here we are almost seventy years since the Nazis were militarily defeated by the "allied forces," there are hardly any more survivors still alive and Holocaust memorials are bigger than ever in Israel.

Israelis commemorated Holocaust Martyrs’ and Heroes’ Remembrance Day Sunday night, marking the start of 24 hours during which schools, government offices, the IDF and local municipalities will hold ceremonies to honor those murdered by the Nazis and their helpers.

The national flag was lowered to half mast at 8 p.m. at the start of the main ceremony wat the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial. President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke and Six Holocaust survivors lit memorial torches in memory of the 6 million Jews who were murdered.

The IDF Chief of Staff  Lt. Gen. Benny Gantz  led the March of the Living from Auschwitz to Birkenau.  Even on our small old TV screen, you could see the tears he fought to hold in during the ceremony.  In Israel, even the greatest generals are Jews who can cry when confronting the Holocaust.



At Rami Levy, Sha'ar Binyamin, the workers, both Jews and Arabs rushed under extra stress to close the giant discount supermarket early so workers could attend Holocaust Memorial Ceremonies, because the main road #60 was to be closed for United States  Secretary of State Kerry's return trip from Ramallah to Jerusalem.  If they didn't finish on time, everyone, Jews, Arabs, employees and customers, would be "locked in" Sha'ar Binyamin until the convoy was considered safely through.

Considering all of the Holocaust history which is part of Israeli culture, are we immune from another massive slaughter of Jews?

Prior to Nazi Germany's systematic murder of six million Jews and a few million other "undesirables" by Nazi standards, the world, including the victims thought the idea of such a slaughter totally impossible, unthinkable.

Step by step and stage by stage, there was denial and confident misreading of the signs.  Those who did see the dangers, like Ze'ev Jabotinsky were condemned and shunned by the mainstream Jewish World.

The following is a translation from Yiddish of Jabotinsky's touching and sad speech in Tisha B'ev, Oct. 24, 1938, Warsaw, Poland. It was his prophetic warning to his people, to the masses of his brothers and sisters:
"It is already three years that I am calling upon you, Polish Jewry, who are the crown of World Jewry. I continue to warn you incessantly that a catastrophe is coming closer, I became gray and old in these days, my heart bleeds, that you dear brothers and sisters, do not see the volcano which will soon begin to spit its all consuming lava. I see that you are not seeing this because you are immersed and sunk in your daily worries. Today, however, I demand from you trust. You were convinced already that my prognoses have already proved to be right. If you think differently, then drive me out of your midst. However, if you do believe me, then listen to me in this 12th hour: In the name of G-D!! Let anyone of you save himself as long as there is still time, and time there is very little. (complete article here)

Remember, too that the allies' defeat of the Nazis had nothing whatsoever to do with rescuing Jews.  They fought to save European countries and Great Britain from Nazi rule. And remember that the military experts, post 1967 Six Days War were certain that the Arabs would never dare risk attacking us again.

We should be seriously worried by the rise in anti-Semitism.

Report: Anti-Semitism worldwide up by 30% in 2012

A new report published Sunday, the eve of Holocaust Remembrance Day in Israel, noted a 30 percent increase in anti-Semitic violence and vandalism worldwide in 2012.

The report, by Tel Aviv University's Kantor Center for the Study of Contemporary European Jewry, said the past year had seen "an alarming rise in the number of terrorist attacks and attempted attacks against Jewish targets, and an escalation in violent incidents against Jews worldwide."

The report presented an extensive review of various anti-Semitic trends, including anti-Semitic discourse in the public and political spheres and similar expressions on the Internet, especially in social media. Facebook and Twitter, the report said, have become a breeding ground for anti-Semitic and fascist groups promoting hatred against Jews.

It's dangerous to ignore and whitewash such things.  Remember that most people, including Jews and Israelis refuse to take Arab threats to destroy and annihilate the State of Israel seriously.

This official PA map of "Palestine” was broadcast on PA TV in September 2011. The map includes both the PA areas and all of Israel (excluding the Golan Heights) wrapped in the Palestinian flag - a symbol of Palestinian sovereignty over the whole area - and has a key through it, symbolizing ownership. Similar maps presenting all of Israel as "Palestine" appear in Palestinian schoolbooks and are shown regularly on PA TV.

We mustn't be overconfident and ignore the threats against us.  That should be the lesson of the Holocaust.

Vatican Radio anticipates Israel relinquishing control of Cenacle Shrine on Mt. Zion

Posted by Jewishisrael
As promised, Jewishisrael has an important update to our report at the end of January, Pope to get seat over the Tomb of King David.

There's a new Pope and Vatican Radio, which serves as "the voice of the Pope and the Church in Dialogue with the world", is pushing in a not-so- friendly-way for control of the Cenacle Shrine above the tomb of King David.

Shimon Peres will be traveling to the Vatican at the end of April to meet Pope Francis and this update covers an enormous amount of ground concerning the happenings on Mount Zion...more
 
 

Eckstein's IFCJ continues to be a source of controversy for Jewish Charities : focus on Netanya
Conflicting reports have appeared in the Jewish Press as to whether or not Netanya's largest charity, Kupat Tzedaka Merkazit, has rejected a 100,000 shekel donation from Yechiel Eckstein's organization, IFCJ (Keren L’Yedidut -The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews).

Jewishisrael investigated to get the real the story. In addition, we explore why Eckstein's approach to fundraising and his methods continue to cause discomfort among Jews across the religious and political spectrum. And yes, it seems rabbis and community leaders in Netanya have good reason to be suspect of Christian generosity….more

JewishIsrael Community Alert : Missionary Infiltration
Since 2009, JewishIsrael has been cautioning the Israeli and Diaspora community about  HaYovel's Tommy Waller, his aspirations for a Christian restoration in Israel, and the missionary agenda of so many of his associates. 

JewishIsrael has provided reports, video materials and given presentations in both English and Hebrew to a broad audience of rabbis, Jewish community leaders, politicians, and activists. This has led to the formulation of halachic positions regarding the acceptance of monetary and manpower assistance from Christian organizations or individuals.

Recently, information came to light which further validates our concerns and confirms the disturbing entanglement between Tommy Waller,  a number of HaYovel volunteers, and messianic missionaries such as Mike Isley and Boaz Michael (a.k.a. Michael Detweiler)…more

Also JewishIsrael has added several new and disturbing videos to our video library

HH #403 The Cyber-Threat Edition

According to Esser Agaroth's count, this is the 403rd edition of Havel Havelim.  Havel Havelim is the weekly Jewish-Israeli blog carnival, a round up of blog posts from all over the Jewish world started by Soccer Dad who no longer blogs.  It's hosted by volunteers and coordinated on our facebook page.  If you join our page, you'll know who is hosting, go to contribute and even get more involved by volunteering to host an edition.

Next week's Havel Havelim will be hosted by   Esser Agaroth.  Please send your posts to   esseragaroth at gmail dot com, with HH in the subject.

I hope I'm not endangering my computer by putting together Havel Havelim today, since Israel has been threatened by cyber bullies.

But I'm not going to postpone this edition and I'll start with the blogger who has done the most in recent years to keep Havel Havelim going.  That's Esser Agaroth, who posted Historic Damascus Synagogue Looted And Destroyed, The women of the wall aren't the problem and President Obama, Ever Heard Of God?

When I host HH I request that bloggers to also send in posts from other blogs, and Esser Agaroth sent in the following, so the bloggers should thank him:

• From the Sheep or the Goats
• Bibi's Latest Shame
• The Battle for Jerusalem
• Only in Israel
• Passover 2488

From Sharon's Real Jerusalem Streets we have Passover Has Passed Over

Bat Aliyah and I reviewed the same book, Doublelife, my review, her review.  She also sent in links from other blogs:

• The Sussman's B'Aretz
• My Clocks are ALWAYS Changing
• Am Yisrael Chai??
• Seesaw
• Wig Obsession Continued

Thinking Torah  gives us a Parashat Shemini – Puzzle. Give it a try!

From Jacob Richman, Educational Resources about the Holocaust

Here's some bad news from the jblog world. The Bima Ima's Sam is back in the hospital.  Please doven for a refuah shleimah for Shmuel Asher ben Pessah Esther.

I love this post from the blogger across the street about unexpectedly tripping someone's lie.  ps we're not Rabbi B; I guess no one considers us as important enough to use as a landmark.

Here's a progress report from West Bank Mama.

Join us on our short trip to Zichron Ya'akov; at least look at the pictures.

Read what's new with Miriam and why she hasn't the time to blog.

This may be a dumb question: Are Israel and "The Settlements" Really the Biggest Problems in the Middle East?

Here's an "only in Israel" story, or is it?

For over five years, Gilad Schalit was the rallying cry for many who wanted justice for an unfortunate Israeli soldier captured by Arab terrorists.  Now we know more, and .... read about it.

Last but not least and I hope you're all reading this to the end, I'd like to publicize the Women's Rosh Chodesh Prayers at Tel Shiloh.

Women's Prayers at Tel Shiloh
Rosh Chodesh Iyyar
Thursday, April 11, 2013
1 Iyyar 5773 8:30am
Tour of Tel & Dvar Torah, Short Torah Lesson

Please come and invite family, friends and neighbors

תפילת נשים
ראש חודש אייר בתל שילה
יום ה' 11-4 א' אייר תשע"ג 8:30
יהיה דבר תורה קצר וסיור בתל
נא לבוא, לפרסם ולהזמין חברות, משפחה ושכנות

We usually start walking to the large flat site which is considered where the ancient Biblical Mishkan Tabernacle had stood after 8:30am praying the morning prayers, including Hallel together.  It's always exciting to see what has been newly discovered by the archaeologists.

In Biblical times Jews made pilgrimages to Shiloh to pray and sacrifice to G-d.

Next week on Rosh Chodesh Iyyar, Tamara Spiro will present a special program at 9:30am on the Healing Potential of Sfirat Ha'omer in Hebrew, with the possibility of translation in English. You may bring some snacks, preferably healthy, so we can feast together.

נלמד על הצמחת ומימוש הפוטנציאל בספירת העומר

אתן מוזמנות להביא משהו טעים ובריא אם אפשר כדי שנוכל גם לסעוד יחד.

 

Please come and also spread the word, so we have a nice turnout.  For more details contact me shilohmuse at gmail dot com

Are Israel and "The Settlements" Really the Biggest Problems in the Middle East?

As I was scrolling down the daily "headlines" sent by The New York Times, I noticed two interesting ones:

U.N. Agency Suspends Food Aid in Gaza After Protesters Break Into Its Compound

and

U.N. Says It Is Running Out of Money to Assist Wave of Refugees From Syria

Even the United Nations seems very occupied with problems in the Middle East much greater than anything going on in Israel including my town of Shiloh.

Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/Reuters

“There will be no food tomorrow,” said Adnan Abu Hasna, a spokesman for the agency, which provides nutrition, education, health and other services to 815,000 Palestinians who are refugees and their descendants, nearly half of Gaza’s population. “The food distribution centers and the relief offices will be closed in the coming days unless there’s a real security being provided to the life of our staff, because there is a great concern about their safety.”

How long will the United Nations support and perpetuate the Arab's refugee status?

Khalil Ashawi/Reuters

Deir al-Zour, like many sites in Syria, has been laid waste by the war, leaving more Syrians fleeing as aid runs low.



“The needs are rising exponentially, and we are broke,” Marixie Mercado, a spokeswoman for Unicef, told reporters in Geneva. “Across the region, a lot of our operations are going to have to start scaling down unless we get money.”
The warning came as President Bashar al-Assad, in a rare interview with a foreign media outlet, said that if Syria broke up or came under the control of “terrorist forces,” this would immediately spill over into neighboring countries first, and that a domino effect would reach countries across the Middle East.

Shouldn't the United States, its President Barack Hussein Obama and his Cabinet be more concerned about what all the instability mentioned in these articles than what is happening in Israel?

Latma's Tribal Update presents Apology Mania! And Yair Lapid gets down to business

Here it is:



There's more truth to Latma's broadcasts than you'll hear from the mainstream media.

A Very "Jewish Moment" at Work

As regular readers know, I work in a store, a clothing store, Yafiz, which is part of the Rami Levy business, in Sha'ar Binyamin.

Usually I write about how there is amazing cooperation between the Jews and Arabs who work and shop together in Yafiz and Rami Levy.  It's still true.  I must admit that when I'm  in the shvung*  of work I barely pay attention to whether I'm serving Jews or Arabs.  A customer is a customer, and as long as they are polite, cooperative, buying and paying, it really doesn't matter to me.  I sell in Hebrew, English, pantomime and the few words I remember from my high school Spanish.

Last night at work, just as I was walking a customer to the cashier, my phone made alarm sounds.  I quickly took it to turn it off and said to my Jewish customer:

"S'fira reminder."

She happily thanked me and began the blessing of Counting the Omer.

According to the Torah (Lev. 23:15), we are obligated to count the days from Passover to Shavu'ot. This period is known as the Counting of the Omer. An omer is a unit of measure. On the second day of Passover, in the days of the Temple, an omer of barley was cut down and brought to the Temple as an offering. This grain offering was referred to as the Omer.
Every night, from the second night of Passover to the night before Shavu'ot, we recite a blessing and state the count of the omer in both weeks and days. So on the 16th day, you would say "Today is sixteen days, which is two weeks and two days of the Omer."

I have found that one of the easiest ways to remember to Count the Omer is to have my cellphone remind me.  I do have some email reminders, but I'm not always on the computer and certainly not when at work. In addition, my cell phone is a simple "dumb phone" which isn't set up for internet and emails.

I can usually hear the coo coo clock alarm sound which it makes for appointment reminders. Then I must just try to remember which number we're up to in the count.  As  soon as she had finished I asked her which number.

"I may be wrong, but I think it's ten."
"I also think it's ten, so there's a good chance that you're right, thanks."

And then I too counted.

It's funny in a way.  It's like we were speaking in "codes" that not everyone would understand.  In Israel, not even all Jews are aware of S'firat Ha'Omer, Counting the Omer.  Outside of Israel, it's certainly even more rare even in the Jewish community. It was nice to have a mini-public counting in the store.  

Too bad they don't announce the Omer Counting on the loudspeaker from the Rami Levy supermarket, the way they announce a minyan for Mincha or Arvit, afternoon or evening prayers.  They also have public lighting of the Chanukiyah, Chanukah menorah.  Public Omer Counting would be very helpful for busy people, especially women and children who generally don't doven with a minyon even if they do doven at night.

So, I'm especially glad that my little "homemade Omer alarm" helped more than just me.

*What does "in the shvung/shvoong" mean?

The word “Shvoong” is originally German. It is written “Schwung” and it means momentum. The Jewish people has adopted this word to their Yiddish vocabulary and used it when they wanted to describe something that is done quickly.

Take off the "Kid Gloves;" Time for The Death Penalty for Terrorist Murderers in Israel

In theory there already is the death penalty in Israeli Law.

In Israel, capital punishment is currently allowed only during wartime and only for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, treason, and crimes against the Jewish People. (Wikipedia)

It just has been used once, when the Nazi Adolf Eichmann was executed.

Israel and its citizens are under attack by Arab terrorists and their foreign supporters and ideologues.  Their aim is the murder of Jews and the destruction of the State of Israel.  That certainly fits the law's criteria.

This may be a dumb questions, but:

Why aren't convicted Arab terrorists executed?

 

What's the Teflon?

The Palestine Media Watch is an excellent source of information about what the Arabs do, believe and aim.

Listen to the Arab leader the world and too many Israelis claim is our "peace sic partner."
Abbas admits sending terrorists to kill Israelis



The Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is a very dangerous man.  There's no way we in Israel can have a true peace with him.  And even if he really wanted and was willing and ready, his cronies aren't.  The Arabs support the terrorist's and if they don't, they're afraid to admit it.  There isn't enough power in the Arab "peace camp" at this point in time. 

At present the Arabs fear the terrorists more than they fear Israelis. Terrorists execute their opposition, while we Israelis coddle convicted terrorists in our jails. They get food, clothes, medical care, visits from family, opportunities for education and always a chance to be released in exchange for captured Israelis.

If the Israeli Government and Judicial System would start executing all terrorists convicted of murder and attempted murder of Jews, then there would be less terrorism.  And with time, the terrorists would have less power over ordinary Arabs.  With time, and I'm talking decades, not days or months,  we'd find ourselves living with peaceful Arabs who wouldn't be afraid to say they want to  live under Israeli rule, because Israel is a more just society than the Arab countries.

True justice requires punishing the criminals for the crimes and not rewarding them.

Finally, But Too Little and Too Late

Yesterday I met with some people involved with, as volunteers, in Israel's Hasbara, information "campaign."  They find it very frustrating that our beloved country, full of so many intelligent and successful people, businessmen and marketing experts just can't get our own defense and image right.

We do the Christian, which Christians don't practice, "turn the other cheek" when we're attacked.  It has gotten to such a point that on the rare occasions when we do react, we're considered aggressors.  After silently accepting the recent attacks from Gazan Arab terrorists, yesterday we finally hit back.

IAF strikes follow rocket and mortar fired from Gaza toward southern Israel in which no injuries or damages caused; Hamas says none hurt in attack on northern Gaza; police find rocket remains at Sderot nursery.

Smoke from airstrike in Gaza Strip Photo: Ibraheem Abu Mustafa / Reuters

            

            

The IAF launched airstrikes on the Palestinian Gaza Strip on Tuesday, the first such attack since a truce ended an eight-day cross-border war in November.

How much good will it do so late on, especially when we're so apologetic?

Border police arrest settlers in
West Bank [file] Photo:
Tazpit News Agency

Unfortunately, the IDF and Defense Ministry are much quicker when it comes to going after Jews who defend themselves from Arab terrorists.  Nearby Aish Kodesh suffers from both Arab and IDF violence.  Too many Jews find themselves wasting time in jail due to trumped up charges by the authorities.

Shoshan said the incident began when some 200 people from Kusra infiltrated the outpost’s vineyards and threw stones at the settlers. He added that Border Police and Eish Kodesh’s security team responded in an attempt to disperse them, shooting in the air.

This only encourages Arab aggression.

As I've said on many occasions:

"Something stinks!"

It's of major importance that our official Hasbara be done properly, professionally and without apologies.  If we don't make it one hundred percent 100% clear that we have no doubt of about our legitimate right to be in this Land, then people won't trust us.

We should be initiating the points, attacks against the Arab aggressors and their international supporters.

We should be using the Leftist human rights terminology to demand our human rights, civil rights and religious rights.

Whoever acts stronger and more confident wins, and we waste too much time apologizing.

This is OUR LAND!  In the long History of the World, only one people, the Jewish People have ever had an independent nation here.  We are back and we're not leaving!!!

Intermarriage, Jews Marrying Out, Not Always a Happy Ending

While I was reading Doublelife: One Family, Two Faiths and a Journey of Hope by Harold Berman and Gayle Redlingshafer Berman, I had to keep reminding myself that although I know quite a few couples with similar stories, the percentage of intermarried couples who fully embrace Torah Judaism is negligible.

Harold and Gayle Berman have put together a wonderful book about their relationship and certainly a surprise for them  discovery and adoption of a Torah observant Jewish life.  It's written as a series of letter to each other, and I strongly appreciate the decision to give each of them a different font.  That makes it much easier to keep track of who has written what, even though their voices and stories are quite different.

It's important to read their book as a book by intelligent, sincere people who due to a principled intellectual and spiritual curiosity found themselves both embracing Judaism. 

It truly was love at first sight – even though Gayle was the Minister of Music in a Texas mega-church and Harold was a secular Jew from New York. Fate brought them together. But destiny had something else in mind. From the Bible Belt to northernmost Russia to the heart of the Jewish world, Doublelife is really about the journey within, to discover who we are and who we are meant to be. [Read More]

I think it's dangerous for troubled, concerned parents and relatives of Jews marrying non-Jews to get too much comfort from the Berman's story.  In the vast majority of cases, Judaism is lost to the children and grandchildren etc. of intermarried couples, even when the descendants are Jewish by Jewish Law.

I don't see their bringing up the Purim story of Esther as historic justification for intermarriage.

The Book of Esther is a book of secrets.
Esther is also a book of interfaith marriage, one of the secrets the story’s heroine keeps even from her husband. Esther, the Jew, marries the Gentile King Ahasuerus, putting her in the ideal position to save her people from the wicked Haman. Some have interpreted the story as a Biblical endorsement, offering ancient proof that two faiths within one marriage not only works, but can be a positive societal force. (preview)

I studied Megillat Esther at Matan with Atara Snowbell for an entire school year, and at no point did we come to that conclusion.  Queen Esther is revered by Bible scholars for her sacrifice, giving up a normal Jewish Life for the sake of the Jewish People living in the Persian Empire.  Her children did not live as Jews, and King Achashverosh certainly didn't convert to Judaism.

This criticism doesn't mean that I don't find the book well-written and compelling.  I just find their reassurances that intermarriage may not be the end of Jewish life to be misleading. I certainly enjoyed reading Doublelife and do recommend it, but please don't think that there is anything typical about the Bermans.  They are two extraordinary people who tell their story beautifully.  I wish there were more people like them.

The Sad Story of Gilad Schalit

The Jerusalem Post has just published a two part feature story translated from the original Hebrew about Gilad Schalit, the IDF soldier who had been captured by the Arab terrorists, held for five years and then was released in exchange for a thousand jailed terrorists after an unrelenting campaign by his father.  Here are parts one and two.

It's not a pleasant story.  It's like finding out your favorite uncle cheated you or your father's a philanderer.

Schalit knew that he had effectively given himself up on June 25, 2006, been taken captive without firing even one bullet, despite the fact that he could have prevented the entire situation with relative ease. He was very concerned indeed over his meeting with the military investigators.

It must be difficult for Schalit to live with that truth.  I'm the mother of IDF soldiers who are now reservists.  My husband also served in the IDF.  Here in Shiloh we raise our children to do everything to defend themselves, to survive.  The message is:

"Defend yourself at all cost.  Shoot first.  If necessary we can get a lawyer later."

The biggest surprise is that the terrorists didn't shoot Schalit on the spot.  He's very lucky.  He could have easily have been just another dead soldier.

I didn't agree with Schalit's father's campaign.  I did not agree with his premise that the Israeli Government was responsible for finding a way to free him. And I didn't like the price we are paying for Gilad's freedom by having more Arab terrorists free to murder.

As I had blogged many times, I think that the emphasis of the campaign should have been on all of the international organizations, like the Red Cross, the United Nations and sundry human rights groups, even like Betzelem.

I firmly believe that a well run campaign targeting those groups could have gotten Gilad Schalit freed, and it wouldn't have endangered us.  It would have, could have been a great hasbara information success for Israel.