September 13, 2007
Yesterday, we visited Hebron and the brave Jews who live there among thousands of Muslims. Hebron is the place of Abraham's third altar. And it is the place where God cut the covenant between the pieces with Abraham (Genesis 15).
We visited the caves of Machpelah, purchased by Abraham for 400 Shekels of silver as a place to bury Sarah. Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rebecca, Jacob and Leah are buried there.
The trip was cut a little short because the religious Jews there were preparing for the eve of the New Year, Rosh HaShanah.
Rosh means head. Shanah means year. Ha means the. So--Rosh HaShanah is the head of the year. It is the civil new year dated from the creation of Adam.
Last night people in our group enjoyed a Chag (feast) meal at the hotel and then visited different synagogues as they wanted. This morning they went to the wall to listen to the blowing of the shofars. The only thing the Bible says about this day is that it is a day of blowing of shofars.
I'll let my daughter, Shelli, tell you of her impressions.
Shelli: First of all. "Shana Tova." I've been practicing saying this after hearing it many times. Shana means year. And Tova means Good.
Today I woke up with the thought, Today I will learn with my feet just what it means to be in Jerusalem on this special day of the Feast of Trumpets. I walked with the tour group from our hotel through the Gehonim valley through Jaffa gate into the Jewish Quarter of the Old City to the Western Wall. The Wall is the only standing wall of the Temple Mount area of the Second Temple.
I saw families, dressed in their best. I kept my eyes on the men's section which is definitely more animated. I thought about how Jews all over the world were blowing shofars on this day. Here we heard the blowing of the shofar from one group and then the other.
I thought about the ram caught in the thicket by its horn that redeemed the life of Isaac. And to this day it calls for the Messiah.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
From Jerusalem on What's Happening Now
September 10, 2007
We drove down from the Galilee to Jerusalem. Our two busses of 85 people from America, Canada, Northern Ireland, Ireland, and Peru stopped first for the magnificent view from Mount Scopus looking out over the Temple Mount. We took communion here.
We hurried to check into the hotel and make our meeting with General Ya'allon, former Chief of Staff of IDF (Israeli Defense Forces). He was in that position when Prime Minister Ariel Sharon fired him, sending someone to his door in the middle of the night to do the task. I once asked him when both of us were speaking at an American Friends of Ariel dinner in Florida, "How did it feel when Sharon fired you?" He said, "When you work for someone and you do not agree with what they are doing and you tell them so, you are not surprised if they fire you." Then he said, "But for the first time in months I could sleep nights."
What he did not agree on was pushing the Jews out of Gaza. He did not want his soldiers to take part in such a thing. And he knew it would result in the terrorist haven that it is.
His address to us could have had a standing ovation on every sentence. His views are widely held here. The current government is weak. Olmert has only a single digit approval rating. But the coalition members will not pull out of the coalition because they know they cannot be reelected to the Knessett.
General Ya'alon voiced the sad truth that Israel lacks leaders of integrity and values.
September 11, 2007
Our program today began with a talk on Gaza by a military leader (now a reserve Colonel) whose career has been centered there. Our program was decided some time ago. But it so happened that he spoke with the voice of one who knows just after the military base was hit by Palestinian rockets just hours before.
The camp that was hit was one for new recruits. It was easy to picture it. When we were in Ariel, the young singers and dancers "For Zion's Sake" who always perform for us delighted us again with their singing and dancing. Through the years we have watched young people grow up and go into the compulsory army duty. Just days ago, we heard two of them say they would be going into the army in two weeks. So, the camp was filled with very young inductees. 59 were injured.
Our morning speaker doubted that the current government would go into Gaza to retaliate. He thought they would not have the strength to stick out a full fledged incursion.
Immediately after the talk, we boarded our busses and went to visit our dear friends who were pushed out of their homes in Gush Katif (Gaza) by the Sharon government. We visited a temporary housing settlement. It is sad to behold. Their lovely homes which some had built 30 and more years ago in Gush Katif have been flattened by their own government. And they live in very close quarters in temporary housing.
Our friend Rachel Sapperstein met us waving her hands as we pulled in to the place. She is remarkable. Though so misused by her own government she is looking with faith to the future and the possibility of building a new town. An artist, she has even designed the town. There is no concrete evidence that it will be built. But she has faith.
Her husband, Moshe, is not so optimistic. In fact, his mood is a blue one. He is a man of faith. But he has lost hope in his country's leadership, to say the least. And he has given so much for his country--an arm and an eye in the Yom Kippur war, a terrorist sniper shot him in the other hand and one leg, his daughter survived a suicide bus bombing in Jerusalem. And in all this he never lost hope. Until--his own government pushed him and his neighbors from their homes in Gush Katif. And turned them over to the Hamas.
Dror Vanunu, a 31-year-old father of four said that his young daughter wants him to pray each night as he puts her to bed that those people who destroyed our homes, and the hotel, will not come and destroy this place. (The family of 6 lived for a while in a hotel room before being moved to the temporary housing unit they now have.) She thinks that the reason they had to leave the hotel was that the destroyers came.
Everywhere people prepare for the New Year--Rosh HaShanah. Millions of flowers have been sold to celebrate and everywhere one greets others with the wish "Shanah Tova." This means "Have a Good Year." We trust it will be so.
Shalom
Billye Brim
We drove down from the Galilee to Jerusalem. Our two busses of 85 people from America, Canada, Northern Ireland, Ireland, and Peru stopped first for the magnificent view from Mount Scopus looking out over the Temple Mount. We took communion here.
We hurried to check into the hotel and make our meeting with General Ya'allon, former Chief of Staff of IDF (Israeli Defense Forces). He was in that position when Prime Minister Ariel Sharon fired him, sending someone to his door in the middle of the night to do the task. I once asked him when both of us were speaking at an American Friends of Ariel dinner in Florida, "How did it feel when Sharon fired you?" He said, "When you work for someone and you do not agree with what they are doing and you tell them so, you are not surprised if they fire you." Then he said, "But for the first time in months I could sleep nights."
What he did not agree on was pushing the Jews out of Gaza. He did not want his soldiers to take part in such a thing. And he knew it would result in the terrorist haven that it is.
His address to us could have had a standing ovation on every sentence. His views are widely held here. The current government is weak. Olmert has only a single digit approval rating. But the coalition members will not pull out of the coalition because they know they cannot be reelected to the Knessett.
General Ya'alon voiced the sad truth that Israel lacks leaders of integrity and values.
September 11, 2007
Our program today began with a talk on Gaza by a military leader (now a reserve Colonel) whose career has been centered there. Our program was decided some time ago. But it so happened that he spoke with the voice of one who knows just after the military base was hit by Palestinian rockets just hours before.
The camp that was hit was one for new recruits. It was easy to picture it. When we were in Ariel, the young singers and dancers "For Zion's Sake" who always perform for us delighted us again with their singing and dancing. Through the years we have watched young people grow up and go into the compulsory army duty. Just days ago, we heard two of them say they would be going into the army in two weeks. So, the camp was filled with very young inductees. 59 were injured.
Our morning speaker doubted that the current government would go into Gaza to retaliate. He thought they would not have the strength to stick out a full fledged incursion.
Immediately after the talk, we boarded our busses and went to visit our dear friends who were pushed out of their homes in Gush Katif (Gaza) by the Sharon government. We visited a temporary housing settlement. It is sad to behold. Their lovely homes which some had built 30 and more years ago in Gush Katif have been flattened by their own government. And they live in very close quarters in temporary housing.
Our friend Rachel Sapperstein met us waving her hands as we pulled in to the place. She is remarkable. Though so misused by her own government she is looking with faith to the future and the possibility of building a new town. An artist, she has even designed the town. There is no concrete evidence that it will be built. But she has faith.
Her husband, Moshe, is not so optimistic. In fact, his mood is a blue one. He is a man of faith. But he has lost hope in his country's leadership, to say the least. And he has given so much for his country--an arm and an eye in the Yom Kippur war, a terrorist sniper shot him in the other hand and one leg, his daughter survived a suicide bus bombing in Jerusalem. And in all this he never lost hope. Until--his own government pushed him and his neighbors from their homes in Gush Katif. And turned them over to the Hamas.
Dror Vanunu, a 31-year-old father of four said that his young daughter wants him to pray each night as he puts her to bed that those people who destroyed our homes, and the hotel, will not come and destroy this place. (The family of 6 lived for a while in a hotel room before being moved to the temporary housing unit they now have.) She thinks that the reason they had to leave the hotel was that the destroyers came.
Everywhere people prepare for the New Year--Rosh HaShanah. Millions of flowers have been sold to celebrate and everywhere one greets others with the wish "Shanah Tova." This means "Have a Good Year." We trust it will be so.
Shalom
Billye Brim
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Israel: Pressed on Every Side
September 9, Tiberias, Israel
A Day on the Golan
We spent today on the Golan Heights witnessing what is happening with Syria. Last Thursday the pressure stepped up on the Syrian front when two Israeli planes entered Syrian air space and triggered a response. Debka file said crack pilots were sent in on purpose to draw a response from an air defense system installed by Russia on August 10. The new system was supposed to stop anything Israel had, so it was reported by Debka, and the Israeli planes jammed the system proving it ineffective. Israel is silent on the matter. So, we really don't know.
But what I can say is that Israel is on the alert. All military leaves have been cancelled. And up on the Golan today we saw signs of military readiness there. We had a very enjoyable day, however. Especially in Katzrin a lovely town in the Golan. A Reuter's news man with camera interviewed some of our group. They asked them if they were afraid to be there. The answer. No.
We went to the very border with Syria and the sight of a miraculous tank victory for Israel in the Yom Kippur War of 1973. Rani Levy shared the details of the heroic battle led by Avigdor Kahalani, a family friend. After the moving remembrance, we had wonderfully anointed prayer.
In Judea and Samaria
I tried to post an earlier blog about our time in what the world calls the West Bank, but what the Bible calls Judea and Samaria. We have longtime friends in Ariel whom we were so glad to see. Of course, the pressing topic here is that Prime Minister Olmert has been talking with PA Machmoud Abbas about handing over Judea and Samaria to create a Palestinian State. Olmert has a single digit approval rating. Abbas does not have the support of his people. And President Bush who is pushing the matter toward a November conference in America, cannot serve another term.
No one really thinks it will go anywhere. But it is troublesome. We talked to a man whose business is security. He said that those in Shiloh who own their own homes received a letter that day from a group called One House, claiming to be apolitical, and offering to buy their homes in Shiloh and to help them move in view of the violence that is bound to come there soon. He lives in Shiloh. Of course they are not about to leave their homes.
Visited an army outpost watching over two hostile Arab villages near Ariel. One is Hamas. The other is Fatah. If a civil war ensues between the rival groups there could be a battle here.
Most of our friends here are trusting God. The one they obeyed to come back to the land of Ephraim and to build just as the prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel prophesied they would so many years ago.
We had wonderfully anointed prayer at the Alon Moreh of Genesis 12 where God first promised the Land to Abraham.
Baptism in the Jordan
Yesterday, 40 or so out of our group of 85 were baptized in the Jordan River. Those pastors who did the baptizing, as well as the people being baptized, said it was so powerful in the water they could barely stand. It was also so in our youth tour of June 2006.
The baptism was at the end of a wonderful day around the Sea of Galilee where our Lord's earthly ministry was centered. Each time there will be a different part of this trip where there is a strong anointing. This time it was at the place where Jesus met the apostles with bread and fish after His resurrection. Somewhere in this area our risen Lord said, "All authority in heaven and earth is given unto me, Go ye therefore...."
Misgav Am
Two days ago, we stood at Misgav Am overlooking Lebanon. The border there is a fence a few feet from where we were. We miss Mike Ginsberg, who passed away a year ago, but we appreciated his dedicated partner Arieh ben Yakov who spoke in the same way Mike did.
We were there just after the incident in Syria. Very interesting. We prayed here, too.
A man in our group who has traveled the world said today that he has never been on such a trip. It is so stratigically timely to be in these places at this time, and to be so anointed in prayer.
Tomorrow we leave for Jerusalem.
Shalom, Billye Brim
A Day on the Golan
We spent today on the Golan Heights witnessing what is happening with Syria. Last Thursday the pressure stepped up on the Syrian front when two Israeli planes entered Syrian air space and triggered a response. Debka file said crack pilots were sent in on purpose to draw a response from an air defense system installed by Russia on August 10. The new system was supposed to stop anything Israel had, so it was reported by Debka, and the Israeli planes jammed the system proving it ineffective. Israel is silent on the matter. So, we really don't know.
But what I can say is that Israel is on the alert. All military leaves have been cancelled. And up on the Golan today we saw signs of military readiness there. We had a very enjoyable day, however. Especially in Katzrin a lovely town in the Golan. A Reuter's news man with camera interviewed some of our group. They asked them if they were afraid to be there. The answer. No.
We went to the very border with Syria and the sight of a miraculous tank victory for Israel in the Yom Kippur War of 1973. Rani Levy shared the details of the heroic battle led by Avigdor Kahalani, a family friend. After the moving remembrance, we had wonderfully anointed prayer.
In Judea and Samaria
I tried to post an earlier blog about our time in what the world calls the West Bank, but what the Bible calls Judea and Samaria. We have longtime friends in Ariel whom we were so glad to see. Of course, the pressing topic here is that Prime Minister Olmert has been talking with PA Machmoud Abbas about handing over Judea and Samaria to create a Palestinian State. Olmert has a single digit approval rating. Abbas does not have the support of his people. And President Bush who is pushing the matter toward a November conference in America, cannot serve another term.
No one really thinks it will go anywhere. But it is troublesome. We talked to a man whose business is security. He said that those in Shiloh who own their own homes received a letter that day from a group called One House, claiming to be apolitical, and offering to buy their homes in Shiloh and to help them move in view of the violence that is bound to come there soon. He lives in Shiloh. Of course they are not about to leave their homes.
Visited an army outpost watching over two hostile Arab villages near Ariel. One is Hamas. The other is Fatah. If a civil war ensues between the rival groups there could be a battle here.
Most of our friends here are trusting God. The one they obeyed to come back to the land of Ephraim and to build just as the prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel prophesied they would so many years ago.
We had wonderfully anointed prayer at the Alon Moreh of Genesis 12 where God first promised the Land to Abraham.
Baptism in the Jordan
Yesterday, 40 or so out of our group of 85 were baptized in the Jordan River. Those pastors who did the baptizing, as well as the people being baptized, said it was so powerful in the water they could barely stand. It was also so in our youth tour of June 2006.
The baptism was at the end of a wonderful day around the Sea of Galilee where our Lord's earthly ministry was centered. Each time there will be a different part of this trip where there is a strong anointing. This time it was at the place where Jesus met the apostles with bread and fish after His resurrection. Somewhere in this area our risen Lord said, "All authority in heaven and earth is given unto me, Go ye therefore...."
Misgav Am
Two days ago, we stood at Misgav Am overlooking Lebanon. The border there is a fence a few feet from where we were. We miss Mike Ginsberg, who passed away a year ago, but we appreciated his dedicated partner Arieh ben Yakov who spoke in the same way Mike did.
We were there just after the incident in Syria. Very interesting. We prayed here, too.
A man in our group who has traveled the world said today that he has never been on such a trip. It is so stratigically timely to be in these places at this time, and to be so anointed in prayer.
Tomorrow we leave for Jerusalem.
Shalom, Billye Brim
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