Showing posts with label Beersheva. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Beersheva. Show all posts

Monday, June 12, 2017

Exciting new release! - ONE FOR ISRAEL Dr. Erez Soref




Dr Erez Soref President of  ONE FOR ISRAEL 
Shalom!

Yeshua said, "I am the Way, the Truth and the Life! No one comes to the Father except through me."(John 14:6)We must not ignore Yeshua's words and warnings to us: there is only one gate, one narrow way, and it is only through him that we can know God. The pull to be conciliatory towards those from different faiths and backgrounds must not cause us to go against the truth that Yeshua clearly taught. He is the only way!

Yeshua also taught us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us - to bless and not to curse them. What better way can we bless others than with the Good News that they can know God's love and forgiveness? 


POWERFUL VIDEO REACHING ARABS IN ISRAEL WITH THE GOSPEL

We have just launched a new series of evangelistic videos to reach Arabs in Israel and the surrounding area - both those who have grown up as Muslims, and those from Christian traditions who have never come to know the Lord for themselves. Watch as Carlos, an Israeli Arab member of our staff, shares a simple yet powerful gospel message to an Arab audience. 


AN INTENSIVE WEEK AT ISRAEL COLLEGE OF THE BIBLE

With the Spring semester almost completed, we now have students in for two intensive courses this week: Church History and Spiritual Formation. Our foundation program, "Bikurim" (Firstfruits) students are looking at spiritual formation through the disciplines of prayer, fasting, giving, worship, Bible study, solitude and so on, in order to grow as disciples of Yeshua. Those who are pursuing studies at a higher level are taking the parallel course on Church history with a focus on the Reformation, 500 years after the main event!


Just as many Christians aren't too clear about what happened to the Jewish people after the time of Yeshua, many Jewish believers know very little about how God has been active through his church throughout history. The dominant fact that is widely known is that Christians have persecuted Jews (and Luther was particularly known for his anti-Semitic views) but the important movements started by God's Spirit, often not so much. Discovering God's hand at work through the ages is an important aspect of getting to know God himself.

The students all meet for lunch and fellowship in the middle of the day, coming from different backgrounds and places in Israel. One Russian Jewish girl was asking an Arab friend to teach her to say "I praise God" in Arabic. The learning is not just in the classroom!


UPGRADE YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF THE BIBLE

Have you ever found yourself reading the Bible and come across a city, mountain, river, or region and realized, "I have no idea what they're talking about!" You're not alone! For Vickie, a faithful student of the Word from Texas, our Biblical Geography course was just what she needed to get a better sense of the biblical landscape and, consequently, a better understanding of the Bible: 

"Sheila (the instructor) explains things so well! And when she is talking about the various sites, she shows you what she is talking about through high-definition aerial footage and engaging maps...I now understand the places I'm reading about in the Bible so much better!"


"When I read a phrase in the Bible such as '...and all Israel from Dan to Beersheva knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the LORD' (1 Samuel 3:20), I now have a good sense of what the author was meaning to convey. In the case of the phrase I just mentioned, the author didn't just pick two random cities, but rather chose those two specific cities because they represented the northern and southern borders of ancient Israel. So the author of 1 Samuel is making explicit that everyone in Israel knew that Samuel was a prophet. It's information like this that I gained from the Biblical Geography course that has greatly enhanced my reading of Scripture." 

Want to enhance your own knowledge as well? Continue Reading...


BEING GOOD TO THE SAMARITAN


It is challenging to see how Yeshua interacts with the Samaritans, who had a wildly different version of events and theology than the Jews. In John chapter 4 he avoids the argument without avoiding the Samaritan woman as a person. He offers her what her soul is longing for. The Water of Life. Acceptance, forgiveness of sin, and a loving relationship with the Messiah. Continue reading...


REFUTING THE FABLES ABOUT JESUS IN THE TALMUD


There is a fable in the rabbinic Talmud, according to which, Jesus was allegedly a disciple of Rabbi Joshua Ben Perachiah, had an altercation with him and, for revenge, decided to learn the Satanic Witchcraft Arts in Egypt for the purpose of leading the people of Israel to sin. This bizarre rabbinic legend has just as much evidence and historical credibility as the claim that Santa Claus hands out gifts by sliding down chimneys on Christmas Eve. But it's easy to show our Jewish friends that there is no truth in this story, and that Yeshua's authority to do miracles came from God. Continue reading...
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Friday, November 29, 2013

Century-Old Photos Revealed by Oregon State University, Part 1. The Collection Includes an Interesting Historical Commentary

Israel's History - a Picture a Day (Beta)


Posted: 27 Nov 2013 11:07 PM PST
Rachel's Tomb (circa 1910) Note the camels and carriages. (Oregon State University Archives)

Oregon State University has an unusual collection of 100+ year old photographs of Palestine --  not necessarily unusual because of the photographs, which are exceptional, but also because of the historic narration provided to most of the pictures. 


Tiberias (circa 1910, Oregon State University Archives)
The "historic lecture booklet" referenced in many of the captions, explains Trevor Sandgathe, the Public Services Coordinator of OSU's Special Collections & Archives Research Center, "is a 60-page document containing captions for each of the images in this particular set of lantern slides.  The booklet was for internal use and therefore unpublished."

We provide here a first set of OSU's pictures and the original captions (in blue).

"Tiberias ... is on the western shore of the lake of Galilee about seven miles from its southern end. The lake lies 627 feet below the level of the Mediterranean; the city is on a plain a few feet above the lake. 
After the destruction of Jerusalem, Tiberias became the seat of many Jewish schools. Here the Mishna was complied [sic] and published about A.D. 220, and the Palestinian Talmud about 420. Here the vowel points were added to the Hebrew Bible about 600 A.D. Of its present population of 4,000 two-thirds are Jews." 

The Jews' Wailing Place- Outer Wall of Temple  (circa 1910, 
Oregon State University Archives)
"Leaving the temple area by the Cotton Gate, a turn to the left will bring one to the wailing place of the Jews which is a portion of the western wall of the temple area. 

The figures leaning against the weather-beaten wall, shedding tears, present a touching scene. Some professionals come to mourn for others, whose business detains them, but one old woman was actually bathing the walls and flagstones below with hot tears. On a Friday afternoon or a Saturday morning, great throngs of Jews may be seen here all unconscious of the presence and clicking of cameras. 

This is as close to the temple area as the Jews ever go, for none of them wish to commit the enormous sin of treading upon the Holy of Hollies. As nearly as the Middle Ages, probably, the Jews came hither to wail. They are free to do so now, but in ages past they had to pay large sums for this privilege."

Jaffa Gate (prior to 1908 when a clock tower was built at the gate, post-1898
when the wall was breached to build this road  (circa 1910,
 Oregon State University Archives)  More pictures of Jaffa Gate here

"The Jaffa gate is the only gate on the western side of Jerusalem. It is so called because through it passes the road and the traffic to and from Jaffa.
 It is one of eight gates in the city wall, of which one, the golden Gate, had long been walled up. the Jaffa gate is called by the Moslem, Bab el-Khalil, that is Gate of the Friend (of God) - Abraham, because from this gate is the road to Hebron where Abraham lived.
The scene is liveliest on Sunday, and on Friday --- the holy day of the Mohammedans. Then the Jaffa road appears as the principal promenade of the natives." 





 

Responsible Archivists Preserve Their Photographic Treasures

 
 
Abraham's Well, Beer Sheba  (circa 1910, Oregon State University Archives)
The wells of Beer Sheba were a strategic location during the battles of
World War I. Read more here

Yeshua Campaign Causes Buzz in Southern Israel

Yeshua Campaign Causes Buzz in Southern Israel

Friday, November 29, 2013 |  David Lazarus, Israel Today  
When an Israeli army general noticed the Yeshua placards along the highway on his way to base in Beersheva, he called his battalion to a special meeting and explained to his soldiers who these “Messianic Jews are and what they believe about Yeshua.”
While the gospel campaign by Jews for Jesus created a lot of buzz among local residents, not everyone was as sympathetic toward the Messianics as the general.
“May his name be cut off forever,” screamed Ofer Karadi, a member of the ultra-orthodox Shas party, when a Messianic Jew dared to mention the name of Yeshua (Jesus) on the Radio Darom morning program.
With all the commotion stirred up in the Negev by the campaign, the popular radio station was interviewing the local Shas representative together with the deputy mayor of Beersheva and a local Messianic Jew.
“Are you so degenerate as to allow this impious infidel to even speak on the radio,” shouted Karadi in reference to his Messianic co-guest. “It is unacceptable to allow these degenerates to speak about these things in our city.”
“These are all lies. Let them (Messianics) go to the Bedouins and tell them about Yesu. You should never give these infidels a microphone. You should hit him over the head with the microphone!” shouted the orthodox Shas representative.
Pleading to give others an opportunity to respond, the host asked Karadi to “please show some respect to others.”
“I respect everyone,” responded Karadi. “How degenerate can you people get. These people are criminals of humanity. They have nothing. No intelligence. Where do they get this stupidity. They should be sent out of the country.”
“What do you say about this campaign to tell people about Yeshua?” the host was finally able to ask his Messianic guest.
“Some within the Messianic community are opposed to think kind of public campaign. Although every believer is commanded to tell others about our faith. Everyone should at least have the opportunity to check for himself what the Hebrew Bible teaches about the Messiah,” said the local Jewish believer.
“How can you give a platform for these empty-headed people,” cut in Karadi. “They are extremists. They are causing a civil war here in Israel!” (what this really means is that if Messianic Jews keep preaching the gospel in Israel, the orthodox will rise up with violent resistance).
“Is Judaism so weak that you need to make these kind of threats to Jews who believe in Yeshua?” retored the host.
When Karadi continued shouting his anti- Messianic slogans, the announcer finally had enough and said “good-by” before turning off his microphone.
“What do you say to all this?” he asked the Messianic Jew, who responded:
“Yeshua is like Joseph in the Torah portion we read this week. He is still hidden to his own people. But the day is coming when he will be revealed. Everyone should be allowed to read for himself what the Scriptures teach about the Messiah and come to his or her own conclusion. We are Jews who believe that Yeshua is the promised Messiah for Israel. We are here to give everyone at least an opportunity to decide for themselves if Yeshua is our Messiah.”
“What do you say about all this, Mr. Deputy Mayor?” asked the host.
“I represent all of the citizens of Beersheva,” he said with some trepidation. “I want to be friends with everyone on all sides.” Not an easy task given the religious fervor stirred up when Jews believe in Jesus.
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Monday, June 10, 2013

Israel Photos of Various Sorts

I love collecting photos and artwork, and so I am sharing a few more with you.

Steve Martin
Love For His People

David's Citadel in the Old City of Jerusalem

Rabbis blowing shofars.

Mezuzah  - tree decorated

Mezuzah with Yeshua's name

City of David

Jerusalem crossing

Avner & Rachel Boskey in Beer-sheva

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

David Ben Gurion

Ram's horn (shofar), wine cup made from 
olive wood with metal rim, Torah scroll &
painting from Israeli Jewish artist 
- my living room


Masada. Never again.

Flying forever!