How One Jewish Prayer Revealed 2016 is a Time of Prophetic Fulfillment By Ariella Mendlowitz - BREAKING ISRAEL NEWS

How One Jewish Prayer Revealed 2016 is a Time of Prophetic Fulfillment

By Ariella Mendlowitz   BREAKING ISRAEL NEWS July 13, 2016

“And there shall come forth a shoot out of the stock of Jesse, and a twig shall grow forth out of his roots. And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD.” Isaiah 11:1-2 (The Israel Bible™)

Photo: Shutterstock.com

Hiding within the most important prayer of Jewish liturgy, known as the Shemonah Esrei (Hebrew for “Eighteen blessings”), lies a once-concealed message that explicitly outlines the detailed process of the messianic era, said Israeli Rabbi Yaacov Haber during a recent lecture in the city of Ramat Beit Shemesh.

What’s more, current events, particularly since the founding of the State of Israel, have highlighted the undeniable truth that humanity finds itself wedged in the very era for which it has endlessly prayed.

The Shemonah Esrei is recited three times daily by Orthodox Jews around the world. During his lecture, Rabbi Haber demonstrated how different parts of the prayer relate to the messianic process.

Rabbi Yaacov Haber (Photo: Wikimedia)

The part of the service called “Sound the great shofar and gather the exiles” (Teka B’Shofar Gadol) is closely related to the coming of the Messiah. It is widely held that during the messianic era, the Jews who had been scattered throughout the world during the period of exile will be called home by the “sound of the shofar” and will return to live in the Jewish homeland of Israel.

With organizations such as Nefesh B’Nefesh and Shavei Israel working tirelessly to bring home the scattered people of Israel, “How can anyone deny this is happening in 2016?” Rabbi Haber wondered.

The section of the liturgy called “Restore our judges” (Hashiva Shofteinu), taught Rabbi Haber, represents the return of Jewish sovereignty. Of the many curses God put upon the Jews during the time of exile, falling under foreign leadership is one of the most difficult. When Jews live in lands not their own, by default they live under the rulership of a non-Jewish government, sometimes making it difficult to hold on to their Judaism.

Hashiva Shofteinu holds that the messianic process will reverse the curse and restore Jewish sovereignty in the land of Israel. Certainly the fact that the State of Israel is run by a Jewish government with an openly Jewish prime minister is evident that the prophecy has indeed come to fruition, said Rabbi Haber.

The meaning of the prayer’s phrase “May all wickedness perish” (V’lamalshinim) is clear: As the world grows increasingly closer to welcoming the Messiah and the Third Temple, the evil in the world will eclipse ever so swiftly. While terror against the good still reigns, it is indisputable that those carrying out wicked activities are carrying out such murderous acts against each other.

Hamas’ declaration that it would deliver capital punishment in the form of public executions against criminals and ISIS’s recent brutal killings of its own fighters prove an overall decrease in the amount of wickedness in the world.

The next part of the prayer, “For the righteous ones” (Al Hatzadikim), touches on respected elders. Though exile brings with it a mindset where the tzadikim (righteous leaders) are often disrespected and not held to any degree of importance, the era of Messiah will rectify all that and will see a renewed appreciation and reverence for those whom God cherishes, Rabbi Haber explained.

With lists such as “America’s Most Influential Rabbis” or the devoted manner in which the students speak of their scholars, it’s incontestable that the period of Al Hatzadikim is taking place before our very eyes.

It is at this point, Rabbi Haber maintains, where humanity currently finds itself, waiting with bated breath for the next stage in the process.

The last paragraphs of the shemonah esrei address glorifying Jerusalem, the building of the Third Temple, restoring God’s splendor, offering prayers of gratitude for His miracles, and of course, an eventual era of peace in the Land.

Thus, concluded Rabbi Haber, the evident truth is that 2016 is so much more than a world of iPhones, celebrities and political scandal. Rather, the seeming chaos happening in every moment is truly the next step towards ushering in the long anticipated era of the Messiah.

Mosaics Depicting Noah’s Ark, Splitting of the Red Sea Uncovered at Ancient Synagogue By Ariella Mendlowitz - BREAKING ISRAEL NEWS

Mosaics Depicting Noah’s Ark, Splitting of the Red Sea Uncovered at Ancient Synagogue

By Ariella Mendlowitz July 10, 2016   BREAKING ISRAEL NEWS

“And Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east wind all the night, and made the sea dry land, and the waters were divided.” Exodus 14:21 (The Israel Bible™)

Fish swallowing an Egyptian soldier; “Parting of the Red Sea” mosaic, Huqoq Synagogue. (Photo: Jim Haberman/UNC Chapel Hill).

Mosaics depicting two of the Bible’s most famous stories were uncovered amid excavations at an ancient synagogue in Israel’s Lower Galilee, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) announced last week.

Now in its sixth summer, the excavation, which is taking place at the 5th century CE Huqoq Synagogue in Northern Israel, has revealed mosaic artwork depicting Noah’s Ark (Genesis 6) and the splitting of the Red Sea (Exodus 14).

“The panel with Noah’s Ark depicts an ark and pairs of animals, including elephants, leopards, donkeys, snakes, bears, lions, ostriches, camels, sheep and goats,” the university said in a statement.

Donkeys in Noah’s ark mosaic from Huqoq Synagogue. (Photo: Jim Haberman/UNC Chapel Hill).

“The scene of the parting of the Red Sea shows Pharaoh’s soldiers being swallowed by large fish, surrounded by overturned chariots with horses and chariot drivers,” UNC’s statement described.

Both the Noah’s Ark and Splitting of the Red Sea mosaics decorated the floor of the synagogue’s nave (center of the hall).

The dig is being carried out by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) and UNC. In the past several years, students and staff working at the site have unearthed beautiful floor mosaics featuring both people and animals which have never been seen before in Jewish houses of worship.

“These scenes are very rare in ancient synagogues,” Jodi Magness, the UNC professor who has headed the dig, explained. “The only other examples that have been found are at Gerasa/Jerash in Jordan and Mopsuestia/Misis in Turkey (Noah’s Ark), and at Khirbet Wadi Hamam in Israel and Dura Europos in Syria (the parting of the Red Sea).” Working with Magness is Assistant Director Shua Kisilevitz of the IAA.

The first mosaics were discovered at the late Roman-era synagogue in 2012 and excavations have continued every summer since. In 2012, a mosaic depicting the story of Samson and the foxes (Judges 15:4) was uncovered in the building’s east aisle. In the summer of 2013, an adjacent mosaic showing Samson carrying the gate of Gaza (Judges 16:3) on his shoulders was uncovered.

A mosaic depicting the first non-biblical story ever found decorating an ancient synagogue was discovered and excavated in the synagogue’s east aisle in 2013 and 2014, according to the UNC statement. The scene is thought to be that of the “legendary meeting” between Alexander the Great and the Jewish Kohen (high priest).

Then, in 2015, a mosaic panel containing a “Hebrew inscription surrounded by human figures, animals and mythological creatures including putti (cupids),” UNC divulged. The 2015 discovery was located close to that of the scene depicting Alexander the Great.

“This is by far the most extensive series of biblical stories ever found decorating the mosaic floor of an ancient synagogue,” said Magness. “The arrangement of the mosaics in panels on the floor brings to mind the synagogue at Dura Europos in Syria, where an array of biblical stories is painted in panels on the walls.”

The mosaics have been removed from the site for conservation, researchers said, and the excavated areas have since been backfilled.

The team plans to continue with their excavations at Huqoq in 2017.

America and Israel: A Lifetime of Fighting for Freedom By Ariella Mendlowitz - BREAKING ISRAEL NEWS

America and Israel: A Lifetime of Fighting for Freedom

By Ariella Mendlowitz July 4, 2016  BREAKING ISRAEL NEWS

“And ye shall hallow the fiftieth year, and proclaim liberty throughout the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.” Leviticus 25:10 (The Israel Bible™)

Flag of Israel among 3000 Flags at 9/11 memorial on September 11, 2009 in Malibu, CA. (Photo: Shutterstock.com)

Today, the Fourth of July, marks 240 years since representatives of the original 13 colonies signed the historic Declaration of Independence, forever removing the burden of British rule and proudly establishing a new country to represent the values of “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”.

Since that very first Independence Day in 1776, America’s leaders have fought to bring its citizens the rights deserved by those living in a democratic nation. Whether freedom of religion, freedom of speech, the right of the people to be secure in their own homes, or freedom of the press, the once fledgling country has now boomed into a world power, refusing to allow harm to come to its people nor to its refreshing way of viewing the world with each step towards the future.

Fortunately, America does not stand alone in its battle towards securing a future of hope and prosperity for its people.

Because while the nation of 50 states and approximately 319 million people faces near monthly attacks from the unspoken evil of radical Islam, a little country no larger than the size of New Jersey, located 6,000 miles away, experiences the same terror, albeit on a more frequent- and often more deadly- basis.

Little Israel, only 68 years old, suffers at the same hands as those with plans to murder the “infidels” of America. With calls to quite literally wipe Israel off the face of the map, the daily threats to the Jewish state’s existence have resulted in tears of mourning as too many people bury loved ones, killed in their prime.

But the calls for Israel’s destruction have not deterred the little country from doing great things. From the time of her own Declaration of Independence from British rule in 1948, Israel has blossomed into the most advanced nation of the entire Middle East, joining America at the forefront of world leadership.

What the two unique countries share in the face of terrorism is a unique pursuit of freedom at all costs. For no other reason than to protect the values for which they stand would America and Israel send out their men and women into the heat of the battlefield with the well-known risk they may not return home alive.

Last week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Reuven Rivlin celebrated the strong ties between America and Israel at a ceremony held at the home of US Ambassador Dan Shapiro in Herzliya. “”Israel’s strongest and most central ally is America,” said Netanyahu.

Rivlin thanked the U.S. for its support saying, “We in Israel are committed, and we will remain committed to this special relationship.” Recognizing a common threat that both countries face, Rivlin emphasized that it will not deter the unity between Israel and the United States. “Our shared values are under attack, as in the terror attacks in Istanbul, Orlando, and Hebron. We will continue to confront these challenges together,” Rivlin declared.

“We will never forget that our true partner is the U.S. And do you know why this relationship will weather every storm and withstand every challenge? It is because when the U.S. looks at Israel, it sees itself. And when Israel looks at America, we see ourselves,” the prime minister affirmed.

On this July 4th, when Americans in the United States and those living abroad celebrate so many years of continued strength amid times of shattered dreams, Israel acknowledges the battle it shares with those in the west, and remembers the price which America too has paid in the quest for living as “one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

From Israel to America: Happy Independence Day and God bless!

Muslim Vandals Desecrate Cave of the Patriarchs by Ariella Mendlowitz - BREAKING ISRAEL NEWS

Muslim Vandals Desecrate Cave of the Patriarchs

By Ariella Mendlowitz June 26, 2016 BREAKING ISRAEL NEWS

“And thou shalt write them upon the door-posts of thy house, and upon thy gates.” Deuteronomy 6:9 (The Israel Bible™)

The Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron.

During the Muslim time of prayer on Friday at the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron, Muslims stole the beautiful and unique silver mezuzah which adorned the entrance to the Biblical site.

The mezuzah, a scroll of parchment which must be attached to every doorpost as commanded by God, is believed to have been desecrated by the unknown Muslim vandals, who also reportedly broke into a storage shed and stole equipment used by the Tomb’s maintenance staff worth thousands of shekels, Israel National News reported.

The ornate silver mezuzah that adorns the entrance to the Cave of the Patriarchs was stolen during Ramadan prayers 224 June, 2016. (Photo: Hebron Jewish Community and Biblical Heritage Site Facebook)

As the Friday prayers came amid the Muslim holiday of Ramadan, Israeli police were not present at the time of the theft. Therefore, the responsibility to protect the Cave of the Patriarchs fell with the Islamic Waqf.

The Jewish community of Hebron has demanded that the ten days of the year during which Muslims have full access to the Tomb, and no Jews are allowed, be suspended until the mezuzah is returned, according to The Jewish Press.

Noam Arnon, a spokesman for the Hebron Jewish community, demanded the police respond harshly to the incident, saying, “The Committee of Hebron demands that the [special access given to] Muslims for the [Ramadan] holiday be cancelled in the Tomb of the Patriarchs until the mezuzah is returned, and that severe measures be taken against the thieving terrorists.”

Expressing his frustration that visiting Muslims blatantly disrespected the holiness of the site, Arnon said, “We cannot have Arab vandals taking advantage of a holiday during which the State of Israel gives them exclusive access to the first Jewish holy site in order to commit crimes against Jewish holy objects.”

The spot signifying the missing mezuzah, which usually adorns the entrance to the Cave of the Patriarchs, is glaringly empty. (Photo: Breaking Israel News)

This is not the first time the special mezuzah was stolen. In two separate incidents in 2013, Jewish worshippers were horrified to discover the site had been vandalized after Muslim prayers took place, also during Ramadan.

Israel Building Massive Underground Wall to Stop Tunnels By Ariella Mendlowitz - BREAKING ISRAEL NEWS

Israel Building Massive Underground Wall to Stop Tunnels

By Ariella Mendlowitz June 16, 2016  BREAKING ISRAEL NEWS

“Because, even because they have led My people astray, saying: Peace, and there is no peace; and when it buildeth up a slight wall, behold, they daub it with whited plaster.” Ezekiel 13:10 (The Israel Bible™)

Above photo: Construction continues in the Israeli town of Gilo, separated from the town of Bethlehem by the Israeli security wall, March 10, 2012. (Photo: Ryan Rodrick Beiler / Shutterstock.com)

Israel’s defense establishment is developing plans to construct a concrete wall tens of meters under and above ground along the border that divides the Israel and the Gaza Strip, Ynet reported on Thursday.

Similar to the “West Bank barrier” or security fence that Israel began building in 2002 to separate Israelis from violent Palestinians in Judea and Samaria, this newest wall is intended to protect Israelis living along or near the border from infiltration via terror tunnels as well as defend against cross-border fire.

The costs to build the wall are estimated at approximately NIS 2.2 billion ($570 million USD). The wall will cover 60 miles of land around Gaza’s southern border. Exact measurements of how high the wall will reach above ground and how deep it will run below ground have not yet been revealed.

According to Ynet, this wall will be the third defense system of its kind that Israel has built along the border. In 1994, after the Oslo accords were struck, Israel constructed the first 60-kilometer barrier. The second system was implemented after former Prime Minister Ariel Sharon announced the decision to remove all Jewish presence from Gaza in 2005. Neither of these efforts would ever be capable of combating the severe threat posed by Hamas’s attack tunnels.

While efforts against Israel’s enemies in the south continue, the IDF is simultaneously erecting a similar wall around some sections of the Israeli-Lebanon border in close proximity to several Israeli towns. The decision to build came after Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s leader, publicly threatened attacks against civilians in the nearby villages.

Earlier this year, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized his support for building walls, saying that doing so will “protect Israel against beasts,” referring to Palestinians who seek to carry out attacks against Jews. Netanyahu’s statement came while touring a new security fence near the southern Israeli city of Eilat which was being built along Israel’s border with Jordan.

Though many human rights activists have protested Israel’s construction of such walls, claiming they inhibit Palestinians’ ability to easily commute, security forces hold fast to them saying the walls have no doubt contributed to the significant decrease in suicide bombings and other attacks in areas where the wall has been completed.

In Historic First, UN Names Israel Head of Permanent Committee by Ariella Mendlowitz - BREAKING ISRAEL NEWS

In Historic First, UN Names Israel Head of Permanent Committee

By Ariella Mendlowitz June 14, 2016  BREAKING ISRAEL NEWS

“I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Yerushalayim, they shall never hold their peace day nor night: ‘Ye that are the LORD’S remembrancers, take ye no rest.” Isaiah 62:6 (The Israel Bible™)

Israeli Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, speaks at the UN. (Photo: Danny Danon Official Facebook)

Israel has made history at the United Nations.

For the first time since its inception into the organization in 1949, Israel was elected on Monday to head a UN Legal Committee. Specifically, the Sixth Committee, which manages such issues as legal questions and fighting global terrorism. As Israeli Ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon will chair the committee for the upcoming UN General Assembly (GA), reported The Times of Israel.

“I am proud to be the first Israeli elected to this position,” said Ambassador Danon upon his win. “Israel is a world leader in international law and in fighting terrorism. We are pleased to have the opportunity to share our knowledge with the countries of the world.”

The Western European and Others Group (WEOG) in the UN, whose turn it was to pick a chairman for the committee, nominated Danon for the job. Among the WEOG’s pro-Israel countries are Australia, Canada, and the United States. In 2000, Israel became a temporary member of the WEOG and joined permanently in December 2013.

According to The Times of Israel, the chair positions of the GA’s main committees are appropriated on a rotational basis and are typically confirmed without need for a vote. But in this particular case, Yemen, on behalf of the Arab Group, challenged Israel’s nomination and demanded a vote be held.

Danny Danon sits at the United Nations in New York (Photo: Official Danny Danon Facebook page)

Despite months of behind-the-scenes diplomatic struggles and ferocious anti-Israel campaigning, however, 109 nations voted in favor of Danon’s appointment. (The election process only included votes that were cast for the particular candidate and did not include ‘nay’ votes.) The election was held via secret ballot in which all 193 members of the UN could vote.

“We will not allow dictatorships and anti-Israel countries to harm our standing in the international community,” said Danon. “We are a full member of the UN and any attempt to deny us of our legal rights in this organization will be met with uncompromising rejection.”

Ambassador Danon’s election received widespread support among many of the UN’s member states, led by the US and European countries, according to Ynet. Some of his supporters even took to social media to wish the Ambassador congratulations.

“A Gift From God”: Terror Victim Miraculously Survives Two Shots to the Head By Ariella Mendlowitz - BREAKING ISRAEL NEWS

“A Gift From God”: Terror Victim Miraculously Survives Two Shots to the Head

By Ariella Mendlowitz June 9, 2016  BREAKING ISRAEL NEWS

“Behold now, thy servant hath found grace in thy sight, and thou hast magnified thy mercy, which thou hast shown unto me in saving my life.” Genesis 19:19 (The Israel Bible™)

Israeli security forces at the scene where a suspect terrorist opened fire at the Sarona Market shopping center in tel Aviv, on June 8, 2016. The suspect shot and killed four people, in a suspected terror attack in the center of the city. (Photo: Gili Yaari/Flash90)

Amid the tragedy that followed Wednesday night’s shooting, one victim saw God’s hand as he survived two gunshot wounds to the head.

Asaf Bar was with his girlfriend at the Max Brenner cafe in Tel Aviv’s Sarona Market when two Palestinian terrorists, also dining at the restaurant, opened fire in their direction. According to The Jerusalem Post, Bar was shot in the head twice, yet somehow he not only survived the terrible ordeal, but remained conscious throughout the evening, including the ride to the hospital.

His girlfriend immediately called to notify the Bar family their son had been wounded. Upon receiving the news, they rushed from Haifa to be with Asaf.

Bar’s father, Avner, and sister, Dana Cohen, shared the victim’s experience with Israeli media.

Avner Bar, father of Asaf Bar who was wounded in yesterday’s shooting attack, together with Asaf’s sister, Dana Cohen, speak with the press at Ichilov Hospital where Asaf is hospitalized, on June 9, 2016. A suspect shot and wounded 9 people, 4 of them have died of their wounds, at the Sarona Market shopping center in tel Aviv, on June 8. (Photo: Miriam Alster/Flash90)

“Asaf was sitting [in the restaurant] with his girlfriend. They were there eating a breakfast meal, and the perpetrator, the first thing he did was to shoot two bullets at Asaf,” they said.

“[Asaf] saw the two terrorists and they were laughing. In his description he said they were wearing suits – this was at the table next to them,” Avner said. “In photographs [the terrorists] are seen getting up, taking a step, and aiming a gun half-a-meter away from Asaf.”

Despite Bar’s horrific encounter with his would-be killers, God’s mighty hand clearly played a part in saving the boy’s life.

“I feel like [my] boy is here as a gift from God,” his father marveled.

In a voice that evoked appreciation for the medics caring for Asaf, Avner explained his son’s current medical standing. “He spoke to us now, he can move all his body parts. One bullet remains in his head and the other was removed”

“It was [truly] a miracle that he came out of this,” Avner emphasized.

Obama Delays Moving US Embassy to Jerusalem - Ariella Mendlowitz BREAKING ISRAEL NEWS

Obama Delays Moving US Embassy to Jerusalem

By Ariella Mendlowitz   BREAKING ISRAEL NEWS  June 2, 2016

“Jerusalem, that art builded as a city that is compact together” Psalms 122:3 (The Israel Bible™)

(Above Photo: Official White House Photo/ Pete Souza)

US President Barack Obama once again displayed his anti-Israel sentiment on Wednesday after he renewed a presidential waiver that would delay the relocation of the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem for another six months, Haaretz reported.

“Pursuant to the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, including section 7(a) of the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995”, read the memorandum directed to US Secretary of State John Kerry. “I hereby determine that it is necessary, in order to protect the national security interests of the United States, to suspend for a period of 6 months the limitations set forth in sections 3(b) and 7(b) of the Act.”

Voted on by a supermajority, Congress passed The Jerusalem Embassy and Recognition Act in 1995. The bill stated that “the United States Embassy in Israel should be established in Jerusalem no later than May 31, 1999.” But a woven caveat allows for a president to postpone the move, for six-monthly periods, in the interests of national security.

The U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv (Photo: Wiki Commons)

Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Obama have all issued such waivers at each possible interval ever since.

Obama’s most recent decision to delay the move brings with it yet another sigh of exasperation for many of his pro-Israel supporters who had no doubt been inspired by the president’s 2008 campaign during which Obama referred to Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, saying “Jerusalem will remain the capital of Israel, and it must remain undivided.”

The next time the waiver comes up for review, in December of this year, Obama will be weeks away from stepping down as President. The decision whether to employ the Act, however, will still be in his hands at that time.

Continuing the rhetoric employed by American politicians looking to secure the Jewish vote, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has gone on record expressing his intentions to follow through with the Jerusalem Embassy Act. During his address to AIPAC attendees in March, Trump assured his audience that he would meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “immediately” and “move the American embassy to the eternal capital of the Jewish people, Jerusalem” should he win the election.

Hillary Clinton, however, has displayed many mixed messages regarding her plans for the US Embassy over the last 20 years. In 1999, she said she “considers Jerusalem to be the eternal and indivisible capital of Israel” and she would advocated to “move the US embassy to Jerusalem” should she be elected to the senate, CNN reported at the time.

In 2008, Clinton’s campaign website – under the heading “Standing with Israel against terrorism” – stated, “Hillary Clinton believes that Israel’s right to exist in safety as a Jewish state, with defensible borders and an undivided Jerusalem as its capital, secure from violence and terrorism, must never be questioned.”

The page does not exist in her 2016 campaign site, contradicting her previous vocalized sentiments.

According to a recent Gallup poll, 24 percent of Americans support moving the embassy to Jerusalem while 20 percent strongly disagree.