Israeli President Helps Reopen Church Burned by Jewish Extremists - Israel Today

Israeli President Helps Reopen Church Burned by Jewish Extremists

Tuesday, February 14, 2017 |  Israel Today Staff

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Christians

The Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes in Tabgha on the Sea of Galilee was fully reopened with the help of Israel President Reuven Rivlin this week, some 22 months after Jewish extremists set fire to the compound.

Two rooms in the historic church, where tradition says Jesus performed one of his most noted miracles, were badly damaged in the blaze.

Renovations on the church took eight months. The State of Israel covered one-third of the cost.

Rivlin and his wife were joined by a number of Christian leaders and foreign dignitaries at the celebratory event.

The Israeli president told to those gathered and to Christians around the world:

"We stand up for religious freedom because, as a people, we know very well what it means to suffer religious persecution. And we stand up for religious freedom because we are a democratic state – who believe in the rights for everyone to worship God according to their belief.

“The last time I was here, we stood together and looked at the burnt walls and the terrible graffiti. Today, I visit here again, and see the renewal of this historic, special, and holy place. I want to thank all the people who worked hard to restore this place, and to say clearly; that hate cannot win.”

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Bible Commandment Marks End of Shemitah - Julie Stahl (CBN)

Western Wall in Jerusalem  (Photo by Steve Martin, Love For His People. Not part of the original article below.)

Bible Commandment Marks End of Shemitah

10/1/2015 JULIE STAHL/CBN  charisma news

Join us on our podcast each weekday for an interesting story, well told, from Charisma News. Listen at charismapodcastnetwork.com.

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The Shemitah year in Israel has drawn a lot of interest from Christians around the world. Some have linked the agricultural practice to cataclysmic world events throughout history.

Israelis marked the official end of that period on Wednesday by following a unique biblical command.

It happens once in seven years. Tens of thousands of Israelis gathered at the Western Wall at Sukkot to listen as rabbis and political leaders read and sing the Word of God to them.

The reading signals the official end of the Shemitah year when Jewish people let their farmland lie fallow.

Deuteronomy 31 says, "At the end of every seven years...at the Feast of Tabernacles...you shall read this law before all Israel...that they may hear and that they may learn to fear the Lord your God and carefully observe all the words of this law."

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin read from Psalm 122:

"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, Prosperity within your palaces."

The crowd listened and prayed and recited scriptures after the rabbi.

Earlier in the day, thousands of Jews from Israel and around the world came to the Western Wall to celebrate another biblical tradition that takes place three times a year.

It's called the Birkat HaCohenim—the priestly blessing. God commanded Aaron to bless the Jewish people, saying:

"The Lord bless you and keep you. The Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you. The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace."

CBN News asked participants why they came.

"It's a very special thing to be able to get a blessing from so many cohanim [priests] and the blessing really comes from God and goes through the cohanim to the people," one man who brought his family from Muncie, New York, told CBN News.

"It's very important because these people who are blessing us are holy people and they're bringing the blessings from God down to us," an 18-year-old woman from Montreal, Canada, said.

"I just had this awakening and arousing. I felt very inspired to be here with thousands and thousands of Jewish people on this holy day," Rabbi Chaim Dalfin from Brooklyn, New York, said.

And even at the end of a long, hot day, there was still enough energy for rejoicing.

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Download the eBook of Jonah for Yom Kippur ✡ "He Will Forgive You"

For on this day He will forgive you, to purify you, that you be cleansed from all your sins before God. LEVITICUS (16:30)   כִּי בַיּוֹם הַזֶּה יְכַפֵּר עֲלֵיכֶם לְטַהֵר אֶתְכֶם מִכֹּל חַטֹּאתֵיכֶם לִפְנֵי יְ-הוָה תִּטְהָרוּ וַיִּקְרָא טז:ל kee ba-yom ha-ze y'-ka-payr a-lay-khem l'-ta-hayr et-khem mi-kol kha-to-tay-khem lif-nay a-do-nai tit-ha-ru

Today's Israel Inspiration Everyone knows that Jews fast on Yom Kippur, but do you know why?? One of the reasons is because on our holiest day of the year, we are all like God’s ministering angels. We refrain from food or drink like all celestial beings in order to raise our spirits to the heavens, and come as close to the Divine as humanly possible on this special day. Before we repent our sins to God on Yom Kippur however, we must make amends to our fellow man. Traditionally the day before Yom Kippur is spent on reconciling damaged relationships and seeking forgiveness from friend and foe alike, and wishing each other that we be inscribed in the Book of Life for the coming year. Learn more here about the gift of repentance in our eBook of Jonah, with complete Hebrew and English text, inspiring commentary, and videos of a cantor chanting the traditional tune.   Get our inspiring eBook of Jonah for Yom Kippur » Chant the Book of Jonah Follow along as a cantor chants the traditional Hebrew melody for the Book of Jonah which will be read on Yom Kippur. Jonah was a perplexing prophet whose story teaches us essential lessons on true repentance. Watch here » Interfaith Response to Terrorism Israeli President Reuven Rivlin met with European Catholic leaders at his residence in Jerusalem last week, urging an interfaith response to terrorism and stressing Israel’s commitment to freedom of religion and worship. Read more » Yom Kippur Inspiration: The Ten Martyrs A center piece of inspiration on Yom Kippur is a story of Jewish heroism and what it means not only to die as a Jew but to live like one. It is the story of the Ten Martyrs of Israel who were brutally murdered by the Roman Empire in the period surrounding the destruction of the Second Temple and Jerusalem. In this fresh and modern translation, the reader will discover a new definition of commitment to God and His people. Get this Great Book on Sale Now for 50% Off » Israel Photo Trivia Can you guess where Igor Farberov took this beautiful photo? Hint: It's mentioned in the eBook of Jonah! Send me an email or post your answer on Facebook. Guess on Facebook » Thank You Please help us continue to spread the beauty and significance of the Land of Israel!   Sponsor a day and receive a free devotional book » “I Love the Words of Wisdom” It’s great to hear from so many of you - stay in touch and let us know where in the world you are enjoying Israel365!   Stay in Touch » Thank you so much for your emails ! I love the words of wisdom ..Israel looks incredibly beautiful in the pictures you share!  Congratulations to you and your wife on the arrival of your daughter!  I live in Queensland, Australia.  God bless- Beverly Ross Am enjoying your email! I love Jerusalem. I try to learn about news and archeological discoveries frequently! Someday hope to visit Jerusalem! God Bless You!! I am from the State of Minnesota, USA.- Carol Johnson Shalom, Rabbi Tuly Weisz RabbiTuly@Israel365.com

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Israeli President: It's Our Right to Settle This Land

Sunday, August 30, 2015 |  Israel Today Staff

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Israeli President Reuven Rivlin last week stated unequivocally that it is the right of Jews and the Jewish state to settle the biblical Land of Israel.

“I love the land of Israel with all my heart. I have never and will never give up on this land. For me, our right to this land is not a matter of political debate,” Rivlin said in a meeting with Jewish settler leaders.

Rivlin suggested that Israel more firmly cling to this right, debatable as its implementation may be, in national discourse and the peace process.

“We must not give anyone the sense that we are in any doubt about our right to our land,” the president said. “For me, the settlement of the land of Israel is an expression of that right, our historical right, our national right.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and others in the Israeli government have long demanded that recognition of the Jews’ religious and historical connection and claims to this land be a starting point of peace negotiations with the Arabs.

But Rivlin was also adamant that acting on the right to settle the Land of Israel must be accompanied by compassion for and care of the non-Jewish population.

“Our sovereignty in this land means responsibility for all those who live here, and obliges all of us to uphold the strictest of moral codes, which is inherent in each and every one of us,” concluded Rivlin.

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Netanyahu Ready to Create Palestinian State

Thursday, May 21, 2015 |  Israel Today Staff

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Peace Process

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday stated clearly that he supports the creation of a Palestinian Arab state as the outcome of a bilateral agreement to end the present conflict.

“I don’t support a one-state solution – I don’t believe that’s a solution at all,” said the Israeli leader. “I support the vision of two states for two peoples – a demilitarized Palestinian state that recognizes the Jewish state.”

The prime minister made the remarks just prior to meeting with visiting European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini (pictured), with whom Netanyahu said he was “look[ing] forward to discussing with how we can advance that vision forth in a practical, secure, and responsible way.”

Following the recent Israeli national elections, European and American leaders loudly voiced concerns over Netanyahu’s campaign rhetoric, which suggested the Israeli leader saw little justification for permitting the creation of a Palestinian state.

On Thursday, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin also met with Mogherini and noted that “the whole world heard” Netanyahu commit himself to the two-state solution, and suggested that as such there should be no more question about Israel’s commitment to peace.

The official coalition guidelines for Netanyahu’s new government in fact call for the advancement of peace efforts with the Palestinians and all Israel’s neighbors, while safeguarding the Jewish state’s security and historical rights.

The danger is that Western powers will now, once again, try to railroad the process while ignoring ongoing Palestinian intransigence and violations, thus leading either to yet another breakdown in talks, or, more worryingly, a final status agreement that imperils Israel’s future.

Indeed, French media reported this week that Paris would soon present a new proposal for the peace process with an 18-month deadline, after which France threatened to unilaterally recognize a “State of Palestine” if no agreement had been reached.

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In Google, There is No Israel

Monday, May 18, 2015 |  Yossi Aloni  ISRAEL TODAY

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Israel

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin and American actress Natalie Portman were, according to Google, born in Palestine, not Israel.

Rivlin was born on September 9, 1939 in Jerusalem, in the State of Palestine. That’s what visitors to Google are told when entering Rivlin’s name into the search engine in the Latin alphabet.

This happens with nearly all Israeli personalities that online surfers might want to learn about. Google either says they were born in Palestine, or simply lists the towns in which they were born (and for some died) without specifying a country.

For instance, according to Google, Israel’s first prime minister, David Ben Gurion, was born in 1886 in Plonsk, Poland, and died in 1973 in Ramat Gan. The State of Israel is not mentioned.

The same is true for legendary Prime Minister Menachem Begin, who is said to have simply died in “Tel Aviv,” President Chaim Weizmann who Google says passed away in Rehovot, and Benjamin Netanyahu, whose birthplace is listed only as Tel Aviv.

What’s frustrating for Israelis is that this policy by Google seems to only apply to searches about Israeli personalities. For those who were born or died in any other country, Google clearly identifies said country.

President Rivlin has stated that he will file an official complaint with Google over this matter.

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