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This verse reminds us that each and every one of us must make the holy city of Jerusalem a priority. We must pray for its peace and seek the welfare of its inhabitants and raise her over our greatest joy. Karmey Chessed ("Vineyards of Kindness") does not "forget" Jerusalem's neediest, and works tirelessly to provide packages for the poor during the holidays.
Join kosher celebrity chef, Jamie Geller, on her tour of the City of David. Ancient Jerusalem comes to life as the significance of the Mount of Olives, the City of David, and more is revealed!
At a time when many archaeological sites and antiquities throughout the Mideast are being looted and destroyed, the City of David recently displayed some of the most important archaeological discoveries in Jerusalem in recent years.
Get your own authentic ram's horn Shofar, made in Israel, a sure way to evoke a connection to God. Comes with a deeply insightful eBook about the Shofar's significance and history.
We are excited to introduce our newest feature, Sunday Snapshots featuring you! Send usyour best Israel photograph with a description, if possible, and don't forget to include your name and where you are from!
German Chancellor Angela Merkel led a rally against anti-Semitism in Berlin on Sunday.
Addressing a crowd of 5,000 at the "Stand Up Against Anti-Semitism: No More Jew-Hatred" rally, Merkel said it's Germany's "national and civic duty to fight anti-Semitism."
"We want Jews to feel safe in Germany," she said.
The recent Israel-Hamas war sparked huge protests in Europe, exposing the growing epidemic of anti-Semitism.
In the city of Wuppertal, a mob fire bombed the synagogue. Protesters chanting "death to Israel" and "gas the Jews" attacked Jewish men wearing kippots.
"That people in Germany are threatened and abused because of their Jewish appearance or their support for Israel is an outrageous scandal that we won't accept," Merkel said.
"Anyone who hits some wearing a skullcap is hitting us all," she continued. "Anyone who damages a Jewish gravestone is disgracing our culture. Anyone who attacks a synagogue is attacking the foundations of our free society."
The president of the World Jewish Congress, Ronald S. Lauder, also lamented the rise of anti-Semitism in Germany, saying all the progress of the last 70 years has been darkened by this summer's demonstrations.
“Nevertheless, David took the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David.” (2 Samuel 5:7)
The recent unearthing of the largest cache of gold coins ever discovered in Jerusalem, comprising 264 coins that date back to the end of the Byzantine period in the 7th century CE. (Photo: City of David Foundation)
By Sean Savage/JNS.org
At a time when many archaeological sites and antiquities throughout the Middle East are being looted and destroyed, the City of David Foundation on Sept. 4 hosted its annual conference to enable the general public to experience some of the most important archaeological discoveries in Jerusalem in recent years.
A special portion of this year’s conference was devoted to the theme “Jerusalem of Gold,” highlighting several never-before-seen golden artifacts.
“The people in ancient times, like today, used gold for the most important things in life. It shows what they held dear and what was most important to them,” Ahron Horovitz, senior director of Megalim, the City of David’s Higher Institute for Jerusalem Studies, told JNS.org.
The main themes of the artifacts on display related to war, beauty, and holiness or sanctity. Among the golden artifacts is the largest cache of gold coins ever discovered in Jerusalem, comprising 264 gold coins that date back to the end of the Byzantine period in the 7th century CE. The coins were found in the “Givati Parking Lot dig” conducted by the Israel Antiquities Authority in the City of David neighborhood.
The coins are unique in that they were minted in Jerusalem, not in Constantinople—the Byzantine imperial capital—and were likely made in preparation for the Byzantine war against the Persians.
“The coins were found stacked one on top of another and were never dispensed,” Horovitz said. “There may be a story of intrigue here as to why they never were used, such as it being stolen.”
Additionally, a golden medallion featuring inscriptions of a menorah, shofar, and Torah scroll is on display for the very first time. The medallion was found in the Ophel excavation south of the Temple Mount and was believed to have been hung on a Torah scroll as a breast plate.
The discovery of the Jewish medallion, dating back to the time of upheaval in Jerusalem during the Persian-Byzantine wars, was a surprise for archaeologist Dr. Eilat Mazar, who unearthed the artifact. There are normally not many Jewish items found from that period.
Mazar estimated that the medallion originates from the Persian conquest of Jerusalem in 614 CE. That year, many Jews helped the Persians conquer Jerusalem from the Byzantines, only to have the Persians turn against the Jews and ally with the Byzantine Christians later on, leading to the Jews’ expulsion once again.
“These finds tell us about the Jewish presence in Jerusalem in the late Byzantine period, which we didn’t know much about,” renowned Israeli archaeologist Dr. Gabriel Barkay, who spoke at the City of David conference, told JNS.org.
“The artifacts help us understand that there was a strong messianic desire of the Jewish people at that time; many of them likely came from abroad in hopes of construction of the Third Temple,” he said.
Horovitz said the artifacts highlight the special bond Jews have with Jerusalem, as well as Jewish continuity in the holy city.
“It shows us that the Jews have a very special bond and connection with Jerusalem that continues to today,” he said. “So when modern day Israelis come and see these artifacts, they can feel that they are part of Jerusalem from a long time ago.”
Another golden artifact on display was an earring made of gold inlaid pearls and emeralds that dates back to the Roman period. A copy of this earring was given to First Lady Michelle Obama by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu when she visited Israel in 2013.
Finally, one of the most unique and rare items on display was a golden bell discovered by Eli Shukron, an Israeli archaeologist and former director of City of David excavations for the Israel Antiquities Authority.
Throughout the years, Shukron has made a number of very significant finds from the period of the Second Temple of Jerusalem in and around the City of David, including the Pool of Siloam (mentioned numerous times in the Old and New Testaments), tunnels leading from the Western Wall, an ancient pilgrim road to Jerusalem, and the legendary citadel captured by King David when he conquered the city from the Jebusites.
One of the items Shukron discovered during his excavations of one of the Western Wall tunnels was a golden bell believed to have been part of the official vestments of the high priests of the Jewish Temple.
Described in Exodus 28:31-35, the priestly robe, also known as the “ephod,” was a sleeveless purple-blue or violet garment worn by the high priests that was fringed with small golden bells alternating with pomegranate-shaped tassels of blue, purple, and scarlet wool.
This golden medallion featuring inscriptions of a menorah, shofar, and Torah scroll was on display for the very first time during the the City of David Foundation’s annual conference on Sept. 4 in Jerusalem. The medallion was found in the Ophel excavation south of the Temple Mount and was believed to have been hung on a Torah scroll as a breast plate. (Photo: Eilat Mazar/City of David Foundation)
The golden bells were a necessary part of the ephod and needed to ring when the high priest entered the Holy of Holies.
“At first I just thought it was a ball and didn’t realize it was the golden bell from the high priests until I shook it and heard the ringing,” Shukron told JNS.org. “No other artifact from the high priests like this has ever been discovered before.”
The City of David conference came amid a perilous time for Middle East archaeology, as sites from North Africa to Iraq have come under assault by Islamic fundamentalists and looters taking advantage of the breakdown of central governments.
“I think it is an atrocity,” Horovitz said. “Islamic fundamentalist groups are on an ongoing crusade to destroy antiquities because they consider it against their religion, or they fear that their religion will be undermined by excavations that will show things that they are not happy about.”
The situation for artifacts is particularly dangerous in Syria and Iraq, where the Islamic State jihadist group has taken over large swathes of territory.
According to a report by The Guardian in June, Islamic State looted about $36 million in antiquities from the al-Nabuk region in Syria.
Reports indicate that much of the illegal smuggling, which is taxed by the Islamic State, is done by local Syrians and Turkish nationals, who then smuggle the artifacts across the border into Turkey and sell them to international antiquities traffickers on the black market.
Meanwhile, in the Iraqi city of Mosul, which was conquered by the Islamic State in June, the terror group has already destroyed important religious sites such as the Tomb of Jonah (the famous biblical prophet who was swallowed by a whale), and has threatened the Mosul Museum, which contains numerous artifacts from the nearby ancient city of Nineveh.
“These areas are where human culture began; they are the cradle of civilization. [Islamic State] is destroying the heritage of mankind,” Horovitz said.
The frightening situation in the Middle East stands in stark contrast with Israel, which has one of the most robust and highly regulated antiquities departments in the world and is eager to preserve the country’s diverse past.
Nevertheless, the City of David Foundation, which works with the Israel Antiquities Authority in excavating important areas in Jerusalem, has come under intense scrutiny from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), which has called on the City of David to halt historical excavations.
“We should think about proper care of the cultures of the past,” Barkay said. “Instead of condemning these acts of looting that go on all the time in these Arab countries, UNESCO is obsessed with excavations and acts of preservation in Jerusalem because of political reasons.”
He added, “UNESCO should deal with salvaging the heritage of mankind instead of political matters.”
Read more at http://www.breakingisraelnews.com/21455/biblical-archaeology-sees-golden-age-israel-dark-age-rest-middle-east/#PPYQw4XSEOBh7Z8P.99
Keeping the Shemitah Produces Supernatural Results
One farmer's crop of bananas in Israel produced a miracle. (iStock photo)
Rabbi Shmuel Bloom, Vice Chairman of the Agudath Israel World Organization, is a very busy man involved in important matters concerning the public. Why do you think he would spend many hours traveling to look at bananas in Israel, especially all the way up north near T'veriya (Tiberias)?
A secular farmer, Gibor Koach, whose produce focus is strictly bananas, decided that he would observe the Shemitah (the Sabbatical Year) this time around. He approached the organization that helps facilitate this—Keren HaShviis—for assistance, and they stipulated that he would be registered in their program if he would also undertake to be personally Sabbath observant (Shomer Shabbos) throughout Shemitah. He agreed.
The Rabbinic court (Otzar Bet Din) of Bnei Brak made the decision to cover his farming expenses and, in return, all the produce would become the property of Otzar Beis Din (court) and would be distributed in full accordance with Jewish Law (Halacha).
Israel suffered a significant cold spell for two to three weeks during the winter. Bananas don't like cold, and cold doesn't like bananas. When bananas are still growing and get hit with frost, they turn brown and become rock hard.
The hero of our story, Koach knew he was in deep trouble when the relentless cold hadn't let up for over a week. He lived a distance from his orchard and hadn't yet seen the damage with his own eyes. He began to receive calls from his neighbor farmers that have orchards bordering his, complaining bitterly that their entire banana crop had been destroyed by the frost.
He decided it was time to inspect the damage up close, no matter how painful it may be. He drove up close to Tverya to inspect his orchard, as well as those of his neighboring farmers. As he passed from one orchard to another, he was overwhelmed by the damage. Not a single fruit had survived; no tree was spared. His neighbors took quite a beating. All the bananas were brown, hard as a rock. He could only imagine how bad his trees must have gotten it.
Yet when he finally got to his orchard, he was awestruck. ALL of his bananas were yellow and green. It's as if his orchard wasn't a part of this parcel of land. His orchard bordered those of his neighbors, but not a single tree of his was struck by the frost. It's as if a protective wall kept the damage away.
At first he thought he was imagining it. As he rushed from one section of his orchard to another, the realization that the more the farmer keeps the Shemitah, the more the Shemitah keeps the farmer, hit home.
He immediately called his contacts at Keren HaShviis and yelled into the phone, "Karah Nes, Karah Nes!" (A miracle happened, a miracle happened).
It was a miraculous modern-day manifestation of "V'Tzivisi Es HaBracha" (I will ordain My blessing for you in the sixth year). There is no way to explain this other than that God keeps His promises. He says keep Shemitah, and I'll take care of you. He sure does.
Keren HaShviis reported that farmers who have until now refused to keep Shemitah have been turning to the Keren following their recent losses. They are now ready to commit to Shemitah observance.
Rabbi Bloom took the time to travel all the way to Tverya (Tiberias) and back to witness this awe-inspiring phenomenon. During the previous Shemitah, Agudath Israel of America provided over $1,000,000 to Keren HaShviis. It plans to do even more this time around.
(l-r) Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas); Dr. Mark Harris, senior pastor of First Baptist Church in North Carolina; Penny Nance, CEO and president of Concerned Women for America; Mike Huckabee, former Arkansas governor; and Tony Perkins, president of Family Research Council at the Star Spangled Sunday event celebrating the 200th anniversary of America's National Anthem at First Baptist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2014.
On the 200th anniversary of America's National Anthem, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, former Gov. Mike Huckabee, Family Research Council President Tony Perkins and other Christian conservative leaders spoke at an event in North Carolina, reflecting on God's hand of providence and expressing hope that He would continue to help protect religious freedom.
Dr. Mark Harris, senior pastor of First Baptist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, the venue for the "Star Spangled Sunday," called it "a celebration of worship and praise."
Perkins, whose group was co-host of the event, was the emcee for the evening. "Increasingly, there is an effort to sanitize American history of its Judeo-Christian heritage," he told the crowd of about 500 people. "Our children are being robbed of our past, and as a result, our future is being stolen."
The event was simulcast to 351 evangelical churches across the country.Perkins also encouraged Christians to register to vote, explaining that the responsibility to protect freedoms does not lie with the president or the courts, but with the people, who are supposed to participate in the democratic process.
(PHOTO: FAMILY RESEARCH COUNCIL)
Mike Huckabee, former Arkansas governor at the Star Spangled Sunday event celebrating the 200th anniversary of America's National Anthem at First Baptist Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2014.
"There's no explanation for America other than God's hand of providence," said Huckabee. There's no reason for Christians to be dispirited, he stressed. They have seen God's hand of providence in their own lives and families and also how He saved them from their sins and healed some of their family members, he said.
"Is it time for us to stop complaining about what is, and start believing what will be if God's people on their faces in humility and brokenness will once again ask for His hand of providence to envelope this great land of ours," he added.
Christians know the final outcome, Huckabee went on to say, as they have read the end of the book, the Bible. "My friends, we win. Our flag still stands."
Cruz said, "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there's liberty."
The senator also quoted 2 Chronicles 7:14: "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
"Our land needs healing," Cruz said. "When this country was founded, it was founded on the radical concept that our rights don't come from kings, queens or governments, but our rights come from Almighty God."
Referring to the Declaration of Independence, Cruz said all men are created equal, and they are endowed not by a king, not by a queen, not even by a president, but they are endowed by our Creator.
But today, religious liberty is threatened, both at home and abroad, he added, citing examples of violations of religious liberty by the Obama administration, but also the "victory of religious freedom" in the Hobby Lobby case.
"If you're litigating against nuns," Cruz said, referring to the struggle of Little Sisters of the Poor against the contraception mandate, "you've probably done something wrong."
He also called the ISIS terrorist group in Iraq and Syria "the face of evil." They are crucifying Christians, they are beheading children, he noted.
Bishop E.W. Jackson, pastor of Exodus Faith Ministries and president of S.T.A.N.D, stressed that America is "one nation under God," where no one is Afro-American or Hispanic American, but all are Americans.
Jackson said the increasing attacks on Christians are evidence that the enemy knows they are not going to back down, for no one kills a dead enemy.
Penny Nance, CEO and President of Concerned Women for America, also spoke at the event. She said Christian women of America need to allow their voices to be heard.
David & Jason Benham, co-founders of Benham Companies, spoke about the loss of their HGTV show due to their views against homosexuality.
During a news conference Sunday afternoon at the same church, Cruz criticized Obama's economy and the "Obama-[Hillary] Clinton foreign policy."
Perkins said conservative Christian voters need to be energized for the elections this year and in 2016. "I'm tired of the direction this nation is going in, and it's time to change," he said. "We are speaking to churches across America, challenging people to be sure they are registered and voting. We need to put feet to our prayers. ... And if we're going to change the course of this nation, we're going to have to change the people who are driving it."
The evening – which included video messages from Hobby Lobby President Steve Green, and Anthony Hahn, President and CEO of Conestoga Wood – was co-hosted by Vision America, whose president, Dr. Rick Scarborough, was also a speaker.
Charles Billingsley, worship leader of Thomas Road Baptist Church and Pastor Rafael Cruz, director of Grace for America, also spoke at the event.
"Few citizens have ever heard the story of how God used ordinary Christians to do extraordinary things during the desperate days of 1814," Perkins said earlier in a statement. "But on September 14th, during Star Spangled Sunday, this live nationwide webcast, will tell the providential story behind the song and challenge us to once again rediscover and recommit to what has made America an exceptional nation."
(PHOTO: FAMILY RESEARCH COUNCIL)
(PHOTO: FAMILY RESEARCH COUNCIL)