Thursday, April 18, 2013

Sh'ma (Shema) Israel



Love For His People YouTube

Sh'ma Israel


We joined together in reciting the Hebrew prayer "Sh'ma Israel" 
(in Hebrew - "Hear O Israel") during the annual An Evening Honoring Israel. 
This prayer calls on the Name of the Lord.

An Evening To Honor Israel is an annual event hosted by Beit Yeshua, led by co-Founders Curtis Loftin and Doug Williams, in Lincolnton, NC.

The ministries of Highway to Zion (Cathy Hargett), Israel Media Ministries (Ze'ev Nevo)
and Love For His People (Steve & Laurie Martin) joined in blessing Israel and the Jews
on April 12, 2013 . We love to network in celebration together for His purposes!

Click the YouTube link above to listen to the words,  see the lyrics, and join along with us.





(Below is from the website Judaism 101 )

Shema

Please note that this page contain the name of God.
If you print it out, please treat it with appropriate respect. If you do not have experience reading transliteration
please see the Guide to Transliteration.

Deuteronomy 6:4-9
Hebrew MIDI
Sh'ma Yis'ra'eil Adonai Eloheinu Adonai echad.
Hear, Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One.
In an undertone:
Hebrew
Barukh sheim k'vod malkhuto l'olam va'ed.
Blessed be the Name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever.
Hebrew
V'ahav'ta eit Adonai Elohekha b'khol l'vav'kha uv'khol naf'sh'kha uv'khol m'odekha.
And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
Hebrew
V'hayu had'varim ha'eileh asher anokhi m'tzav'kha hayom al l'vavekha.
And these words that I command you today shall be in your heart.
Hebrew
V'shinan'tam l'vanekha v'dibar'ta bamAnd you shall teach them diligently to your children, and you shall speak of them
Hebrew
b'shiv't'kha b'veitekha uv'lekh't'kha vaderekh uv'shakh'b'kha uv'kumekha
when you sit at home, and when you walk along the way, and when you lie down and when you rise up.
Hebrew
Uk'shar'tam l'ot al yadekha v'hayu l'totafot bein einekha.
And you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be for frontlets between your eyes.
Hebrew
Ukh'tav'tam al m'zuzot beitekha uvish'arekha.
And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
Deuteronomy 11:13-21
Hebrew
V'hayah im shamo'a tish'm'u el mitz'votai
And it shall come to pass if you surely listen to the commandments
Hebrew
asher anokhi m'tzaveh et'khem hayom
that I command you today
Hebrew
l'ahavah et Adonai Eloheikhem ul'av'do b'khol l'vav'khem uv'khol naf'sh'khem
to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and all your soul,
Hebrew
V'natati m'tar ar'tz'khem b'ito yoreh umal'kosh
v'asaf'ta d'ganekha v'tirosh'kha v'yitz'harekha.
That I will give rain to your land, the early and the late rains,
that you may gather in your grain, your wine and your oil.
Hebrew
V'natati eisev b'sad'kha liv'hem'tekha v'akhal'ta v'sava'ta.
And I will give grass in your fields for your cattle and you will eat and you will be satisfied.
Hebrew
Hisham'ru lakhem pen yif'teh l'vav'khem
v'sar'tem va'avad'tem Elohim acheirim v'hish'tachavitem lahem

Beware, lest your heart be deceived
and you turn and serve other gods and worship them.
Hebrew
V'charah af Adonai bakhem v'atzar et hashamayim v'lo yih'yeh matar
v'ha'adamah lo titein et y'vulah

And anger of the Lord will blaze against you, and he will close the heavens and there will not be rain,
and the earth will not give you its fullness,
Hebrew
va'avad'tem m'heirah mei'al ha'aretz hatovah asher Adonai notein lakhem.
and you will perish quickly from the good land that the Lord gives you.
Hebrew
V'sam'tem et d'varai eileh al l'vav'khem v'al naf'sh'khem
uk'shar'tem otam l'ot al yed'khem v'hayu l'totafot bein eineikhem
.
So you shall put these, my words, on your heart and on your soul;
and you shall bind them for signs on your hands, and they shall be for frontlets between your eyes.
Hebrew
V'limad'tem otam et b'neikhem l'dabeir bam
And you shall teach them to your children, and you shall speak of them
Hebrew
b'shiv't'kha b'veitekha uv'lekh't'kha vaderekh uv'shakh'b'kha uv'kumekha
when you sit at home, and when you walk along the way, and when you lie down and when you rise up.
Hebrew
Ukh'tav'tam al m'zuzot beitekha uvish'arekha.
And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
Hebrew
L'ma'an yirbu y'maychem vi-y'may v'naychem al ha-adamah
asher nishba Adonai la-avotaychem latayt lahem ki-y'may ha-shamayim al ha-aretz.

In order to prolong your days and the days of your children on the land
that the Lord promised your fathers that he would give them, as long as the days that the heavens are over the earth.
Numbers 15:37-41
Hebrew
Vayo'mer Adonai el mosheh lei'mor
And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying...
Hebrew
Dabeir el b'nei Yis'ra'eil v'amar'ta aleihem
Speak to the children of Israel and say to them
Hebrew
v'asu lahem tzitzit al kan'fei vig'deihem l'dorotam
v'nat'nu al tzitzit hakanaf p'til t'kheilet
they should make themselves tzitzit (fringes) on the corners of their clothing throughout their generations,
and give the tzitzit of each corner a thread of blue.
Hebrew
V'hayah lakhem l'tzitzit ur'item oto uz'khar'tem et kol mitz'vot Adonai
va'asitem otam v'lo taturu acharei l'vav'khem v'acharei eineikhem
asher atem zonim achareihem

And they shall be tzitzit for you, and when you look at them you will remember all of the Lord's commandments
and do them and not follow after your heart and after your eyes
which lead you astray.
Hebrew
L'ma'an tiz'k'ru va'asitem et kol mitz'votai viyitem k'doshim lei'loheikhem
In order to remember and do all My commandments, and be holy for your God.
Hebrew
Ani Adonai Eloheikhem
asher hotzei'ti et'khem mei'eretz Mitz'rayim lih'yot lakhhem leilohim
Ani Adonai Eloheikhem
I am the Lord, your God
who lead you from the land of Egypt to be a God to you.
I am the Lord, your God.


Wednesday, April 17, 2013

US Senate vows to back Israeli strike on Iran

US Senate vows to back Israeli strike on Iran

Wednesday, April 17, 2013 |  Israel Today Staff  
The US Senate on Tuesday overwhelmingly voted in favor of adopting a resolution stating that America will support Israel should the latter decide it is necessary to attack Iran's nuclear program.

Senate Resolution 65 reaffirms America's unwavering support for Israel's security and continued existence, and calls upon the White House to provide military, diplomatic and economic backing should Israel feel compelled to strike Iran as an act of preemptive self-defense.

Seventy out of 100 senators voted in favor of the motion.

Israel had grown concerned that should it become necessary to strike Iran's nuclear facilities, the Obama Administration would not lend its support, either morally, logistically or materially.

Obama's appointment of John Kerry and Chuck Hagel as secretaries of state and defense, respectively, had only deepened that concern, as both men are on record as opposing military action against Iran under any circumstances.

Israel's new defense minister on Tuesday delivered an Independence Day speech in which he said Israel hoped the international community would succeed in halting Iran's nuclear drive, but that Israel must be prepared to act alone.

"The world must lead the battle against Iran, but Israel must take into account the possibility that it may be forced to defend itself, by itself," said Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon.

Ya'alon noted that Iran firing a missile at Israel is not the only danger in allowing the Islamic Republic to go nuclear.

"A nuclear Iran could launch an arms race in the Middle East and spread nuclear weapons among terror groups. This could be the western world's nightmare," he said.


http://www.israeltoday.co.il/NewsItem/tabid/178/nid/23793/Default.aspx?ref=newsletter-20130417

Israel stands with, helps Boston in hour of need

Israel stands with, helps Boston in hour of need

Wednesday, April 17, 2013 |  Israel Today Staff  
 
Israel on Tuesday sent its deepest condolences to the people of Boston after two terrorist bombs killed three people and wounded 183 others at the finish line of the Boston Marathon a day earlier. There were many children among the casualties.

"Yesterday, a day of enjoyment in Boston was turned into a day of terror," said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. "We send our condolences to President Obama, the American people and the bereaved families.

On this day and on any day, Israel stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the American people. We are partners in freedom and in seeking a better future for all humanity."

Israeli humanitarian aid organizations offered to dispatch assistance, and Israel Police Chief Yohanan Danino and his senior staff departed for a scheduled visit to Boston to meet with FBI and other US law enforcement officials.

Danino will work to further law enforcement cooperation between the two nations and provide Israeli expertise in the investigation into the marathon bombing.

By contrast, members of the Palestinian organizations Hamas and Islamic Jihad reportedly danced and handed out candies in the streets of Gaza after hearing about the spilling of American blood. Islamists in neighboring Jordan told local media that the Americans deserved such terror.

Many Muslims were "happy to see the horror in America," Mohammad al-Chalabi, the leader of a Salafi group in Jordan, was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, the chief of emergency services at Massachusetts General Hospital, the hospital that treated the bulk of those wounded in the Boston Marathon bombing, credited Israel with preparing his staff to effectively deal with such an scenario.

Dr. Alasdair Conn said that two years ago, he had invited Israeli experts to train his staff on handling mass casualty situations. That training was put to good use on Monday, and Massachusetts General was widely praised for the way it handled the situation.


http://www.israeltoday.co.il/NewsItem/tabid/178/nid/23792/Default.aspx?ref=newsletter-20130417

"Israel IS A Person - Yeshua IS Israel" - Ze'ev Nevo of Israel Media Ministries (Part 2 of 2)


Ze'ev Nevo


Ze'ev Nevo, Founder of Israel Media Ministries, is an Israeli Jewish believer. 

He was the guest speaker at  An Evening Honoring Israel, an annual event to bless Israel and the Jews on their Independence Day anniversary celebration. 

Beit Yeshua (Curtis Loftin and Doug Williams, co-Founders) host this time. 

Highway To Zion (Cathy Hargett) and Love For His People (Steve & Laurie Martin) 
are blessed to join together with our support.

We love to hear the Word of God (Torah) as Ze'ev shares this fascinating truth!


(YouTube - Part 2 of 2) Yeshua IS Israel - Ze'ev Nevo




 Ze'ev with Janice Anthony of Beit Yeshua




Israel IS A Person - Yeshua IS Israel - Ze'ev Nevo of Israel Media Ministries (Part 1 of 2)

Ze'ev Nevo of Israel Media Ministries


Ze'ev Nevo, Founder of Israel Media Ministries, is an Israeli Jewish believer. 

He was the guest speaker at  An Evening Honoring Israel, an annual event to bless Israel and the Jews on their Independence Day anniversary celebration. 

Beit Yeshua (Curtis Loftin and Doug Williams, co-Founders) host this time. 

Highway To Zion (Cathy Hargett) and Love For His People (Steve & Laurie Martin) 
are blessed to join together with our support.

We love to hear the Word of God (Torah) as Ze'ev shares this fascinating truth!



Ze-ev Nevo of Israel Media Ministries

(Part 1 of 2)









Shabbat Blessing - Paul & Susan Miles of Beit Yeshua

Paul & Susan Miles of Beit Yeshua




Paul Miles of Beit Yeshua


*Editor's Note: I regret that I did not capture the candle lighting on video by Susan Miles, as I wasn't quick enough in switching my Canon camera from "photo" to "video." Sorry Susan!  
Steve Martin



Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Jewish Holidays 2013-2014

All holidays begin at sundown on the evening before the date specified in the tables below. For example, if the dates for Rosh Hashana were listed as Sep 19-20, then the holiday begins at sundown on Sep 18 and ends at sundown on Sep 20. Dates in bold are yom tov, so they have similar obligations and restrictions to Shabbat in the sense that normal "work" is forbidden.
Download » Customize your calendar

Major holidays

HolidayHebrew Year 5774Description
Rosh HashanaSep 5-6, 2013The Jewish New Year
Yom KippurSep 14, 2013Day of Atonement
SukkotSep 19-20, 2013
Sep 21-25, 2013
Feast of Tabernacles
Shmini AtzeretSep 26, 2013Eighth Day of Assembly
Simchat TorahSep 27, 2013Day of Celebrating the Torah
ChanukahNov 28-Dec 5, 2013The Jewish festival of rededication, also known as the Festival of Lights
PurimMar 16, 2014Purim is one of the most joyous and fun holidays on the Jewish calendar
PesachApr 15-16, 2014
Apr 17-20, 2014
Apr 21-22, 2014
Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread
ShavuotJun 4-5, 2014Festival of Weeks, commemorates the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai
Tish'a B'AvAug 5, 2014The Ninth of Av, fast commemorating the destruction of the two Temples

Minor holidays

HolidayHebrew Year 5774Description
Tu BiShvatJan 16, 2014New Year for Trees
Purim KatanFeb 14, 2014Minor Purim celebration during Adar I on leap years
Shushan PurimMar 17, 2014Purim celebrated in Jerusalem and walled cities
Days of the Omer7 weeks from the second night of Pesach to the day before Shavuot
Pesach SheniMay 14, 2014Second Passover, one month after Passover
Lag B'OmerMay 18, 201433rd day of counting the Omer

Public fasts

HolidayHebrew Year 5774Description
Tzom GedaliahSep 8, 2013Fast of the Seventh Month
Asara B'TevetDec 13, 2013Fast commemorating the siege of Jerusalem
Ta'anit EstherMar 13, 2014Fast of Esther
Ta'anit BechorotApr 14, 2014Fast of the First Born
Tzom TammuzJul 15, 2014Fast commemorating breaching of the walls of Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar

Modern holidays

HolidayHebrew Year 5774Description
Yom HaShoahApr 28, 2014Holocaust Memorial Day
Yom HaZikaronMay 5, 2014Israeli Memorial Day
Yom HaAtzma'utMay 6, 2014Israeli Independence Day
Yom YerushalayimMay 28, 2014Jerusalem Day

http://www.hebcal.com/holidays/2013-2014

Paul Wilbur - Zealous Over Zion


Sing it loud, clear, and oh so often Paul!!! 

THANK YOU FOR YOUR LOVE

FOR YESHUA

AND HIS PEOPLE.


Paul Wilbur - Zealous Over Zion!



Monday, April 15, 2013

Hatikva Song - An Evening Honoring Israel



We sang "Hatikva" (in Hebrew - "The Hope") during the annual An Evening Honoring Israel. Hatikva is the Israeli National Anthem. This version is sung by Marty Goetz.

An Evening To Honor Israel is hosted by Beit Yeshua, led by co-Founders Curtis Loftin and Doug Williams, in Lincolnton, NC. The ministries of Highway to Zion (Cathy Hargett), Israel Media Ministries (Ze'ev Nevo) and Love For His People (Steve Martin) joined in blessing Israel and the Jews. April 12, 2013 Join in singing!!!

Click the YouTube link here to listen to the song,  see the lyrics, and sing with us.


Shalom my friends,

Steve Martin
Love For His People, Inc.


Happy #65 Independance Day Israel!

 


 

Happy Independance Day

Israel! - #65










The Lord God of Israel,

Yeshua HaMashiach,

stands watch over you

with loving arms

wide open.


Sunday, April 14, 2013

Gid Anthony sings "Adonai" (Paul Wilbur) - An Evening Honoring Israel

Gid Anthony sings "Adonai

 
Published on Apr 13, 2013
Gid (Gideon) Anthony sings this Paul Wilbur song "Adonai" during the annual An Evening Honoring Israel, hosted by Beit Yeshua (Curtis Loftin and Doug Williams) in Lincolnton, NC. Highway to Zion (Cathy Hargett), Israel Media Ministries (Ze'ev Nevo) and Love For His People (Steve Martin) joined in blessing Israel and the Jews. April 12, 2013
 
 
 
 

Israel's Memorial Day & Independence Day

Israel Memorial Day - יום הזכרון
Monday, April14,  2013



 
 
The Hebrew word zakhar (זָכַר) means "remember,"
and zikaron (זִכָּרוֹן) means "memorial."
Yom HaZikaron (יוֹם הַזִּכָּרוֹן), then, is the
"Day of Memorial" for those soldiers who
gave up their lives in battle for the creation
 and defense of the State of Israel.
 
In 1951 the Israeli Knesset established Iyyar 4
(the day immediately before Israel's Independence Day)
as Israel's Memorial Day. In more recent times, the
holiday has also become associated with victims of
political terrorism.

Although Yom Hazikaron is observed on the 4th of Iyyar,
it may be moved earlier or postponed if its observance
(or that of Israeli Independence Day, which follows it)
conflicts with the weekly Sabbath.
 
This year Yom HaZikaron is postponed one day to
occur on Sunday, April 14th at sundown
(the first siren is sounded at 8:00 p.m.), with
various commemoration services scheduled
throughout the following day.

















 
Israel Independence Day - יום העצמאות
Tuesday
April 14, 2013


After the Jewish people had suffered for nearly
2,000 years of exile as clearly foretold by Moses
(Lev. 26:38, 44; Deut. 28:64-64)
and the Hebrew prophets (Isa. 43:5-6;
Jer. 30:11; Joel 3:2; Ezek. 36:8-10;
Hos. 9:1-10, etc.),
 
Israel was miraculously reborn as a nation in their
ancient homeland on May 14, 1948 (Iyyar 5, 5708).
Today Jews across the world celebrate Iyyar 5
as Israeli Independence Day.



As mentioned above, the date for
Yom Ha'atzmaut can vary from year
to year. For instance, this year it is
moved a day later (i.e., to Iyyar 6th).
On our secular calendar
Independence Day is therefore
observed Monday, April 15th
at sundown until the following sundown.

Note that the word Atzma'i (עַצְמָאִי) means "independent"
in Hebrew. The word atzmaut (עַצְמָאוּת) means the state of
indepedence, which comes from atzmi - "my bones" (עֶצֶם).
Hence the "Day of Independence" is called
Yom Ha'atzmaut in Hebrew.
 
The name reminds us of God's promise to revive
the "dry bones" (עֲצָמוֹת) of Israel by bringing the
Jewish people back from their long exile (Ezek. 37:4-5).עַם יִשְׂרָאֵל חַי / am Yisrael chai: "The people of Israel live!"
The nation of Israel is God's "super sign" that He is
faithful to His covenant promises (Jer. 31:35-37).

 
Celebrating Israel's independence acknowledges

God's loyal love for us all.
 
 

From "Hebrew For Christians" website.

The 2 Spies: HOPE ~ Talking About Tikva! (HOPE!)



The 2 Spies: HOPE ~ Talking About Tikva !: This week Israel will be celebrating 65 years since the founding of the State. For a human, 65 years usually signals the beginning of retirement years. For Israel, well what can we say.... we've only just begun! How far we have progressed in these few years... and we Israelis are feeling nothing but... HOPE ! Hope for our future~ a glorious future~ a successful path set in front of us. We are enjoying and know that we will continue to enjoy a passionate life here in the Land of our Promise. Join with us as we celebrate !
(Maybe THIS is YOUR year to make Aliyah !!)

 
 
 

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Israel set to launch 24-hour global news network

Israel set to launch 24-hour global news network
Friday, April 12, 2013 | Israel Today Staff
Israel has been talking about fielding a global news network to compete with the likes of CNN, the BBC and Al Jazeera for years. It appears that dream might finally come true this summer with the launch of i24news.

Privately funded so that it will not rely on government backing or donations from the Jewish community, i24news will be based in the greater Tel Aviv area from where it will broadcast worldwide in English, French and Arabic.

A number of prominent figures from the Israeli broadcasting scene have joined i24news, giving it a far better chance of success than previous proposals for an Israeli global news network.

With Israel and the conflicts surrounding it commanding so much focus from the international media, it makes sense for the Jewish state to be broadcasting news from its perspective to a global audience.

Those interested can already visit www.i24news.tv and sign up to be notified when the channel officially launches. (Editor's Note: I signed up!)

http://www.israeltoday.co.il/NewsItem/tabid/178/nid/23785/Default.aspx?ref=newsletter-20130412

Israel celebrates its 65th Independance Day April 15, 2013

Israel’s 65th Birthday: ‘Around Us The Storm Is Raging’ – OpEd
By -- (April 13, 2013), Euroasia Review


Uri Avnery



“AROUND US the storm is raging / But our head will not be bowed…” we sang when we were young, before the State of Israel was born.

On the eve of Israel’s 65th birthday, this coming Monday, we could sing this rousing song again. And not just out of nostalgia.

Around us, many storms are raging. In Syria, a terrible civil wear is tearing the country apart. In Egypt, after the victory of the Arab spring, the country is still in turmoil.

The Lebanese state is still unable to impose its authority on the various armed sects, and the same is true for Iraq.

Iran is busy advancing its nuclear program, all the while muttering dark threats.

Israel sees itself as an island in the stormy sea, threatened on all sides, ready for the tsunami to hit any minute.

THERE IS something ironic about all this.

The Zionist adventure started with the promise to create a safe haven for the Jews, after centuries of helplessness.

Indeed, stripped of all ideological decorations, that was the central theme of the endeavor.

Everywhere, Jews were defenseless, dependent on the mercies of others. Here, in a state of our own, we would be able to defend ourselves, head unbowed.

In other words, for ages we were the object of history, now we were taking our destiny in our own hands, an actor on the stage of history, a nation among the nations.

Before that, Jews were some kind of ethnic-religious entity. With Zionism, the Jews – or a part of them – constituted themselves as a modern nation, able to defend itself against any enemy.

In this sense, Zionism was indeed a roaring success. Its creation, the State of Israel, is now strong and secure.

OR IS it? Listening to many of our leaders, the opposite seems to be true.

Years ago, Professor Yeshayahu Leibowitz, the caustic critic of the Zionist establishment, famously asserted that Israel was the only place in the world where the lives of Jews were in mortal danger. As it turned out, that was not entirely exact.

A few days ago, on Holocaust Day, our Prime Minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, declared that we are threatened by a Second Holocaust, perpetrated by a nuclear-armed Iran.

The next day, a group of international hackers, animated by pro-Palestinian sentiments, declared a cyber-war on Israel. They promised to inactivate the main institutions of the country, both military and civilian, governmental and private. As it turned out, the attack failed miserably. No significant damage was caused. But before this became clear, former Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman responded by comparing the campaign with the Nazi Holocaust.

What is this? Paranoia? Manipulation? Political gimmickry? All of these and more?

IN THE span of nine days, Israel is experiencing three national events. Each with sirens howling, official ceremonies, endless speeches. All TV, radio and print media totally devoted to the subject of the day.

Last Monday was Holocaust Day. The entire country turned to the memory of that awful chapter of history. At 10 o’clock, to the sound of the sirens, the whole country came to a standstill. Cars stopped in the middle of the road, men, women and children got out and stood at attention. Survivors still alive – mostly over 80 – told their horrible stories, listeners shed tears.

At Yad Vashem, Netanyahu made his standard speech – Never again… We shall not… the Iranian bomb… Second Holocaust…

Tomorrow evening will be Memorial Day. The country will mourn for the many thousands who fell in Israel’s numerous wars. Bereaved parents will lay flowers on the graves of their beloved. Politicians will make speeches about the lives so nobly given up for the nation to prevent a Second Holocaust.

The next day will be a day of joy. Without an interruption, the sirens will announce the end of Memorial Day and the beginning of Independence Day. Speeches about the sacrifices of the fallen will be superseded by speeches about the glories and achievement of the state, which rose so miraculously from the ashes of the Holocaust. In the center of festivities stand Israel’s armed forces, among the strongest and most efficient in the world.

The close proximity of these three dates is not accidental. It is a conscious attempt to imbue generations of Israelis with the idea that Israel is under constant threat, like the Jewish communities in Europe throughout the centuries, and that the IDF is the sole guarantor of our national and even individual security.

Many people consider this a manipulation, as indeed it is. Under Netanyahu, this has reached new heights (or depths). Jewish victimhood is bandied about as a totem that sanctifies all our policies: the occupation, the settlements, the oppression of the Palestinians, the rejection in practice of peace based on the two-state solution.

It is also a political ploy. The constant reminders of existential dangers – in Iran, in Syria, in Egypt and elsewhere – are designed to rally the population around the leadership. In the recent election campaign, Netanyahu presented himself as a “strong leader for a strong state”. Never mind that he is actually a weakling, notorious for succumbing to foreign and internal pressures. Fear-mongering is his most effective instrument.

HOWEVER, it would be a great mistake to discount Israeli fears as artificial. They are quite real.

Foreigners are often amazed to hear Israelis asserting in the same sentence, literally in the same breath, that “Israel is a regional power”, and that we shall not go “like lambs to the slaughter”, as Jews were alleged (by Israelis) to have done in the Holocaust. Both halves of this sentence are real. They live side by side in the minds of most Israelis.

No one who has been in Israel on Holocaust Day can have the slightest doubt about the huge impact that the Holocaust continues to have on our minds. Most of us (myself included) have relatives who perished in the Shoah. The profound sense of victimhood, the fears and apprehensions are deeply ingrained in us. It would be almost impossible to eradicate them in a few years.

YET WE must overcome them, because they have no relation with current reality and prevent us from rational behavior.

The simple fact is that Israel is a strong state, and will remain so for a long time to come.

We have a very strong and efficient military, more than sufficient for meeting any foreseeable threat. The Arab spring has at least temporarily removed several military menaces. That is true also for the real or imagined nuclear threat from Iran. No Iranian leader would ever risk the total destruction of his country, with its thousands of years of civilization, in order to destroy poor us.

But a strong military is only one component of security. There are many others.

In 65 years we have built a solid and strong economy, more resilient than much bigger and stronger economies around the world. In several areas, such as high-tech, science, medicine, agriculture and the arts, we belong to the premier world league. Israel’s intimate relations with the No. 1 world power seem safe for a long time to come and of huge advantage in many fields, even given the gradual decline of US power.

The revived Hebrew language is vibrant and firmly entrenched. Israeli democracy, though under constant threat, seems to be able to withstand the onslaught. We can surely be proud of what our society has achieved, practically from scratch.

The only real dangers facing Israel come from within. Mad policies, the continued occupation, the permanent war, the encroachment of fundamentalist religion – these are the real causes for worry.
I AM pointing this out not in order to inflame a sense of triumphalism, but on the contrary.

In Israel, it is the Right which thrives on fear and constantly invents new threats, in order to deny peace and promote a sense of “the whole world against us”. They depict our state as just another beleaguered ghetto, facing a perpetual danger of annihilation.

The Israeli peace camp must resolutely stand up against this world view. Israel is strong, and because it is strong it can take risks, make peace with the Palestinian people and the entire Arab and Muslim world.

65 years ago, when we were a population of hardly 650 thousand people, my generation had this self-confidence. Our heads were unbowed. We must rediscover this now.



http://www.eurasiareview.com/13042013-israels-65th-birthday-around-us-the-storm-is-raging-oped/
 

Wane Daroux sings his original - April 12, 2013

Wane Daroux at "An Event Honoring Israel"


Wane Daroux shared this original song during the annual "Evening Honoring Israel" in Lincolnton, NC. 
April 12, 2013. He just released his first CD entitled "Our God Is One". You can contact him at 18musicman20@gmail.com to get one for yourself or a gift for someone. Nice Caribbean sound.

Beit Yeshua hosted the annual event, led by Curtis Loftin and Doug Williams.

Hear Wane now on the Love For His People YouTube channel: Wane Daroux