Not Worthy of Worship

By Dexter Van Zile Anglican Priest Naim Ateek recently toured Washington state in support of his most recent book, A Palestinian Christian Cry for Reconciliation (Orbis, 2008), in which he falsely accuses Israel of perpetrating a “slow and creeping genocide” against Palestinians – who have one of the fastest growing populations in the world. Apparently,…

Details

Faith Lessons: Mt. Tabor

by Daniel McCabe Transfiguration of Jesus John 1:14, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” From its peak in ancient days one could look out on the distinctive tribal flags of Naphtali and…

Details

Party on world

By Stan Goodenough Today, as midnight arrives in country after country, explosions of celebration are set to rend the skies, from over the Opera House in Sydney (GMT minus 10 hours) to over Pearl Harbor in Hawaii (GMT plus 10 hours). Wherever the Gregorian calendar is held to, toasts will be drunk, fireworks fired, dances…

Details

Israeli Initiative – Chapter 8: How Much UNRWA Costs

By Yoav Sorek As we mentioned in previous chapters, UNRWA is an expensive and inefficient agency, with a budget of $541.8 million in 2008 that rose to $649.9 million in 2009. This budget increases as UNRWA registers more refugees each year, due to its policy of counting descendants of refugees of the 1948 War of…

Details

Reaction – A Strategic Danger to the State of Israel

By Yoav Sorek While the right is busy battling the temporary building freeze, it seems that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is using all his force to move towards a major strategic decision that is similar to Sharon’s disengagement. There are many signs pointing to this move: Attempts to add Kadima to the coalition, sharing secrets…

Details

Israeli Initiative- Chapter 7: How Refugees are Treated Around the World

By Yoav Sorek In previous weeks, we presented the history of UNRWA and its failures as an organization meant to deal with the Palestinian refugee problem. Last week, we presented some information on UNHCR, the U.N. refugee agency, as a contrast to UNRWA and a possible partner for future refugee rehabilitation. The Israel Initiative proposes that…

Details

Power Prayer: The Great God

O FOUNTAIN OF ALL GOOD, Destroy in me every lofty thought, Break pride to pieces and scatter it to the winds, Annihilate each clinging shred of self-righteousness, Implant in me true lowliness of spirit, Abase me to self-loathing and self-abhorrence, Open in me a fount of penitential tears, Break me, then bind me up; Thus…

Details

Let These People Go!

by Yoav Sorek The Associated Press recently published an article exposing the various ways residents attempt to escape from the Gaza Strip. Desperate Gazans fake fatal diseases in order to get permission to enter Israel and receive medical care, or pay hundreds of dollars to smugglers and counterfeiters in order to cross the border to…

Details

Israeli Initiative- Chapter 6: UNHCR and its Achievements

By Yoav Sorek In previous weeks we have presented the history of UNRWA and its failures as an organization that is mean to dela with the Palestinian refugge problem. This week, we present some information on UNHCR, the U.N. ‘s other refugee agency, as a contrast to UNRWA and a possible partner for future refugee…

Details

Chapter 4 – Prudence in Actions

By PAT HUTCHENS, A rework of Imitation of Messiah by Thomas A. Kempis— Do not put too much stock in what people say, or even in what you yourself think. Instead, with a sense of caution and with much patience, test everything as to whether it is of God. Our own human nature is prone…

Details

Dare to Dream of a Rebuilt Temple

by Michael Freund Something astonishing, even alarming, is taking place in the battle over the future of Jerusalem. Even as Palestinian rioters run amok on the Temple Mount, egged on by the radicals of the Islamic Movement, much of the anger and dismay in the Israeli and international press is being directed, ironically enough, at…

Details

Chapter 3- Knowledge of the Truth

By PAT HUTCHENS, A rework of Imitation of Messiah by Thomas A. Kempis— Blessed is the one who reads and does what God says in the Holy Scriptures. Our own judgments and feelings often deceive us and we discern only part of the truth when we do hear it. What good does it do to…

Details

Israeli Initiative- Chapter 5 – UNRWA and its Link to Terror and Hamas

By Yoav Sorek As we mentioned last week, UNRWA claims to be a neutral organization, but has proven time and again to be a puppet of the Palestinian National movement and of terror. In this chapter, we will specify how UNRWA is linked to these dangerous groups. UNRWA As a Support for the Palestinian National…

Details

Dare to Dream of a Rebuilt Temple

by Michael Freund Something astonishing, even alarming, is taking place in the battle over the future of Jerusalem.  Even as Palestinian rioters run amok on the Temple Mount, egged on by the radicals of the Islamic Movement, much of the anger and dismay in the Israeli and international press is being directed, ironically enough, at…

Details

The New Pharaoh's evil decree

By Victor Sharpe As I write this, the Jewish state is humiliated by a freeze on all and any construction within Yesha. What is Yesha? It is the Hebrew acronym for the biblical and ancestral heartland of the Jewish people. It is Yehuda and Shomron, or Judea and Samaria, but the world prefers to call…

Details

Beware! You're in Grave Danger

By Stan Goodenough, Jerusalem Newswire This is an open letter to United Nations and European Union staff members posted in Jerusalem and Israel. Had I the funds I would print this and place it on every one of the myriad UN and EU vehicles driving around this city. Meanwhile hopefully someone will pick it up…

Details

Foreign Ministry: EU resolution ignores main obstacle to peace

by Jpost.com staff and AP, Jerusalem Post A resolution passed by European Union foreign ministers Tuesday to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of both Israel and a future Palestinian state “ignores the primary obstacle to achieving a resolution between Israel and the Palestinians,” according to a Foreign Ministry statement released after the vote. The statement said…

Details