Thank You!

Hi friends! We're nearing the end of 2012 and are overwhelmed by the way the L-rd has worked in this year. We hope you've enjoyed the stories, videos and teachings we've posted here on the website. Are there other things you'd be interested in seeing or reading about in the coming year?

We hope you all had a joy-filled Christmas with your families and friends. We were blessed to spend Christmas Eve with some sweet friends in the Old City of Jerusalem. It was a beautiful sunny day and we enjoyed the diversity of the city. We woke up the next morning and cuddled with Cassidy for a while, which was a terrific Christmas present for us. We celebrated Yeshua's birthday with a yummy breakfast and to start it all off Cassidy sang Him Happy Birthday.

We spent the day together, just the three of us and we ended up talking to most of our family thanks to amazing technology. Cassidy's thankfulness at all of her presents was overwhelming -- from chalk to jewelry to crafts she was thrilled with it all! Keeping it simple was a great idea and it turned out to be the best Christmas we've had in 5 years.

Though we may not scream like Cass, we are equally thankful for all of the prayers, emails, calls, letters and gifts throughout this year that have filled our hearts and enabled us to be here in Israel. The L-rd has done amazing things in our lives and in the lives of those we've met in the last year and it's because of your partnership with us. The L-rd is moving in the land of Israel and we look to the next year with hearts filled with anticipation for more opportunities to shine His light.

There's still time to give a year-end gift to Remember Jerusalem, and you can always become a monthly partner in 2013. The harvest is plenty here in the land and we're looking for more people to join us in the work! Happy New Year!

Bethlehem Shepherds Revisited

A recent article from the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem’s website is so good I have contracted/summarized it below. It shows the unique aspect of the shepherds on that glorious day of our dear Savior’s birth. Here is the full article if you prefer (http://us.icej.org/news/commentary/tower-flock)

The first public declaration of the Good News of the redemption in Messiah Yeshua is made to shepherds, common people of Israel, not to the religious or political rulers.

“The shepherds’ fields outside Bethlehem, to this day, play a central role in the Christmas celebrations in the Holy Land. Countless tourists have visited the fields between Bethlehem and Jerusalem. The church historian Eusebius linked these fields to a unique biblical location called Migdal Eder, which translated means the “tower of the flock”. (See Gen. 35:21)

“This area on the outskirts of Bethlehem is also mentioned in the Talmudic writings. According to the Talmud, all cattle found in the area surrounding Jerusalem ‘as far as Migdal Eder’ were deemed to be holy and consecrated and could only be used for sacrifices in the Temple, in particular for the peace and Passover sacrifices. There was thus a special, consecrated circle around the city of Jerusalem.”

“This means the shepherds in the fields of Bethlehem who first heard the Good News from the angels were not ordinary shepherds but served the sacrificial system of the Temple.”

They were facilitating a very necessary reality of obedience to G-d in order for Israel to maintain fidelity to the Mosaic Covenant. And the shepherds who took care of these sacrificial sheep were the first to hear of the birth of the Lamb that was slain before the foundation of the world, Who is also the great Shepherd.

“The Hebrew prophet Micah also refers to Migdal Eder. ‘And you, O tower of the flock, the stronghold of the daughter of Zion, to you shall it come, even the former dominion shall come, the kingdom of the daughter of Jerusalem.’ (Micah 4:8)”

“Based on that prophecy, prominent Jewish writers [who did not follow Yeshua] concluded in the Midrash that from all of the places in Israel, it would be the Migdal Eder where the arrival of the Messiah would be declared first.

“That means when the angels appeared that night to the shepherds in the fields outside Bethlehem, it was not just a declaration of the Good News to simple shepherds. It was a powerful prophetic sign to all of Israel. The news of that night must have spread like wildfire through the surrounding villages.”

Luke records: “Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning this Child. And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds.” (Luke 2:17-18)

What does this all mean for us?

“First, it is always beneficial for the Church to see that Jesus did not arrive into a vacuum, but was born into an entirely Jewish context. When Christ came in the flesh, he was born first-and-foremost to the Jewish people but would then also bring his favour and good pleasure to all men. Even though the celebration of Christ’s birth has become a feast marked almost exclusively by the gentile Church, it is important for us to see it in its historic and biblical context – as a message intended to give hope to Israel. As Zacharias prophesies at the birth of John the Baptist, this all happened to “perform the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant, the oath which He swore to our father Abraham…” (Luke 1:72f).”

“The angelic announcement gave these simple shepherds a profound revelation of who this Messiah would be. He was proclaimed to be both King (born in the city of David) and Priest. That he was both Christ and Lord, the son of man but also the son of God. He would be the saviour of humanity but also the shepherd of all those who would follow his voice.”

By taking care of the sheep that are used in the sacrificial system, these shepherds were participating in the very context of our redemption. They were then chosen as the first people to publically hear the declaration of the Good News that the Mosaic Covenant was foreshadowing. “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you Good News of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:10-12)

He does everything for a reason and every detail brings Him glory.

Merry Christmas  

Is Christmas Kosher?

The Reason for the Season

You have probably heard that Yeshua actually celebrated Hanukah and that it is even recorded in the Gospel of John 10:22-23: “Now it was the Festival of Dedication (Hanukah) in Jerusalem, and it was winter. And Yeshua walked in the temple, in Solomon’s porch.”

And the story is often told of the miracle of the oil burning for eight days during the festival. But why did they celebrate Hanukah for eight days? Almost everything in Jewish tradition has a meaning and the eight days is no exception. The Maccabees were zealous for the law (1 Macc. 2:26) (see a similar Jewish response in Acts 21:20) and were willing to give their very lives to uphold the ways of G-d. However, because of the war with Antiochus Epiphanes, the Jewish people were not able to properly celebrate the Biblical festivals. 2 Maccabees 10:1-8 describes the rededication of the Temple after the Maccabean victory:

Now Maccabeus and his followers, the Lord leading them on, recovered the temple and the city; they tore down the altars that had been built in the public square by the foreigners, and also destroyed the sacred precincts. They purified the sanctuary, and made another altar of sacrifice; then, striking fire out of flint, they offered sacrifices, after a lapse of two years, and they offered incense and lighted lamps and set out the bread of the Presence… It happened that on the same day on which the sanctuary had been profaned by the foreigners, the purification of the sanctuary took place, that is, on the twenty-fifth day of the same month, which was Chislev. They celebrated it for eight days with rejoicing, in the manner of the festival of booths [Sukkot], remembering how not long before, during the festival of booths [Sukkot], they had been wandering in the mountains and caves like wild animals.

Hanukah is a celebration of the rededication of the Temple and a commemoration of Sukkot!  Sukkot is supposed to be the most joyous Biblical festival (Deut. 16:14) but they were in the mountains and caves living like animals so they were not able to properly celebrate. Sukkot is also the prophetic observance of the coming marriage supper of the Lamb and the full manifestation of Yeshua’s Kingdom of Light on the earth.

Hanukkiot in our neighborhood

It is no surprise then that Hanukah is also known as the Festival of Lights because of its connection to Sukkot. During Sukkot they would put up four 55 cubit high (75-88ft tall) menorahs (m. Sukkah 5:1-4, b. Sukkah 52b) in the women’s court of the Temple complex. These menorahs would dramatically light up the entire area as a part of the celebration -- which would have been quite extraordinary since they didn't have electricity back then! It was in this context that Yeshua declared, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life" (Jn 8:12).

So lighting the menorah during Hanukah is a prophetic declaration of Yeshua as the Light of the world and that His Kingdom is coming to the earth.

The large hanukkiah located on the roundabout on our street

Chag Hanukah Sameach

Happy Hanukah  

Happy Hanukah!

Here is a video from Ron Cantor titled "Did Yeshua Observe Hanukah?"

Grinding Wheat, Israeli-style

While we were in Capernaum (Kfar Nahum, the village of Nahum) we visited what is supposedly Peter's house, although it could have been Yeshua's home for all that they can prove. It's a religious site, and the Catholic Church built a church over the site, which made it a bit awkward to see the actual remains, but there are ruins all around that we explored and enjoyed. It's amazing to see how they lived thousands of years ago, and how much or how little has changed over time.

For instance, here's an example of how they ground wheat in Samson's day, and in Yeshua's. 50% of their daily calories were from grains and that meant the woman of the home spent several hours (4-6) a day grinding the wheat berries. That's a lot of work...

It's possible to be pro-Israeli without being anti-Palestinian

I don't know when terrorism will erupt in full force — my hope is that it won't ever. But I am convinced today that the disengagement [withdrawal from Gaza] will eventually aggravate terrorism instead of reducing it. The security establishment also expects an increase in terrorism. The withdrawal endangers Israel's security, divides its people and set the standards of the withdrawal to the '67 border.

—Benjamin Netanyahu, 2005

Although he was not Prime Minister during the withdrawal from Gaza, Netanyahu saw the writing on the wall in 2005. Since then, there has been a lot of international controversy over how the people in Gaza have been treated including the highly publicized "flotilla incident." A quick look at the facts brings light to some issues not commonly talked about in the media:

In the video below, Calev Myers of the Jerusalem Institute of Justice (www.jij.org.il/) is speaking to the European Union. Here are a few of the highlights:

• Since the Oslo Accords in 1993 until today the amount of international aid to the Palestinian Authority is 25 times per person larger than the amount of money spent on the Marshal Plan that rebuilt Europe after WWII (taking into account currency value inflation).
• Today, 60% of Palestinian economy is dependent upon foreign aid.
• Large amounts of the money go into the pockets of Palestinian leaders and to stockpile weapons used against Israel.
• This money has not been used to eradicate poverty or to create a sustainable economy for Palestinians.
• The Palestinian Authority is the primary abuser of Palestinian human rights, not Israeli settlers or the IDF.

It's not about discontinuing funds to the Palestinian people, but asking the Palestinian Authorities to be accountable about where all of the money is going. There is currently no accountability!

 

Update from Jerusalem & Bomb Shelter Info

More air raid sirens in Jerusalem yesterday [Tuesday] meant more rockets in the Jerusalem area and then today a terrorist attack on a public bus in Tel Aviv injured 23 people! The last terrorist bomb blast in Tel Aviv was in 2006. The situation is escalating and a ground war seems more likely even as Secretary of State Hilary Clinton has traveled to Egypt to supposedly help negotiate peace talks. Additionally, Iran has urged Arab nations to send military assistance to Gaza.
 

Bomb Shelter

You may remember the story about when we first moved to Jerusalem in February. We had a very generous donation by some of our partners specifically to allow us to rent a bigger and nicer apartment to ease our cross-global transition and to be able to host friends/family from the US. Because the apartment is newer, we actually have a bomb shelter in our apartment--in fact, my study doubles as the bomb shelter. Many apartment complexes have a shared bomb shelter or people go into the hallways or something during an attack. So come to find out, we have even MORE to be thankful for in renting this place as we have very little time to get into the bomb shelter when the air raid sirens are sounded [indicating an incoming rocket/missile]. This reality has given us way more empathy for the Israelis living in the south of Israel who have been living with this reality pretty much ever since Israel gave Gaza away in 2005.

However, we are doing well and comforted with the fact that the safest place in the world is to be in the middle of G-d’s will for your life! 
  

Here is an example of how effective safe rooms are in Israel. This is an apartment in Rishon LeZion that was directly hit from a rocket fired from Gaza.

And to those who don’t have Facebook: Here is a “Day in the Life” morning conversation:

Tom: How'd you sleep Cass?
Cass: Really good.
Tom: Why's that?
Cass: No rockets or anything!

Remember to pray for the shalom of Jerusalem and all of Israel!

Pillar of Cloud

(For more details about what's currently happening in the south please see our previous post).

Israel’s current operation against the Islamic terrorists in Gaza has been translated into English as “Operation Pillar of Defense.” This is a poetic translation which fails to convey the true meaning and purpose of Israel’s military operation.

The original Hebrew is עמוד ענן, “Amud Anan”, a phrase taken directly from the Torah.

When the children of Israel sojourned through the desert, a divine cloud, “a pillar of cloud” went before them in order to shield them from harm.

And the angel of G-d, who had been traveling in front of Israel’s army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them, coming between the armies of Egypt and Israel. —Exodus 14:19-20

Rashi, Rabbi Shlomo Yitzchaki (1040–1105 CE), a French rabbi who wrote commentaries on the Torah, the Prophets and the Talmud, explains:

They [the Egyptians] shot arrows and catapult stones at them, but the angel and cloud caught them.

Thus, the name of this operation is particularly appropriate as Israel defends itself from terrorist rockets and mortars — modern arrows and catapults.

Here is the prayer for the State of Israel that is appropriate at this time:

Our Father in Heaven, Rock and Redeemer of the people of Israel; Bless the State of Israel with the beginning of the blossoming of our redemption. Shield it with Your love; spread over it the shelter of Your peace. Guide its leaders and advisors with Your light and Your truth. Help them with Your good counsel. Strengthen the hands of those who defend our Holy Land. Deliver them; crown their efforts with triumph. Bless the land with peace, and its inhabitants with lasting joy. And let us say: Amen.

(adapted from an email from ulpanor.com)

It's not war...technically

Thank you for your prayers; we are safe here in Jersualem. I wish I could say as much for those living in the south of Israel but Hamas and Islamic Jihad have been continually terrorizing the area with rockets launched from the Gaza Strip (which Israel gave to the Arabs in 2005 in a supposed "land for peace" deal). To end the non-stop rocket attacks, Israel has decided to increase the defense of their citizens, as I'm sure you've heard (although perhaps not in those terms). Can you imagine Mexico launching hundreds of rockets at the US? Something important to note is that Israel is targeting Hamas' missiles and the terrorists involved, being careful to avoid Palestinian civilians (many available videos give evidence to this fact), but Hamas is specifically targeting Israeli civilian population areas.

Here are some of the facts (thanks to CUFI):

      In the week preceding the launch of yesterday's operation, over 120 missiles were fired from Gaza into southern Israel.
•    Since the beginning of 2012, over 760 missiles have been fired from Gaza into Israel's southern communities.
•    Since Israel launched this operation yesterday, an additional 245 missiles (probably more by the time you read this) have been fired into Israel, killing three Israelis and injuring many more.
•    These missiles target Israeli civilians, and have forced over one million Israelis into bomb shelters.
•    In recent years, Hamas has acquired an arsenal of long range Fajr-5 missiles from Iran capable of hitting Tel Aviv, and now Israeli media outlets are reporting that two rockets have landed in the outskirts of Tel Aviv.
•    Operation Pillar of Defense is a limited operation targeting Hamas' missile stockpiles and the Hamas terrorists responsible for firing them. 

Israel has once again exercised enormous restraint and waited until over 760 rockets had been fired into its territory before launching Operation Pillar of Defense. 

Please keep Israel, it's leader, soldiers and civilians in your prayers. He is a G-d of truth and mercy -- to all who call on His name. Please spread the truth to those less informed. Blessings to you, friends.

Signs of winter

It's cold and wet here, but in the past five days we've had two rainbows. They're good reminders to be thankful for the covenants, and the rain.

Dissertation Update & an Encounter

I am currently researching Jesus’ words, “salvation comes from the Jews”, and how this phrase functions within the Gospel of John (4:22). Why is this important? G-d has clearly shown us the importance of Israel and that His heart for the nations is rooted in His love for the Jewish people. This particular verse (and many others) suggests a very important role for G-d’s chosen people. By presenting a scholarly argument for the continued importance of G-d’s covenantal people with regards to Jesus and salvation, much restitution can be made concerning the regrettable anti-Jewish viewpoints throughout Church history and Jewish-Christian relations in general. It will also help to further unify Jew and Gentile in the Body of Messiah.  

During the Nazi regime, this verse was a point of issue (John 4:22):

     1)      With a view to the ‘de-judaization’ of Christianity, attempts were made in Germany to scrap the verse altogether from school bibles.

     2)      In his 1936 edition of the Gospel of John, for example, ‘Landesbischof’ Weidemann of Bremen simply left the verse out.

     3)       In 1938, after some initial resistance, the evangelical Landesbischof of Baden-Baden gave his approval to a similar emendation.

     4)       For pedagogical reasons, story number 12—Jesus and the Samaritan woman—of the Neudruck of the Biblische Geschichte which was intended for evangelical religious studies classes was henceforth to be printed without the ‘objectionable’ clause ‘Denn das Heil kommt von den Juden’ (salvation comes from the Jews).

     5)      In 1940, the Institute for the Exploration and Removal of the Jewish influence on the German Church published its ‘de-judaized version’ of the New Testament in which John 4:22b was contorted to read “the famous anti-Semitic slogan ‘The Jews are our misfortune.’”

Clearly this verse holds a lot of weight historically, and I haven’t even scratched the surface. 

Being aware of this historical "scholarship" directly relates to how we interact with the Jewish people in Israel. Today we went to a local coffee shop and talked with one of the baristas about who we are. When she found out that we weren't Jewish and that Tom is studying the Bible she said, "I know who you are." She went on to explain that she met some people in New Zealand who were not Jewish but who loved Jesus and loved the Jewish people. It was the first time we've had a non-Messianic Jew not be shocked that we, as Gentiles, love the Jewish people. But clearly this seed of truth was already planted within her.

The truth is most Jewish people see the followers of Jesus as enemies because of things done in the name of Christianity, such as the research Tom discovered about the Nazis changing scripture. With this awareness we chose our words carefully and come into situations with a spirit of unification instead of separation. When we as followers of Jesus interact with the Jewish people with a heart of love, appreciation, and understanding then they are more receptive to the message of Jesus as Messiah. 

On our way home Tom and I rejoiced that this girl had a positive view of Jesus' followers. The seeds are being planted in people all over the land, and every time we can share more light and water the truth of G-d's love for all of us then we are that much closer to his return!

Firstborn Son

Seven years ago we celebrated the birth of Wyatt William, our first child. Throughout his four and half years he was a blessing and reminder of G-d's diverse nature. Two words truly summarize him: Tender Warrior. His heart was to fight for the things of G-d, to love deeply and serve the Almighty.

Just recently we read "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" with Cassidy and were struck by Lewis' depiction of riding on Aslan. I longed to read this story with Wyatt, knowing it would speak deeply to his warrior heart. But when I read this part I realized he already knows this story, and so much more. Some people have described the L-rd coming to Wyatt like the Lion of the Tribe of Judah that May night that he left, and as I read aloud Susan and Lucy's ride on Aslan's back Tom and I could not hold back the tears.

And he (Aslan) crouched down and the children climbed onto his warm, golden back, and Susan sat first, holding on tightly to his mane and Lucy sat behind holding on tightly to Susan. And with a great heave he rose underneath them and then shot off, faster than any horse could go, down hill and into the thick of the forest.

That ride was perhaps the most wonderful thing that happened to them in Narnia. Have you ever had a gallop on a horse? Think of that; and then take away the heavy noise of the hoofs and the jingle of bits and imagine instead the almost noiseless padding of the great paws. Then imagine instead of the black or gray or chestnut back of the horse the soft roughness of golden fur, and the mane flying back in the wind. And then imagine you are going about twice as fast as the fastest racehorse. But this is a mount that doesn't need to be guided and never grows tired. He rushes on and on, never missing his footing, never hesitating, threading his way with perfect skill...

We are thankful for his life, and the way he touched so many people by being a sweet little boy with the heart of a soldier. We pray you're experiencing the power of G-d in your life, and may we all seek to run with the Lion.

Teach them to your children

As part of our tour of Jerusalem/Northern Israel with Tom's parents we stopped at the Kotel (the Western Wall). On our way out we saw what is supposedly the world's largest mezuzah. Mezuzot are placed on doorways of homes, businesses and gates (including our apartment), in keeping with Deuteronomy 6:4-9:

"Sh'ma, Yisra'el! ADONAI Eloheinu, ADONAI echad [Hear, Isra'el! ADONAI our G-d, ADONAI is one]; and you are to love ADONAI your G-d with all your heart, all your being and all your resources. These words, which I am ordering you today, are to be on your heart; and you are to teach them carefully to your children. You are to talk about them when you sit at home, when you are traveling on the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them on your hand as a sign, put them at the front of a headband around your forehead, and write them on the door-frames of your house and on your gates.

Oh, and that's our fourth child growing in my belly. Not as famous as the giant mezuzah at the Kotel (nor as big!) but I though you might like to see.

Jewish Roots Classes

In the last several years we've read countless books, taken a lot of classes, and listened to many well-educated people in order to better understand our role in the Kingdom. As we searched the L-rd revealed Himself as the G-d of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the G-d of Israel. In many ways this has revolutionized the way we live and read the Bible. Many questions have been answered and historical inconsistencies are now clearer. As we continue on this journey of learning about the Jewishness of Jesus we are thankful for those who are helping us along the way.

Kingdom Living, in Kansas City, is now hosting three different classes through the School of Messianic Jewish Theology. You now have the opportunity to study the Jewish roots of the Bible and Christianity so you can better understand how things are playing out in the Middle East. These classes will also help you see how you can participate in bringing His Kingdom to the earth. It doesn't matter what your school or Church background is, everyone is welcome to come. Please click here for more information and a synopsis of each of the classes offered. We highly encourage these classes and know they will bring depth to your study of the Bible. Studying the Jewish roots of our faith may even change your life...it changed ours.

New Year, New Discoveries

Celebrating the Torah at the Western Wall on
Simchat Torah, Rejoicing with the Torah

It's a new year and that means a new reading cycle for the Torah and the Messianic Writings (New Testament). If you're interested in getting your hands on the new schedule (so you can look ahead or have it in case I miss a week) you can find it here. Genesis 1-6:8 and Matthew 1-3 are the readings for this week. This is a great way to become more familiar with the foundations of the Bible, the Torah and the teachings of our Messiah, the Living Torah. This specific schedule has two very important functions: one, every week there is a specific reading that observant Jews read for Shabbat (this tradition goes back to the time of Yeshua; See Luke 4:16-22); and two, the Messianic Writings are included in this cycle so every week you are reading from one of the four Gospels. We highly recommend engaging in this practice; since Yeshua is the Living Torah what better way to know Him then through the original Torah and His own life story?

Day in the Life: Yom Kippur at Yad Hashmona

For Yom Kippur we joined Ahavat Yeshua and a few other congregations at Yad Hashmona, a Messianic Moshav, or Kibbutz. We had a magnificient view of the Judean Hills from our room, and enjoyed the beauty of the entire place. The L-rd encountered us through new friends and we even met a few people familiar with our congregation back in Kansas City. It's exciting to join together with so many like-minded individuals to observe this special time, when we focus our hearts toward Yeshua and His glorious plan of redemption through His sacrifice. 

We are now ready to join in the celebration of Sukkot, the Feast of Tabernacles. We turn our eyes toward Heaven and await the marriage supper of the Lamb! We hope you're enjoying these Times of Joy, Moedim L'Simcha!

The New Year

Shana Tova! Happy New Year!

We returned to Jerusalem just in time for Rosh Hashanah. Literally, it is the “head of the year” as it marks the beginning of a new calendar year. Biblically, it also marks the agricultural new year: it is a time for planting in Israel; in the seventh year it starts a Sabbath rest for the land; and every 50 years it is the beginning of the jubilee.

This moed, or “appointed time”, of G-d in the Biblical calendar is referred to as Yom Teruah, or the “day of blasting”, associated with blowing the shofar (Lev 23:24). On Monday, as we were in our apartment, we heard a shofar outside and ran to the porch.  There were a couple of observant Jewish men walking around our neighborhood asking people if they had observed the commandment of hearing the shofar blast for Yom Teruah. They then blew their shofar and helped the strangers fulfill the commandment of hearing the blast of the shofar. 

I love hearing the shofar on Rosh Hashanah because to me it is a reminder of that great shofar blast that will announce the coming of King Yeshua. It’s like an annual commemoration of the second coming of Yeshua!

The shofar blast is supposed to wake us up from our slumber in sin because it is a symbol of repentance. Repent for the King is returning! This is why it is sounded before Yeshua brings judgment to the entire earth as He returns as the Lion of the tribe of Judah. Repent for the King of Heaven is coming to bring judgment!

Ezekiel 33:2-5 “‘When I bring the sword against a land, and the people of the land choose one of their men and make him their watchman, And he sees the sword coming against the land and blows the shofar to warn the people, Then if anyone hears the shofar but does not take warning and the sword comes and takes his life, his blood will be on his own head. Since he heard the sound of the shofar but did not take warning, his blood will be on his own head. If he had taken warning, he would have saved himself.’

Today, may we listen to the shofar blast and repent and renew our covenant with Yeshua whose blood atones for our sin. May His imminent return be soon and in our days!

A walk to the playground

Yesterday we walked down to our local playground. On our way we noticed black smoke rising from the local Arab village. Apparently they started a fire, perhaps to celebrate the Jewish New Year, but more likely to harass the Jewish soldiers on duty at the checkpoint.

The village view from the playground (not taken yesterday).
The smoke came from just below the orange-roofed building on the right.

As we played hide and seek with Cassidy we heard loud pops, and looking down we saw the Arabs shooting fireworks at the soldiers. We stood around with a group of people watching and soon a man from our neighborhood, presumably in his thirties, struck up a conversation with Tom. He's an observant American Jew who used to teach Jewish philosophy in the Old City but now runs a business. As a side note he said the local Israeli municipality built a playground down in the village of Shuafat but the locals burned it down, so the Arabs sometimes come up to French Hill for the playground. A similar thing happened when the municipality built a post office in Shuafat, except they firebombed it. I guess they really like French Hill.

He then asked Tom about himself and Tom responded by telling him of his university studies into the Jewishness of Yeshua. They had an interesting discussion about the historical Yeshua, in which Tom described Yeshua as wearing tzitziyot (the traditional fringes that this man was wearing). Never a dull moment.

As we walked home the black smoke was dying down and the fireworks had ceased. I guess it's just another Rosh Hashanah in Jerusalem.

He is unpredictable

I remember when Zeke was in the ER at Shawnee Mission Medical and I looked at the clock as it approached midnight. I thought, "Surely he will be fine. August 24th is Aunt Ann's birthday." Just nine months before our visit to the ER my aunt died suddenly, presumably of a heart attack. She was the only aunt I knew and my mother's only sibling. So that night, as we watched the medical staff fight to keep Zeke breathing I could only ask for God's mercy and believe that he would let August 24th continue to be a day of celebration.

But just a few hours later, after a safe transport to Children's Mercy Hospital, the staff ran out of options.  Our son was connected to tubes and machines and he wasn't making any progress. At one point, when the doctor told us he thought Zeke had a 50/50 chance we truly believed this was good news. The L-rd was going to work a radical miracle and bring our little guy around. We prayed that even though Zeke coded several times, for too many minutes to count, that the Creator of the universe would bring Zeke back to complete and perfect health. But we believed it would happen on this side of eternity.

We left the hospital that morning stunned. I am still overwhelmed by the thought of that day. It is incomprehensible to me. One day we had our beautiful Ezekiel John, named after Aunt Ann's husband, and the next day we were left with empty arms.


Writing this I feel a deep pain inside. I'm still disappointed that we only got ten days with him and that if he had remained with us he would be a three year old. But comfort comes with the truth of the word of G-d. I've posted it before, and I'll probably continue to post 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 because it is now a part of me, part of my story: 

Now, brothers, we want you to know the truth about those who have died; otherwise, 

you might become sad the way other people do who have nothing to hope for. 

For since we believe that Yeshua died and rose again, we also believe that in the same way God, through Yeshua, will take with him those who have died. 

We visited the garden tomb today, a beautiful spot that replicates what the crucifixion location and tomb would have looked like. There is a door inside the tomb and a sign there says, "He is not here, for He is risen". It is because of this amazing action -- that Yeshua did not stay in the grave -- that we have the true hope of seeing our sons again. G-d is loving and good and stands with us in our grief. He must have been grieved to let His Son go to earth, to walk among men. He must have been grieved to see the way His Son was treated by people, some ungrateful for his miraculous power and some worried about losing their earthly power. He must have been grieved to watch His Son suffer unspeakable physical torture. But He allowed it because of love and goodness. So we spend this day, and every other, remembering that He is good and His love endures forever (Jeremiah 33:11). And this I know is true, because it, too, is a part of my story.

Pages

We've updated some pages, our Prayer & Praise page and our Donation page. Check them out when you have a minute. Shalom!

A Remarkable Day

Today we celebrate the life of our third-born, Ezekiel "Zeke" John. He would be three today and as the third child he would probably be full of spunk and joy (like his father). Everything I think of writing seems cliche and obvious, so I'll leave it at this: Happy Birthday, Little Man. We're grateful to be your parents and with so much longing we look forward to the day when we're all celebrating together.

Tom is coming to Kansas City

In the last five months we’ve begun connecting with local congregations, ministries and individuals who are passionate about Jesus and doing His work in Israel. When we sit down and share with them our desire to bring the Church into direct partnership with Messianic Jewish Israel they are very encouraged. Israel as a whole is tolerant of Christianity and Islam, but when Jews claim Jesus as their Messiah they often come under persecution. To have brothers and sisters in the Church lifting them up in prayer and financially supporting them brings new life. To further our ability to connect with the Jewish people, the three of us are studying the Hebrew language and I was in Hebrew class for 4 hours a day, 5 days a week for the last month! Our organization, Tikkun International, has a Messianic Jewish congregation in Jerusalem that worships and teaches only in Hebrew so learning the language is imperative for communal worship there.

Additionally, G-d has given me amazing academic favor in my pursuit of a doctoral degree in Biblical studies. The last semester of study affirmed how important it is to study the historical foundation of our faith because it has such an impact on how we relate to Jesus and how we understand the importance of Israel. Hopefully you've watched some of the videos and posts from our website. Being a student also opens doors to share why we're here as Gentiles. In the last two weeks we've have three great conversations about the Jewishness of Jesus and how we as Gentiles live as part of the family of Israel. During one conversation an Orthodox Jewish man said, "I've never heard these things about Yeshua." I was able to go so far as to share about Jesus being the ultimate sacrificial Lamb and about His Second Coming as the Davidic Messiah. We continue to pray the L-rd will water the seeds that were planted in these conversations.

In order to continue developing these relationships, to advance the bridge building between the Church and Messianic Jewish Israel, to complete my doctoral dissertation, and to keep sharing about the Hebraic roots of Jesus with Jews in Israel we must remain in Israel. This means we are looking for more partners to help fully-fund our ministry. By partnering with us you are participating in the unification of the Church and Messianic Jewish Israel.

If you believe in us and our vision, then we encourage you to pray about participating in our ministry in two different ways:

1. Becoming a monthly financial partner and/or
2. Introducing us to your pastor, small group, friends, or family who might be interested
in our vision.
.
If every family in our current contact list partnered with us at just $25/month we would easily have enough support to continue our ministry in Israel! I am coming to Kansas City August 26th through September 13th and would love to get together with you and share about the vision of Remember Jerusalem and what G-d is doing in Israel. We have a one page summary of our story and how it led to our ministry, which also includes our budget and the amount we still need to become fully-funded. Please feel free to print this off and give it to people who may be interested. I would like to visit with you while I'm in town to hear what the L-rd is doing in your life, so please email me at tom@remember-jerusalem.org and let me know when you're available. I’m free breakfast, lunch and dinner, and I definitely do coffee!


Thank you for your help in promoting the importance of Israel and the unification of the body of Messiah! We are amazed at the faithfulness of our friends and family and are encouraged by your involvement. We look forward to growing the partners in our ministry and seeing the amazing things G-d will do in the land of Israel. G-d bless you and your family from Jerusalem, the city of our great King Jesus!

Teenok: Made in Israel

Yes, it's true. We are expecting another child in February. Many of you have waited and prayed for this, patiently and quietly wondering. Thank you. We are filled with joy and happiness because He has given us more life.

So now we're praying for a good doctor or midwife that speaks English, as well as great health for me and the baby. No, the blue doesn't mean it's a boy, but we'll let you know.

Cassidy is thrilled to be a big sister again. Since her birthday is February 13th and we're expecting the baby late February she views it as a very special birthday present. She even said that she doesn't need any presents because we're going to have the baby. She prays for the baby every day, hugging me and kissing me more than usual (which is a lot) and telling me to eat and sleep enough to grow the baby. One of her new favorite things to do is talk about all the things she's going to do for the baby: change diapers (not poopy ones), throw the diapers away, sing to the baby, put a blanket on the baby, tell the baby stories before bedtime.

We all feel the same way as Cassidy: this child is a gift and we are grateful to be adding to our family and the Kingdom.

*teenok, תינוק is Hebrew for baby

Nazareth Village

Last week we visited Nazareth Village, a re-creation of a 1st century Nazareth village. Tom's university helped with the archeology and research and found an original wine press on site. They also recreated a vineyard, threshing floor, tomb and 1st century synagogue, where the graduation ceremony was held. Nazareth Village is a well-kept secret in Israel, and we're looking forward to going back to see the demonstrations of wool and flax spinning and the craftsman's workshop.

A recreation of a tomb.

Tom working on the threshing floor. He caught a good wind.

They had swings in the first century...maybe.

A baby goat!

Cassidy with the shepherd. She worried about the little goat running
 around so she told the shepherd he should go get the goat.

A donkey. A very loud, braying donkey.

Roman armor.

A traditional cross.
They likely would have made prisoners carry the crossbeam,
none of it would be smooth or sanded, and often times the crossbeam would
be affixed to a tree that was already standing. To prolong the torture
there was a place for the feet to push up and a seat for them to rest on.

An original wine press.
Right below Cassidy is a small ramp so that the juice would run
down to be caught into a big hole. You crush grapes barefoot
so as not to crush the seeds (with your shoes) and cause the juice to be bitter.

They recreated this olive press which they use seasonally
when the olives are ripe.

Then they smash them down to get the oil out. The first press is the best,
thus the high price for Extra Virgin Olive Oil.

The synagogue.
Jewish scholars have come and been amazed
at the accuracy of this synagogue.

One of the professors reading Isaiah 40 in Hebrew.

Blessing the graduates.

A festive meal to celebrate 25 years of UHL and the 2012 graduates.
It was delicious!

Yochanan

Can you tell we're nearing the end of the portion cycle? We're three weeks away from Deuternomy. And if you're reading through the Gospels you'll notice that this week is the start of John, the Beloved. Tom and I are excited to read through this book together since he is currently researching a topic based on a saying of Yeshua as recorded by John. What an interesting account of His life on earth, so mystical and unique compared to the previous Gospels. Is it ok to have a favorite gospel? Which one is your favorite?

Once An Arafat Man

I am reading a book recommended by a friend here in Jerusalem, 'Once an Arafat Man' by Tass Saada. This is the autobiography of the man who runs Cassidy's preschool. Confused? Tass'sjourney from being a soldier in Fatah to a follower of Yeshua is miraculous. From the very beginning, as a child in Gaza, then as a teenager in Qatar, the Hand of G-d protects him. He goes from a rebellious teenager to a hate-filled killer to a repentant, obedient man of G-d.

He spent his early years with Fatah and Arafat (he really was his chauffeur), then he went to the States to get out of trouble. He married an American woman so he could stay in the US and then led an empty life, in a loveless marriage, striving after the "American Dream". But as I said, he's the guy who started a Messianic preschool in Jerusalem. How?!

Well, I'm only halfway through the book, but the L-rd pursued Tass until he gave His heart to the Jewish Messiah. In fact his friend who shared the Good News with him told him he had to love a Jew.

I don't want to tell you too much. Tass's story is filled with testimonies of how the L-rd used the dramatic and the not very dramatic experiences in to bring Him glory. If you're looking for an easy read that will encourage you in your walk and give you some insight into the Middle East, get 'Once an Arafat Man.' You'll have trouble keeping the story to yourself.

Cassidy outside of her Gan, Jacob's Ladder

Sunday in Jerusalem

After I dropped Cassidy off at school this morning (the work week starts on Sunday here) I encountered these two giant animals at the crosswalk. Thankfully they were headed toward the Damascus gate and not the train. It makes me wonder what's happening in the Arab part of Jerusalem today...

Is it legal to text and ride a horse?