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.