Orith In Israel

COUSINS and DOLPHINS in EILAT

2012-02-07T13:43:00.008+02:00

Spring is forcing its way in; the wind picks up, the temperature is warmer and the cloud cover hesitates in its permanency. It was a hard winter and the feeling that the cold and humidity will never leave the bones, lingers on. It is not over yet, after all February just started, but a weekend break helps.

We spend last weekend in Eilat. Eilat, the southern tip of Israel. Eilat, the tourist pilgrimage of the desert. On the Red Sea, full of sun and warmth and fun. Eilat. We traveled to many countries, friends shared with us pictures of their travelling, but Eilat is one of a kind.

Eilat mountains are coloured red and blue and its sea is as clear as glass. The desert, north of it, exhibits a gallery of vegetation hugging the sand, lava rocks proudly display original formations, and a complicated matrix of natural canals that runs through the dry earth threatening it with flash floods. Ostriches, donkeys and camels graze in the open protected from the hordes of tourists whose population varies with the weather changes and the local politics.

Son number one was born in Eilat almost 48 years ago. The local hospital had no name; the seaport was just being build; divers were working instead of playing, and there were no dolphins in site. The town became a city since then full with shopping malls, hotels, synagogues, and a complicated street map mastered by an army of taxis.

We went to a wedding. Our cousin married his son, outdoors on a warm evening. Strolling in the local Hilton – the Queen of Sheba – we made family connections with halls full of strangers. Some we met again the next day at the private home of the groom’s parents around the fire pit. Our family is growing in every direction. We are finding connections from all sides that we had no idea they existed, children of the same, and some new little ones which are a delight as always.

Willie commented that the most common conversation heard that weekend went something like: “so how are we related? Your grandma on your father side was a sister to my grandpa on my mother side? So we are cousins! Where do you live? Great, come on over for a visit”.

A wedding that was full of good food, good conversation, good weather, good… well, everything. A weekend of sunshine and warmth and family. One cannot ask for more.

Winter is almost over… still cold? Find a cousin, share a ride to Eilat, it will warm you up in a hurry.

Basking in the sun of love,

orith

Candles

2011-12-26T01:58:00.005+02:00

Third Light of Chanukah with Family Fourth Candle of Chanukah at the Kibbutz

Honoring Thy Mother...

2011-12-26T00:27:00.021+02:00

My mother, Yafa Krinkin, was a poet.

Yafa was born in Merchavia, Israel in 1920 and died in Tel-Aviv, Israel in 1987. She started to publish her poems in children magazines since the time she was 19 and continued to do so weekly. She published 2 children books and one book of poems for adults. She translated many works of prose from English to Hebrew, among them the famous series of “Naddy”.

During my school years, we studies her poems in literature classes. Today, her name is almost unknown. Except… in one kibbutz.

Kibbutz Nir David (Tel-Amal) was the first settlement in Israel to be build with a wall and a tower. It is located near Bait-Shean at the feet of Mount Gilboa. My mother was connected to its’ first settlers and had many friends that she visited a few times a year. On the year that I was born she dedicated a poem to the children of the kibbutz “ha-asi shelanu” = Our Assi. The Assi is a section of a larger river, the Sachne’, where the water are always at 28 degree Celsius. Today, Gan Ha-Shlosha Park that surrounds that river, is a popular tourist place.

Her poem is sung and taught to the Kibbutz children. Some say it became the national anthem of the Kibbutz others call it their theme song, but the fact remains, the poem is known, sung and continues to be popular in Kibbutz Nir David.

She left to me her last book of poems for adults. I was unable to publish it. Often I felt that I dishonored her by not publishing her last work, but still was not able to do so. About a month ago I received a call from the kibbutz; They were planning a celebration for the 75th year settlement on the land. They invited us to join in the celebration and to speak about my mother and her poems. We accepted.

Their party was on this last weekend. We rented a car, drove to the kibbutz, booked ourselves into their guest huts and joined in the celebration. They invited us for a great supper and prepared a great evening of song and dance on stage. The stage filled with performing artists of all ages. They had skits about writers, poets and musicians who contribute to the fame of the Kibbutz and almost at the end of the evening, they called me to speak about my mother. When I completed the 2 minutes speech, about 50 little ones, all wearing white shirts, came on stage to sing her poem. They sang it beautifully.

A big stone rolled off my chest, my mother contribution to this country was finely honored. A perfect ending for a busy year.

Happy 75th birthday Kibbutz Nir David,

Happy 2012 everyone.

Orith

Israeli Winter (A Ballad)

2011-12-08T08:43:00.006+02:00

On my bed there are three blankets,
A heating pad, a flannel top
By morning when the sun is shining
My heavy socks keep off the cold.

Chills are gripping neck n’ shoulders
Rooms are dark like an abyss
Need to move, to feel a bit warmer
To stop the chattering of my teeth.

Errands waiting in the market
Things to do; by walk, by bus
Fear of freezing, ice my thinking
The sun is up, it must feel nice.

Willie told me once too often,
“Put on clothing, don’t go bare
Dress like onion, beat the winter
Cozy as Canadian bear”.

Layer after clothing layer
Leaves the hangers as a wrap
Un-matching colors, doesn’t matter
For some heat, just bundle up.

Orb of clothing, scarf and mittens
At the door I shuffle slow
Colder then Canadian winter
Sunny sky without the snow.

As the key is slowly turning
And the door is open wide,
My reflection in the mirror
Made me stop and realize:

I can roll downstairs like skiing
I can even shuffle slow
But how one climbs the stairs while bundled?
And where was I suppose to go?

Pining for Heat,
Orith

This Is The Day

2011-12-06T20:42:00.002+02:00

After almost four years of praying, hoping, arguing, wishing, crying, demanding and just being general pests, it arrived.

Today, Willie received his Israeli citizenship. He is now far from bilingual but holds a duel citizenship.

We thank God, for His wisdom and His patient and His insistence that it is His will and it will happened. We also thank you who prayed for us, who wished us well, who knocked on wood, who crossed your fingers and toes. Our family and friends and our partners in this journey, to you we raise a Champaign glass for all your love and encouragement during this segment of time.

This is the day that Willie became an Israeli citizen, it is also the day that Willie got his promotion in the spirit. He feels that he had been given a stronger place, a more strategic position, an encouragement that he is right where He want us to be.

We are elated and happy. Be encouraged, good things do come to those who believe, who fight for it, and who wait …

Happy Hunting, Orith

Blessed Tuesday

2011-10-20T15:22:00.003+02:00

The gentle breeze from the sea is flowing through the window. It brings both, a relief from the heat, and the smells of the kitchens surrounding us. The last day of Succoth is approaching.

Every kitchen in the neighborhood is sizzling a joyful meal, which will be shared by family and friends. We are hosting a young couple tonight and this time we will have no meat nor poultry nor fish at the table. I am preparing a vegetarian meal.

I keep glancing at my gas stove checking if I am overcooking anything. It is not lit at all. I don’t recognize most of the smells the are drifting through the window, but when it is a slight burning smell I obsessively check again my unlit stove.

The pots and pans are lining up on the counter ready to be used, near by are the vegetables, all color coordinated. I wash, peel, cut, and sort them. Glass bowls are filled with slices of red-green-yellow-orange-dark green papers; others are holding the salted eggplant, the zucchini circles, the diced sweet potatoes and pumpkin and even the onion and the garlic cloves are sliced into a bowl of their own. Parsley is twinned with green chives while the garbanzo beans and the mushroom pieces are in the sieve. Tomatoes quarters and tomato sauce are mixed with black paper, sweet paprika and cumin while the carrots are ready to be boiled with cinnamon and raisins. Rice combined with a special blend of spices that were bought in a specialty store in Zichron Yaacov a day or so ago is ready for sautéing. It takes a longer time to prepare the ingredients than to cook them. But, tonight starts Simchat Torah, The Joy of Torah, the day when we feast the eye and the taste buds. This is the last day of the Feast of the Tabernacle week.

Tuesday is considered a blessed day by the Jewish tradition. During Creation week, God blessed Tuesday twice. Twice He said, “it is good”. This Tuesday, during the Festival of Tabernacles, the nation received a gift from God. Gilad Shalit returned home to Israeli soil. A blessed Tuesday indeed.

There is a sense of relief, of deep, long awaited breath, of accomplishment, of thankfulness, even of a let down. The Nation of Israel held on for over 5 years waiting for Gilad to be freed from his abductors. We prayed and fasted and encouraged the family; we walked in long lines up to Jerusalem from everywhere, we argued, we wished him well. We dreamt of him and talked of him and kept up his face in-front of buses, on walls, on signs along the highways, in store windows, so we will not forget him and be part of the efforts to free him. We welcomed international politicians and taught young children songs about him, and listened to endless interviews where they mentioned his name. We bought a book he wrote when he was 11 and added money to the campaign and voices to his family tent. We had done all we could think about to be a part of the movement to free him.

Tuesday, October 18, 2011 Gilad Shalit finely came home. Many could not fully believe that it is so until his feet touched the earth on the Israeli base. I was skeptical until I saw him hugging his father. In the evening hours I watch the news with my friend, following his every step in the long day of travelling from prison to home.

This sense of relief is bitter-sweet. The exchange of one young man for 1027 murderers and terrorists who received welcoming honors for killing children on school busses, boggles the mind. Yet, the ancient words of our wise men ring true, “Israel are guarantees one for another”. This is just the way it is. This is the culture. When one is in trouble, we are all in troubles. When one is joyful, we are all joyful. We feel and understand the others. There is a comradeship that cannot be explained away or logic-out, it is just there. It is a feeling that dwells deep in your knower that connects you to the rest of the people around you. This sense of oneness is just under the surface, not quite there, at times you don’t even notice it. But, when an abducted young man comes home to his family after 1940 days in an underground prison, every person in the nation rejoice, feeling that his own son returned. “It is good to have you home” called out the banners, and there was not a dry eye in the land.

The meal was good. The dishes are done. We enjoyed our visitors and had gone for a walk on the beach after black coffee and some chocolate. It is a peaceful day today the day that the Torah is celebrated with joy.

Thank God that our remnant becoming a growing, vibrate nation. Thank God that sons are returning home. Welcome home Gilad.

May your joy will be full, always.

Orith

An Early Rain

2011-09-29T02:14:00.006+03:00

In Succot - Feast of the Tabernacle - we pray for rain. This year, the rain arrived almost 3 weeks before its time.

It is good.

We expect a blessed year. Amen.

Erev Rosh HaShana (New Year Eve #5772)

2011-09-29T01:57:00.002+03:00

For three days the airplanes circled Nahariya. For three days we wondered if they are protecting, exercising, planning an ambush, waiting for an attack or all of the above. Yesterday, we heard loud noises. All the neighbors ran out to the balconies to watch the skies lit. We thought these were rockets. All except Willie, “these are sounds of fire crackers”. He was right.

The quick run to the balconies was the proof of the heavy feelings and the expectations of war in Northern Israel. Whatever happened in UN and the talks of a new Palestinian State don’t match reality. We are still waiting for the other shoe to fall. Only this time, the shoe is filled with explosives.

Tonight, we left the city behind us and went to welcome the Year number 5772. Two of my cousins with their children, grandchildren, spouses and friends gathered near Haifa. What a joy. We read some notes and sang some songs and ate more courses that I can recall. We converse with everyone from 2 to 70 years old, and enjoyed the evening coffee under the trees. Three hours later it felt like we just started the evening.

I longed for such a family gathering for many years. This was a true blessing.

In Nahariya, after midnight, it was quiet. The airplanes are not circling the city tonight.

Thanks everyone and may you have A Happy, Peaceful and Healthy New Year :)

Orith

Family Reunion

2011-09-03T17:52:00.017+03:00

Nona Grazia and Nono Alberto had 7 children: One son and six daughters. Twelve grandchildren were begotten by these children. I was the only daughter of the only son.

When I immigrated to Canada in 1967, I did not know that it would be the last time that I will see my family, for about 40+ years.

Some of Us Then (~1965- Can you find me here? click once to enlarge)

After I lived in Canada for 11 years, my father came for a visit. A few months prior to that visit I accepted Yeshua as my Messiah and returned to believe in God, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Like many Israeli Jews, I too, grow up in a Zionist, secular home which did not believe in God. When my father saw my belief, at first he was surprised. Later, when he understood the full commitment I have made he became angry. He did not see my faith as a return to my Jewish roots but as an abdication of my people. His anger turned into a rejection. He, who never believed in God, now refused to see us ever again, repeating, “I don’t believe in God but I will always help every Jew”. The motto of his generation, the holocaust generation. My connection with the family was terminated at his demand. He considered me dead and did not even allow his grandchildren to visit him when they came to Israel 10 years after he visited us.

I returned to Israel three years ago, 42 years after I left it. As I slowly acclimatized myself to the Israeli life style and culture, I began to look for my family. Gingerly, I started to type on Google search engine the names I recalled from memory. Some that I thought I found, had no pictures and I was not sure if these were my relatives. I found a second cousin on my mother’s side. Her daughter and husband, to our great delight, visited us for a weekend. What a wonderful visit that was. We are still in touch. Thank God for FaceBook.

One day, while riding the train, I conversed with a woman who set next to me. When she mentioned the name of the town she lived in, I asked if she ever knew a family that I was looking for. To my great joy, she went to school with a daughter of one of my cousins. She knew in what city this girl lived and what she did. I found her web site. We connected. We visited her home and also met her mother - my cousin. A few phone calls later, and I spoke with a few more cousins.

The last of my father’s generation had passed away two years ago, at the age of almost a 100 years. Nona’s grandchildren are all alive.

Last Saturday, we were invited to a family reunion. Ten of the cousins were present. One lives in California and spoke to us via the iPod and one was unable to attend. Most arrived with their spouses and 3 of the next generation were there as well.

Most of Us Now - (2011. Can you find Willie and me? click once to enlarge)

Willie and I experienced a most loving welcome. The company was great, the food exquisite, the conversation flew, and we promised to meet again especially on High Holidays and family gatherings. I found my family again.

All these years later, God restored my family to me. And when that happened, it felt as if we were always in contact and time passed as if it never was. The memories we shared, were not the same at all, as if we spoke of different occasions. I remembered one side of the incident, while they remembered another.

If our memories are so subjective and so specific, how can we insist that we are right in our perceptions? I understood for the first time that all of our memories must be faulty. If our memories are faulty, then there is no room for holding a grudge, or accepting an accusation, or feeling hurt. Someone must have been wrong in their perception. Or maybe both sides were wrong? After all, who would know the whole story except for God who knows all?

God teaches us to forgive, to ask forgiveness, and to allow time to pass so we forget. It seems to be the best solution to every problem. Forgiveness. It is the best solution for incomplete memories.

I told my sons who are still in Canada about the reunion. About the memories that did not match. About the love we experienced. I asked their forgiveness and told them I forgive them for whatever we remember about anything and everything in our joint lives. Just in case. I wanted them to know that no matter what they choose to do or where they choose to be or what they choose to believe, I love them and I want to keep in touch with them. They are my sons forever. We are family.

I hope and pray that this lesson in love and memory will be passed on to all the generations after me. I want the teaching of God’s love to pass on forever.

Amen

For the Peace of Jerusalem

2011-08-06T10:20:00.004+03:00

A call for a global prayer arrived at my email this Shabbat morning. Its date - October 2, 2011.

I wrote back: this call for prayer is too late. We need it now. By October 2nd we will be in the middle of war or just after it. We are under attack NOW from within.

Last night, in Nazareth, people demonstrated against the atrocities in Syria by calling, "leave your own people alone, instead attack Israel" - that's is how they demonstrated against the killing of thousands of Syrians, by calling to go to war against Israel! The villages around us are mostly Muslims and they are at unrest that is noticeable right now.

On the Evening News last night, a few times in different segments, reporting different subjects, warning words sounded that within 3 weeks there will be a call for the entire reserve force - that's almost every able body from 20 up to the age of 58 or thereabout - since we are expecting an all out attack from all enemies nations. Police and army personal warned us, “be ready”.

The Ramadan Fast / Feast started last night and will be going on for the next 40 days. Attack is not expected during that time. However, the Ramadan is completed around Sept 7th and our Jewish New Year begins on September 28th, historically, a time for wars. The police and the army are already preparing for it.

Ashkelon was hit this week again, the area was shelled by Gaza over 50 times this past week and the army had to relocate the Iron Dome to protect the south area (Negev settlements such as Sderot) once more.

The call for massive prayer should go out now. We need it NOW.

Willie had been praying for months, “Cancel the war, cancel the words that are talked about it, cancel the affect of the words of war over the population”.

Join us in this prayer. Join us in cancelling the wars and the words of war in and over Israel and the Middle East.

Pray with us for the Peace of Jerusalem.

Blessings,

Orith in Israel

Don't Doubt

2011-08-01T12:13:00.003+03:00

This just arrived from a friend who is battling cancer but trust that God is her healer. I like it, so I am posting it for all of you who are in the midst of a battle. God is with you:

Don't Doubt

Mark 11:22: "Have faith in God!"

Mark 9:23: "If you only believe, ALL things are possible!"

James 1:6-8: "Don't doubt or you will become double minded and unstable in all your ways!"

Mark 11:23-24: "For assuredly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain (cancer) be removed and be cast into the sea, and does not doubt in his heart but believes that those things he says will come to pass, he will have whatever he says! Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray believe that you receive them and you will have them!"

Heb. 10:35-36: "Therefore do not cast away your confidence which has great reward, for you have need of endurance so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise!"

Eph. 3:20: "For I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that my God is able to do exceedingly abundantly more than I could ever ask or think according to the power that worketh within me!"

2 Cor. 1:20: "All of His promises are Yea and Amen!"

James 5:15: "The prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up!"

Psa. 138:3: "In the day when I cried out, You answered me and made me bold with strength in my soul!"

Psa. 28:6-7: "Blessed be the Lord because He has heard the Voice of my supplications! The Lord is my strength and my shield. My heart trusted in Him and I am helped. Therefore, my heart greatly rejoices and with my song i will praise Him!"

Me and My Kitbag – or – Getting Young

2011-07-30T17:24:00.016+03:00

Since we arrived in Israel, three years ago, I’ve been feeling different.

We went twice to visit our family in Canada, and returned feeling satisfied but exhausted from the long flights. We moved four times these three years. We traveled extensively in the country from Dan in the North to Eilat in the South. We made new friends. We recovered from colds to Cancer. And we wrote thousands of words on our face books, blogs, and emails. We learned to survive through the hot seasons and the cold ones. We also learned to live like pensioners.

Old age is not for sissies, someone said. My husband adds, “don’t try it at home”.

We both volunteer now, a few times a week. Willie teaches English and supervises children at risk. I help in the municipality offices to file, copy and suggest how to create fun bookkeeping pages in Excel. I also translate documents and conversations, English to Hebrew. During the exams season I work overseeing the students.

We go for bus trips all over the land, with guides that speak only Hebrew, and me translating to Willie and getting everyone looking hard at me for interfering with their already reduced hearing. We travel with friends in their cars to restaurants and lakes, staying overnight in B&B and planning ahead more trips. We join neighbors who drive to their sons and daughters around the Galil mountains seeing new heights and breath-taking sites for the first time.

In Nahariya, we walk daily along the beach, breathing the fresh air and enjoying the sounds and smells of the Mediterranean. We walk to shopping, banks and doctors, always looking down at the pavement of a city where dogs run free. We host and entertain for an evening or a weekend, and we pray a lot.

We pray for you: our partner, our reader, our friend. We pray for our family and for your family; we pray for your nation, and for ours; We pray most of all for the Peace of the Jerusalem and for God to reveal himself in all of His Glory in your life and in ours.

We’ve been looking for my family members. We found a second cousin on my mother side, and hosted her daughter and her husband for a weekend. This week, we were privileged to meet a first cousin and her daughter on my father’s side, and spoke to three more first cousins. How uplifting it is to find them again.

But the best of all is the sense of joy that had returned and took roots in my heart: I am back home.

I did not know how much I missed Israel until I returned. In the past 6 months my body feels stronger, it moves lighter, it feels younger. I laugh often, and smile almost all the time. My optimism is back. With all the worldly troubles around us, and the distance from our family and especially from our grandchildren, I still feel that optimism rises up inside me and my joy bubbles over.

We went to the movies last week. Willie stopped with me to buy a backpack. Something to carry things in when we walk. I’ve taken many train and bus rides lately and needed something comfortable. The one I could not get away from, the one I had to have, was the backpack for schoolbooks for grade one girls. What a joy it is.

This bag split in two. When we are together, Willie carries the heavier part on his back while I carry the lighter one. I can leave the bigger part at home when I walk around town and need less items to carry. It fits all my outfits, and it even has butterflies on the front, for the days when I am feeling pretty like a young girl. What a joy it is.

Getting older? Maybe.

A second childhood? Don’t recall having a first one.

It could be one of God’s promises coming to life: “when you return to the land I have given you, I will heal you and restore your youth”.

Oh! Joy unspeakable and full of Glory. It is good to be Home again.

The World at War

2011-07-23T13:07:00.006+03:00

First time since WW2, Norway was attacked by terror - 91 died, 84 of them teenagers.

Civil wars, tribal wars, religious wars all raging in the Middle East. Christians in Egypt are slaughtered, and in Lebanon they are persecuted or forced out. Libya plagued by tribal wars. Syria deployed 1500 tanks that surrounded most anti-Assad cities. Iran rebuilding its nuclear programs with new acquired parts free of the Stuxnet worm. Al-Qaeda Leader killed in Yemen.

Women’s group visited the Temple Mount and almost caused international incident. A fight between Orthodox Jews and the police force in Jerusalem accelerated and on both sides people were wounded. A woman knifed her neighbour as retaliation over a spilled coffee.

Across the ocean, Brooklyn Bridge was Targeted by Al Qaeda.

These are only a small part of today news.

The world is at war.

It does not seem like war. It is not like the first or second world war. There are no defined enemies nor defined allied. No general nor armies facing each other. Only terror attacks everywhere. People are killed and maimed, slaughtered and hated. Blood is spilled in the streets and parks in their own lands, on their own turfs, by their own neighbors, unexpected, unsuspected. Governments are fighting inside themselves, some with words, others with tanks. There is no sense of order.

Economically, the Israeli physicians are into their 10th week of rotating strike. Neither side seems to move forward toward a solution. The Cottage Cheese protest is over. The cheese prices went down again, but the prices of all other milk products accelerated. Hundreds of people are staying in tents in major cities as a protest against the high prices of accommodations. Many live in the main cities in groups of 3-5 to a small flat paying over 5000 shekel for rent. Others sojourn between friends and relatives; yet, there are 140,000 empty apartments across Israel. Similar situation found in Europe where Paris alone has over 200,000 empty flats and hundreds homeless.

Greece is licking its economic wounds while in US, the Debt Ceiling talks between Obama and Boehner broke down.

The newspapers report of few tycoons who control the economy across the world. Each country has its own group who are connected somehow even between sworn enemies. Egypt announced a building of a bridge over the water to Saudi-Arabia; yet, it does not have the cash flow to support it. Saudi-Arabia promised to help Lebanon to recover economically provided it will attack Iran.

Confusing? Only to the little people. It makes sense to those who are making fortunes from the wars and the blood and the disasters. There is no stop to it.

The world is at war against itself and none is the wiser. The land itself cries out to the heavens: Heat wave swept North America and Japan had another earthquake today.

God, please have mercy on our planet earth.. on us all.

Just Another Day

2011-05-24T09:31:00.008+03:00

Our anniversary day. Praise the Lord, we are still together and more loving then ever.

I am still waiting for the promised peaceful time of sitting under our fig tree and our vine… we are moving by next Tuesday, one week from right now.

We found a smaller place at a higher rental cost. We had to move, so it is hard on us physically and emotionally. However, we are ploughing slowly knowing that we will be settled in the new apartment with God's help.

It seems to me, that It Is God who chooses to place us in His strategic spots. I don't know why it is so, but the entire history of our people is based on … moving. They were forced out of their meagre homes time after time and had to go elsewhere, many a time after war , murders, rapes, disasters. They lost everything and did not know where they will rest their heads next.

As I started to look at our situation and counted around 40 moves in my life time, I realized that I have some choice of where I move to and what I take with me. I thank God that there is no war, no typhoons, no natural disasters and we are relatively healthy.

So, it seems to me that God has in mind a new direction. He looks at us with eternity on His mind and from that perspective He manoeuvres us into positions in His army according to His purpose.

I don't know what the future will bring; but, I know who holds the future.

So be It.

LAG BA-OMER = THE 33RD DAY OF COUNTING THE OMER

2011-05-22T01:11:00.006+03:00

Passover was the day Israel became free from slavery to Pharaoh and to Egypt. Shavuot (Pentecost) was when the Torah (Law) was given to the newly founded nation on mount Sinai. Counting of the Omer is the counting of the 49 days between the two main events in the life of the nation. Each of these days, a sacrifice of omer-measured barley was offered in the temple once the people arrived in the land.

Tradition tells us that these 49 days were spiritual preparation for receiving the law. Each day was a closer step toward God and a more cohesive walk toward receiving the Torah which will govern the people as a nation under God.

In Judges 21 the story told of the children of the tribe of Benjamin who upon agreement with the other tribes, went to the forests to catch to themselves wives. Tradition tell us this happened on the 33rd day of the Omer count.

It could be why it is on this day that the mourning during this 49 days period stops and couples can get married and celebrate.

In the first century BC, there was a revolt against Rome in which the people lighted bon fires on the hills to agreed upon a time of attack and used bows and arrows to fight against the Romans. The revolt ended in a blood shade and total loss of the lives of those who revolted. This too happened on the 33rd day of the Omer counting.

Some explain that this is the reason for the lighting of bon fires all over Israel and for the traditional play with bows and arrows on that day.

Others explain that the bon fires are in memory of Rabbi Simon bar Yochai who lived during the second century A.D. He was the first to teach the Kabbalah, he author the Zohar and on this day he died. The bon fires are the representation of the light this Rabbi passed as his teaching of spiritual light (= zohar) to his pupils.

Many are the stories, but the holiday that is only a school holiday in modern Israel, is celebrated with fires, fun and friends. Willie and I were invited to such happening tonight. We were picked up by a couple we did not know; were taken to a home of a couple that we met her only twice but never met him before; added the cake and water bottles we brought to the rest of the various light baking on the tables; fill our plates, poured our drinks, and set in a chair to get acquainted with our newly acquired friends.

While the bon fire was in its full height, we sung old Israeli songs that I remember from my teenage days to the tunes of the quickly made 3 men orchestra. Israeli atmosphere, Israeli songs, Israeli jokes and lots of Hebrew. A warm and perfect evening.

Happy Lag Ba-Omer everyone.

63rd BIRTHDAY OF MODERN ISRAEL

2011-05-10T16:13:00.007+03:00

When I was a little girl, we would go yearly to some place where we set on bleachers and saw the army-navy-air soldiers marching proudly in their smart outfits. We watched the 4 tanks and 2 airplanes and our good looking guys and girls with Uzi at their sides. Many spectators shade tears of pride. "These are our children", I heard them say. They were proud and thankful for this country and for the IDF.

Today, a few airplanes went over our heads. They veered to the left, far away from the border with Lebanon, flying in formation toward Haifa. There, spectators will see the Navy Boat Show in the harbor. Nahariya is on the water, but too close to the border to have a show of the Israeli Navy.

From what my friends tell me, there is no marching of our soldiers either.

I wish there was.

Happy 63rd Birthday Israel.

NAHARIYA SHABBAT WALK

2011-05-08T13:54:00.007+03:00

THE BLESSING CONTINUES

2011-05-08T13:16:00.012+03:00

Between jet-lag, food shopping to re-fill the fridge, and time spend looking for a place to live, somehow we found time to attend services on Friday night and Saturday morning. It was good to see our friends, to worship and to hear the sermons.

This last Friday, we brought with us a little computer chip to share some pictures (isn’t technology great? All I need now is to know what to call these little pieces of stuff). We also brought the blanket from the Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation and a Canadian friend.

Pastor Joseph heard our story and caught the vision. He called a couple who came first time to the services and asked us to put the blanket around them and to bless their marriage.

We did.

The Holy Spirit fell down and blessed us all. We all basked in it sensing and receiving God’s love to His children, The Jew, The Arabs, and The Canadians. All worshiping as one in Yeshua our Messiah.

CANADIAN TOUR OF LOVE

2011-05-01T05:03:00.137+03:00

After 36 days of traveling, 11 flights, 3 countries, 4 provinces, 1 state, 11 cities, snow storms, freezing rain, thunder storm and a start of a tornado, we and our luggage are back home in Israel, with a touch of jet-lag but well.

We had a wonderful time.

Faces we had known for many years and faces of new people that we just met, are floating in our grey cells and are settling into an inner picture – a mosaic of “Our Canadian Family”.

In each stop we were welcomed with love, with a private on-suite, with free access to unlimited food and to a car full of gas, and with hosts that treated us as royalty. We received blessing upon blessing and cannot thank everyone enough for the continuous giving that was bestowed on us.

The most memorable were the special occasions laced with revelations and miracles that God allowed us to experience everywhere we went. To God be the Glory.

COQUITLAM, B.C. We arrived on the first day of spring, Meagan’s birthday.

Being 12 years old, our first-born granddaughter was preparing for her initiation to womanhood, her Bat-Mitzvah. By Saturday, she stood on the platform in the synagogue and read from the Torah in Hebrew. This little girl of mine surprised me with her perfect reading and complete control of her actions. My proud princess, an off shoot from the house of King David, a blood line of Judah and Levi tribes. She made me, her Savta, proud.

We were not allowed to take pictures of the ceremony. But my inner camera is full of that special day. The pictures I can share are of family time, time of friends’ play and of mountains of food.

A week of family and very close friends, a week of love and joy.

Thank God that He healed us and enable us to participate in this special occasion.

The cold weather in Coquitlam was mild on that first week of spring which God in His mercy allowed us to experience as a slow introduction to the Canadian hard end of winter. We were pampered at our Son’s home. Even the spring flowers came out blooming for us.

It was getting colder as we traveled East.

VICTORIA, B.C.

We ferried it to Vancouver Island.

The Royal treatment continued. Our friends met us on the ferry, crossed the bay with us, and chauffeured us with our entire luggage to their home.

They helped us unload into an elegant room with a private on-suite, fully equipped, and our own heat control. So private, even the dog did not climb upstairs. We were told to raid the fridge when needed and were handed the keys to their house and to their car. Wow. What a treat.

The next seven days were busy. The Royal suite became a haven. It backed into a section of a forest.

We heard owls at night and saw wild rabbits in the daytime; the sun shone in the window while soft wind came through the blinds whispering a reminder that winter still reigns.

We worked hard in Victoria , but we rested as well.

Friends came in groups to private house meetings enabling us to speak to many in a short evening.

Others met us in churches listening to our Israeli accounts and to words we received from God. Some talked to us on the phone and others met us in restaurants.

We prayed for many and were prayed by many. God loved us through our friends who had arrived from all parts of the island, baring gifts. When we ministered during the meetings and afterwards, people were encouraged and healed in body and soul. God is good and He allowed us to see His work in His people. We praise God for the wonderful results we saw for our prayers.

One evening we shared that we are praying for a place of our own were we can live without paying rent or mortgage. On the next day our friend Lee called, “I found your house in Haggai 2:9”. We are standing on that verse as a promise since that day,

“The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, said the LORD of hosts: and in this place will I give peace, said the LORD of hosts.”

EDMONTON, ALBERTA

Hugs of granddaughters are the best hugs one can get. Ashlyn, 9 years old, and Abby, 7 years old, chased the cold away with their hugs.

Our youngest son picked us up at the airport and drove us through the sunny, white covered city to Spruce Grove. We unpacked in the private suite in the basement, adjusting to the drop in temperature with extra blankets during the nights and shopping in heated malls during the days. But the arms or our girls around our necks were the best heat possible.

We walked the dog on the sunny side of the street watching the ice melting into little paddles; we cleared the deck from snow; we met old friends that we did not see for years; we went swimming in heated pools; we read books and played games and got lots of good-night-kisses.

On Sunday we shared with a local congregation: In 2007, God gave me a vision. In the vision, I saw the Canada’s map painted with the red and white Canadian flag. Above it floated Israel map, painted in the blue and white of the Israeli flag. The two countries were the same length and were attached to each other by cords like the ones on the prayer shawl. I asked God to explained to me what I see and He said, “the blessings of Israel will cover Canada and its people, but only after Canada will bless Israel. Once the blessings will cover Canada,then the healings for all nations will flow out of it, starting in Victoria, from West to East, from the Pacific to the Atlantic.”

I explained that because Canada stood with Israel during the past few years, even to a point of losing its seat on the security council, it started the progress of the vision’s fulfilment. As Canada continues to befriend Israel and to stand by it, the blessing of God will totally cover the country and its people. Now, Canada dwells in peace and in prosperity. In the next step the healing for the nations will go forth from it.

Afterwards, one pastor called us forward to bless us. Surprisingly, three pastors had prophetic words for us which they recorded and emailed. It was good to hear it later in the quiet of our home. This unexpected visit was a blessings to both of us. This unexpected visit was a blessings to both of us.

My 65th birthday was shared with 23 years old Tyler and my favourite ice-cream cake. A close friend took me for lunch at Olive Garden and the family took me for supper at the Sawmill. We watched a great movie on elephants and orang-utans in IMAX and I got lots of presents from a colourful scarf to a pair of sneakers. We met Tracey’s parents for the first time and at night I dreamt about earthquakes.

Happy family time. And Alberta sun shined throughout the week.

I cried on my last day in Alberta. It is hard to leave sons and granddaughters behind. I missed the warm sun of Israel but it would be the best to be able to share it with our children and with our children's children.

When Derrick drove us back to the airport, the crisp air was clear. By the time the plane was expected to leave, a snow storm preceded it. Calgary runway were closed and we waited at the large window watching the snow and fog drifting in. Our plane did not arrive. We were about 4 hours delayed. Instead of flying Edmonton to Saskatoon, we flew south to Calgary then east to Saskatoon. Our luggage was delayed for another 48 hours. And the temperatures on that day of April 14 dropped even further down.

PRINCE ALBERT, SASK.

The river that run by Hannah’s apartment building froze over. White thick ice covered the water and left a thin layer of powder on the river banks and the street near-by. We bundled up and went for a walk. Our determination to exercise a bit after the long flight, 7th in number, lasted for half a block. Huddling from the cold wind, we quickly turned around and returned to the warm apartment.

Warm high bed with shift controls and a private on-suite welcomed us in our room. We had no change of clothing but we took a hot bath and wore Hannah’s bathrobes while our clothing were washed and dried.

Hannah worked hard at hosting us. She had to keep us warm, fed, clothed, driven everywhere, and be our spokeswoman as well. She also had to make sure that we met her grown up son and daughter whom we played with 20+ years ago while their father was still alive. Following her organized schedule we had the most amazing Passover ever.

The family, including Ketana, Hannah’s new granddaughter, came for dinner. Also were invited Pastors Yisrael and Yafa. We were interviewed for a local radio station; we shared our stories one evening in Crown Messiah Congregation;

We led a Passover Seder another evening in the same congregation, and we taught the Meaning of Passover in an evening of fun and ministry on the Ahtahkakoop Cree Nation reserve, an hour or so north of Prince Albert, Sask.

A full week. And God worked miracles among the people. Among the Cree nation people, out of the 100 or so in the hall, 30 + came forward. While we washed their feet prayed and blessed them, many were healed. The chief and elders came forward first, then others. A woman had her left leg shorter by ½ an inch then her right, but she walked away balanced. A man after an accident had his leg twisted, he walked away healed. A young woman complained of stomach ache, but when the Lord said to pray for her back, her entire body was straightened and healed of pain. Others were healed of grief over their offspring who were given over to drugs and alcohol. Others received inner healing of memories and bitterness from years past.

God is the ultimate healer. To God be the glory. He is good.

Willie presented the chief with a Menorah which we brought from Israel. The chief covered us both with a handmade quilted blanket that is given to a newlywed couple on their wedding night. The Holy Spirit fell on us while the elders covered us with this beautiful blanket.

SUSSEX, NEW BRUNSWICK

Our last week.

Willie’s father is almost 89 years old. It is a privilege to see him again. He had been sick but he is better now and well enough to live at home with his wife. We visited him a few times and it was a delight and a joy to be able to talk with him.

Nancy and John shared with us their home and family. Their oldest granddaughter, Lili, of 18 months was at home full of smiles. On Easter Sunday the 5 months old twins arrived with their parents and added to the festivities.

We went daily to Tim Horton, the Canadian coffee shop; we visited family members; we slept and ate and repacked our suitcases. Cold weather, but mostly sunny.

Blue Jays and doves in the front yard, the deer grazing on the hill, and the 2 dogs and 3 cats that run the household, were added attraction.

On the last day we drove back to St. John to the airport.

A full week of family.

Storms delayed our planes again. But the last one from Newark waited for us to board. We arrived home in Ben Gurion Airport tired and thankful.

Shalom wo-Vracha = peace and blessings. Orith

A Time Out

2011-03-19T18:43:00.000+02:00

We are boarding on a jet plane…. Tomorrow night. We are travelling across Canada from West to East. If you want to know when we are in your area, email to us – we’ll email back. We are back in Israel by the end of April.

UNITY

2011-03-02T11:33:00.003+02:00

I heard prayers for unity in believers’ gathering around the globe since I accepted Yeshua as my Saviour and Lord in 1976. That’s a long time. When I read the book of Acts, it seems that the early church had the same desire – to be unified as one body under one head. It is not a new issue. For a while now, my studies are taking me in the direction of praying and learning how the body function as one.

God is more interested in a love relationship with each of us then He is with what we can do for Him. That took sometimes to digest. Watching and Praying was the only instruction I received for the past few months. He had to teach me that loving is not doing, it is accepting. The natural progression of accepting love was loving the brother. I did not realize that when the Lord started to speak to me about loving the brother, He in fact was leading me into the study of Unity. Without love, there cannot be unity. It is impossible to hate a part of the whole and yet love the whole.

“If a man say, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar: for he that loves not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loves God loves his brother also”. (1Jn 4:20 -21)

It is a daily struggle learning to accept my family members in Yeshua as they are. Daily, when I suddenly think about a word or a deed that offended me, I re-learn how to forgive and leave it at the feet of Yeshua. I see myself taking off an offence as I take off a coat and hang it up on the cross to be left there. The Holy Spirit kept bringing things to my mind to be left behind “at the dry cleaner” and forgetting them there to never be picked up again.

As an only child to a single parent, I missed the experience of having family relationships others had in the natural. I don’t know what it is to have brothers and sisters, or to be loved by a father. When the love of The Father hit me, it was a bran-new experience that was scary and not welcomed. I had to teach myself, over and over again, that love is a choice and I choose to love. I chose to love The Father, I chose to love members of the congregation.

We choose our friends, we do not choose our family. Our family is there by design greater then ourselves. That means that we accept the family members as they are. Some are easy to be with, some are not; they are those who sail through life, others struggle, but they are all family. It’s been said that blood is thicker then water, the blood of Yeshua even more so. The Blood is our covering and our connection. Learning Love is the first step. God is love, and the Church family on its way to function as a body, learns to love and to be loved.

When we look at the analogy of the church as a body, we realize that each part of the body is connected to the head, which is Yeshua. One cannot function alone. Each part has to be felt by the nerves that are attached to the brain that give the direction to the part on how to respond. So how do we do it? How does the group functions as one unit, with total coordination and agreement?

There are many instructions on how to behave in the group. We are admonished to love one another. We are told that one is not to see oneself as better then others but to humble oneself. We are encouraged that each of us has its own unique spiritual gift that will be a benefit to the entire group. The Love Chapter in 1 Corinthians 13 is a condense version of how a body in love functions. Each member is connected to the head and each depends on another through love.

Lately, I discovered that my gift is not a specific thing. It is not an ability that was given to me to use on my own as I see fit. The gift I received is the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who uses me in a specific way. When I pray for healing, I cannot heal and it is not the prayer that heals another , either. It is the Holy Spirit who prays through me and it is God who heals. Even Yeshua said, “…the Father that dwells in me, he does the works…” (John 14:10). James wrote that we “…ask, and receive not, because [we] ask amiss…” It seems to me that asking amiss is praying without the Holy Spirit’s direction, sort of praying on our own. So without the Holy Spirit, my abilities and talents are not being used for the benefit of the body. Without the Holy Spirit, my efforts do not produce results.

In the body, we see people, not God working in people. When we learn to love one another and we recognize that the gift each receive is the Holy Spirit, we also learn to notice God’s work in each of us.

Noticing that God works in each of us, we lean on Him to bring changes and to direct us toward the common purpose He has for us. Trusting God to work in another as I trust Him to work in me, helps me to relax and to allow Him to do the work needed to bring us into unity. As long as I listen to His voice, as long as I obey his instructions, as long as I trust Him to bring us together, I am where He wants me to be and the unity of the body will happened, in His time. My most important job is to love, the rest will follow.

First Day of 2011

2011-01-01T10:09:00.006+02:00

AFTER THE RAIN

First flew the Crow

Second the Dove

Then, Birds of A Feather

Duchifat

Boolbool

THROUGH IT ALL...

2010-12-26T18:40:00.005+02:00

Almost the end of 2010. It has been eventful year, Like every other year, but this December ‘took the cake’.

The fire on Carmel Mountain and loss of 43 lives with 2 more dying later on from their wounds; only two days of pouring rain; the death of our close friend in Canada; a death of an old friend’s mother in Israel; death, burial and a missed memorial of a childhood friend; our landlord and friend’s best friend knifing and the murder of her traveling buddy; our neighbor’s stroke; hot water tank blown up, leaving us without showers for over a week and still not fixed; A very quiet Chanukah, no Christmas celebration nor gifts exchanged. December was not a happy month.

Yet… Through it all, God is with us.

This morning I thought, “I know that God loves me, but do I love Him with all my being?”

It occurred to me that sometimes, I love me more. That sometimes I want to receive His love in the way that I want it, not as He chooses to express it. Like a young child who does not get his way and say to the parent, “you don’t love me. If you love me than you give me what I want when I want it.”

Things happened. Life is lived. Unhappy and even disastrous events occurred. Yet, through it all we know that His love does not change. He is with us through the thick and the thin. He carries us and condolence us and loves us.

When I love Him with all my being, He is the center of my life. When I think of God first, when I turn to God first, then I receive His love openly and I know, I am never alone.

Through it all - God.

Happy New Year 2011 every one. May you be saturated in His love and in His blessing, forever.

Orith

END OF A YEAR

2010-12-14T21:20:00.015+02:00

What is there to say? In Israel, we are ending this year 2010 with a flare.

Last week the Carmel Mountain was on Fire. 43 people lost their lives while trying to save others. 5 millions trees burned off. Wild life were mostly saved as well as 5000 inmates in the highest security prison. But the village of 500 youth who have no other home, was burned to the ground. The worse fire in Israel ever.

We did not go to the mountain to take pictures. The firefighters requested not to tour the mountain and to allow those who help to help and to give time to nature to recover. So no pictures of the fire.

This week, in respond to world wide prayers, God poured water from the sky in tubs. We had a two days storm that put out the fire on the mountain, but it destroyed property and turned the sea upside down covering the boardwalks with sand and debris. Damages in the million. On the upside, the Kinneret - Sea of Galilee - is filled up after 7 years drought.

.

On December 1st, the first day of Chanukah, one of our dearest friends, a supporter and an intercessor had passed on. Liz Forseth, who was only 62 years old in her passing, will be very much missed. She was our close friend for over 30 years. We mourn with her husband and her family. But we know that we have our hope, as was hers, in Yeshua and we will meet her again in Heaven.

We praise God who triumph in all things and loves His people and His land. He is God of mercy and grace and we trust in Him.

We wish all of our partners Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We thank you for your friendship and letters, emails and phone calls, support and prayers, from all over the globe. It is a privilege and a pleasure to be able to pray for you and to get to know you as a partner. We thank God for you daily.

Blessings, Willie and Orith

MOUNT CARMEL IS BURNING

2010-12-03T17:25:00.002+02:00

The Fire is not contained yet. The wind is hot and desert like carries with it sand not water. Many are in trauma. Death toll up to now is 42. A daughter of a friend who entered the service only in August this year, is standing by on call to enter back into the fire when her unit is deployed. She had lost her partner in the fire only a few hours ago and her commander is fighting for her life in Haifa hospital from the burns.

We keep praying for rain. For the wind to shift. The fire is raging and parts of the mountain already been destroyed.

But God is able. He promised. We stand on His promises for survival of the mountain and of His people. Carmel Mountain will be build again, it will recover.

Isa 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; …2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; 3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. 4 And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.

ישעיהו פרק סא א רוּחַ אֲדֹנָי יְהוִה עָלָי יַעַן מָשַׁח יְהוָה אֹתִי לְבַשֵּׂר עֲנָוִים שְׁלָחַנִי לַחֲבֹשׁ לְנִשְׁבְּרֵי-לֵב לִקְרֹא לִשְׁבוּיִם דְּרוֹר וְלַאֲסוּרִים פְּקַח-קוֹחַ׃ ב לִקְרֹא שְׁנַת-רָצוֹן לַיהוָה וְיוֹם נָקָם לֵאלֹהֵינוּ לְנַחֵם כָּל-אֲבֵלִים׃ ג לָשׂוּם לַאֲבֵלֵי צִיּוֹן לָתֵת לָהֶם פְּאֵר תַּחַת אֵפֶר שֶׁמֶן שָׂשׂוֹן תַּחַת אֵבֶל מַעֲטֵה תְהִלָּה תַּחַת רוּחַ כֵּהָה וְקֹרָא לָהֶם אֵילֵי הַצֶּדֶק מַטַּע יְהוָה לְהִתְפָּאֵר׃ ד וּבָנוּ חָרְבוֹת עוֹלָם שֹׁמְמוֹת רִאשֹׁנִים יְקוֹמֵמוּ וְחִדְּשׁוּ עָרֵי חֹרֶב שֹׁמְמוֹת דּוֹר וָדוֹר׃

AUTUMN

2010-11-24T17:49:00.008+02:00

Israel is into its 7th year of drought. After the heavy rain of last year, we thought that the drought broke, but the media told us otherwise. It is getting cooler in the evening and we wear socks and a light coat, but there is no rain.

A dry autumn. I feel melancholy today.

I never been to a funeral in Israel, except for my mother’s in 1987. I watched a few funerals and participate in memorial services, but not of a friend. Yesterday, I attended a funeral of a childhood friend.

When we returned to Israel, I tried to find a few people from my previous life, the life I had before I left Israel and moved to Canada. Two have kept in touch; but, the rest were harder to locate and to meet. Then, a few months back I heard of one who was diagnosed with cancer. We were not close. But we took the train up to Jerusalem, it seemed right to visit her. She was glad to see me after such a long time. It was her funeral that I went to yesterday.

Close friends and family read their memories of her and paid her tributes. They played musical instruments. They sang for her some songs. They read poems. She was much loved and appreciated. I stood by the grave with the group that grew up with me and with her, and marveled at the changes. Some have not changed after 40+ years of separation, others were not recognizable to me. All aged.

Afterwards, about 25 – 30 of us met for coffee. We talked of her last year; of her suffering; of her work; of her plans to go to Switzerland for treatments; of the last weekend when they said good bye. Some told me of her delight in my visit. We also talked of children and grandchildren and life.

My returned train rolled into Nahariya after 7 pm and at home a group of local friends had gathered for the weekly bible study.

I did not react to the day I’ve live yesterday, until today.

This afternoon, I thought of the people who share some of my teenage memories. I thought of the places they live in, the bonds they formed and kept, the studies they completed, the spouses they married. I thought of the circles of their lives. They run parallel to mine, yet on opposite sides of the globe, on different continents.

This afternoon, I run the pictures of the funeral in my head. Three Israeli and four Canadian friends of ours are battling with cancer. I pray daily for their recoveries. Funerals are not on my schedule. Somehow, I totally blocked the possibility that I might need to attend one such event.

A melancholy atmosphere surrounding me today and an old song from the time I grow up with this group I met at the grave site, is playing in my head. It’s translation goes something like that:

This is the autumn with the cloud / And with the whining wind.
And even if you are just an old cynic / It pinches your heart.

A dry autumn. I feel melancholy today. Orith

Magic Sandals

2010-10-17T10:15:00.008+02:00

On Friday I read in Genesis, “Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you.”

Last night I dreamt of many sandals. All sizes. I was trying to device a secure way to wrap them and ship them to my sons and their families and to other Canadians that I know. I thought in my dream about varies sizes and the softness of the footwear. I picked a carton box and lots of plastic bags and started to bag each pair and place them in the box for shipping.

A tall, lean man with white hair appeared in my dream and showed me how to get to the warehouse where all the sandals were located. He then discussed with me the various ways to ship them to the right destinations.

I said, “maybe it will be better if I can take them myself to Canada, I can hand them to the right people, one at the time, and it will take less time….we’ll see”.

I woke up.

Sandals eh? Are these magic sandals like the Dorothy’s dancing shoes in ‘the wizard of Oz’ ?
That would be so much simpler then finding our way through the maze of the Ministry of the Interior…

Love dreaming, Orith

Statistics

2010-10-16T13:20:00.002+02:00

Shabbat. We slept-in this morning. What a blessing. Breakfast at 9:45 am on the balcony where we experienced the first hand report of the weather – the heat is rising. Again.

In the Friday copy of ‘Israel Today’, the free and most popular paper in Israel, there are some interesting short reports. You might like to read some of them. It will give you a glimpse of our lives in this little country.

Here are some excerpts, freely translated, for your Saturday leisure reading:

- Ahmadinejad visit drew hundreds of Israelis to the Lebanon northern-eastern border with Israel. They stood at the fence with binoculars and cameras and white and blue balloons. The giant balloons had peace slogans on them in Hebrew and Arabic and also condemning slogans against Iran’s president. People on Mountain Adir Lookout reported that they heard loudspeakers notifying the Lebanese population to close stores, keep children at home, avoid going to work so all can welcome “the honorable president”. One eye witness said, “it was lunacy”.

Since Willie and I live on the western side of the border, we heard none of it. We could not see flying balloons either.

- Iran is the second producer of oil in OPEC and has 10th of the world oil production. OPEC is responsible for 35% of the global oil usage and Iran will replace Ecuador as the president of the cartel, by 2011.

Something to look forward to…Not.

- Drunkenness levels while driving are still a local mystery. In 2000 – 2009 it set at 240 microgram of alcohol. In 2009 – 2010 it rose to 290 microgram. By April the level started at 400 microgram and in October it dropped again to 290 microgram.

A confusing state for judges, police, and drivers to say the least. The cry for zero tolerance and with it zero level of alcohol while driving, sounds better all the time.

- Israel is 6th in the world in rising housing prices. Singapore prices rose 34%, Hong Kong up 21.42%, Australia +14.85%, Taiwan +11.5%, Latvia +9.4% and Israel housing prices went up 9.1%. To meet the demand for housing, 4000 units are planned to be built in 17 cities across Israel.

That’ll help. Now what about the other few million Jews in Diaspora?

- Food consumption in Israel is healthy! Last year the average Israeli consumed 209 kg of veggies; 188 kg of fruit; 113 kg of dough products (bread and cakes); 77 kg of beef, chicken, and fish; 32 liter of oil; 19 kg of sweets; 20 kg of nuts; 64 liter of mineral water; 188 liter of milk.

The average Israeli eats and drinks less then the American and the Italian, eats and drinks more then the Japanese, Spanish and Egyptian, but eats and drinks about the same as the German and the French consumer.

The cost of food for an average household were 1,726 NIS on groceries + 394 NIS on fruit and vegetables. (This amount is now higher since the last two months saw a sharp rise of hundreds percents in prices of fruits, veggies and breads. About $800 - $1,000 a family in today exchange rate.)

Israel exports $1.3 milliard of food a year and imports $1.6 milliard a year. It is self sufficient in production of chicken, turkey, milk and milk products, potatoes, vegetables and fruit. It imports nuts, legume, beef, fish, wheat, flour, sugar and sweets.

We consume a kilo a month of beef, for our spaghetti day. We also cut down on many other protein items. We eat more humus instead. Tastes better in the heat.

We had a wonderful half a day of rain last week. It is now 36 degree Celsius (97F) and it is still rising. The heat is not the problem, the hard thing to get used to is the humidity. But we are not praying that it will pass, we are praying that it will be over 100% and then the rain will come.

Have a great rainy week, full of blessings.

Resting on a Shabbat, Orith

GOD’S HEART

2010-10-09T17:28:00.008+02:00

Last night we gathered for a prayer time.

The Shabbat candles were lit; we already blessed the wine and the bread; we had our Shabbat dinner, so we set in the living room and recounted the week news.

Iran is taking over Lebanon, said the news, south Lebanon is becoming Hezbollah country.
Hamas is declaring that they found and killed the agent that was sent to find Gilad Shalit’s hidden jail cell.
There are over 5000 Iranian army personal in south Lebanon, as of today, waiting for their president to arrive and throw stones at Israel.
Syria is threatening to get involved.

So we gathered to pray. We talked and decided that we need to pray for the peace of Israel. We discussed how to pray at this time. One of us wanted to sent scorpions and wasps against the Hezbollah soldiers. Another felt that we need to pray the biblical promises over Israel. Yet another suggested that we need to pray for the protection of Israel. Another, that the wisdom of God will help the Israeli commanders to make the right choices in the battle. All sounded like good ideas.

So we started our prayer with a request that God will revealed to us His heart and that we pray His will in this matter. After a few minutes of silence the prayer begun. The words that came through our lips were surprising to us. Yet, we knew that it is His heart that is praying, and that we reached the throne of God.

We prayed for restoring Lebanon.

We recalled that Lebanon was an allied in building Solomon temple. It was Hiram, the king of Lebanon, who supplied the wood of the tall Lebanon Cedars for the temple.
We acknowledged that Lebanon was a friend of Israel in its early years. The Good Gate was always opened between them and workers came back and forth across that gate, near Metula.
We remembered that when it had a Christian Government Lebanon was called “The Switzerland of the Middle East” and it flourished economically.
We thanked God for about 80,000 Arab Christians from South Lebanon who crossed the borders in 2006 to received an Israeli citizenship, on the strength of their friendship and help to the Israelis during the Lebanon war. We also thanked Him that we met some of them here in Northern Israel and they have been friends to us.

We asked God to restore Lebanon to its ancient glory.
We asked God to bring the people of Lebanon back to the knowledge of Him.
We asked Him to bring strong and righteous people to the government who will restore the Christian party and stop the civil war which destroys Lebanon.
We beseeched Him to take out of its borders the Syrian and the Hezbollah and the Iranians who try to control Lebanon and to return the country to its original Lebanese people.
We prayed that God will restore the ancient relationship of Lebanon with Israel as it was in the Days of Old and in the first 30 years of Modern Israel.

And as we prayed, we knew that only God can restore love and peace among us.
And as we prayed, we knew that this was the best protection that Israel can have at this time.
And as we prayed, we felt that these prayers came from the heart of God and thus, reached His ear and His throne.

Today, a verse in Numbers reminded me that even when an enemy of Israel tried to hire a magician to curse us, God turned it to good:
“How lovely are your tents, O Jacob! Your dwellings, O Israel!”

God please turn the minds and hearts of our enemies toward us for good and for peace.
Amen

Psychological Warfare

2010-10-05T17:00:00.011+02:00

September was an interesting month.
A month of holidays that seem to never end.
A month of closed banks, closed schools and closed businesses, most of the time.
A month that one had to stay close to home unless one had a car and wanted to line up on the roads going no-where for hours.
A month of heat that scourged the brains.
A month of peace talks that achieve no peace.
A month where the building freeze ended but no new unit started since the holidays stopped the Arab workers from arriving at the sights and pouring the cement.
A month of dancing in the streets and in synagogues for the joy of the Torah.
A month of threats from most countries of the world against Israel and of media lies across the globe.
A month of warning travelers about terrorism in Europe.
A month of hatful debates about building a mosque near Ground Zero that looks like Superman Layer and has the Star of David all over its inside design.
A month of F-16 flying daily overhead at sunup, in a show of strength and of warships exercising in the Mediterranean.
A month when the Iron Dome was situated on the border of Lebanon right in front of our eyes.

And all these were only in one nutshell.

September was a month of psychological warfare.

Someone is working very hard to instill fear in all of us.

Everywhere.
Someone is working very hard to control outcomes of talks and global negotiations and twist the thoughts of the people toward a bedlam.

Everywhere.
Someone is gearing up toward a global conflict while blaming the peace seekers for the war that he is working very hard to create.

And the fear is spreading.
Everywhere.

That is a psychological warfare.

Iran president made a date with the Israelis. On the 13th of October, when he arrives at the Lebanon border he will throw stones at the Israeli soldiers. “To show his displeasure”.

I understand his frustration.

It might have been more effective had he thrown stones at the UN assembly during his latest visit. He would have included the entire world in his displeasure and would have “caught two birds with one stone” so to speak.

Some ones are trying to control the globe. They are driven by higher forces. I believe that they are maneuvered by principalities and powers of the air.

The outpouring of faith I see around us is greater and stronger then I’ve ever seen. People believe in all kinds of things and in all kinds of power. Their faith is mostly misdirected, but they recognize the spiritual forces around us and they acknowledge that the world is being directed by forces which are mightier then human beings. They are looking for an antidote for fear.

The only antidote to fear is faith. Faith in our creator, our maker. And the only way to Him is through His son, our savior Yeshua (Jesus the Christ).

God offers us total freedom to become His. We need protection and wisdom for such a time as this. However, receiving Yeshua as our savior is not only receiving a gift. We cannot simply reach out and possess it. Freedom to be His depends on us presenting ourselves to Him. We present our devotion and loyalty to Him as a monarch and submit ourselves to His governing and ruling our lives.

Even the believers among us need to examine their hearts and minds. We cannot continue to be the little kings of our little kingdoms. We have to submit to the governing of His Spirit and to allow Him to be the king over our lives, totally.

Only that complete faith and trust will help us to walk in faith, to overcome fear and to survive outside the global psychological warfare.

Thoughts and Speculations

2010-09-12T00:02:00.009+03:00

When the Gregorian new year rolls in on the first of January, I look back at what I’ve learn in the passing year so I can find what is important to pursue stronger in the coming year.

When the Jewish new year herald itself on the first day of Tishrei, I look forward wondering what will it bring with it and praying with all my being that Peace will be the first gift on the list.

This year, I looked at what we know, at what we are told and at whom we believe, and my speculations took a rather different direction then expected.

A word of caution – I am NOT gazing at stars or looking in a crystal ball. Also, I did NOT receive a specific prophecy nor new vision about any of it from God almighty. Although I prayed and begged for heavenly revelation, none came. These are my thoughts and my speculations about some possible future outcomes of present day events that seem important to people around me in Israel and to those in countries abroad. Maybe it will bring some answers to some questions and that in itself can bring some peace.

How safe will it be here in Israel?

Without opening the bible and quoting many scriptures promising peace and overcoming the enemies, it seems that the area is exploding with threats of war. Iran is building a nuke; Turkey speaks from both sides of her mouth, and Lebanon is being ignited by Syria who craves power. Syria wants to rule but is not ready to engage her army in war. It does not forget the last time her soldiers saw thousands of white men on white horses that fought for Israel and let bullets go through them.

Instead, they sent suicide bombers and terrorists to ambushed cars and kill civilians and maim innocent children and lie during television interviews, but do we expect war or peace this year?

Wars are attached to economics. The flotillas and boycotting Israel, caused millions of dollars to Turkey’s economy. In less then two months, they advertised in Hebrew, Arabic and English, “we love Israelis, come back to our holiday spots, your beds are ready for you, special prices”. But Greece took over the market and the Israelis who loved Turkey and flooded her during holidays now go to the Greek Isles.

Wars are attached to economics. Egypt knew it very well and Sadat signed a declaration of Peace way back when, to save his country’s economy from total destruction. He succeed. Lebanon, on the other hand, declared war on Israel with Syria setting it up for failure by supplying Lebanon with ammunition, Hezbollah fighters and hate. They failed.

Wars are attached to economics. The two main suppliers of monies, warheads, ammunitions of all kinds, army trainers, and other kinds of financial back-up are both struggling to get out from under a global collapsed economy themselves. Both Russia and United State seek the same things that the European Markets thrive for: Peace and Prosperity.

Wars are attached to economics . Peace and Prosperity will come when Messiah returns. Meanwhile, wars help the economy. So while they all cry for peace, they prepare for war. The talks of peace will not stop the incidents on the borders with Lebanon and Syria, nor would it be implemented as a deterrent to the ambushes in Samaria and Judea, but I don’t foresee a major, attacking-Israel-on-all-borders war in this coming year number 5771.

So what about the economy?

From all I read and heard it seems that the global economy will continue to see the housing market collapse on itself. However, a surprise direction is taking place in Israel.

Since we arrived here in March 2008, we see an unusual phenomenon takes place. The more threats are on the borders, the more people want to live closer to the ‘action’. Young families with children! The worse the economy gets around the world, and the more Kasams and Katyushas rockets fall on villages and towns in Israel, the higher are the prices of housing in Israel.

Rental properties are becoming non-existence. Dwellings for sale cannot be built fast enough. Statistically, about 40% of the Israeli population are between the ages of 0-25. A few years and they will flood the market with housing needs as they get married and have children. We need more housing!

Many of you asked us how to invest in Israel and in what commodity – here it is – housing; dwelling units; buildings for people to live in. You want to take part in it? There are many opportunities to invest. Check with us about the tour / conference we offer this coming year. It will take you to places where average people invested and succeeded. It will allow you to meet with mayors of cities and towns in the North and with companies’ chief-executive-officers. Owners and creators of all types of self employment are looking forward to share with you their success stories and their experiences.

Can you expect a return on your investment?

In this little piece of land, there are three groups that help the local economy to thrive.

The first is the group aged 35-45. In every Western country they consume the most in the market. In Israel, they make up a large group of citizens and it is growing stronger. It helps the local economy to float above the financial waves.

The second group, as it was written earlier, are the 40% aged 0-25 whose needs for housing is paramount and their need will have to be met in the next few years.

The third group are the new Olim (immigrants). In the past, the Israeli government supplied housing for this group as they arrived or shortly after. Now, they receive help with rental after a period of time in the land, and also some help in mortgages, but since majority of the future immigrants are expected to come from North America, they are also expected to bring with them financial resources. Their needs and requirement for housing differ greatly from what is being built locally. A good investor will build according to their expectations and be able to see much return on his money.

In a nutshell, a wise investment in Israel, and it does not have to be in the millions, will yield good returns.

In Israel:

The shekel? Will only go up and become stronger. Some predict the Shekel in the top 10 of the market share.

The war? Not this year. We’ll be ready when it comes. We have God on our side.

The Aliya? The immigration will help the economy. The marriage of nation and land as it was ordained by God causes the land to yield its fruit in its season and to bring the dreams of prosperity alive to the land and to its people. Now is the time to return.

The economy? will become stronger. Now is the time to invest in Israel and in helping others to return home.

Next year in Israel.

Yom Truah or Feast of Trumpets

2010-09-10T12:31:00.010+03:00

Friday today. The second day of the year 5771. The first holiday of the Jewish Year in modern times.

Biblically, Tishrei was the seventh month of the biblical calendar but it is the first one of the modern time calendar.

Being the second day, it is part of the holiday and it feels like Shabbat. No cars on the road, no noise, total peace in our neighborhood. Surprisingly, the last two nights were so quiet, as if the entire city went to to sleep by 9 pm.

As a child, I knew it as Rosh Ha-Shana, “Head of the year”, New Year. Only over time, in exile, I had learned that it is in fact a biblical holidays of the blowing of the shofar. “Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, In the seventh month, in the first day of the month, shall ye have a sabbath, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, an holy convocation.” Lev 23:24

In my eyes, the trumpets are the slick and long golden musical instruments of the orchestra, but the shofar, is holy and ancient. The ram’s horn, the shofar, is holy since the day that Isaac was saved by a ram in the thicket. It called the Children of Israel to all holy assemblies and to worship. The shofar will call the children of Israel home for the last time, and on the year of jubilee, it declared freedom. The Israelis love the sound of the shofar. Every year, when willie and our friends sound the shofar on our balcony, they come outside from every dwelling to watch and to clap their hands and to shout encouragements full of joy.

Since both holidays are wrapped in each other, some of the traditions overlap as well. This is when we saw yesterday people from various synagogues came to the beach to throw their sins to the sea. They pray mashlich’ ( thrower) while reciting a prayer that talks of the sins being hidden in the depth and forgotten where no one can find the and bring them back.

Sin thrown into the sea and forgotten. A wonderful concept of forgiveness and of a new beginning. This action is not only for the individual’s beginning of a new year, but it leads to Yom Kipur = Day of Atonement which is the day when God forgives the entire nation as a whole. Each of us has to be forgiven of sins before we can pray on behalf of others. >

The shofar calls us to assemble together. It calls us to repent and to come close to God. It start the new year with us and it escorts us throughout the entire year. May you and yours be blessed this year with many occasions of joys and with the shofar blowing on your balconies.

Changes

2010-09-07T19:53:00.019+03:00

Life is full of changes.

It is logical to assume that if life is full of changes, so are the spiritual lives. Yet, each change in our prayer life and even in the intensity of the attacks of the enemy, surprises me.

The Lord had been directing us toward focused prayers.

Willie’s directive was to pray for Israel and to cancel “media’s predictions”, Orith’s was to intensify praying in tongues (unknown language), not always aware of the contents.

In the last 3-4 months, the two sides of the spiritual coin came to a head:

- The media “predicted” wars and attacks from all borders at the same time.

- Orith was attacked in her hands and was unable to type as often as was needed.

- Flotillas came and went to Gaza causing international incidents.

- August was the hottest month Israel had experienced in the last 100 recorded years, and we are still swimming in sweat.

- And when all of these above have been overcome by prayers, we witnessed the one thing that was not predicted. A neighbor across the street jumped to her death from the roof of her apartment building in front of our eyes. We are still recovering from this trauma.

But God.

The other side of the coin is God teaching us to pray. God is taking us deeper into His realm allowing us to see that prayer indeed influences events and is answered.

- The tour/conference had been postponed. On the date line we had too few people to secure the inexpensive cost. It seems that we did not have the time needed to promote the tour. We are praying that if the tour is God’s will we’ll see you here by next year.

- Sightings of angels on the mountains bordering with Lebanon have been reported. More then once, by many people who are not connected one to another at different days and different times of day and night.

- The war that was “suppose” to start in August, and then later on September 1st, was postponed as well. We have been praying to erase it all together from the minds of the enemies who wanted to attack Israel and that these thoughts will turn in their minds against themselves. We are told that there is civil unrest in Gaza, southern Lebanon and Syria.

- We prayed that the “Women Flotilla” will not be allowed to leave Lebanon. Cypress refused to allow it to dock and refuel and according to the last news report the Flotilla is canceled. Other middle eastern Flotillas had been canceled as well, all lacked credibility, all were seekers of publicity.

We learned to pray as the Lord leads us. “Not our will Lord but Yours”:

- Praying for my healing is an on going task. Today, I can type! So I am again at the keyboard communicating to you all. Praise The Lord.

- The constant on-going peace talks are drawing threats, as well as, actual killings of civilians. 8 Children became orphans last week when their parents were killed by Extreme Muslims from Hebron. A paramedic that came with the ambulance to help the wounded found his wife among the dead. We pray for His peace and protection over Israeli civilians.

- A new twisted assault on Israelis psyche started today. The newspapers are “predicting” for this coming winter, the worst drought that Israel ever experienced. So the Lord is calling us to pray focusing on inviting the rain clouds to come over Israel, to pour the needed rain and to fill up the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) to overflow.

Willie’s Notes

During the last 2 ½ years that I have lived in Israel I experienced an opportunity to learn much from the Spirit of God about prayer. Many of the things I had learned in Canada I now see that they were training times, seasons for what I am now involved in Israel. Yet I feel that I cannot personally say that because I am here such and such happened.

I have spent much time in prayer for different things here in Israel and especially things associated with our Northern border with Lebanon.

- In the past 15 months 4-5 Hezbollah ammunitions depots have exploded for no apparent reason.

- We had a very wet winter 2009 – 2010

- The predicted Summer wars cancelled and now are being promoted in the news for September

- Sightings of Angles on the north border

- Internal strife between different Muslim faction in Lebanon (almost civil war at times)

- Now predictions of drought this winter.

Rain in It’s Season

Because of the News Media prediction of drought this winter I have been directed to pray along the same lines as I did over the predictions of war. I have learned that I can erase these thoughts from the minds of the News Reporters. I have learned that I have the authority in Jesus through prayer to bind all vain imaginations and to cancel their effect on the land. Based on the Scriptures below God says that He gives the rain and no one else has any authority to cancel the rain . So I believe Gods word will go forth and to bring again rain in its season.

Matthew 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

Zechariah 10:1 Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.

Psalms 68:9 Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was weary.

Deuteronomy 11:10 For the land, whither thou goes in to possess it, is not as the land of Egypt, from whence ye came out, where thou sowed thy seed, and watered it with thy foot, as a garden of herbs:

Deuteronomy 11:11 But the land, whither ye go to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, and drink water of the rain of heaven:

Deuteronomy 11:12 A land which the LORD thy God cares for: the eyes of the LORD thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year.

Deuteronomy 11:13 And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul

Deuteronomy 11:14 That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil.

Israel has a very special place in the heart of God; therefore He has called a special people to look after it.

God showed me last August where the water has been stopped. We have to take and remove that which is blocking the flow of the living water. Isaac found that blockage when the Philistines stopped all Abrahams wells because they envied (were jealous) of Isaac’s prosperity. We have to pray against the spirit of jealousy which comes against Israel.

Genesis 26:22 And he removed from thence, and dug another well; and for that they strove not: and he called the name of it Rehoboth; and he said, For now the LORD hath made room for us, and we shall be fruitful in the land.

Calling A Fast

2010-09-05T09:06:00.006+03:00

Today on face book:

Faytene Kryskow: many people across Canada are feeling a deep burden to pray for Canada right now (a lot of sovereign dreams coming). It is a unique sense of alert. Please consider fasting for Canada right now and pray for our nation right now in a more focused way. Something is up, but we can loose the will of the Father through our prayers. Thanks :). – Faytene

My Respond:

We are three days from the Feast of Shofar Blowing (starts the 8th, Wednesday) = Jewish New Year. The Messianic Believers here are calling for a fast in the next three days, (Sunday, Monday Tuesday) especially after dreams and prophecies of a major change have come. Then the 10 horrible days of fast and repentant are on until the Day of Atonement (Sept. 17th) for all Jews. Only the very orthodox fast during that time, but those of us who are sensitive to the spirit feel it heavily.

This is the time of year that we all on alert spiritually and physically - the borders are filled with protective armours and the soldiers are given extra duties not extra holiday time.

Canada is very much attached to Israel. In 2007 I had prophecies and visions about Canada's connection with Israel. One stands out: I saw the map of Canada, with the Canadian Maple Leaf flag covering it. Hovering above it was the map of Israel, with the blue-white Israeli flag on it. (Israel, by the way, is only 63.3% of Vancouver island. Yet the Israeli map in the vision stretched across Canada). This lines of fabric stretched between the two maps as if to connect them. I asked for the interpretation of the vision. The Lord said, " As long as Canada stand with Israel. The blessing of Israel will be given through Israel to Canada. Healing will go out from Canada to the rest of the world. The maple tree symbolizes the tree of life, the healing tree. The healing will start in the West, Victoria BC, and will go upward on the west coast, then spread to the Eastern border and the Maritime provinces. As long as Canada stands by Israel”.

Canada stood by Israel with Mr. Harper as its prime minister. Days of difficult decisions are coming. Days that Canada will have to stand behind Mr. Harper and give him and his government the go ahead to take an even stronger stand behind Israel, regardless of what Israel actions looks like on the surface. You are right Faytene to call for a fast. We will join you here in Israel. May God be with you and with us, giving us all a clear understanding of His directions.

A Tour Is In The Making

2010-07-25T17:53:00.003+03:00

I've been quiet. It's been over a month, almost two months, of total silence. Sorry folks. My excuse: We've been working on an exclusive tour. One of its' kind. And Lord willing, the first of many. So here is the Tour / Conference cover letter -hot right off the press.

There are two web sites you can look at and comment on the tour and register if you wish. We will be glad to read all your comments.

http://heartandsoultour.weebly.com http://asherhouseembassy.weebly.com/index.html

YOU are invited to join us, on October 17 – 27, 2010, in Jerusalem, Israel.
The Heart and Soul Tour/Conference's focus is to gather entrepreneurs and people with vision to explore new ways of assisting new Olim settling in Israel.

The Heart and Soul Tour/Conference is one of a kind exclusive tour, for a group of no more then 20 people, that offers visits to sites which no other tour offers.

Among other stops: - We will stop at the only solar farm in Israel and learn from the owners how technological advancements help the electrical needs of the country. - In addition, we will visit a Northern modern business center to discuss innovative ways of doing business in Israel. - Also, we will gather at an Army base on the Northern border to discuss security issues.

We draw our inspiration for this Tour/Conference from Abraham’s journey of faith. Abraham, the father of our faith, was the first person who made Aliya to Israel. The Tour/Conference will follow his Spiritual journey and where possible, his physical footsteps. We will discuss God’s covenant promise to Abraham and his seed and God’s command to leave home and to move to Canaan (Israel today).

A major Aliya from the West is projected to be in full swing by November 2012. Israel needs a better infrastructure in place to facilitate settlements for the new comers. The Heart and Soul Tour/Conference is hoping to attract and to inspire entrepreneurs and investors who will participate in the building of Israel’s future.

We are looking forward to meet you as one of the inspired group of people with vision.

Together with Diesenhaus Unitour we offer this 10 day tour. The tour includes: - 9 nights & 10 days in the Land of Israel - Accommodations, based on double occupancy - Three meals daily - Entrance fees Not included: - Return Air-fare to Israel - Tips & Personal expenses.

Total cost $2530 USD To register for the Tour/Conference link to: http://heartandsoultour.weebly.com

BUT...

2010-06-06T07:59:00.006+03:00

BUT…our warfare is not against flesh and blood.

This morning, after the young commandoes were spit at with “go back to Auschwitz”; after the oldest (90 years old) and most honored correspondent of the White House told the nation of Israel to go back to Poland (to the gas chambers?) without being rebuked by Obama; after the leftists of Israel, and at least 2 Knesset members with them, went to the streets of Tel Aviv with Palestinians flags stamped with Star of David, spouting hate against Israel elected government; after all the news...I broke down and cried like an abandon child. Because this is how it feels right now.

But we are not fighting against flesh and blood. We fight against the principalities and powers of the air. We need to have our friends and supporters stand with us by rebuking satan. By remembering and reminding each other, out loud, that our God is the one God, He is the Lord of the Hosts of Heaven, He is the one that will win our war for us.

We need our friends and supporters, all over the earth, to hold our hands up, as Moses’ hands were held in the war with Amalek. Joshua fought in the valley below, but Moses, Aaron, and Hur were up on the mountain fighting the spiritual warfare. It is the same enemy - Amalek. The hater of Israel that like a jackal smote the feeblest while the nation was faint and weary in the desert, the enemy who did not fear God.

The news reel does not stop spinning, and maybe some of it is true and one can see Joshua fights the war. Yet, here in Israel on the mountain top, the prayers of the saints need to be strengthen, we need you to hold up our hands in prayers.

God gave us weapons of warfare. He taught us to be girded with Truth; to be protected with Righteousness; to walk in Peace; to hold the Shield of Faith; to ware the helmet of Salvation, and to carry the Sword of the Spirit.

He taught us to read His Word, to Praise His Name, to rebuke satan, to pray without ceasing specifically for the peace of Jerusalem, to thank Him for the answers, and to rest in Him.

Do that. Join us at the top of the mountain and hold us in prayers.

In Him, Israel will not fall. Israel will stand.

BETRAYAL

2010-06-02T11:08:00.009+03:00

This Wednesday morning when I watched the latest news, I saw PM Netanyahu, who cut his North American tour short, visiting the wounded commander and his crew in the Israeli hospitals. I heard him interviewing them and I heard their answers. Some of the pieces came together for me and helped me to understand the shock and pain that I felt since Monday morning.

I could not sleep Sunday night. After tossing and turning for a long time, I gave up and left my bed to find out that something is wrong but I could not figure out what it was, the atmosphere just wasn’t “right”.

In the morning, we were on our way to the army base where we volunteer to sort out medication, organize cupboards and bundle medical equipment for the field hospitals. The radio on the bus was loud and it is then that I found out about the fight and the blood spilled at sea. It felt as if a huge gloved fist just hit me in the stomach. On base, the troops were depressed. They did not know much more then we did and their morning session with their commanders was out of bound for Willie and I as civilians. Not until this morning was I able to piece together the following:

Israel have been shipping 100 trucks daily with free supplies to Gaza of food, water, building material, clothing, and medications. The Israeli public knows that it is at the expense of our poor who do not get any financial help out of their poverty. But we continue to ship,free of charge, to the people in Gaza daily, for the last 10+ years.

We are also aware that the ‘humanitarian ships’ were meant to provoke international response favoring war in the Middle East. Israel knew that the Turkish humanitarian ships are coming. The agreement between Israel and Turkey was that the ships will come to Ashdod port where they will be boarded, as foreign ships are boarded in every country, and searched in peace. After the passports' check, people, equipment and supplies will be escorted on land to Gaza, which was their destination, by the Israelis, in peace.

When the fleet got close to our water, it was found that the flag ship had something mechanical that had to do with the size and the power of the ship, coupled with the position of Ashdod port, which did not allow it to be dragged toward shore as agreed previously.

Communication with the Turkish flag ship, a war ship, gave the fleet an offer of redirection to Ashkelon, which is a southern port closer to their destination in Gaza, but they refused it. Egypt got involved and offered the Turkish fleet a passage through their water with the Egyptian doing the passport check and supplying the escort, after all they were going to Gaza which belongs to Egypt. They refused. The ships insisted on sailing directly to Gaza through the blockade where the Hamas small boats filled the local water in anticipation. There is a blockade in place in the water near Gaza which was placed there four years ago after Gilad Shalit was kidnapped and forced into Gaza’s underground tunnels. Shalit is still in these tunnels, and no one can sail through that blockade.

The Turks finely allowed the Israelis to board the ships for inspection provided they will come down to the upper deck of the flag ship from helicopters. Not expecting a fight, 10 young people came down, one by one, from the chopper with paint guns. That was for the purpose of painting in notation the checked supplies for save passage.

The soldiers explained to the PM this morning, that they expected resistance. But they did not expect that colossal attack. Their hand guns were in their hoisters, NOT drawn. They had gloves on as they slide down the rope from the chopper, to the ship. No sooner they came down and took their gloves off, they were attacked by knives, metal bats, chairs, anything metal, by a mob of 600 burley men.

The first to come down, the commander, was thrown overboard. First, he was attacked by 7-8 men with metal bats, then he was knifed in his stomach. He pulled the knife out of his wound as he fell to the first floor of the ship and then to the water. ( This is his account from the hospital bed this morning when Prime Minister Netanyahu came to speak to him. I saw it live.)

If they expected such an attack, they would not have come down one by one from the chopper and unarmed. But, they came in peace.

Many of the men were known fighters of the Palestinian Resistance and came to fight, already armed with knives and metal bats. As they attacked the young soldiers (18 – 20 years of age), they confiscated their guns and shot them. 40 of the 600 were war masonries, that were trained for combat by Al-Kayida, separated into units with commanding leaders like any trained army. Later, when searched, their pockets were found to be full of dollars paid by the Al-Kayida.

This was NOT a humanitarian aide mission. This was a premeditated provocation to war. The Muslims around us are forever trying to find out what will be 'the last strew' that will cause Israel to attack back and start an all out and out war. When the ship was searched, they found equivalent of 25 trucks of humanitarian aid on board. It consisted of food, mostly spoiled; cotton that is of no use in Gaza; medications and medical supplies which 90% were outdated, and some odd and ends of items not safe for consumption. A cover-up, for illegal activity, not humanitarian aid. No one can pull the screen over the Israelis eyes of what is humanitarian aid after freely giving to the people in Gaza and the surrounding areas 100 trucks a day full of supplies for over 10 years.

So far, the Israeli government is doing its outmost to stay in peace. It does not retaliate and tries hard to keep our boys off war and off all harm. Tuesday night they announced that within 48 hours all the foreigners on the ships will be air lifted to their countries of origin. We don't need our jails full with more murderers. The men who physically engaged in knifing and shooting on board, will be detain for questioning for now.

What saddened me more then all of that, was a Canadian newspaperman who was on board. In Yahoo! News it was reported that BEFORE he boarded the ships he declared that he is going on this voyage to prove that Israel always lies and turns everything around from the truth. He already made up his mind that he is against Israel and he is going there to prove it. BEFORE the ships sailed with a war ship as their flag ship toward charted Israeli water! BEFORE the Israelis even boarded the ships! BEFORE a search prove that NO real humanitarian aid was on board. He already decided then, that he will report all he can against Israel no matter what the outcome of the voyage will be.

This bias reporting does not belong in Canadian news. It is a provocation of hate.

It angered me to see a Canadian among them. Canada is a friend and an ally to Israel. It was a shame for a newspaper man from Canada to be on these ships with pre-conceive notion that he will prove the wrong doing of the Israelis - before any of us over here even knew that we will have a fight on our hands. To me it means that those who boarded the ships were already preparing for war! That even the Canadian “guest” knew about a planned fight. Israel had no idea that this is going to happened or the soldiers would have come fully armed and in larger number then 10 boys.

It is time that the world realizes that Israel is only 7 million people against 150 + millions of surrounding enemies. That our little piece of land which is smaller then 64% of Vancouver Island is the only home for the Jewish people in the world while the Arabs have the entire middle east, and live as a near majority in many European countries as well. That the only fight that Israel is fighting is one of survival, it has a right to protect its borders. If ships like that would go to any other country, they would fight them and not welcome them in peace as Israel did. It is time that the world will stop the unreasonable hate of the Jews. It is time for the world to wake up to truth.

The condemnation of the world’s opinion came after our boys were knifed in betrayal when they came in peace. The call of Obama to sent the prisoners home came after most of them were already on the planes toward their perspective countries, including the newspaperman from Canada. May they go in peace, and stay away in Peace.

We, the believers, inside and outside of Israel, need to call our authority in Yeshua into action. We need to erase the “wars and rumours of war” in this region from the atmosphere and from the walls of heavenly places. Instead, we need to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, the peace that pass all understanding, into being. Only in Him we will see the salvation of this country, of His people and of this world.

He Who Overcomes

2010-05-06T11:06:00.002+03:00

A few days ago, I saw a picture behind my closed eyes of a banner. It flew in the wind, “Orith the Overcomer”. It stayed with me since, so powerful. It reminded me that we overcome by the word of our testimonies and the blood of the Lamb..

This morning, it appeared again. During prayers, as we brought our partners before the Lord with their individual requests, Willie shared that satan is attacking the believers who have a special love toward the Jews and who diligently pray for the Jewish people and for the peace of Jerusalem. These believers are wounded or recovering from major wounds. .

We noticed that trend especially since Willie’s bout with cancer last year. .

Since then, seven of our prayer warriors were attacked by major illnesses that needed operations or special treatments, including three with cancer. While prayers helped them toward recoveries, they are still battling the after affects.

Satan is running scared. He had been sending his demons against Israel in increased force and we can feel the battle getting more intense than before. We see a greater confusion in the government and more attacks from friendly countries that stood by Israel in the past. It is harder to understand the events that take place around us here and even harder to keep peace among neighbors and friends. There is no wonder that our prayer partners are being attacked; their prayers are essential to our survival, spiritually and physically.

But God is able. He promises different results. Again and again, He reminds us that “he who overcomes” will be rewarded:

To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

… He that overcomes shall not be hurt of the second death.

… To him that overcomes will I give to eat of the hidden manna…

… He that overcomes, and keeps my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations…

He that overcomes, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father…

Him that overcomes will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

He that overcomes shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.

You, our partners and friends, who love God and love us, you have the victory:

… and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcomes the world? But he that believeth that Yeshua is the Son of God.

Be encouraged. You might be wounded or recovering from wounds but they are only temporary. Your victory is near. You are overcoming.

God, please heal and encourage our partners. Please strengthen Your army of prayer warriors to praise Your name and to overcome the world.

Holocaust Memorial Day

2010-04-12T21:04:00.001+03:00

Holocaust Memorial Day is a highly emotional day over here. We stood for 2 minutes as the sirens sounded and bawled like two kids. From our balcony, we saw the entire street stops moving, cars, people, bikes. Only the cats in the big garbage can continued to chase their tails. The air is charged with emotion and people are edgy. On TV, there are personal stories of some of the last living survivors and it runs all day long.

A neighbor told me of her grandfather escaping the work camp and running back to the ghetto to notify the people that the work camp turning into death camp and they need to move east as soon as possible. No one believed him. He had stayed for a few more months begging them to escape while there is time, but they disregarded his warning. Today, she is as old as I am, but the anger and hurt she feels is as strong as the one her grandfather passed down with his legacy. “Many could have been saved”, she mourns, “If they only listened and follow instead of believing with a continual blindness that God will save them”.

I had not realized how deep the feeling of betrayal runs in the children of the survivors. Her grandfather managed to cross to Russia and her father brought the family to Israel when she was 11. She recalled today the hateful words she heard as a 4 years old, “Jew, go to Palestine”. She continued to hear these words until they arrived here, in Israel. She carries in her heart and mind the pain of the generations before her and their stories. Today is her mourning day and she allows her pain to be expressed. You would not know how much is hidden there unless you heard her private talk, today.

My friend is only one. There are hundreds more.

“When God decided to destroy Sodom and Gomorra, He sent angels to take Lot out. For Abraham’s sake, Lot was able to warn his family. They did not believe. They stayed. They perished.” I said to her. “When people return from death and tell about heaven and hell, others don’t believe either and they stay in their unbelief, they also perish. We cannot blame the belief in God with the extinction of 6 million Jews.”

But my words were not heard. I remember my father reacting the same way. My friend came from Poland, my father came from Italy, but their experiences were the same. They knew hatred directed at them for being Jews, being blamed for every ill that ever hit the world, and they experienced raw evil that was dark and charged with violence. No amount of “God will help us” helped. Loved one died around them faster than it was possible to comprehend. An entire generation that believed in God and followed Him was brutally challenged and continued to exist today in spiritual confusion. They passed that confusion and sorrow to their children and their children’s children.

How do you comprehend such devastation when you believe in a loving God?

How can I, who is twice removed from the gas chambers, can encourage them that God is good, that it is not Him or the belief in Him that caused the horrors? They tell me that Hitler was the devil incarnated, but they do not allow themselves to be vulnerable and open themselves to Love lest they will be betrayed once again.

Loving God, please administer healing to these generations who breathe daily the ashen memories of open graves and infested wounds. Please cover them with your loving balm and sooth their hurts. Loving Father, please have compassion on Your people.

Amen.

Two Years in Israel

2010-03-21T21:28:00.036+02:00

We’ve been in Israel for two years. Wow. Much has happened and much water passed through the Jordan River since then.
To celebrate the anniversary of our return, we took a historical tour in the Galilee. We visited cemeteries, memorials, museums, and nature.

On Har Meron, one of the highest points of Israel, we visited tombs of Rabbis who were involved in uprisings against various enemies over the centuries that enslaved Israel. Since some of them wrote the Kabala, many people consider their tombs holy and they come often to pray there, especially for healing from all kinds of diseases. Madonna, the famous singer, visited some of the tombs recently. On the men side, the Torah is cover by red velvet and there are books and gold items around; on the women side, there is a row of old benches without backs and a blue piece of torn plastic to separate them from the men, and a few prayer books. They told us that soon Lag Ba-Omer arrives and this is when thousands of people visit the tombs, so they are renovating.

Galilee Mountains are full of burial places of heroes from long ago. Not far, there is also an army base but the road was closed to visitors. So we just looked at all the buses full of soldiers that were going up to the base.

In Kibbutz Kfar Giladi, the museum and the cemetery are both a memorial to the first settlers of the area. Many came from Russia at the beginning of the 1900’s and created a unique group of soldiers-intellectuals-dreamers that protected the border and tilled the land. Joseph Trumpeldor was their leader and although he lost one hand in a war, he continued to fight until he died and saved the Kibbutz. A statue of a lion covers his burial place overlooks the valley below. “Good to die for our country” it declares. At the front of the cemetery, stands a memorial to 12 young reserves that were killed by an exploding rocket in 2006 Lebanon War. The entire story of the Kibbutz and its brave protectors “HaShomer” is told in the local museum where one can watch short movies in English about the history of the area.

In Kfar Giladi I felt a touch more connected to my country. My grandparents came from Russia around 1903 and settled in the land in Merhaviya, a settlement near Bait Shean. Their ideology, Zionism and the cry of their hearts was the same as the heroes of Kfar Giladi. I saw their faces in the sun worn faces of the “Shomer” group and I recalled their own private heroism. My mother, who was born in Merhaviya, continued the tradition and became a member of a group that started Kibbutz Tel-Amal while I joined the “young shomer” group as a teen in Tel-Aviv.
Hatzer Tel-Hai touches the main road where the statue of Moses overlooking a trail of the wounded. It is there that the soldiers of the independent war of 1946-48were evacuated from Tel-Hai to Kfar Giladi to be patched up before they were sent again to the front.

We continued to Misgav-Am, where memorial columns were erected by Canadian communities for the school bus children who were murdered by a rocket sent from the border. Misgav-Am lookout is the only place that is located higher than the Lebanon border. Below us laid a complete village of empty houses. The Hezbollah build these houses as a façade. The windows have no glass panes, and there are neither electrical connections nor plumbing. No one lives there. Once in a while they come in during the nights to build a bunker for the expected wars or to snatch Israeli soldiers or to place the paper dolls in the houses so when TV cameras are pointing at them to take pictures it looks like there are people there. Rather a weird situation. We walked along the fence on the Israeli side for a while then we drove on.

We got lost in the narrow streets and crowded housing of Zefad, where the Kabala was written during the first century, and did not even take pictures of the antique city or the artist colony.

Tel-Dan archeological excavation was a walk to the very ancient past. Here the gates of the Tribe of Dan were reconstructed as well as the very first gate where Abraham walked through to the land promised to him by God. Ancient Synagogue and worship places to other gods were discovered in the area as well.

The sound of running water filled up the air in Tel Dan. It is a beautiful place full of plant life and birds flying and chirping all over the thick forest bed. The Eucalyptus trees that were planted along the river to dry out the swamps in the 19th century were rooted out. Now, the original vegetation is growing again and some unusual flowers and trees are seen in the area. New and unknown kinds of lizards and birds are filling up the ground and treetops.

We also followed the River Dan to two more places. One was the enormous “Oven Waterfall” on top of a mountain. You can see from the picture that it is full of flowing water from the Hermon that had snow this winter. Since water shortage is a way of life here, the waterfall is a true miracle. Here also we saw birds and new kinds of vegetations and all types of flowers we’ve never seen before.

River Dan also flows to “Dag on Dan” (Fish on the River Dan). Dan is one of the three rivers that run into the Jordan River. We hoped to find the meeting place of the three rivers: Dan, Hazbani and Banyas, but instead, we found that fish restaurant. We usually don’t eat fish, but here we ate a large Rainbow Trout that was so fresh that we just loved it. At the table, ducks and peacock, chickens and roosters, and some type of bird called Pninit came to visit.

We ate Humus, pita, French Fries and salads in a Moroccan place in Kiryat Shemona; we devour steak, salads and rice in Metula, and the Israeli breakfasts in Kfar Giladi were enormous. We simply had a great time. It was a good trip. But my favorite fun place of all was the Canadian Centre in Metula. It is a sport center build by Canadians. It has an Olympic ice rink, swimming pool, bowling, basketball court, and great ice-cream kiosk. The young Israeli hockey team practices there. Someone told us that the young team beat the Young Canadian Hockey this Olympic. I found it hard to fathom since the Canadians are born on ice-skates, but then all things are possible if you only believe.

Israel is a delightful place to tour. It is an exciting place to live in. At time, we forget that it has a purpose and a hope, but it is always here. We are in the land that God promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and to their generations. When you stand on the shores of the Mediterranean, look at the sun in the horizon and see it glittering against the metal of the Israeli ships that protect the border, you know that you are where you meant to be. It warms your heart and quickens your step. I miss my children and my grandkids, but I know that this land, and I, will embrace them and welcome them when they choose to come home. Until then, Willie and I are doing all we can to encourage the ones who want to move back and those who already returned.

God, please bless this land, give it Your peace and bring Your sons home. Amen.

ARMY BASE

2010-02-19T18:46:00.014+02:00

Last night Willie met me at the train station and together we slowly walked home. We had a lot of catching up to do, I was away since Sunday. It had been one of the most unusual weeks since we returned to Israel. For about a week, Sunday to Thursday, I volunteer at an IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) base in the Negev Desert.

I never served in the army. Like all the kids in Israel, I too received training in high school. Jumping from the third floor into a strong yarn while others hold it; going down the ‘omega’ from 30 feet high tree while friends shout, ‘move the metal, move the metal’; and of course running and walking for long distances with heavy duffle bag on the back. I also learned to shoot a gun and to fight face to face combat. But when it was my turn to enter the service, I was in my 8th month carrying Eran, my first born. So I never went to the army

When I arrived in Israel, a new friend told me, ‘if you want to be a part of Israel you have to be in the army for a time to understand its people and its culture.’ Her words rang true. I decided that I want to volunteer to the army for a short time

Since we arrived, almost two years ago, I felt that the call to volunteer was becoming stronger as time went by. My belief that an Aliyah is essential to the health of the country and to the safety of the Jews in Diaspora became stronger as well. The Israeli army is the only body which protects Israel from its enemies and protects the world Jewry from loosing the only home it ever had. Every family in this country has at least one member that served in the army; thus, it unites the nation into one culture under one flag with one similar experience. I wanted to take part in it.

Sar-El is a non profit organization that is made of two parts. One part is the army connection and the other part is a civilian based. The two parts become whole when the international and national volunteers enter the program and are welcomed by the civilians and guided through their stay in the army barracks by army personal. It is this organization which I chose to connect with for my adventure. A note to my readers, if you are interested in more of the Sar-El programs you may look them up on: http://www.sar-el.org/

Although the longer terms of the volunteers include weekends tours around Israel, I chose to start with one week term. I feared the hard cots, the bathroom a walk away, the food, the lack of privacy, the work, and any other imagination that I had about army living. After all, we were told that we will be unable to leave the base, and I was leaving my man alone at home. I did not know if I can phone him or talk about anything, or maybe I will be expected to keep everything I see or hear as a secret.

I met the group of volunteers around 8 am. Americans, Polish, Israeli- Russian, Norwegian, and me, total of 9 people. I looked at the 70 year old retired teacher, the three nurses in their 50+, the business men and the young member of the group who left a wife and a 9 year old child home in Poland and realized that I was not as brave as I thought myself to be. Some were Jews, others were not; some were left wing others right wing. But the common denominator was their love for Israel. Each wanted to contribute their time and yearned to share their appreciation and their stand with the Israeli soldiers and the Israeli nation in face of world opposition and hostile politics.

They brought their love and care and gifts. One had a bag of hand knitted black hoods for the combat soldiers to ware during the winter under their helmets, another shared special chocolates. One had words of encouragements while another played table games with the guys on breaks. One had a great sense of humor and joked while yet another bought pizzas and soda drinks. Their eyes shined and their hand and bodies worked fast and hard at their given tasks. They moved their aging, aching bodies out of the cotes daily with an apologetic smile and cheerfully teased each other on the way to find a first cup of coffee and a breakfast. Their behavior was an example of loving care and a willingness to contribute to others. I felt honored and privileged to be counted in their company.

The young soldiers opened their hearts to us. They told us of difficulties at home and the need to work and support families. They spoke of hopes they had for the services that shuttered as result of testing and points that were not high enough. They bitterly related stories of parents who were maimed in earlier wars and mothers left alone to raise families in harsh situations. They also shared proudly of each other achievement, like the Israeli champion of ping-pong that was on the base and just returned as 7th best in the world. They showed off their know-how of heavy army equipment and explained how the unit works and the night vision telescope is operated and translated some difficult Hebrew words that I have never heard before.

These soldiers admonished their mates who were sleeping or resting on their jobs by using us, the old volunteers, as examples. One such young man told another that if old people like us were willing to leave husbands and wives, children and grandchildren, comfort and warmth, to pay their own way and give up their yearly holidays just to help in the Israeli army, then he should be ashamed of his slacking on the job and of sitting down. It was good at that point to understand Hebrew. It warmed my heart to hear that reaction and to know that the soldiers took notice of the little we gave. It gladden me further to see that slacking young person getting up and working.

My head is still reeling from the week. I enjoyed the atmosphere on the base, I loved the people, I was proud of my overcoming my fears and I surprisingly found the food to be better and testier then I expected. It was a week of eye opening and of adventure. But the best part of it, it was a week of me falling in love all over again, and deeper then ever, with my people and my country.

May they go in peace and return in peace, always.

FLOOD IN NAHARIYA

2010-01-20T12:30:00.007+02:00

Willie, wearing his tall rubber boots and armed with his camera, ventured out this morning in the rain. These are the results:

Shabbat in Nahariya

2010-01-16T16:22:00.010+02:00

Shabbat. What one does on Shabbat? After the morning service that is. Well, one eats lunch and goes for a walk.

Nahariya is blessed with a beach. Right by the Mediterranean Sea – a soft sand beach. So we walked. We enjoyed the sun and the good weather. We stopped to look at flowers that no one knows their names. We took pictures of the waves and the local fishing fleet.

We also went today to the memorial. There are memorials all over Israel near roads, and parks, everywhere. So many people lost their lives, so much history, over so many years. Memorials.

On the beach there is one for the 7 ships that manage to debark on the shores of Nahariya. In 1944, Right out of Europe, under the British noses they made Aliyah to Israel. Children play on its’ stones and threw lines to catch some fish. Peaceful.

May it stay so peaceful for ever.