Looking Forward To Rejoicing, Not Sorrow

[alon]

I just got this from the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews:

Dear Friend of Israel,

Right now we are in the middle of a period on the Jewish calendar known as “The Three Weeks.” Historically, these 21 days leading up to the holiday of Tisha B’Av have been a time of calamity and misfortune for the Jewish people.

During this period throughout history, both the First and Second Temples were destroyed, wars began, Jewish families were thrown out of their homes, and pogroms (organized massacres of Jews) killed off entire Jewish communities. At this time of year, we look back at these tragedies and grieve.

Now we also grieve for the continued threats leveled at Israel by her enemies, for the disturbing rise in anti-Semitism around the world, and for the disappearing Christian communities throughout the Middle East as they flee or are killed off by Islamic extremists.

And yet, even as we mourn, we recognize that we still have a duty to engage in the blessed act of tikkun olam – “repairing the world.” That is why The Fellowship, thanks to the generosity and compassion of our supporters, is mobilizing to Rescue the Persecuted. It is why we continue to bring home to Israel Jews around the world who are in need or in danger. It is why we continue to expand our work in Israel, ensuring that every person in crisis has a place to turn for help. It is, in short, why The Fellowship does its work: because God tells us to help the poor, the downtrodden, the oppressed, and to do our best to repair a broken world.

The Three Weeks is certainly a time of solemnity and reflection. But it is also a time of hope. Jewish tradition holds that someday this period will become a time of rejoicing, not sorrow. As we await that day, we stand firm in God and His promises.

Our faith in God is what keeps us from falling into despair as we remember past tragedies, and as we cope with the tragedies happening in our world today. Let us continue to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem,” and for peace throughout the world, our eyes fixed on God, and our feet firmly planted in the hope and comfort He offers us.

With prayers for shalom, peace,

Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein
Founder and President

[alon]

I guess I should make it clear I am not advocating giving money to the Fellowship by posting this. I do want to raise awareness that there are programs like this which do support Israel. This is a time of great crises for Israel and Jews everywhere. I do advocate supporting Israel in any and every way possible. We take care of our own first, meaning our own families and then Messianic Jews. But all Judaism are our brothers as well, whether they claim us or not. We claim them, therefore (my opinion) we support them. Plus right is right, and we strive to do right!

Dan C

[alon]

It would figure, going into the month of Av I get this, reprinted with permission from Kehila News Israel:

Experts: Major earthquake expected soon in Israel
Kehila News Israel Staff Jul 9, 2018

In the last few weeks, several earthquakes and 30 tremors have rattled northern Israel — with four on Sunday alone — prompting concerns that a major earthquake could occur here in the near future.

The epicenter of the tremors is close to Tiberias, the city that lies on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee. One of the quakes last week reached 4.3 on the Richter scale.

“Three earthquakes have been felt over the last week but actually over 30 tremors have been registered by seismic devices,” Uri Frieslander, former general manager of the Geophysical Institute said last week. “Most of them could not have been felt so no one talks about them. It’s hard to predict what will happen following the earthquake that took place on Wednesday, but the concentration of tremors in the Sea of Galilee proves that there is renewed activity along the split where African and Arabian plates meet.”

The rumblings have prompted emergency preparedness experts to warn the public to become familiar with safety precautions and to make provisions for an emergency.

“In Israel we don’t have experience with strong earthquakes so it’s difficult to imagine how it would look and what would happen,” according to Carmit Rapaport of the University of Haifa’s Academic Center of the Program for Coping with Emergency Situations.

These minor earthquakes and tremors caused damage to some structures including a school. The students will learn in a temporary building next year while the school looks for or builds a new building.

Retired Col. Gili Shenhar warned residents against complacency that comes from feeling low grade tremors that cause little to no damage.

“In our area earthquakes happen. The last major earthquake struck in 1927, and the one before was in 1836, so we understand that every 100 years a serious earthquake strikes,” he said.

“A 5.0 magnitude earthquake is 30 times stronger than a 4.0 magnitude tremor. People need to understand the difference in the multiplication. A 6.0 or a 7.0 earthquake might lead to the collapse of buildings and infrastructure,” he added. “An earthquake is an unexpected event, therefore we need to prepare for it beforehand.”

I don't know if or when this will happen. I do know that Israel responds to any disaster anywhere in the world with aid and technology. Israelis were instrumental in finding those boys recently rescued from a cave in Thailand, for example. And they routinely risk their lives and health to aid people in Muslim countries on their borders effected by wars and neglect; most notable of late Syrians displaced and attacked by their own government and other Muslims while Israel itself is engaged in conflicts within that country. Yet when they need help, Israel can count on few people to respond to them. Even the US was more hindrance than hep during the last administration. So I urge everyone who can to find one of these charities helping Israelis to help themselves and give what you can. Giving after an event is important, however it is what we give regularly ahead of time which allows them to launch the critical first response efforts when something does happen. And this, if it does happen now while her enemies are once again massing for war on Israel's borders could be a disaster of epic proportions.

This is just my opinion, not necessarily that of staff here; though I'm sure they won't have a problem with it.

Dan