Cheshvan/Kislev/Tevet 5765
Gwen Hamlin, Editor
Fall 2004

BRIDGES FOR PEACE:

For centuries Europe was the scene of bloody wars. 1870-1945 France and Germany fought each other three times. European leaders became convinced the only way to secure a lasting peace between their countries was to unite them economically and politically. The European Economic Community was formed after World War II to prevent another war in Europe. At first, the effort was to integrate major trade markets, but gradually the vision expanded and continues to grow.
   While there have been some economic benefits for Israel from the EU, it has been a vocal critic of Israel's policies. Since 1973 the EU has a strong pro-Palestinian bias.
   The EU has left God out of their constitution because they see it as a threat to their secular humanist values.
Ezekiel said, “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the House of Israel: therefore, hear a word from my mouth, and give them warning from me” (Ezekiel 3:17). Join us in supporting this effort in prayer and making the word known in every way you can. History proves when Christians do nothing tyranny takes over.

THE JERUSALEM POST:

Israel is 6th in the world for longevity. 917 residents are over age 100. One man who lives in Haifa is 117. The average life span for Israeli women is 81, and for men 77.

Britain has awarded an honorary knighthood to Nazi-hunter Simon Wiesenthal in recognition of a lifetime of service to humanity. He is 95 and survived incarceration in Nazi prison camps. He has dedicated his life to bringing those responsible for the Holocaust to justice. The knighthood also recognized the work of the Los Angeles-based Simon Wiesenthal Center founded in 1977 to promote remembrance of the Holocaust and defense of human rights.

Over 400 new immigrants from North America arrived in Israel on one flight recently. An entire Air Force unit cheered as they disembarked from the El Al jumbo jet. They were welcomed by many senior officials and Prime Minister Ariel Sharon who made a few minor gaffes in his speech in English, such as telling the crowd they are “mostly welcome”.
   The organization which provides financial aid and social support for the new immigrants, Nefesh B'Nefesh, has developed successful ways to encourage more Aliyah and to bring more from other countries, as well as even tens of thousands of Jews from N. America. Finance minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke of the future saying, “You will witness in your lifetime a monumental shift, not seen since Biblical times and the days of the Second Temple. The majority of Jews will live in the Jewish state.”
   Waving a list of 8,000 applicants waiting to make Aliyah through Nefesh B'Nefesh, Rabbi Yehoshua Fass who accompanied the new immigrants said, “Let's not leave a single one behind.”

Palestinians set off a massive explosion in a tunnel under an IDF (defense) post in Gaza Strip killing one soldier and injuring 5 others. Some 2,000 people rushed into the streets of Gaza City to rejoice, including 100 armed men. Three Palestinians Terror groups claim responsibility for the well-planned tunnel explosion.

THE JEWISH PRESS

New Zealand's Prime Minister Helen Clark has decided to impose diplomatic sanctions on Israel. Two Israeli citizens, Uri Kelman and Eli Cora, were suspected Mossad agents who were imprisoned for six months for illegally trying to obtain a New Zealand passport. New Zealand is not particularly friendly to Israel and the Jewish council is concerned of how it will have repercussions on future relations with tourists. Many are appalled that such severe actions be invoked.

New Zealanders met at the site of a cemetery where Jewish graves were recently desecrated. Some 250 people gathered in the capital, Wellington, at a city park in a meeting of solidarity held to support the local Jewish community. The majority taking part was not Jewish.

New Zealand will bar Holocaust denier, David Irving from entering the country. Previously he was deported from Canada. Usually, British citizens do not need visas to enter N.Z., but special rules apply where criminal conviction and/or deportations from other countries.

The designer of the Freedom Tower, to be built on the site of the World trade Center in N.Y., is Daniel Libeskind, a Polish Jew and Holocaust survivor. Libeskind expressed the joy of rebuilding ground zero. He said the building of the Freedom Tower would be a cultural response to terrorism. It’s about the reaffirmation of life.
   “Walk around Zion and encircle her, count her towers, mark her ramparts in your hearts, raise up her palaces, that you may tell the following generations” (Psalm 48:13). The heart of Jerusalem lies within the Old City and is encircled by a thick imposing stone wall with seven gates leading inside. The seven gates are: The Jaffa Gate, The New Gate, The Damascus Gate; Herod's Gate, The Lion's Gate, The Golden Gate, The Dung Gate, The Zion Gate. If you counted, you will see that is 8. The Golden Gate is sealed and according to Jewish tradition the Messiah will enter Jerusalem through this gate, which has two doorways. Number seven in Jewish tradition symbolizes things that are higher. Seven gates lead us to present-day Jerusalem, while we await the eighth gate to open in the awaited Messianic era.

An Israeli Defense Source said, “Israel will on no account permit Iranian reactors to go critical.” Russia is expected to deliver the enriching rods, which would enable Iran to extract plutonium that could be used to build nuclear weapons. Iran can produce a quarter ton of plutonium each year if the Bushehr plant is fully functional enough for 20 bombs.

The U.S. House of Representatives, by a vote of 219 to 191, has passed legislation prohibiting the United States from providing financial aid to Saudi Arabia. Federal law prohibits direct financial aid to most of the world's worst terror-sponsoring states like Iran, N. Korea and Syria. But no such prohibition has applied to the Saudis. Not one donor of Saudi funds for terrorists has been publicly punished since 9/11.

Most of the food ingredients sold in the U.S. today are Kosher certified. Of some $500 billion in ingredient items sold by U.S. manufactures, over 70% are kosher certified. A recent Food Expo in Los Vegas attracted 20,000 attendees, and 1,000 exhibiting companies, many seeking kosher certification. Many of the companies were from the Far East including China where hundreds of companies are now kosher certified.

An Israeli company called “ReWalk” has created a product that can restore mobility for paraplegics, quadriplegics and others. The company hopes to bring the product to market within 4 years. The ReWAlk device uses motors and sensors to enable people without ability to move lower limbs to carry out routine functions such as standing, walking and climbing stairs. It is a light wearable brace support suit made of motors at the joints, batteries, sensors and a computer-based control system.

Researchers from the Weizman Institute of Technology have developed a new type of nonotube, which may form the basis for future nonosensors, catalysts and chemistry-on-a-chip systems. They have a distinctive shape. Semi-conductor nanocrystals are tiny particles with dimensions of a few manometers (one millionth of a millimeter).

The Claims Conference has identified more Jewish victims of Nazi medical experiments and sent them compensations. The Conference identified 704 people subjected to 178 different kinds of gruesome medical experiments in more than 30 concentration camps or ghettos, officials said.

Hundreds of Spanish Hidden Jews have discovered their ancestors were Jews from Portugal and Spain and were forced to convert years ago. They are now moving to Israel and being absorbed back to the Jewish people after a modified conversion to Judaism.

The Population of Israel is a revolution of a sort in the birthrate. In 2003, 144,625 babies were born, an increase of 3.4% over 2002. The Arab Israeli birthrate saw no changes. There were 4.96 deaths every 1,000 live births. Infant mortality among Arabs is double that among Jews.

Arab Terrorists imprisoned in Israel went on a hunger strike. 70% of them have Jewish blood on their hands. Among their demands are: (1) removal of glass walls separating them from visitors, (2) phones put in their cells, (3) a computer in every cell, (4) no Valued Added Tax on canteen purchases, (5) air conditioned cells, (6) no body checks. The prison service responded to their demands by removing TV from their cells, canceling visitation and sports activities. Prison officials refuse to give in to any demands that have to do with security. They said, “The jails have become top headquarters for the Palestinian terror organizations.” Prisoners have planned dozens of terrorist attacks with cell phones smuggled in by visitors. 850 have been confiscated over the past year.

Fast food hamburgers are losing their appeal for Israelis. A market research of 500 households revealed 6% say they have stopped eating at fast food outlets altogether following media reports linking hamburger consumption with overweight and other health problems. 13% had stopped eating hamburgers at fast food restaurants. Of the 500 surveyed, 10% with children have cut down on outings to fast food chains, while only 7% of those without children have changed their patterns.

A U.S. Charity, “The Holy Land Foundation” was charged with sending over $12.4 million to Hamas and other groups promoting violence in the Middle East.

RESPONSE: (Simon Wiesenthal World Report)

A new study of German attitudes found much anti-Semitism intertwined with anti-Americanism with 53% of eastern Germans and 37% of western Germans blaming the U.S.A. for much of the conflict in the world. 20% over all believed Jews were to blame for major world conflicts. One-third of Germans under age 30 answered yes when asked if the U.S. government could have ordered the 9/11 attacks and 20% of all Germans in all age groups hold this view.

French officials closed two Paris nursery schools because of their suspected ties to radical Islam. So serious was the situation that France's Chief Rabbi, Joseph Sitruk, urged young Jewish men to wear baseball caps instead of yarmulkes when in public. The President convened a special meeting of the French Cabinet and chaired it himself to remind that France's basic values cannot tolerate Racism or anti-Semitism.

JERUSALEM CENTER FOR BIBLICAL STUDIES AND RESEARCH:

14 of the 15 judges on the World Court of “Justice” (WCJ) have ruled against Israel’s Security Fence and told the UN to take steps to force Israel to remove the fence that has already prevented the murdering and maiming of many Israelis. The WCJ has decided that Israel is guilty of breaking international law. However, no judgment or ruling was made against the individuals or terrorist organizations, including one of Arafat’s own party, that have made the barrier necessary. Sharon has said repeatedly, “No terror, no fence!”

90% of the Security Fence looks like this - not like a “Berlin Wall”, and some Arabs are employed in its construction.

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.” Psalm 122:6