Bible Basic Ezra Ezra was a Jewish priest and scribe who led a group of returnees to the Land of Israel following the construction of the second Temple. After the Babylonian exile, when Cyrus decreed that the Jews may go back to Jerusalem and rebuild the Temple, Ezra led a group of Jews back to the land and reinforced the laws of the Torah. He became the primary leader of the Jewish community in Israel, combating assimilation, promoting Jewish education and re-establishing a proper system of justice. Read More
Post Apathy or Action? And in a world where antisemitism is alarmingly on the rise and the very existence of Israel is challenged, demonstrating our support for Israel like they did at the time… Read More
Post Be a Cyrus! Jews and Christians alike must stand firm in support of Israel, championing the values of truth and justice found in the Bible…. Read More
Post Beyond Freedom When God saves us from our sufferings and bondage to human masters, He does so not so that we may live lives of our own choosing. God saves us to… Read More
Page Roots of Modern Israel Hebrew Roots Return of the Exiles The return of the Jewish people to the land of Israel after two thousand years of exile is one of the great miracles of… Read More
Post Tevet: A Month of Reflection, Remembrance, and Resilience The month of Tevet is rich with historical and religious significance. The tenth month in the Hebrew calendar counting from Nisan, Tevet‘s name, like the names of the other Hebrew… Read More
Holiday Sigd Celebrated by the Ethiopian Jewish community, Sigd marks the 50th day after Yom Kippur and marks the renewal of the covenant between the Jewish people, God and the Torah, beginning with a fast and ending with celebration. The festival takes place on the 29th of Cheshvan, 50 days after Yom Kippur (10th of Tishrei). According to the Ethiopian tradition, ultimate divine forgiveness requires more than individual repentance on Yom Kippur. Consequently, a period of 50 Days, similar to the time period between Pesach and Shavuot, is required for the community to come together for communal introspection and atonement. The culmination of the 50 days is the festival of Sigd. Rabbi Dr. Sharon (Zewde) Shalom, a Rabbi of the Ethiopian community in Israel, suggested 5 underlying reasons behind the institution and perpetuation of the festival. Commemoration of Matan Torah (God’s revelation of the Torah), and strengthening the community’s commitment to its study and practice. Renewal of the covenant with God, in a similar fashion to the renewal experienced in the days of Ezra (Nehemiah 8 – 10). Encouraging the community to preserve their Jewish identity, and to remain steadfast in their observance of the Mitzvot (commandments), notwithstanding the difficulties involved, and despite their traditional isolation from other Jewish communities. A day of fasting, repentance, and supplication to God, for heavenly salvation. Promoting unity and connection among members of the community. Read More
Post The Answer to our Prayers These are trying times. As we await our soldiers’ inevitable invasion of Gaza, we are all on edge. We know that the current lull in rocket attacks is merely the… Read More
Page Biblical Insights The Hebrew Bible is commonly known as the Tanakh which stands for Torah (the Five Books of Moses), Neviim (the Prophets) and Ketuvim (the Writings). The Israel Bible consists of… Read More