Dear Friends:
We hope that your Passover celebration was as
eventful and joyful as ours. The matzah has been eaten
and leaven has again returned to our diet. Challah, the
braided bread for the Sabbath, has again made its
appearance at our Sabbath table. Still in the midst of
the spring festivals, which culminate with Shavuot, we
thought it might be nice to share some ideas with you
about important days in the near future.
Israel Independence Day
Wednesday, May 7, marks the anniversary of Israel
Independence Day, Yom HaAtzmaut. In fact, this time
of year also brings to remembrance the victims of the
Holocaust and the remembrance of those fallen in
Israeli wars. While we may all rejoice in the
establishment of Israel as a nation, we can never
forget the terrible price paid for Israeli freedom. Israelis,
just like Americans, want a life free from terrorism and
the right to pray in their holy places. In many ways,
they are still denied this freedom. While the country
flourishes, the threat of terrorism is always present,
and many holy places, including the Temple Mount, still
cannot be visited by Jews, Christians, or Israelis.
The latest terrorists strikes in Israel reveal that the
Palestinians continue with their modus operandi:
targeting innocent young Israeli lives instead of armed
soldiers or Americans. Indeed, these terrorists realize
that if they attacked American tourists, they would
lose all sympathy they continually elicit. The tragic
reality is that tourists are safer in Israel than Israeli
citizens. While the new Palestinian Prime Minister seems
to be against terrorist strikes, there is no doubt that
Arafat remains somewhat in control and has hand-
picked the new cabinet. Also worthy of note, Abu
Mazen, the newly appointed Palestinian Prime Minister,
has written that the Holocaust never happened and is a
fabrication of the Jews. It will be interesting to see just
how much Palestinian politics change.
This time of year is important to remember the terrible
hardships placed upon the Jewish people, but also a
time to celebrate the rebirth of Israel as a nation. Many
countries incorporate symbolism into their state flag.
Even in the United States the stars and stripes
symbolize various aspects of our history. The Israeli
flag, however, symbolizes not only a historical
reference, but a religious one as well. The white flag
with two blue stripes is a replica of a Tallit, the prayer
shawl worn by Jewish men for morning prayers,
festivals, and weddings. We are reminded of the Tallit
in the commandment that the children of Israel should
wear garments of four corners with a cord of blue.
Likewise, the state emblem of Israel is a seven-branch
menorah, reminiscent of the golden menorah of the
Temple. How impressive that a nation would choose
such obvious religious artifacts as insignia for statehood!
This would be an excellent opportunity to learn more
about the birth, or rebirth, of Israel. In the past we
have listed several books, and would be happy to pass
these ideas on again upon request. Perhaps a movie
night with the family would be a wonderful way of
educating children and adults alike about the recent
history of the Jewish people. Below are a few ideas
that hopefully can be enjoyed by audiences of varied
ages.
Exodus, the book, by Leon Uris chronicles the lives of
several fictitious characters through real events. Most
of the characters were inspired by actual historical
figures. The book is very moving and well developed.
Exodus, the movie, starring Paul Newman and Eva Marie
Saint follows the same basic story with wonderful
scenery. The movie is very good, but the book is much
better.
Cast a Giant Shadow, movie starring Kirk Douglas and
Angie Dickinson. The story is based on actual events,
but names have been changed. This is a great
opportunity to see John Wayne in a small but important
role as he mispronounces the Hebrew toast, “L’Chaim,”
to life!
The Secret War Against the Jews, book by John Loftus
and Mark Aarons is the research of spying and
espionage by Israel’s enemies and allies alike. This book
is for die-hards only, as it is lengthy and hard to digest.
It is not that the grammar or vocabulary is so difficult,
it is that the material is so compelling in destroying any
sense of fair play among nations we respect, including
our own!
If reading a book or watching a movie is not really
practical, then try an Israeli dinner night featuring
Israeli foods such as falafel, pita and hummus, Israeli
salads, etc. Episode #05 of the Mishpachah television
series featured Israel Independence Day with several
ideas for family: making paper flags, recipes for falafel,
and more.
All Mishpachah programs are on video tape (4 programs
per video) and are available on our web site,
www.hatikva.org, or by calling our office (409)
72407601.
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Shavuot Approaches | |||
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Just around the corner, in early June, we celebrate the |
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There are several prevalent themes of Shavuot: the
anniversary of the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai,
the betrothal of Israel, the establishment of the
children of Israel as a nation, the agricultural aspects
of the festival, and the great pilgrimage and feast in
the Temple.
Pentecost, the New Testament reference, is actually
another name for Shavuot, remembering the five books
of the Torah. Whereas Christians have mistakenly
referred to Pentecost as the birthday of the church,
the reality is that the celebrations were representative
of the time at Mount Sinai when the children of
Israel ‘saw’ the voices of G-d.
Each year citizens of each community would gather the
first-fruits of their harvest and decorate lavish baskets
to carry to Jerusalem in a pilgrimage. The seven fruits
of Israel associated with the festival of Shavuot are
grapes, figs, dates, pomegranates, olives, barley, and
wheat. The book of Ruth is read during the season of
Shavuot for several reasons: the message of betrothal
and the harvest theme chief among them.
Since the Temple no longer stands in Jerusalem, the
agricultural aspects of the festival are no longer
observed. Today an emphasis is placed on study,
remembering again the giving of the Torah at Mount
Sinai. It is a common practice to decorate sweets and
cookies in the shapes of Hebrew letters to give to
children, causing them to associate sweetness with the
word of G-d.
Several Mishpachah television programs were devoted
to the festival of Shavuot. Several ideas are
represented including recipes, craft ideas, songs, and
teaching on the festival. The Mishpachah programs
specifically on Shavuot are # 06, 07, 57, 58, and 59.
Check our web site, www.hatikva.org, for order
information or call our office (409) 724-7601for details.
We are also offering special prices on the
following
study items:
Mishpachah 2 & 15 (containing Shavuot
information)
Paul and the Torah
Also, please note that we are closing out some
tape sets at great savings:
The Exodus Past, Present and Future
Selected Teachings 3 –
The Calendar and Prophets of Return
Please visit our on-line store by clicking here
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In Closing | |||
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Our next email will provide a little more detailed |
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Shalom,
Debbie Good
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| May 7, 2003 |
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