JEWISH VOICE BLOG

March 22, 2019

Despite the economic damage caused by re-imposed US sanctions on its oil sector, Iran has made significant steps toward a threat made in January to switch strategies from defense to offense regarding its long-term goal of destroying Israel. Three recent developments reveal this new strategy: a drone operation, a new missile plant in Syria and deploying an armed flotilla. ‘Way to Jerusalem’ Drone Operation Last week, Iran’s Defense Ministry announced it had successfully completed a drone...

March 19, 2019

Disguised as a non-partisan rebuke against bigotry, last week’s vote in the US House of Representatives for HR183 hoisted anti-Semitism to a new level. Only 23 lawmakers – all Republicans – voted against a resolution originally intended to reprimand Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) for remarks she made at a town hall. She had insinuated that American Jewish people have allegiance to Israel rather than the US. Jewish member Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-NY), who previously sparred with Omar over anti-Sem...

March 18, 2019

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences recently handed out its yearly awards, or “Oscars” as they’ve come to be known. Above all, they are intended to celebrate compelling stories, intriguing characters and fabulous settings. History is often more fascinating than fiction, and the Bible is no exception. The Purim (PURR-ihm) story, found in the book of Esther, sounds like it comes right out of Hollywood. In fact, the story of Esther has been told in movies on both big and small scree...

March 14, 2019

Purim is one of the most festive Jewish holidays. It includes rejoicing, costume parties, reenactments, giving to charity, and sharing food gifts with friends. But other than the festivities, what does Purim hold for us today, removed as we are from the ancient times when the story took place? What kernels of spiritual nourishment can we glean from this holiday? First, let’s refresh our memories with the story. The Purim account In the 5th century B.C.E., the Jewish people were under ...

March 13, 2019

It broke our hearts when we arrived in Masvingo, Zimbabwe, for the first time and found so many in line for treatment. They’d spent the night there, sleeping on the cold hard ground, waiting for us. We saw so much poverty and sickness at that Clinic that we can only imagine what we might encounter now given Zimbabwe’s current turmoil. May this next Medical Outreach bring hope, life, and health – both physically and spiritually – to each one the Lord brings our way. At that time, we saw much p...

March 13, 2019

Hani isn’t her real name, but her experience is real. She was just 17 years old. Our hearts were broken, because there wasn’t a thing we could do for her medically. But we did the one thing we can always do -- we prayed that God would heal her. Hani and her father prayed a simple prayer too, placing their faith in Yeshua (Jesus) as Messiah. We weren’t sure we would ever see them again. That was troubling. The seizures were taking a toll on Hani. They came at the worst possible times. Each ...

March 13, 2019

If you’ve watched news coverage from last week’s US-North Korea summit in Vietnam, you may have concluded that President Trump failed to meet his objectives. A closer look suggests an unmistakable message the president sent to Iran – and how it benefits Israel. “It could put more pressure on Iran,” wrote Yonah Jeremy Bob, the intelligence, terrorism and legal analyst for The Jerusalem Post. “Many thought, going into the summit, that Trump was so desperate for a deal that he would sign almost...

March 13, 2019

‘Other anti-Semites should take note.’ The alarming swell of anti-Semitism and Holocaust denial in Europe received a blow this month when the British Crown Court reached a landmark decision to uphold the conviction of Alison Chabloz. Chabloz was convicted last May of violating Britain’s Communications Act of 2003. The law stipulates that it is a criminal offense to send a message on a public network “that is grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character.” A singe...

February 25, 2019

Messianic Judaism infuses Judaism with New Covenant faith in Yeshua (Jesus). Messianic Jews have placed their faith in Yeshua as God’s promised Messiah and continue to observe the celebrations, traditions and culture of their Jewish heritage. If you’re new to Messianic Judaism, you may be unfamiliar with some of the terms commonly used among Messianic Jews. The holidays, in particular, include many customs and Hebrew words you may not recognize. To help you, we’ve created this glossary of som...

February 22, 2019

Netanyahu and Arab leaders agree confronting Iran is key to Middle East peace Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with representatives of more than 60 countries last week at a summit co-sponsored by the U.S. and Poland. It was the first time an Israeli leader and senior Arab officials attended an international gathering centered on the Middle East since the 1991 Madrid peace conference, reported The Times of Israel. Speaking to reporters in Warsaw, Netanyahu called the meetings...