JEWISH VOICE BLOG

June 04, 2020

Long ago, if you asked a Jewish mystic about tikkun olam, he might tell you stories – beautiful stories of an inverted tree, suspended between heaven and earth, its roots drawing God’s goodness like sap that flows through the trunk and into the branches that stretch into our world. He might tell you a story of vessels so full of divine light that they burst and spread sparks across the earth. The mystic might say that it is up to each of us to repair the world (tikkun olam) by gathering these sp...

June 04, 2020

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” Acts 1:8 (NIV) Last week was Shavuot/Pentecost – a time of celebration and a time to reflect on our faith. At the same time, we continue to deal with the pandemic and other tragic events that are headlining the news. We need an outpouring of the Holy Spirit across Israel, the United States and our world. So many are hurti...

May 31, 2020

For the past nine weeks, as the coronavirus upended the world with fear, stay-at-home mandates, financial loss and isolation, we’ve turned to Scripture for the hope we each need to endure rough times. The world is opening back up at last after the global pandemic. People are emerging to resume life, perhaps somewhat timidly, and wondering how we will fare as things work their way back to “normal” – whatever that will look like now. We still need God’s hope – every day. Some common themes ran ...

May 29, 2020

Shavuot celebrates the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai. It was fifty days after God had delivered the Israelites from slavery to Egypt, calling them out to be a nation of His own. When He gave them His Law, He drew them deeper still into relationship with Him. The people of Israel received His Word and committed to following Him. As we receive God’s Word, we receive Him. Scripture tells us that the Word of God is alive and active (Hebrews 4:12) and is infused with His Spirit (2 Timothy 3:1...

May 28, 2020

Shavuot marks the end of a season of anticipation. It is a harvest festival and one of three pilgrimage feasts of the Jewish year. For such holidays, each physically able, adult Jewish male was to travel to Jerusalem to present his offering. In the case of Shavuot, he offered the first of his barley harvest. Jewish tradition teaches that God gave the Torah (the Law) to His people at Mount Sinai on the date of Shavuot. The Israelites had been freed from 400 years of slavery as a people. They t...

May 27, 2020

This is an urgent call to prayer for an amazing event, coming up immediately! This year, we experienced a Passover like never before. The whole world was behind closed doors, praying for protection from a “plague.” As a result, Believers have been connecting globally through technology to worship, pray, seek the Lord and declare the Lord’s blessing over their cities and nations. But what’s next? The Lord spoke to Rabbi Jonathan Bernis regarding Shavuot and Pentecost’s significance, w...

May 26, 2020

Jonathan Bernis and Jewish Voice Ministries International are so grateful for all our Christian brothers and sisters who have supported our mission and stood by Israel throughout the years. In keeping with our vision, we ask that you join us in prayer for our friends at GOD TV and Shelanu TV during this season. Ward Simpson, CEO of GOD TV, is a dear friend to our ministry and a man after God’s heart in all he does. As GOD TV launched, Shelanu TV, the first Hebrew speaking network in Israel to...

May 25, 2020

Who remains among you who saw this House in its former glory? So how do you see it now? Does it not seem as nothing in comparison in your eyes? …The treasures of all the nations will come, and I will fill this House with glory, says Adonai-Tzva'ot…The glory of this latter House will be greater than the former," says Adonai-Tzva'ot." —Haggai 2:3, 7,9 Life in Jerusalem was being rebuilt after disaster. Expectations were high. In short order, the altar was built and sacrifices began. It w...

May 25, 2020

"For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Torah of Adonai (the Law of the Lord) and to do it, and to teach its statutes and ordinances in Israel" (Ezra 7:10). Ezra prepared His heart to seek God's Word, to do it and to teach it. Notice what this Scripture doesn't say. It doesn't say: "Ezra prepared his heart to be the leader of a great revival." Or, "Ezra prepared his heart to be well-known and respected enough for kings and people in places of authority to know and call on him for great a...

May 25, 2020

“Therefore tell them, thus says Adonai-Tzva'ot, 'Return to Me' – it is a declaration of Adonai-Tzva'ot – 'and I will return to you,' says Adonai-Tzva'ot.” —Zechariah 1:3 The prophets had spoken to the Jewish people of Judah and now as exiles in Babylon: Return to Jerusalem! Check Rebuild the Temple! Check Return to the Lord! Check Things are looking good for the Jewish people of the 5th and 6th centuries. Better than they've looked in a long time. Yet by the time we r...