Month: May 2024

Is there a chance for peace between Jews and Arabs in Israel? Can Jews and Arabs can live together in Israel?

This past Sunday, around the world people celebrated Mother’s Day (in Israel we do that on February). In Israel, however, the day was dedicated to the memory of victims of terror and wars throughout our modern history. And as the day comes to an end, within a fraction of a second, we shift from mourning into joy and celebrate the 76 years of modern sovereignty.

In Isa. 66 God promises (v. 13) that He will comfort His children as a mother comforts her child. And that we can be comforted in / through Jerusalem.

How can Jerusalem comfort anybody – especially now, especially these days – as she is mourning over so many new graves of her own? How can mothers, fathers, anyone rejoice with Jerusalem and be glad for her, even rejoice greatly with her, while she mourns? (v. 10).

This is the essence of Orna’s teaching in this video. The key is found in v. 11. If anyone seeks nurturing, comfort, satisfaction, delight, abundance, there is a specific place God is pointing towards today. There is a nurturing bosom, and His eyes are so fixed on it.

As Israeli troops enter Rafah and the failed attempts to reach an agreement with Hamas on releasing the remaining hostages, this is the cry of my heart –

Arise, State of Israel, and shine! (Is. 60:1).

I ask myself how can we, in the midst of such darkness and uncertainty, rise and shine?

“For in My wrath I struck you, but in My favor I have had mercy on you”, God clarifies later in the chapter (v. 10).

Yes, in His wrath and anger over our sinfulness as a nation He struck us, but just the same He has abundance of mercy upon us.

The Hebrew says: “It is in My desire, My will, that I have mercy upon you”. So Father, the God of Israel, it is to Your will that I turn now and plead: have mercy, Lord, please have mercy! Bring our sons and daughters back from near and afar (v. 4), and make our hearts swell with joy.