Silent Nights for Christians in Bethlehem
As an Orthodox Israeli Jew, I believe we have a special obligation to work together as Jews and Christians, to protect the status of Christians persecuted by Moslems, in Bethlehem of all places.
Lightning Strikes Mosque on Temple Mount
One local man snapped a photograph of a lightning bolt that appears to be hitting the Al-Aksa Mosque on the Temple Mount.
Who is to Blame for Bethlehem’s Strangulation of Christian Life?
As Christmas approaches in Bethlehem each year, fewer and fewer Christian residents take part – not because the tree in Bethlehem’s Manger Square is any less grand than the year before or because less money is allocated towards the festivities – quite the opposite, actually. While the Bethlehem Municipality has invested in marvelous concerts, carols, processions, a midnight mass, tourism and restored pillars in the Church of the Nativity, the fact remains that the Christian population is decreasing each year in the city where Christians believe Jesus was born.
Does the Christian Star of Bethlehem Have Its Roots in Judaism?
As Christmas approaches, stars, one of the symbols of the Christian holiday, appear. What few people realize is that the star, symbolizing an astronomical appearance described in the New Testament, may have its sources in Jewish eschatological literature – i.e. that describing the Messiah’s arrival.
Daily Inspiration: Anniversary of the Death of Rachel the Matriarch
Yaakov did not bury his beloved wife Rachel in the family plot in Chevron, but rather in nearby Beit Lechem.
UNESCO’s War On Israel’s Matriarchs
UNESCO has passed several resolutions attacking the connection between Israel and the Jewish holy sites, but this week, the Executive Board passed two new resolutions aimed specifically at the Biblical matriarchs. One rabbi sees this as a continuation of the Biblical battle between Isaac and Ishmael and a closer look shows how this is nothing less than an after-the-fact attempt to block the Jews’ return from exile.
“Covenant Land, Covenantal Responsibility”
Two rabbis are working hard to help the Christian Arabs of Bethlehem, the oldest Christian community in the world. Their efforts are based on the Torah imperative “to help the stranger in your midst,” or, as one rabbi puts it, “Covenant land requires covenantal responsibility.”
Multi-Million Dollar Building for Visiting Christians Planned Near U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem
The building project, which will likely take three years, is also located exactly in between the Western Wall and Bethlehem, where Jesus was born, according to early Christian traditions.
Christians in Israel Mark Palm Sunday With Prayers and Processionals
‘You grow reading up [Biblical] stories. Being here, where they took place… suddenly the imagination becomes real,’ says Brother Craig Spence from New Orleans.
Israel Starts Clearing Mines From Christian Holy Site
Located 10 kilometers east of Jericho and on the western bank of the River Jordan, Qaser al-Yahud is one of Christianity’s holiest sites.
