Archive - 2009

Shalom Dear Friends,

FLU EPIDEMIC AT HADAVAR HEADQUARTERS

We are facing a medical crises of significant proportions here in the HaDavar office — CHIARA HAS CONTRACTED A SEVERE CASE OF ISRAEL FLU VIRUS! What is the Israel flu virus? No, it is not the H1N1 swine flu (definitely not kosher). Israel Flu is a insatiable desire to return to the Land of Israel.

What are the symptoms of the Israel Flu? The symptoms are an uncontrollable, glassy-eyed urge to stop work and pitifully moan, "I want to go back!" The Israel flu is also accompanied by a desire to consume falafels, Israeli coffee and mutter what simple Hebrew phrases the victim knows like "boker tov” (good morning).

Shalom Dear Friends,

We are writing this newsletter at the end of October because we will be in Israel for the first two weeks of November. When we return, we will face a mountain of backlog (and jet lag) to work our way through. That means we will have very little time to write an entire newsletter, produce it, and distribute it in November. We thought it would be wise to get as much of ahead start as possible. Please pray that we will efficiently tackle the mountain of backlog we are working through as you read this newsletter!

UCI BOOK TABLE

Shalom Dear Friends,

ISRAEL 2009

As you read this newsletter 14 students and 2 HaDavar staff are thrilled to be walking in the “Footsteps of the Messiah.” Most of the group have never been to Israel before. This means that their Bible study is suddenly turning from “black and white, analog definition, small screen” to “full color, high definition, wide screen” on an hourly basis as they walk where Jesus walked. Please pray for our study tour. Pray that these two weeks will be a life-changing experience, for safety, and for opportunities to witness to the Israelis we come in contact with.

Shalom Dear Friends,

OVERWHELMED!!

We are experiencing a wonderful trial and problem at HaDavar’s School of Biblical and Jewish studies. We are being overwhelmed by the student response to our new classes. 147 students have enrolled in the Book of Daniel. Almost every seat in the morning class is filled, and we are in the overflow area during the evening class. We guessed that it would be a big class, but we had no idea how big! Chiara and Paul and Bob have been really hopping to get the class material ready for everyone. This is the largest class we have ever had. This is a great problem to cope with!

Shalom Friends,

TRAINING MISSIONARIES

At the beginning of his classes Bob takes 15 minutes to make announcements, share news of Israel, and update the class regarding activities of fellow students. At the beginning of a recent class he was teaching, he was suddenly struck by the number of missionaries among the students. In addition to our HaDavar volunteers, we are also training and encouraging missionaries.

Shalom Friends,

THE DEATH OF ISRAEL

Recently I was sent an article entitled “the Death of Israel.” The writer was genuinely and deeply concerned about news concerning Israel he had read in the Jerusalem Post. The Jerusalem Post writer was just as apprehensive that Israel’s life was in danger due to the continuing growth of Iranian nuclear ambitions. However, the good news is that Israel will survive. Iran will not wipe her out with nuclear weapons. A careful reading of Ezekiel 38:12 indicates that Israel will continue to grow into an extremely influential and prosperous nation. So influential and prosperous that the Russian leader and the military coalition he leads will desire to plunder her. A major coalition partner with Russia will be Iran (Persia). In opposition to his greed and might, God will rescue Israel from apparent annihilation. It is Russia and Iran that will be clobbered, not Israel. That is the story of Ezekiel 38-39.