Haifa Group

The Galilee Branch has a twig and we call it the Haifa Group.  When we arrived in Israel, Merrill and Nanette Beckstead had been nurturing some Filipina sisters they came across while Merrill was working at the Technion.  Merrill is a rocket scientist—really, he is.  Nanette is a master at nurturing all she comes in contact with.  They had so much fun being in Israel, they wondered if it would be possible to be there as service volunteers.  They found a way and ultimately spent two years in Haifa nurturing this small group of Filipina sisters and one lone brother who later moved to Tel Aviv.  The Beckstead’s completed their work in November 2010 and since then we have been nurturing the Haifa Group.  We look forward to it every week, even though our Sabbath day begins at 7 am and ends at 10 pm.  We welcome the Galilee Branch in Tiberias at 9:30 am.  Melanie teaches a Spanish/English session for 10 minutes before church meetings start. (Half of our Branch is Spanish).  She is trying to learn Spanish and they are learning English.  We have a regular 3-hour block of church meetings, then a snack time before they board the van home to Nazareth.  We grab a sandwich and lie down to rest for about 45 minutes.  Yes! We actually lie down and rest because then we get up and drive an hour to Haifa to pick up the Filipinas and have 90 minutes of meetings, then deliver them to their employers and drive on back to Tiberias.  Sometimes we think we are too old to do this, but we are being blessed and look forward to their excitement about being together and sharing ideas about the gospel.

The Filipinas we know are LDS and are mothers who have come to Israel as full-time caregivers to elderly Israeli’s some of whom are Holocaust survivors.   The economic situation in the Phillipines is very dire and to educate their children and give them a better life, the mothers choose to come for 5 years.  They earn money that they send back to their families in the Phillipines.  It is our understanding that they are to be allowed 1 day off a week, however, we never see them get that on a regular basis.  They are at the beck and call of elderly people who are sometimes very frightened of being alone and who don’t like new caregivers who serve as relievers for the regular caregivers.  The Filipina sisters long to have the influence of the church in their lives as they have been very active in their native lands so it has been wonderful to see them enjoy preparing lessons and saying prayers.  In the past they were too shy to participate, but are now in full swing of teaching and learning.  Especially sweet is how grateful they are about partaking of the Sacrament.  Another of their favorite things is talking to their family over SKYPE.  There are usually challenges with that, however, like computers that don’t work or too weak a band-width to receive, or not enough money to pay for a internet service.  As they speak of their difficulties with daily challenges of meeting the needs of their employers, their concern about their families in their absence, the little money that they get which might be going to where they want it to, it wrenches our hearts to know of the huge sacrifices they are making.

However, we are all taking joy in our being together.  We have a wonderful spot to meet.  It is a conference room in the Old Colony Hotel in the Germantown part of Haifa.  It has been converted from an old meat locker in the basement of the building.  Sounds funny, but it is very comfortable.  And history repeats itself.  It is right in front of the original building that was a mission home in the 1880’s.  More about that another time.

Goodwins Came to Visit

My January blues of missing all of you have been broken up by the visit of our friends, Bob and Linda Goodwin.  We worked together at BYU Hawaii in the early 70’s and have been in contact through the years even though they stayed in Hawaii and we moved around here and there.  It has really been a boon to have them come.

It took them a lot to get here.  Twelve years ago Bob and Linda prepared a special place in their home for Linda’s Mom and Dad to stay with them.   Her Dad died about 6 years ago and her Mom has needed daily attention since then.  Bob and Linda have stayed pretty close to home since then.   Bob wrote to us saying Linda was in need of a break this Christmas season.  We, of course, invited them to come and see us.  They began planning to come in early January.  They had arranged for Linda’s Mom to stay in a care center while they were away.  On the day they were to take her in, she passed away.  There is a lot more to the story, but ultimately they were able to be postpone the trip so they could come after the funeral.  They had the most horrible flight experience we ever heard--eleven hour delay for numerous reasons and we were waiting at airport for them.  They were pretty shaken up by the time we connected with them.

Bob and Linda built a home in Hawaii in the 70’s when it was unheard of because of the high cost of land and materials.  They said they built it on faith and prayer.  Later, Bob went on to help, to some extent, each of their children remodel a home or build one for their families.  Woodworking has been a really big part of his life.  He has made some beautiful furniture for their own home that are exquisite.  Consequently, he wanted to check out some woodworking here in Israel.  One of our adventures was to take him to a shop where he could select some wood to take home.

Our next woodworking adventure was to take them to a carver of olive wood.  It was late in the day and I wondered if the shops would be open.  We headed for Omar’s.  As we turned the corner we could see that the shop was closed.  When we were about to turn around and go back, we hear a voice saying.  “ Welcome, my friends, welcome.” Omar was coming up the street with open arms.  He opened his shop and proceeded to show his work.   This is Omar.

Linda was looking for a three-figure piece of the Holy Family to take home.  She looked in other stores but hadn’t found what she wanted.  Well, Omar seeing a very discerning lady pulled out this masterpiece and said,  “This is the first one I have ever done of this type.  It took me 2000 hours.  I’ve worked on this for a year.  My next one will take less time because now I know what I want.” He showed us the different grains in the wood and how he had worked into it their clothing.  Bob immediately wanted to buy it for Linda, but Linda wasn’t quite ready to commit.  Omar ordered some schwarma for us and he told us the story of his conversion to the church, the threats on his life and his need to save his life by forsaking the church.  And yet he is constantly carving the figures that speak of the restoration.  Ultimately, the Goodwins purchased the sculpture and 6 other small nativities for their children.

We then headed home ….Linda cooked us a chicken curry meal using the mix that she bought in Provo and brought with her.  

What a great way to end a day; we all play and she cooks!

Ancient Roman Pool Uncovered in Jerusalem

AP – A worker of the Israel Antiquities Authority works at an excavation site in Jerusalem's Old City, Monday, …

By DANIEL ESTRIN, Associated Press Daniel Estrin, Associated Press – 2 hrs 48 mins ago

JERUSALEM – While excavating the site for a planned new ritual bath for Jews in Jerusalem, Israeli archaeologists uncovered a pool belonging to the Roman legion that sacked the city nearly 2,000 years ago. The discovery announced Monday sheds a rare light on the city the Romans built after destroying the second Jewish Temple in 70 A.D. and expelling the Jews from Jerusalem following their revolt. Ofer Sion, the director of the excavation in the Jewish quarter of Jerusalem's Old City, said the site helps prove that the Roman city was larger than previously thought.

"It is very important because in all the excavations in the Jewish quarter (we have) never found a building from the 2nd and 3rd century," he said Monday. History-rich Jerusalem is one of the most excavated cities in the world, and archaeologists are routinely deployed to examine sites ahead of any planned

construction projects.

The archaeologists found steps leading to the pool's white mosaic floor and hundreds of terra cotta roof tiles stamped with the name of the Roman unit — the famed Tenth Legion — that built the pool. Sion suggested the site was part of a larger complex where thousands of soldiers once bathed. After the city was sacked and the Jewish kingdom overthrown, the Romans founded the city of Aelia Capitolina as capital of the new province of Syria-Palestina.

Later, when the Jordanians ruled in Jerusalem's Old City from 1948-1967, a sewing factory was built on the same site, Sion said.When the archaeologists complete their dig, the Jerusalem city council will continue their plans to build a mikveh, a Jewish ritual bath, Israeli authorities said. Some religious Jews routinely use the bath for ritual purification.

Israel's Antiquities Authority said that the remains of the ancient Roman bathhouse would be integrated into the design of the new ritual bath.

Archaeology and politics often go hand in hand in Jerusalem, and especially in areas surrounding the Old City and its many layers of history that are enmeshed in a web of competing claims. Rafi Greenberg, an archaeologist from Tel Aviv University, said Israeli authorities often focus on findings from Jerusalem's Jewish past at the expense of historical remnants from other eras."Every modern building in the Old City is built above an ancient building," Greenberg said. "The question is if religious authorities are tolerant enough to accept alternative histories."

Yom Kippur

Today begins the celebration of Yom Kippur in Israel.  It is also the first day in six months where we have seen ANY clouds!  I am sure the two are related.  More about that later.  Below is a summary of Yom Kippur..

How is Yom Kippur Observed?

An Overview of Yom Kippur's Traditions and Customs

http://www.chabad.org/holidays/JewishNewYear/

Yom Kippur commemorates the day that G‑d forgave the Jewish people for the sin of the Golden Calf. Forty days after hearing G‑d say at Mount Sinai: "You shall not have the gods of others in My presence; you shall not make for yourself a graven image," the Jews committed the cardinal sin of idolatry. Moses spent nearly three months on top of the mountain pleading with G‑d for forgiveness, and on the tenth of Tishrei it was finally granted: "I have pardoned, as you have requested."

From that moment on, this date, henceforth known as the Day of Atonement, is annually observed as a commemoration of our special relationship with G‑d, a relationship that is strong enough to survive any rocky bumps it might encounter. This is a day when we connect with the very essence of our being, which remains faithful to G‑d regardless of our outward behavior.

And while it is the most solemn day of the year, we are also joyful, confident that G‑d will forgive our sins and seal our verdict for a year of life, health, and happiness.

For nearly twenty-six hours – from several minutes before sunset on Tishrei 9 until after nightfall on Tishrei 10 – we "afflict our souls": we abstain from food and drink, do not wash or anoint our bodies, do not wear leather footwear, and abstain from spousal intimacy. We are likened to the angels, who have no physical needs. Instead of focusing on the physical, we spend much of our day in the synagogue, engaged in repentance and prayer.

Preparations

On the day before Yom Kippur, the primary mitzvah is to eat and drink in abundance. Two festive meals are eaten, one earlier in the day, and one just prior to the onset of Yom Kippur. Some of the day's other observances include requesting and receiving honey cake, in acknowledgement that we are all recipients in G‑d's world and in prayerful hope for a sweet year; begging forgiveness from anyone whom we may have wronged during the past year; giving extra charity; and the ceremonial blessing of the children.

Before sunset, women and girls light holiday candles, and everyone makes their way to the synagogue for the Kol Nidrei services.

On Yom Kippur

In the course of Yom Kippur we will hold five prayer services: 1) Maariv, with its solemn Kol Nidrei service, on the eve of Yom Kippur; 2) Shacharit—the morning prayer; 3) Musaf, which includes a detailed account of the Yom Kippur Temple service; 4) Minchah, which includes the reading of the Book of Jonah.

Finally, in the waning hours of the day, we reach the climax of the day: the fifth prayer, the Neilah ("locking") prayer. The gates of Heaven, which were open all day, will now be closed—with us on the inside. During this prayer we have the ability to access the most essential level of our soul. The Holy Ark remains open throughout. The closing Neilah service climaxes in the resounding cries of "Hear O Israel... G‑d is one." Then joy erupts in song and dance (a Chabad custom is to sing the lively "Napoleon's March"), followed by a single blast of the shofar, and the proclamation, "Next year in Jerusalem."

After the fast we partake of a festive after-fast meal, making the evening after Yom Kippur a Yom Tov (festival) in its own right. We immediately begin to look forward to the next holiday and its special mitzvah: the construction of the sukkah.

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Much more to think about here….

It is New Years Here in Israel Sept 8 and 9, 2010

It is also my brother Chris's birthday.  My thoughts are with him and my thoughts are with our goodly neighbors who are celebrating Rosh Hashanah.  Each year Rosh Hashanah is celebrated on a different date.  But it is a very special time for Jewish people.  Below is an article about the holiday I got off the internet.  After the article is a link I found today by searching for answers to questions about prayer.  Truman Madsen gives an audio talk about prayer.   Can you see a correlation between the article and the audio talk?

The two-day festival of Rosh Hashanah is observed on the 1^st and 2^nd days of Tishrei.

In Hebrew, Rosh Hashanah means, literally, "Head of the Year," and as its name indicates, it is the beginning of the Jewish year. The anniversary of the creation of Adam and Eve, it is the birthday of mankind, highlighting the special relationship between G‑d and humanity.

The primary theme of the day is our acceptance of G‑d as our King

The primary theme of the day is our acceptance of G‑d as our King. The Kabbalists teach that the renewal of G‑d's desire for the world, and thus the continued existence of the universe, is dependent upon this. We accept G‑d as our King, and G‑d is aroused, once again, with the desire to continue creating the world for one more year.

Much of the day is spent in synagogue. G‑d not only desires to have a world with people, G‑d wants an intimate relationship with each one of us. In addition to the collective aspects of Rosh Hashanah worship, each man and woman personally asks G‑d to accept the coronation, thus creating the bond of "We are Your people and You are our King."

The central observance of Rosh Hashanah is the sounding of the shofar, the ram's horn. The shofar is sounded on both days of Rosh Hashanah (unless the first day of the holiday falls on Shabbat, in which case we only sound the shofar on the second day). The sounding of the shofar represents, among other things, the trumpet blast of a people's coronation of their king. The cry of the shofar is also a call to repentance; for Rosh Hashanah is also the anniversary of man's first sin and his repentance thereof, and serves as the first of the "Ten Days of Repentance" which will culminate in Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Altogether, we listen to 100 shofar blasts over the course of the Rosh Hashanah service. Click here for more about the shofar.

Additional Rosh Hashanah observances include:

We eat a piece of apple dipped in honey to symbolize our desire for a sweet year, as well as many other special foods. All have special significance and symbolize sweetness, blessings, and abundance. Click here for more about the special Rosh Hashanah foods.

We bless one another with the words Leshanah tovah tikateiv veteichateim, "May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year."

We leave our old shortcomings behind us, thus starting the new year with a clean slate

We go to a lake, river or to the sea and recite the Tashlich prayers, where we symbolically cast our sins into the water, in evocation of the verse, "And You shall cast their sins into the depths of the sea." We leave our old shortcomings behind us, thus starting the new year with a clean slate. Click here for more about Tashlich.

And as with every major Jewish holiday, women and girls light candles on each evening of Rosh Hashanah and recite the appropriate blessings. (Click here for candle-lighting times for your location.) After the prayers each night and morning, we recite Kiddush on wine, make a blessing over the challah, and enjoy a festive repast.

This is the link to the audio talk by Madsen:
http://www.trumanmadsen.com/media/Madsen_Truman_1983.mp3

MORMON.ORG

Have you seen this?  My friend sent this and it is wonderful critique of Mormon.org.

Subject: 5 Things We Can Learn From the Mormons - An Article You Should Read

This article is an interesting read. It's written by an evangelical critiquing the new Mormon.org. He states,  "Over the weekend, I stumbled upon the new Mormon missionary site, Mormon.org. I was blown away....As pastors, you should familiarize yourself with this new site. It’s important to know how the Mormon Church is talking about themselves. And it’s important to understand how they do it so well. If you’re a communication director or pastor in ministry, there is much to learn from the Mormons—pragmatically. In many ways they are beating us at the communication and evangelism game."

http://www.thejakers.com/church/church-marketing/5-things-we-can-learn-from-the-mormons

PART 3 GALILEE BRANCH

It is a great gathering for the Sabbath meeting. The

Jackson’s from the District Leadership are the speakers and

speak about becoming a Zion people which is our theme for

the conference: Moses 7:18 And the Lord called his people

Zion, because they were of one heart and one mind, and

dwelt in righteousness. After which we have a great meal

made extra special because each member sits next to a

member they don’t know and gathers information so they

can introduce them to the rest of the branch.The sisters will

now be that person’s visiting teacher.

Then the Friday group heads back to their homes and the Haifa Group sleeps over and then next day we take them all to see the historical sites and repeat the process of seeing and learning about the scriptures, the Savior, and this Holy Land.