23
May

Israeli Exhibit Opens at the Louvre

235K2  The Lod Mosaic. detail (5967) iaaThe first official Israeli exhibit debuts today at the Louvre Museum in Paris – a 1,700-year-old mosaic discovered in Lod, Israel.

The impressive artwork was discovered by the Israel Antiquities Authority during an archaeological excavation in 1996 and fully excavated and removed in 2009. The well-preserved mosaic floor measures about 180 square meters and is composed of colorful stones that depict in exquisite detail mammals, birds, fish, flora and the sailing and merchant vessels that were used at that time.

Archaeologists believe this flooring was part of a villa belonging to a wealthy person in the Roman period.

The Lod mosaic, which has already been shown in five U.S. museums, will be on display from May 23 through August 19 in the Sphinx Courtyard of the Louvre’s Roman wing.

Israel Antiquities Authority director Shaka Dorfman says of the mosaic’s…

   
Posted in: Archaeology / Learn / religion
22
May

Pray for Israel

Next Monday is Memorial Day, when we pause to remember the many people who have made great sacrifices over the years to preserve the rights and freedoms we enjoy in our democratic country. What a great time to pray for our nation, and for one of our greatest national, democratic allies: Israel. May God always have His hand on our leaders, our laws, and our nations.

  • As we prepare to commemorate Memorial Day next Monday, praise God for the men and women who have fought valiantly over the years to protect and defend the U.S., and for the privilege of living in a democratic nation. “Offer the sacrifices of the righteous and trust in the LORD” (Psalm 4:5).
  • Pray for the families who lost loved ones in the terrible storms that hit Oklahoma on Monday, and also pray that the Lord provides strength to everyone working hard to rescue, recover,…
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    Posted in: Pray / Prayer Points / 
21
May

Prayers for Oklahoma Tornado Victims

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In response to the devastating tornado system that ripped through Moore, Oklahoma, yesterday killing at least 51 people and destroying countless neighborhoods, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu sent a letter to President Obama, offering support and condolences:

“On behalf of the government and people of Israel, I offer our heartfelt condolences to you and to the people of the United States on the massive tornado that struck Oklahoma and exacted such a horrific toll in human life. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this tragedy and their families at this difficult time.”

We at 4Zion offer our prayers as well for all those who have lost loved ones and for those who are working hard to rescue, recover, and restore their communities.

For the Lord comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones” (Isaiah 49:13).

Posted in: Pray / 
20
May

My Spiritual All-Nighter

SUNRISE_AT_WESTERN_WALL_For the Shavuot (Pentecost) holiday, which was celebrated worldwide this past Wednesday, I decided to go with my family to Jerusalem. Although we moved away from Jerusalem three years ago to less-populated and nature-oriented northern Israel, my heart still remains in Jerusalem. Prior to each holiday my soul yearns to return to this city that has always been at the center of religious experience.

Fortunately, my father lives in Jerusalem, so my family packed into his tiny apartment to celebrate the giving of the Torah, which Jews remember on Pentecost. I joined my father in the synagogue with my two older kids while my wife and our baby stayed home, where she celebrated on her own, lighting lots of holiday candles and filling the apartment with the light of the Pentecost. After dinner and a short study group with my father, his…

   
Posted in: Ami Farkas / Jewish Holidays / Learn
17
May

Helping a Single Mom Feed Her Children Both Body and Soul

Yael Eckstein:

YemimaYemima, a 35-year-old single mother in the central Israel town of Pardes Chana, is raising her three children on a meager salary of $900 a month. Yemima does not receive any money from the government and is committed to working hard for her income, yet too often she is forced to decide between buying food for Shabbat (Sabbath) or paying the electric bill.

Since she began receiving weekly food packages from 4Zion partner Ohr HaPardes, Yemima’s children have had food to eat every Shabbat without fearing that their electricity will be shut off. “There are not enough words to say thank you,” Yemima says. “To have food and electricity is not a given, and my children and I are blessed with both because of 4Zion.”

Yemima’s parents were from Yemen and raised her on the traditions of their Jewish forefathers. “We never had an…

   
Posted in: Guardians of Israel / Help /