The last month has been full of activity in Israel. The first two weeks held the festival of Passover which commemorates Israel’s exodus out of Egypt more than three thousand years ago. This is one of the holidays that most Jews observe to some degree, even if they are largely traditional or bordering on secular. Passover itself is celebrated with a festive meal in the family home where the entire evening is organized and planned according to a specific, traditional ceremony. Passages from Exodus are read, songs are sung, children ask questions, and the importance of the Exodus event is explained through a written text. The Exodus is very important to the Jewish people, because it was in this event that God made a distinction between His people the Jews and the Egyptians, and He brought Israel out of the house of slavery to be a free people in the Promised Land. Jews today commemorate this event to remind themselves that God freed them from slavery during Passover. As absolutely wonderful as this festival is, it is sad that the Jews have yet to realize the Greater Passover that came some centuries after the Exodus. For it was at Passover time that Jesus of Nazareth hung on a cross to set mankind eternally free from their slavery to sin and death. But the Jews have not yet recognized what Passover is really all about… One year ago during Passover I had the privilege of leading a Messianic Passover Seder service at my church in Washington. So the holiday season brought back many happy memories for me of that wonderful time at church where I exposed the people for the first time to the Passover traditions of the Jews, though with a focus on Jesus the Messiah. Immediately following Passover were 8 days where the Jews are not permitted to eat leavened bread. Instead, they eat matzah (similar to a saltine cracker). This untasty bread is a powerful reminder of the time in Egypt they had before God set them free.
Shortly after Passover came the holidays of Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Memorial Day), Memorial Day (for the fallen soldiers and victims of terrorism), and Independence Day (when Israel declared its independence in May 1948). The latter day did not fall on May 14 this year, because its commemoration follows the Jewish lunar calendar, not the standard solar calendar of the West. The first two days are sobering days, while Independence Day (which takes place the day after Memorial Day) is a day of jubilant and excessive celebration. Each day is marked with a one- or two-minute siren that goes off across the entire country. During the siren’s sounding, the entire Jewish nation comes to a standstill, including traffic on the streets and highways. For a nation so divided in its opinions, even among Jews, it is something fascinating that they can all agree to pause together during the same time. Perhaps obviously, most Arabs/Palestinians in Israel do not celebrate these three days for apparent reasons.
I was on Jaffa Street for Yom HaShoah, and I took a short video. It’s not great quality, but it does show Jewish passersby coming to a standstill during the siren. You will notice, though, a few people who continue to walk by. These are people who for ideological reasons do not commemorate this day, many Palestinians, for instance. I was on Herodion for the second Memorial Day siren. It was fascinating to be in the West Bank (near Bethlehem)—in Palestinian territory—and hear the siren coming from the nearby Jewish settlements. The Palestinian areas kept right on working, but the group I was with came to a stop, at least. One sad thing about Memorial Day was that a stage collapsed during the setup of the official government ceremonies, and a young female soldier was killed. That made the day particularly sad.
Not too much else significant has been happening in Israel lately. There was a powerful sand storm on May 1. I have two photos to show you had much it reduced visibility. The sand blowing off the deserts to the East made my eyes water and filled my mouth with dirt. It was certainly something! The days continue to get warmer and longer here.
Before the sandstorm. Mountains of Jordan visible in distant hazy background
During the sandstorm; nothing visible after a few miles
Personal Update Photos:
Tel Shechem in the middle of modern day Nablus, as seen from Mt. Gerizim
"Solomon's Pools" -- huge reservoirs built by Herod the Great near Bethlehem
I am embarrassed by how long it has been since my last update. I have been really negligent. In the coming months I think I will have more time, so I really do intend to put more effort into this journal and share more things that I have learned with you to help you enjoy this experience that I have been able to take part in.
First, let me just do a quick catch up of some highlights in my life the last few weeks. My autumn semester finally finished! Well, sort of. Classes officially finished, at least. I had my exams this week. Hebrew was on Sunday and Israeli Politics & Society was yesterday. I think I did quite well in both, though I am still waiting for my grades. The Hebrew exam was to finish the Bet (#2) level and move to the Gimel (#3) level. I wrote what I thought was an excellent essay (in Hebrew) on the dangers of television in the home. I enjoyed the exam. It’s nice to be finished with classes. I will have February off from classes, though I have to write two final papers for two classes during this time, so that will keep me somewhat busy. In March I have two other things to prepare for as well: a sermon/lecture/message to college students at the extension campus of my alma matter college with whom I first visited Israel and a two-day guiding tour of the Galilee with a family from the US. I need to prepare for each of these things also during this month. So, it will be a busy month, but an enjoyable one. I also hope to start sightseeing more than I have the past few months, provided the weather cooperates. There has been a little rain lately, and temperatures are definitely cooler, but it’s not too bad.
Yesterday, to celebrate the end of exams, I went with two friends to Ramallah, the “capital” of Palestinian West Bank. It was a really nice experience. This was the fourth time I have visited there this trip. It really is an amazing place. I have never been there during a “regular” afternoon/evening, so it was great to see the city so bustling with people and culture. Shops were open, people were running around living their lives. The center of Ramallah is very metropolized, so there are modern malls, modern stores, restaurants, and most everything you would expect from a modern, developing city. This is where the seat of government of the Palestinian Authority sits, so there are lots of police forces that keep crime down, so it is the major destination for foreigners who want to experience Palestinian culture. Everything is so cheap there! There were tons of stores selling knockoff Nike shoes for $25, and food is very inexpensive. The three of us had a really nice time walking around, eating mini-pizzas (cooked on pita bread), and having a milkshake in Stars & Bucks, the Palestinian coffee rip-off of Starbucks. There weren’t a lot of other white faces around, but it was just a good experience, especially since the two American girls I was with had never been into the West Bank before. It was good for them to see both sides of the Arab-Israeli conflict, at least as much as they could from this vibrant metropolis. I intend to return again soon to see more culture and buy some cheap shoes.
Not too much else has happened in my life lately, except one major thing that I’ll share with you personally through email. You can please pray that I’ll use this next month well in getting the work I have to do finished. Classes will resume in early March.
In the news lately, not too many crazy things have happened. There has been an increase in news media chatter lately about striking Iran, so that is a little concerning. I don’t know what will happen, but I think it will be a MAJOR thing when it does. Please pray for wisdom for the leaders and for protection for the Israeli people. This world needs shalom! One noteworthy thing is the following article, wherein Prime Minister Netanyahu gave a speech in which he said, “In such a region, the only thing that ensures our existence, security and prosperity is our strength.” To some degree he is right, but it made me sad to read this. Israel is trusting in their own strength to protect themselves. Is this not the exact same problem we read that Israel struggled with in Bible times? How many times did God have to teach Israel to rely on HIM for protection, not themselves? Think of the story of Gideon, Jehoshaphat (2 Chron 20), and Hezekiah (2 Kgs 18-19). Is Israel acting any differently today than it did all those years ago? I fear not. They are boasting in their own strength, rather than relying on God. Unfortunately, someday God will have to teach them the lesson of trusting in Him alone again by making them lose. I fear for that day, because I know how awful it will be… Please pray for Israel’s peace…
Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help and rely on horses, who trust in chariots because they are many and in horsemen because they are very strong, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel or consult the LORD! (Isaiah 31:1)
I wish you a Happy New Year, or, as they say in Israel, Happy Sylvester! (The Sylvester name comes from a 4th century pope who is remembered in Catholic tradition on December 31, and the memory of this celebration accompanied European Jews when they came to Israel. See here for more information.)
It’s been an eventful few weeks. As I wrote last time, I had a wonderful Christmas. Now we’re winding down our fall semester which ends the first week of February. That means I have some major exams coming up soon. The entire grade in two of my classes are dependent on this one exam in each class. Interestingly, if you fail the exam the first time, you can actually retake it about a month later. I have the month of February off from school, but I will be busy during it, as I have two papers to write—both part of the fall semester that ends in January (weird, huh!). Classes are still going amazingly well, and I am learning a ton. I’m falling a little behind in Hebrew due to vocabulary, but even that is still going well. Every day is such a joy to be here. January has definitely started off winter. Up until now, we’ve rarely had rain and it’s been relatively mild temperatures. Since Christmas, though, it has steadily gotten colder and wetter. It’s definitely not as cold or wet as the last few years I spent in Washington, so I can’t complain too much. The rain does tend to keep everyone indoors, so it can be convenient to go shopping or around the Old City when it’s a little rainy.
For the last three weeks a former college professor and friend of mine has been in the country leading a tour group from a seminary in southern California. I’ve gotten to spend a bit of time with him and his group, and it was such a privilege. He is an incredible, smart, godly man, and I have learned so much from him over the years. We had a lot of fun around Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Samaria. His group was quite amazing too. There was something so refreshing about being around a group of young, godly Christians for a change. I had forgotten how wonderful Christian fellowship like that is. I was really encouraged by them. I’ll share a little more about this group in the near future...
Many interesting thing have been happening in the news lately. Of course Iran and the US seem to be in a standoff over the important oil passageway of the Strait of Hormuz. An Iranian nuclear scientist was assassinated last week. Within Israel, the last few weeks have been full of tense domestic issues. Some illegal settlements in the West Bank were demolished, and there has been much uproar about that. Some of the more “radical” activists have been charged with monitoring the IDF’s movements to try and thwart their dismantling of illegal settlements. Two Knesset members have also been allegedly linked to providing information to the activists. Another Knesset member was just suspended for a month for throwing a glass of water at one of her parliament colleagues during an argument. Interestingly, several months ago I saw this same woman in person arguing very passionately with a group of liberal activists, so I can vouch for her temper. A prominent Christian leader in Jaffa who tried to build bridges with Muslims and Christians was murdered.
If you didn’t already know it, Israel is the most openly accepting country in the Middle East for gay people. Tel Aviv was just named by one survey as the preferred travel destination in the world for gays. You can make you own judgments about this. One other interesting article dealt with Christians in the Gaza Strip. Usually we associate the Gaza Strip with Hamas terrorists and Muslims, but let’s not forget that we have brothers and sisters there too. Remember to pray for them when you pray for Israel.
I apologize for not being better about sharing things I’m learning in classes. I honestly don’t know where my time goes, but I’ll try to be better about it in the future. You would definitely profit from some of the interesting things I’ve learned. Let me share one quick item. I was watching Israeli TV last night, and an advertisement came on for a cable provider and a tablet computer. You probably won’t understand what they’re saying, but the gist of it is that a few Israelis dressed as Muslim women “secretly” cross into Iran where they meet a Mossad agent, then they accidentally blow up Iran’s nuclear reactor. It’s meant to be funny, but it struck me as interesting for a few reasons: 1) Israelis cope with the constant threat of fear and terrorism and death by resorting to making fun of it; and 2) Israelis, as portrayed in this ad, seem awfully arrogant that they can easily defeat the Iranians. Iran poses an enormous danger to Israel, and their possession of nuclear weapons spells a real, existential threat to the Jewish people, since the leaders of Iran frequently talk about destroying all Israelis. I was just astonished at how lightheartedly the makers of this ad portrayed the situation. I don’t know that I approve of being so flippant over such a real, pressing issue. But, I guess I’m not Israeli. I was also surprised to see advertisers use such current events in their advertising. Secondly, an attack on Iran is an enormous risk to Israel. The complexity of such an attack simply cannot be imagined by you or me. I really fear for Israel in event of an attack. I also have real problems with Israel’s attitude about its military. They put far too much trust in their army. If the Old Testament has taught us one thing, it’s that God wants Israel to depend on Him for their safety, not trust in themselves. Do I need to remind you of Ai, Gideon, Jericho, Jehoshaphat, and Sennacherib? I pray that Israel’s arrogance doesn’t soon lead to God needing to teach them a lesson about trusting in Him…
I honestly cannot believe how quickly the time is going by. In just a few days it will be Christmas. It is such an enormous privilege to be here in this precious Land at this time of the year. I haven’t really gotten the Christmas “feeling” here as I would if I were in the States. There are no Christmas carols playing on the radio, no Christmas trees in windows, no houses decorated with lights, no snow, and no mad holiday-shopper traffic in the streets. In fact, it doesn’t even really feel too much like winter. Because so many of the trees here are evergreens, I have seen very few trees change their colors and lose their leaves. It certainly has gotten colder, but most days are blue skies and pleasant. Yet time marches on. Besides the mild weather, one other funny thing is that locally-grown strawberries are currently available in the markets! Because the southern desert and Jordan Valley are so low and warm, many crops can grow there almost year round. So, I’ve been enjoying strawberries. Speaking of which, I am always amazed at how low fresh produce prices are here. I can consistently buy fresh, locally-grown avocadoes and nearly any other vegetable or fruit I need for less than $0.25 each!
God continues to surprise me with His Providence. In the past few weeks I have discovered quite a few other believers in my classes who I didn’t know were believers beforehand. If you remember, early on I commented on how few believers I knew here and how I thought few people in my classes would be interesting. As is typical of God, He proved me wrong (again, you were right, Lorrie!). It has been really neat to get to know some of these believers. If you can believe it, I discovered that I actually had an outside connection with one of these believers. She had gone on one of my college professor’s Israel trips with a southern California seminary, so she knew not only my professor and friend, Todd, but she also knew another student on that trip, a dear friend of mine from college, Kyle! Kyle had told her about me studying here also and told her to look me up. So, it turns out that the world is incredibly small after all! One other new friend told me that her dad is interested in starting an extension program here in Israel from the college where he works. That would be so neat. That’s how I got started here, after all!
God’s Providence in timing has also been quite amazing lately. A few different times He has orchestrated things amazingly so that I had a chance to support friends who had a need of spiritual encouragement at that very moment. It never ceases to amaze me how large the fields of harvest are here.
I’m not yet entirely sure what all I’ll be doing for Christmas. This Saturday I’m attending a concert in the Old City. I’ve been looking forward to hearing the music at this particular 100-year-old church for quite some time, so that will be exciting. I do hope to make it to Bethlehem during some point in the next week also. After all, what would Christmas in the “Holy Land” be without a trip to Bethlehem?! I’ll be enjoying a Christmas/Hanukkah party with friends on Christmas Eve, and I hope to do other things with friends on Christmas Day as well.
I’d like to get out and experience Hanukkah a little, too. Hanukkah starts the 20th. Hanukkah, called the Feast of Dedication, is a Jewish holiday that celebrates a miracle when, after the evil king Antiochus Epiphanes set up an idol in the Temple during the Inter-Testament times, Jewish leaders from the Maccabee family drove him out and cleansed and rededicated the Temple. However, they only had enough oil for the menorah of the Temple to last one day. Providentially, though, it lasted eight days. Thus, Hanukkah lasts for eight days and remembers God’s providence in helping the people of Israel cleanse the Temple and break free from an evil despot.
In the past few weeks I’ve enjoyed a classical Arabic music concert performed by some extremely talented young people; a few classical mini-concerts by guests and music teachers at the Music Department of our university; and lectures by both the German and US ambassadors to Israel. The German ambassador was much warmer and friendlier than the US ambassador. The US ambassador also arrived with a Secret Service escort, whereas the German was alone. The US ambassador basically had nothing of substance to say, but it was interesting getting a chance to see him.
In the news lately a few interesting things have happened. The ramp leading up to the Temple Mount has been deemed a safety hazard. The authorities are still debating whether to close the Temple Mount to build a new ramp or to continue using the ramp with minor improvements for safety. It has been quite an issue: Muslims are claiming the Jews are trying to harm their holy place; the Jews are complaining that they might not have access to the Mount if the ramp is closed. Also, a few letters ago I mentioned a former Hamas man who became a believer and turned into an Israel spy. He made the news again recently, as the PLO is subpoenaing his records about his spying activities for Israel. If you think of it, please continue to pray for him: for wisdom and protection for him and for the salvation of his family. And don’t forget to read Son of Hamas. Also, stats were released recentlysaying that in 2010 there were 19,531 legal abortions performed in Israel. So sad…
In preparation for any upcoming potential emergencies (Iran, eg) the authorities in Israel have been systematically conducing drills and tests of their emergency preparedness. Last week they tested the emergency, city-wide siren in Jerusalem. I found out about it ahead of time and was prepared with my camera to record it. You can watch my clip of a few minutes in Jerusalem. It was a little sobering to realize that if I heard that ominous noise again, it would probably indicate something very bad was happening to this tiny country. May God protect the people here.
I also mentioned a while ago about my trip to Samaria where I helped a group of believersharvest grapes for Jewish farmers. One of the founders of that ministry has released a music video ahead of a US tour to raise support for Israel.
Many friends and family members have sent me Christmas cards. I was completely taken by surprise by that, and I want to thank all those who were so thoughtful. That was such a delightful surprise to receive warm thoughts from friends and family back home. Thank you!
I am very pleased to announce that I have updated the layout of my websiteabout Israel. Please feel free to peruse it and learn more about this amazing country.
Lastly, I took a Hebrew midterm exam this week. I got an A, though it wasn’t as good as I would have liked. It was quite a difficult test, but it was encouraging to see my progress. This week I was able to purchase stamps at the post office, entirely in Hebrew. That was encouraging. It’s also been nice to become familiar with some of the workers at stores I frequent by using basic Hebrew. The doorman at the local grocery store now recognizes me and greets me warmly. The meat store clerk recognizes me and starts preparing my usual order before I even order. And the maintenance man at the dorms always greets me warmly. It’s nice to be able to build basic relationships with people through kindness.
On Friday I joined about 20 graduate students on a school-sponsored trip up to Kibbutz Yagur outside of Haifa in the north. This kibbutz is the home of our Israeli counselor. She led us around her home kibbutz to help us gain an idea about what kibbutz life is all about. The kibbutz was founded in 1922, several decades before the state of Israel was established. It remains a kibbutz today, where everyone has the majority of their property (including cars, homes, fields, and salaries) in common in a socialist system. Our guide took us to the Beit Yelidim—the place where, until a few decades ago—all the kids from age 16.5 to 18 lived together, alone, outside of their parents’ homes. Then she took us to the “nursing home” where the kibbutz’s elderly people live. There we met an older man who had been the captain of a ship that brought Holocaust survivors to Israel after World War 2. We visited the kindergarten and saw the kibbutz’s next cute generation. And lastly, we visited the place where the kibbutz had illegally stored weapons in preparation for the war of independence. The British actually found the weapons cache and confiscated all of them in 1946. For that reason, it is quite a historic kibbutz. It is also Israel’s second largest kibbutz, having 1,400 members. It was quite a fun trip, and I now feel like I know a lot more about kibbutz life.
This week was a little stressful as I dealt with Israeli bureaucracy. Let me give you an example of how wonderful the bureaucracy is here. If you remember, previously I have mentioned that non-Israelis haven’t been able to get a student bus pass. I was working with officials from the student union to fight for our right to get the discounted pass, and the plan finally succeeded this week, though it was an enormous hassle. After an entire month of fighting, I visited the bus officials this past Wednesday. They said to show up at noon to get the pass, so I was early. At 11:45, they informed us that they’d be ready for us at 2pm, so please come back. I had a few errands to run, so I ran them in the meanwhile, having to take 2 busses in the process—both of which I had to pay for out of my pocket. Remember, I was intending to purchase a bus pass from them, but since I had not yet got it, I was still having to pay for each bus ride on top of what I was about to pay them for unlimited rides… So I showed up at 2, and after about an hour of the officials trying to help me, we realized that I couldn’t pay for it there. So, I had to take a ridiculously crowded bus (again, out of pocket) to the central bus station to pay for the pass. I waited in four different lines for 45 minutes just for the privilege of paying for the pass. Few spoke good English, so that made things more complicated. One lady essentially threw me out of her office! Anyway, I finally got it paid for, and the next day returned to school to meet the first officials, where, after a small problem, officially gave me my bus pass at last! It only took one month, five hours of waiting in lines, 1,374 shekels, seven trips to see bus officials, and the entire student union fighting the bus company for me to get the pass. But now, I have it, and I was very thankful for that this week! The first day I had it, I used it three times! Anyway, I hope to never complain about US bureaucracy again!
Classes are going well. I’m really enjoying the subject matters of each of my classes. Lately I’ve been learning about the average terrorist “profile,” about the cleavages between the different social groups within Israel, about what makes French people have the worldview they have, and the political history of Israel in the late 40’s and early 50’s. I intend in the near future to make my class notes available online to you, if you are interested, and I also hope to write a few interesting things I’ve been learning to share with you soon. I’ve made a few new friends lately from my classes [you were right, Lorrie! J], including two other believers.
Not too many really significant things have been going on in the news lately. The Palestinian Authority and Hamas are trying really hard to work on a Palestinian unity government again, to unite the West Bank and Gaza. The Israeli government has been trying to make new laws lately that infringe on democracy (see, eg, this opinion piece)—limiting funding to NGO’s, making libel easier to sue for, relocating large parts of Israel’s Bedouin population, and making marriage only permissible through an orthodox rabbi. Jordan’s king visited the West Bank for the first time in many years this week as a sign of support for Palestinian statehood and a return to peace negotiations. Talk about Iran has waned in the media, though the possibility of an Israeli strike is still very real. The next batch of 550 prisoners to be released in exchange for the Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, will take place in the next 2-3 weeks. And Syria and Egypt are still in major turmoil which threatens the region. One last thing, there was an interesting article some months back about the persecution of Christians in the Middle East that is worth a read.
You may also be interested in watching several cool video clips from Israel: amazing footage from across Israel to be made into an IMAX movie (see below). Footage from around Jerusalem. Footage from Tel Aviv on Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, when no cars drive on the roads.
Well, classes are off and running! I guess I was naïve, but I wasn’t prepared for how significant the changes would be around the university once classes began. I have studied at the university for two months now, during the summer, with a one month break. During that time it was mostly foreign students coming to study Hebrew in ulpan. The campus was pretty quiet, though the buildings us foreigners were in were pretty busy.
Now that the academic year in Israel has started, though, things have shifted into overdrive. I only have classes four days a week (three day weekend!!), but I chanced to go to the university this past Sunday, the opening day of classes. It was literally a madhouse. I was shocked. Dozens of organizations had set up booths on the sidewalks and in the buildings trying to get the students to join this, support that, buy this, or sign up for that. I was accosted by several young people who spoke Hebrew at a dizzying speed. I was forced to say “No thank you” in Hebrew and virtually run away each time. I had no idea what any of them were saying or wanting me to do. I felt a little stupid and out of place. Here I am at a Hebrew-speaking university, and I barely speak a child’s Hebrew. It was a bit intimidating to enter that crazy, Hebrew-speaking, carnival-like atmosphere and understand virtually nothing that was going on. There were also literally thousands of Israeli students spread out all over campus. All my usual quiet places (lookouts over the city or study corners) from the past few months were swarming with loud, busy people. There were at least triple the number of busses running, causing all kinds of traffic jams. I was thankful that I was walking to school then. In short, it was scary chaos, and I virtually ran to the International School to get to some English-speakers.
Classes themselves got off to a decent start. I have five classes including Hebrew that meet four days a week, though most of my classes fall only on Tuesday. My professors all seem quite knowledgeable, and the subject matter seems pretty interesting. All but two of my teachers could certainly use some work on their student-relating skills, but I think it will be okay. I am slightly concerned over my sociology and economics classes since I have no background in these subjects, but I suppose I’ll be able to get by without understanding every technical term they use. Three things have struck me with cultural shock as I began classes: 1) the casualness of the teachers [each of them wore jeans, and two wore t-shirts; no ties or jackets]; 2) my grade in each of the classes is dependent on ONE paper or ONE exam with NO other requirements [that puts a lot of pressure on that one assignment for me!!!]; and 3) my one paper in one of my classes is due one month AFTER the course ends (!). Weird!
One somewhat disappointing thing about my classes is that I didn’t really see many students that I can foresee myself becoming super good friends with. Not that there’s anything wrong with the students in my classes. They just seemed so different from me that I don’t see much potential for deep friendship. So, you might pray for me in that regard: that I can find and make some more friends. In an unrelated note, just as an interesting statistical fact: girls outnumber guys in my classes by a ratio of some 4 to 1. That was surprising to me. I don’t know why this major is so popular with women. Oh, and by the way, several times this week I’ve been able to say hi to my Palestinian friend I met in the cemetery a few weeks ago. Please pray for his eyes to be opened.
Today I observed something about how the past three months have changed me. It is kind of a sad observation. Today a few Israelis did very small acts of kindness toward me, and I realized later that these acts took me completely by surprise. I realized that I have come to not expect kindness from Israelis (Jews & Arabs) in general. I have come to 1) look out for myself; 2) expect to be occasionally taken-advantage-of; and 3) be ignored. I was very sad when I realized that I had developed this attitude. This is not to say that all Israelis are rude or constantly take advantage of others. That certainly is not the case. But, obviously, this attitude within me came from somewhere. I think that Jerusalemites in general fit this stereotype much more than Israelis living outside Jerusalem, and, of course, there are many friendly and kind Israelis who don’t fit this stereotype at all. It made me purpose to try and go out of my way more and be kinder to others, because kindness is noticed here since it is so rarely demonstrated to others. LATER EDIT: Ever since I wrote this paragraph, I have constantly been wondering if it is too harsh, or maybe if I was overreacting or over-analyzing. I guess that maybe I see Israeli merchants, bureaucrats, or employees more along these lines, rather than the general populace, though, to some degree, the general populace seems to fit this stereotype somewhat. I don't know. If I'm overstating the situation, please forgive me. And, as I stated, there are certainly exceptions. For example, yesterday I met a young lady at a bus stop. She is just about to finish her military career. Her English was excellent, and she was quite friendly, so we had a pleasant conversation. Thus, there are many exceptions to my general stereotype.
One of those acts of kindness shown to me today was actually an answer to prayer. Last week I went to go buy a discounted student bus pass. After spending much of the day traveling, waiting in line, and filling out paperwork, I was informed that non-Israelis could not get this pass. I was greatly disappointed, as this particular pass saves about 50% versus the non-discounted pass. I called my counselor at school, and she profusely apologized to me for the way that the bus company and the government were unjustly treating us foreign students. She assured me that she and the student union at the university were fighting on our behalf to get us the right to be treated equally with Israeli students. I should add that this is not the only way we foreign students are taken advantage of here. The internet rates we pay are 30% higher than the internet rates other Israeli customers pay from the same company. Our rent and tuition that we foreigners pay is higher than what the Israeli students pay. And on and on the list goes. I’m not necessarily complaining, but I’m also not sure it’s right to do things this way.
At any rate, I got a call today from my counselor. She informed me that she believes the student union at the university has made their point to the government and the bus company, and hopefully next week we non-Israelis will be able to buy the bus pass. Then she asked me a favor: if I would go with a student union representative early this coming week to be the first non-Israeli student to apply for a student pass as a test case. If I am successful, then all non-Israeli students can get a similar pass. And if I’m not successful, then they will go back to fighting. That is quite an honor to bestow on me. At any rate, I was incredibly thankful not only for the honor, but, more importantly, thankful that I will hopefully be able to get the discount. I had been thinking all last week about how much more the non-discounted pass would cost, and whether or not I should spend all that money to get it. I was considering walking to school in the cold and rain to save money, but now God seems to be providing the answer to my prayer about it. I am thankful!
One last personal note: this past Sunday night I went to a concert. I had been wanting to see “The Idan Raichel Project” perform for about three or four years. I almost had a chance to see them in Seattle last summer (maybe the year before), but it would have been too expensive to come up to Seattle just for the concert. But I finally had an opportunity to see them here in Israel this week. It was quite exciting. They are an Israeli group, and they incorporate music styles and languages in their songs from many different Israeli sources: Spanish, African, Arabic, and Hebrew. The concert itself was good, though I was unprepared for the hour-long advertising by the concert’s sponsor before the concert started, and for the unruly crowd. The crowd was mostly very young foreigners. They were quite rowdy—flooding the aisles, dancing around everywhere, standing on top of their seats making it difficult to see. We were in the 7th row, which was awesome, but it was a little difficult to enjoy the concert with the crazy crowd.
In the news recently, Palestine has been accepted as a member of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). This may help bolster their UN-statehood bid, which might be voted-on on November 11. The US has cut off UNESCO funding, and the Israelis have accelerated their settlement-building and frozen Palestinian Authority funding in response. Also, interestingly, the Israeli government is planning ten new towns in the Negev area, near Arad. Thought you might enjoy learning about that. How fun it would be to design a new city! There has been A LOT of talk lately in the news about Israel attacking Iran soon. I don’t know what of it to believe. My friend was recently in the Negev very late at night and saw several Israeli fighter jets doing maneuvers at ridiculously low altitudes (literally just meters above the Dead Sea and above their car). With the US withdrawing troops from Iraq by year’s end, this could close a potential flight-path for Israeli fighters. This timeline may play into it as well. The UN’s nuclear agency is expected to release a report about Iran’s nuclear weapons aspirations later this month. Prime Minister Netanyahu has been speaking a lot about Iran lately, including at the Knesset earlier this week. And the US recently and very publicly foiled an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate the Saudi Arabian ambassador on US soil. In my opinion, things are really heating up. A strike on Iran has the potential to be disastrous for Israel—war from neighboring states, terrorism, missiles from Hezbollah/Hamas, and condemnation by the international community. And who knows if a strike will even stop Iran? Please pray for wisdom for the government leaders and protection for all Israeli people.
By the way, if major problems do develop for Israel in the event of a military operation against Iran, please don’t worry about me. I believe that I am where God wants me to be, and, if worst comes to worst, I am prepared to meet God, no matter where I am or when it happens. My sins are forgiven, and I am at peace with Him. Rather, please pray for those who aren’t prepared to meet God and whose lives will be endangered by this situation. I know that’s a lot to ask of you who care about me, but we have to trust God’s perfect plan. He knows what He is doing, so we must submit ourselves to Him. That's what I am endeavoring to do.
Lastly, I recently finished reading a book that I highly recommend to you all. You can read my review here. It is a VERY interesting book if you are interested in Israeli matters. If you read nothing more from my review, read the "Current Events" section...
Thanks for all your prayers and support! It means so much to me.
Mosab Hassan Yousef (with Ron Brackin), Son of Hamas, (Tyndale, 2010). 281pp. Nonfiction. {Amazon}
BOOK SUMMARY
In 1987 seven Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza founded a new organization abbreviated "Hamas." It was a group of very religious Palestinians who sought to fight against the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Hamas would eventually become more and more committed to violence to achieve its goals, and Hamas became a major supporter of terrorism against Israel. During the First and Second Intifadas, Hamas was a major player in the violence.
One of the founders of Hamas was a deeply religious man named Sheikh Hassan Yousef. Although he himself never personally encouraged the violence Hamas sponsored, he became one of the most visible faces to Hamas as he became an influential leader and spokesperson for the group. His eldest son, Mosab, was his father's right-hand man and most intimate confidant. Unbeknownst to Sheikh Yousef, however, Mosab became a double-agent for Israel, working to undermine the violence being committed by Hamas. For more than ten years, Mosab lived a double-life. He walked a delicate balance between earning the trust of all the major Palestinian terror-players, including Khaleed Mashaal and Yasser Arafat, and helping Israel's Shin Bet security agency arrest these terror-players and thwart terror attacks.
Mosab grew up wanting to be just like his father, and in light of all the violence he saw from both Israelis and Palestinians, he should have grown up to be anti-Israel. But while in an Israeli prison after being tortured by Israelis, his perspective began to change as he saw how his own people treated each other. His Israeli handler treated him incredibly well, and his preconceptions about the "evil Israelis" began to change. He saw what a terrible toll the violence took on his people, and he decided to do everything in his power to stop it. Not only that, but Mosab came into contact with some Christians. Through his interactions with them and through his reading of the Bible, he eventually became a believer. After living a double-life for so long, he chose to leave Israel and take refuge in the US where he remains to this day in seclusion.
Son of Hamas takes you through the gripping story of Mosab Hassan Yousef's life. He explains how his father changed from a peaceful, godly spiritual leader to a man who saw violence as a tool to release the Palestinian people from bondage. Mosab explains how he slowly came to side with the Israelis. He explains how he slowly became a Christian. And he takes you behind the headlines of the news to expose what was really going on in the 1990's and early 2000's in the terrorism scene in Israel. He recounts the terrible attacks of the intifadas and what he and Israel did to capture those responsible for the attacks. It is a gripping account full of real-life events and real people.
BOOK EVALUATION
This book is a powerful, deeply moving book. I could hardly put it down. I very rarely finish books, yet I completed this book in only about half-a-dozen sittings. The chapters are very short. One can read them quickly, and you always feel compelled to read "just one more chapter." The format is more or less chronological, tracing Mosab's life as a youth through his involvement in Hamas and his collaboration with Israel to the events surrounding his arrival in the US. It is extremely readable, written in very easy-to-understand writing.
The content of the book is both fascinating and compelling. On the one hand, it is terrible to read how much loss of life occurred on both the Palestinian and Israeli sides during the intifadas. On the other hand, though, it is astonishing to read how one very influential Palestinian terror leader worked to protect Israeli lives during this violent time. And, of course, it is astonishing to read how God worked in this bleak and dark time period to save Mosab.
The book is fairly well balanced. It portrays Israel's good and bad sides. It doesn't pull punches when it describes Israel's torture of prisoners or the contempt of some Israeli settlers and soldiers for Palestinian life. On the other hand, though, it shows how Israel as a whole values life and treats people well. The book also describes the good and bad sides of Hamas and Palestinian people in general. It certainly shows how difficult life under Israeli domination was for the Palestinians, but it also shows how poorly Hamas itself treated the Palestinian people. It also gives an interesting, negative perspective on Yasser Arafat and other Palestinian leaders.
BOOK CRITICISM
Although the book overall is quite excellent, I do have two slight problems with it. First, some events in the book are described in long and detailed terms, while other events are summarized far too briefly. It was a little frustrating for me to read about an event, have my curiosity and interest piqued, then have the author move on to another event without giving enough detail to satisfy my curiosity. This happens more often the later into the book you get. Some of the most interesting and terrible events of the Second Intifada are described in the briefest of terms. Second, following one of my Palestinian friend's criticisms, I am a little cautious about the way the book is written. It is clearly written to an American Christian audience. Thus, it does not purport to be a detailed historical account. This makes me a little curious about the accuracy of some of his evaluations and assertions, though I give him the benefit of the doubt. The book is also published by a publisher that, for the most part, specializes in Christian fiction. This fact gives me a little pause in trusting everything the author (or the secondary author) says. I don't doubt what is said, I just want to be cautious in accepting everything said.
CURRENT EVENTS
The book describes events that took place within the last two decades, but it is also incredibly up-to-date. Many of the people and events described in the book came up in the news just in the last three weeks, since many of the terrorists who committed the acts described in the book were released in exchange for Gilad Shalit, the captive IDF prisoner released by Hamas in mid-October. Thus, as I read this book, it was fascinating to read about what the people being released from Israeli prisons had done, and how Mosab had helped bring them to justice the first time.
I first became interested in this book when it first came out in 2010. At that time, the US was seeking to deport Mosab as a terrorist. I followed the news at that time to watch how the US government could send a good double-agent back to the country he spied against. Thankfully, at the last moment, the US granted him asylum after several Congress members supported him and his former Israeli handler broke cover to protect him.
Moreover, yesterday something especially up-to-date happened. After serving a six-year prison sentence, Sheikh Hassan Yousef, a founder of Hamas and the author's father, was released from Israeli prison just two months ago. Yesterday he was re-arrested by the Israelis. I just happened to see this on the news yesterday, and it made this story even more real and powerful to me.
RECOMMENDATION
This is must-read material for anyone wanting to learn more about Israel, the politics of this region, terrorism, or spy-stuff. You won't be able to put it down, and you'll learn a lot about what happened in Israel and the Palestinian Territories in the last 20 years. What is particularly moving is to read the author's preface, addressed to his father and family, wherein he shares his love for his father, acknowledges that he has (in their eyes) betrayed them and his people, and prays that they come to realize that he did what he did for the good of everyone. It is one of the most moving letters I have read. I absolutely recommend this book. I also recommend that anyone who reads this book prays for Mosab and his father and family.
I thank God for what He did for Mosab and for Israel, and I pray that He would be more active in this part of the world, to save more people for Himself.
.jpg)
