Featured Stories

Israel’s Water Crisis

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Almost every winter we cover the topic of drought in Israel. After seven years of drought in a row, it is certainly justified. Israel’s water crisis is looking even worse this winter. November 2010 was the driest in the North in 48 years with some forecasters saying this winter might be the driest of all seven years.

The Museum at the Heart of the Universe

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On July 26, Israel’s largest cultural institution, the Israel Museum, reopened after undergoing a three-year-long, $100-million renovation.

Jesus and the “Holy Tongue”

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Did the historical Jesus speak Hebrew? The supposition of New Testament scholars—indeed the virtually unchallenged assumption in Bible dictionaries and Gospel commentaries for well over a century—is that the native tongue of Jesus was Aramaic, not Hebrew. That is beginning to change. The cumulative research of a generation of scholars living in the Land of Israel, both Jews and Christians, strongly challenges this conventional conviction as outmoded and misleading.

1948—Who Recognized Israel First?

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Even among Israel supporters, there are few who recognize November 29, 1947 as an important date. It is, in fact, the anniversary of the United Nations vote to partition Palestine, laying the groundwork for the creation of the state of Israel. May 14, 1948, however, is readily recognized by many as the founding of the state. The prophet Isaiah spoke of a nation being born in a day (66:8), fulfilled it. Even though the UN vote happened months before, plans for the declaring of independence did not begin in earnest until May 13, and less than 24 hours later, the nation was born. It seems apparent that it happened at God’s sovereign direction.

Acknowledging the Jewish State

{image_1}The designation of Israel as the “Jewish state” has gotten a lot of attention over the past couple years, especially after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called upon the Palestinians to acknowledge the fact as part of a prospective peace accord with Israel.

Change Is Coming

David Nekrutman (front left)	David Nekrutman	Cheryl Hauer	The Center for Jewsih-Christian Understanding and Cooperation in Efrat, Gush Etzion

David Nekrutman is Executive Director of The Center for Jewish–Christian Understanding and Cooperation, established by Rabbi Shlomo Riskin to further interfaith communication. Cheryl Hauer is International Development Director of Bridges for Peace with significant experience in Jewish–Christian relations. Here they comment on the growing relationship between two unlikely groups: Orthodox Jews and evangelical Christians

Crisis on Campus

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The university has long been revered as a nucleus for the free exchange of ideas, no matter how diverse those ideas might be.

Changing the Face of the Desert

Aryeh Schrieber has lived in Kibbutz Nirim in the northern Negev since 1950.  Now, aged 77, he has seen this part of the Negev Desert change from being one of the most arid regions in Israel to becoming a rich green, agricultural landscape. “When I came to live here sixty years ago, there was nothing growing. Today…there is almost a thousand acres of irrigated land producing all kinds of citrus fruits, potatoes, carrots, nuts as well as herds of dairy cows,” explains Schrieber with a twinkle in his eye. “Because of the many hours of sunshine, we are able to export all kinds of produce to Europe and Russia, particularly potatoes, because in winter in Europe and Russia, there is a local shortage of such vegetables. Not only that, our produce is of the highest quality.”

Gaza Crisis?

{image_1}In the aftermath of the Mavi Marmara Gaza flotilla incident, in which Israeli soldiers acting in self-defense resulted in the deaths of nine activists, Israel chose to significantly lighten the blockade of the Hamas-governed Gaza Strip….

Coming Together in Unity

{image_1}Occasionally, Bridges for Peace plans special evening events for the volunteer staff in Jerusalem. These opportunities give us a chance to enjoy dialogue with Jewish people and understand them better. Our last event not only included dialogue but music!