Category: News

6 Oct, 2023, Samaria:  This week I was invited to direct a group visiting from overseas that wanted to visit Joseph’s Tomb and the ancient site of the Tabernacle at Shilo.

I cautioned them that because of the situation currently, we would not be able to visit the tomb where Joseph’s bones were laid after Israel brought the bones up from Egypt. We would however need to drive through the general area near the tomb.

We could visit Shilo but since it’s along Route 60 we need to do so with someone who knows the area well, to avoid the risks from amongst the Arab settlements along the route.

While we were in Shilo, they had red heifers on display!

>>> 16 Jan 2024 Update on Red Heifers – Hamas says they caused this war! <<<

Now we see that in two days since, there have been several attacks, both at Joseph’s Tomb, and also along Route 60. There was also attacks in Huwara, and as reported on page 1, a clash in Tulkarm where a handful of Border Police officers were harmed.

Pray for our work in a difficult situation.

2 Oct 2023, Samaria: Joining forces against the possibility of a nuclear-powered Iran, the Saudis and Israelis work towards a deal and are making progress.

To the surprise of no one, Iran responded by threatening to blow everyone up; thus legitimizing the need for a Saudi deal in the first place.  Also – Iran thus confirmed Netanyahu’s warnings about Iranian nukes over the years, while the world tried to believe Iran’s lies that it was only for civilian use.

Meanwhile, last night, a car bomb explosion in Re’em Junction was partially interrupted by secret police, and an Arab gun workshop near Ramallah was destroyed by the IDF.

Raisi is president in Iran; Gallant is Israel’s Minister of Defense:

This gun workshop with lathes and machinery for making guns, basically a gun factory, had its machinery destroyed and the IDF exploded bombs in the space.  Arabs tried to prevent this by attacking the soldiers beforehand:

It appears that Israeli Secret Police were following criminals on the way to a crime scene, when the criminals successfully exploded a car, killing two. The police apprehended the criminals and a gunfight ensued, injuring one criminal and killing the other.

PRAY for our work in a troubled land.

27 Sept 2023, Samaria:  Seculars protested against Security Minister’s religious stance with a provocative open-air mixed prayer on Yom Kippur; Ben-Gvir plans some sort of provocative counter prayer gathering in response.  I observed on TV that the secular argument was like, “You pray in the synagogues with your own traditions, why block us from praying outside, in our own way?” The religious argument was, “Seculars, reform, and orthodox prayed with us in my synagogue in Jerusalem and had no problem following our traditions. Why do you provoke us by doing that out in the open like that?”  Complicated.

“Ben-Gvir plans protest prayer after Kippur clashes; Herzog: Pouring oil on flames threatens unity; Coalition MKs oppose security minister’s move,” and “US furious over ‘premature’ announcement on visa waiver,” Jerusalem Post, 27 Sept 2023 pg 1.

Pray for our work in the Land.

26 Sept, 2023, Samaria: Fighting at the Gaza border, fighting among residents in Tel Aviv, and comic relief.

“After attacks on troops, IDF UAVs strike Hamas positions in Yom Kippur,” Jerusalem Post, 26 Sept 2023 pg 1.

During Yom Kippur, militant Arabs in Gaza did not break from their 11-day assault on Israeli soldiers at the border fence.  The IDF responded by attacking Hamas positions.  Hamas is the democratically elected political leading party in Gaza.

While the battle raged on the Gaza border, citizens fought against one another in Tel Aviv.

“Fights break out in TA over gender-segregated Yom Kippur prayers,” Jerusalem Post, 26 Sept 2023 pg 1.

In traditional Judaism, women and men are located in separated sections in the synagogue or during prayers.  Tel Aviv, being largely secular, has residents who oppose such traditional thoughts.

And then a funny social media photo showing the contrast between secular and religious in Israel:

A comical picture of a religious guy breaking the fast after Yom Kippur having just rollerbladed home as quickly as possible from the synagogue. This is so humorous, since only seculars would use rollerblades or bicycles during Yom Kippur, and seculars would not dress in white.  Religious would dress in white, but go only by foot. As for automobiles, driving is actually against the law during Yom Kippur.  Also, traditionally, the fast is broken with sugary drinks and cake.  Seculars rarely even fast during Yom Kippur.

Pray our work will continue among a complicated mix of people.

20 Sept, 2023, Samaria: A new tank, in development for 5 years, has artificial intelligence (AI) features to assist the 4-man crew inside.

20 Sept 2023, Samaria: During the High Holy Days, why would attacks and clashes be heating up now? Also: Palestinians fight against IDF in Jenin.  The complicated picture includes: If in prior months, Hamas prevented PIJ from fighting against the IDF near the border, why would Hamas suddenly allow what they formerly blocked?  Do the High Holy Days have something to do with it?  Do the Arabs know that Israel is not interested in fighting during the Feast days – and taking advantage of them?

Pray for our work in a complicated situation.

15 Sept 2023, Samaria: Often, the former rains begin during Succot, which is in the third week of the seventh Biblical month, which usually corresponds loosely to September or October.

This time the rain came as a downpour in the end of the sixth Biblical month!

This July, customs officials spotted explosives concealed in bags of concrete. Amid rumors of airstrikes, Israel continues to threaten Syria verbally to prevent nuclear weapons. Arabs dwelling in Samaria and Judea (West Bank of the Jordan River) will be excluded from crossing into Gaza and Israel for two days, during the Feast of Trumpets.

Pray that our work prospers in the Land.

14 Sept, 2023, Tel Aviv: IAF struck a port in western Syria; Fifth reported attack in two months; Guards to be at all Jerusalem schuls for High Holy Days; A four-truck pileup on highway 6 yesterday resulted in the death of one driver; shockingly, passersby looted one of the trucks carrying shipments of candy.

Pray for continuity of our work in the Land.

12 Sept, 2023, Samaria: Each year, a sizable number of Jewish Israelis enjoy traveling to Uman, Ukraine to pray at the grave site of a famous rabbi there.

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky warned that the city of Uman does not have enough bomb shelters for its residents, nevermind the expected 50,000 Jewish pilgrims from Israel.

The city is located on the north-south road between Kyiv and Odesa, both priority targets for Russia.

Pray for our work among a diversified people.

12 Sept, 2023: “Put differently, the land is Lebanese, the control is Iranian, the target is Israel,” said Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.

“Gallant added that Iran remains the greatest threat to Israel, though sometimes it uses Hezbollah and other proxies [such as Hamas] to fight its wars against the Jewish state.”

If Hezbollah “goes toward a conflict with us, they will pay a high price.  We will not allow Iran to turn Syria into a Hezbollah 2.0 with powerful rockets.”

Pray for our work here to prosper in a danger zone