Home Tags Posts tagged with "Western Wall"
Tag:

Western Wall

ArticlesIsraelIsrael InsiderNews

Over 2 Million People Visited The Western Wall During The Jewish Holiday Season

by The Israel Insider
written by The Israel Insider

During the Hebrew month of Elul and the Jewish holiday season of the Hebrew month of Tishrei, the Western Wall – the Kotel – was visited by millions of people, with thousands taking part in the main prayer sessions, as well as hundreds of thousands who visited Jerusalem and the Western Wall during the Sukkot holiday. The Western Wall Heritage Foundation estimated that over 2 million people visited the Kotel Plaza.

This figure is not surprising.

The year Elul, the last month of the year, began on August 28. In the run up to the Rosh Hashanah New Year holiday and through Yom Kippur – the Day of Atonement – numerous people went to the Kotel for the daily special prayers for atonement called selichot. And then there were all of the people who went to the Western Wall for the holiday prayers.

The Tishrei holiday season is one in which numerous Jews from around the world come to Israel to celebrate at least one of the holidays in the Holy Land and these people come to visit the Kotel. And Israelis are on vacation, with schools closed for the entire weeklong Sukkot holiday, so many come to visit the Western Wall and tour Jerusalem on their vacations.

The holiday of Sukkot, which concluded in Israel on Monday evening, is also a celebration for many Christian groups who celebrate the Feast of the Tabernacle. Thousands came from around the world to celebrate the holiday in Israel and visit the Kotel.

And on the intermittent days of the Sukkot holiday known as “Hol Hamoed” the Kotel hosts a priestly blessing ceremony, commemorating the same ceremony which the masses attended thousands of years ago when the Temple still stood.

Also, 50,000 people alone attended this year’s traditional Hakhel reenactment and Simchat Beit Hashoeivah ceremony at the Kotel, which was held last Wednesday.

The ceremony was held in the presence of President Isaac Herzog, whose grandfather Chief Rabbi Yitzhak HaLevi Herzog revived the ceremony about 80 years ago, the Chief Rabbi of Israel Rabbi David Lau, the Rabbi of the Kotel and the Holy Places Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz, Benjamin Netanyahu, the Mayor of Jerusalem Moshe Leon, US Ambassador in Israel Thomas Nides, and other public figures.

On the night of Hoshana Rabbah, Saturday night, tens of thousands flocked to the Western Wall, as well as on Monday’s Simchat Torah holiday and the second Hakafot celebration that was observed Monday night after the holiday’s end. This is when people dance with the Tora scrolls seven times.

The Western Wall Heritage Foundation: “We conclude this period with great satisfaction and express great appreciation to the dedicated employees of the foundation and the security and police forces who made great efforts to facilitate the arrival of 2 million people in the last two months and to maintain the safety and security of those coming to the Western Wall.”

The rabbi of the Western Wall and the Holy Places Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz Shlita exclaimed that the million who flocked to the Western Wall over the past seven weeks, “testify to the power of the Western Wall as a place that captures and unites, something that was expressed in the wonderful unity that existed during this period at the Western Wall. This is a moving testimony that expresses the hope and faith of the people in his legacy.”

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestTelegramEmail
Kotel and worshippers
ArticlesIsraelIsrael InsiderNews

Thousands Attend Priestly Blessing at Western Wall

by Ron Cantor
written by Ron Cantor

On Monday and Wednesday of this week, the Kotel (the Western Wall) was packed with thousands of Jewish worshippers looking to receive the Passover Priestly Blessing. This year, the blessing time was spread out over two days to avoid overcrowding and any possible hostile confrontations with Palestinians.

The “Birkat Kohanim” (Hebrew for priestly blessing) takes place twice a year—once at Passover and once at Sukkot (in the fall).

God commanded Moses and Aaron to bless the people of Israel in Numbers 6:

The Lord said to Moses, “Tell Aaron and his sons, ‘This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:

” The Lord bless you
and keep you;
 the Lord make his face shine on you
and be gracious to you;
 the Lord turn his face toward you
and give you peace.””

 “So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.”

To watch the Passover Priestly Blessing:

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=294696739502205

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestTelegramEmail
man being led off by police
ArticlesIsraelIsrael Insider

The Time I Got Arrested in Jerusalem

by Ron Cantor
written by Ron Cantor

About five years ago, I was leading a tour throughout Israel. We had just come through a time when there had been a lot of stabbings—particularly in Jerusalem. Thank God that has now long passed! However, I wanted to protect my people.

 

So, because I was not allowed to own a gun (believe or not, Israel has very strict gun laws), I decided to buy a knife. It was a small pocket knife, but it was big enough to protect people if I needed to use it.

 

Here’s what I did not know: It is illegal to walk around Israel carrying a knife! You can go to jail for several years! I had no idea. Of course, the logic is a little bit strange. It was legal for me to purchase the knife in the hiking store, but apparently illegal for me to bring it home. Hmmm.

 

Well, we had a great tour. We traveled north to the city of Akko, where we ate hummus at the famous Arab-owned Abu Sayyed, and visited the ancient ruins in their old city. We enjoyed the Sea of Galilee, eating delicious St. Peter’s fish. We spent a night in the desert, riding camels and eating with the Bedouins. And, now, it was time for Jerusalem. Not just Jerusalem, but the ancient Western Wall – the most sacred symbol in all of Judaism. There was only one problem: I had forgotten what I had in my pocket!

 

When we were about 20 feet from the security check (Israel has the best security), I suddenly remembered. Thinking I was being smart, I walked up to the security guard, still not knowing that simply possessing the knife was a crime, and I handed it to him. I explained to him the situation. I told him that I had no evil intent and he could keep the knife.

 

He told me to hang out for a little bit. Next thing I knew, several police officers showed up. I explained the situation to them—that I went to the security guard on my own free will. They told me in Hebrew—anu chayvim l’akev otcha—we need to detain you! Suddenly, I was being escorted to a police station.

 

There is a police station right above and in front of the Western Wall that I didn’t know was there. I sat in that police station for quite a while. My mind was racing. I had 40 people outside who had paid a lot of money to be on my tour. They expected me to take them around, for the time of their life. I felt guilty. I also felt embarrassed. They must think I’m crazy. How does your tour host get arrested?

 

A young lady sat down with me and began to ask me what happened. Again, I explained to them that I initiated the contact with the security guard. I gave him the knife, etc. He only knew I had the knife because I told him. Of course, I could have just thrown it on the ground or in the trash. I didn’t do that because I thought of how that could cause an uproar, if somebody found it. Or worse, if a terrorist used it. I was trying to do the right thing.

 

It was only then that it was explained to me that carrying a knife was a crime. I have this little lawyer that lives inside of me. I could not keep him quiet. So I said to her, “So what you’re saying is I can buy the knife legally, but I just can’t take it home?” She was not interested.

 

Over the next hour, my mind began to race. Was I going to jail? Surely not over something so small. It wasn’t like I had a loaded gun or planned to do anything with the knife, other than to protect my group, if necessary, and myself. But the mind goes where it wants to go—if you don’t control it. I began to imagine being in jail for the next five years – apparently that was the penalty. How would my family handle it? Could God use me in the Israeli jail to share my faith? My Hebrew would certainly improve. Could I get a computer? If so, I could write a few books…

 

The young officer told me they would have to open up an investigation. Again, I told her there was no need for an investigation, as what had happened was very clear. She said that an investigator would come take me to the Jaffa gate. My mind raced again — in my mind, I was wearing a prison jumpsuit and dining on prison food for the next several years. I should be able to drop 20 pounds. I would leave the prison ripped.

 

After about an hour, her commander came. He looked at me and he said to her, “What is he still doing here? He’s got a bunch of tourists waiting for him! Let him go.”

 

I couldn’t believe it! The young lady was not happy. She argued with him like a kid who was not ready to go to bed. But he was firm, “Let him go!” She took my phone number and said that the investigator would be calling me. That was at least five years ago. He still hasn’t called.

 

Then, the comedian in me replaced the lawyer and asked with a smile, “Can I have my knife back?” Fortunately, Israelis have a great sense of humor. We had a great laugh and I was off to find my tour group. I was still really embarrassed about what had happened, thinking that they must be thinking that I was ridiculous.

 

I was told that the team was already on the bus and headed towards the Garden Tomb, the most precious place in Jerusalem, and possibly the place where Yeshua was buried and rose from the dead. We always have communion there and it is powerful. Everyone absolutely loves it. But this time it was different—I was on the lam.

 

I began running through the Old City, through the Arab quarter, feeling naked without my knife. At that time, every few days there had been a stabbing in Jerusalem—and many of them had occurred right there in the Arab market. As I was running towards the Jaffa gate, passing all the colorful Arab-owned gift shops that sold everything from wooden camels to handmade jewelry, from exotic scarves to hookahs and ceramics, I noticed an Ethiopian Jewish police officer who began to run right next to me. It was very strange, but super cool. God was providing me with protection.

 

As I got to the sunlight, where the Arab market turned into the colorful square just before Jaffa Gate, I ran past Christ Church and the tomb of the two who had been killed by Suliman. (They built the walls of the city, but Suliman the Muslim worried that they would build something more magnificent elsewhere, so he killed them. It was a different time back then.)

 

Seeing Jaffa gate, I picked up the pace. I ran through the gate and, up in the distance, I saw our tour bus stuck in traffic. I started running faster, and just as I got to the bus, the doors opened and I ran in. Instead of finding 40 people who were laughing at me or ridiculing me for almost getting arrested, they were singing the Indiana Jones/Raiders of the Lost Ark theme song! Well, I did have the hat for it.

 

They thought that it was cool, not foolish, as I had expected. They thought I was an adventurer. In their eyes, I was the daring tour leader who broke out of jail! They continued with the theme song as I smiled, so grateful for a wonderful group.

 

And that, my friends, is where the video picks up.

 
 
0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestTelegramEmail
Articles

What Happens To The Prayer Notes Inserted In Jerusalem’s Western Wall?

by Christa
written by Christa

The Western Wall located in Jerusalem is famous for its rich cultural heritage and tourist destination. People from all over the world visit the wall and pray to the God of Israel. They would even put their prayers on paper and insert them in the crevices of the wall. But, what happens to the notes after a long time?

The Western Wall

The Western Wall is considered one of the most solemn places in Jerusalem. It is the last standing wall of the Temple Mount, built twice (during Solomon’s reign and Ezra’s leading.) With that said, the wall itself holds special significance to the Jews. They see the Wall as a reminder of hope after their exile.

The custom of stuffing prayer notes in the cracks of the wall started centuries ago. There are even pieces of evidence that the practice was observed as early as the 18th century. It is their form of connecting deeply to God.

Today, many peoples of faith from across the world join in the tradition. As a matter of fact, visiting dignitaries such as US Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, Prince William, and Popes Francis I and Benedict XVI, have slipped prayer notes as well.

ALSO READ:
5 Must-Visit Jewish Landmarks When We Are Free To Travel

But, what really happens to the prayer notes?

Prior to the Jewish holidays of Passover and Rosh Hashanah, the notes are removed and collected for burial in the Jewish Cemetery on the Mount of Olives. Jewish law regards them as sacred texts because they contain the name of the God of Israel. And for that reason, they are treated as holy messages that have fallen into disuse and thus, buried.

The whole process will be overseen by the rabbi of the Western Wall and his staff. They carefully pull out the papers from the crevices by a wooden pole. Then, they would put them inside a bag for transport to Mount Olives. The prayers are not read. But, before the ceremony, the team would prepare themselves for the task by immersing in a ritual mikveh bath.

Reference: My Jewish Learning

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestTelegramEmail
Temple Mount and Western Wall
ArticlesIsraelIsrael InsiderNews

Temple Mount and Western Wall Hotspots of Hostility as Jews Observe Sacred Day of Mourning

by Ron Cantor
written by Ron Cantor

On Saturday evening, Tisha B’Av observances were marred when a Jewish extremist group disrupted a Conservative group of men and women worshipping together at the Western Wall. And on Sunday, there was strife on the hilltop above the wall as an estimated 1,600 Jews entered Israel’s holiest site—the Temple Mount—to pray. Palestinians and police clashed through the night because Muslims claim the compound as one of their top three sacred sites. Then, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, and various Palestinian leaders jumped in with their condemnation of the annual Jewish pilgrimage.

Tisha B’Av—also known as the 9th of Av (a month of the Jewish calendar)—is a day of remembrance, fasting, and mourning for Jews. Several catastrophic events—including the destruction of the First and Second Temples and key events in the Crusades and the Holocaust—all took place on Tisha B’Av.

The conflict at the Western Wall is a long-standing one that boiled over Saturday evening. Far-right religious zealots marched in and interrupted a group of Conservative Jews worshipping in a part of the Kotel (Hebrew term for the Western Wall) set apart for men and women to pray together. The main area of the Kotel—the section you see in all the photographs—is reserved for the Orthodox, with a partition in between where the men and the women gather to pray. At the beginning of the 21st century, Israel’s high court put in place a temporary (but unsatisfactory) solution—known as the “egalitarian” section.

Tensions were high on Tisha B’Av eve when the extremists barged into the prayer service, singing and praying loudly while erecting a gender-separation barrier and barred new worshippers from entering the area.

“…(This) was an act which had not one gram of loving other Jews,” Yizhar Hess, former director of the Conservative group that was attacked. “The opposite (happened)…a violent takeover of the egalitarian section…with those who came to Jerusalem to fight and humiliate others.”

Prime Minister Naftali Bennett weighed in on the event. Through a Facebook post, he warned about the dangers of a lack of unity among Jews, cautioning that in the past, this has cost Israel her sovereignty.

“Twice we failed and lost our Jewish state: This time we will preserve it. The Jewish people twice had a Jewish state on the Land of Israel, and both times we did not succeed to complete the eighth decade as an independent state because of internal wars and Sinat Chinam.” Sinat Chinam means baseless hatred, and it was rife during the time that the Zealots went to war with Rome. They would even kill other Jews who would not join their rebellion.

Bennett was referring to Israel splitting into two kingdoms only 78 years after King David took the throne and unified the 12 tribes. And then again, in the 2nd and 1st centuries BCE, after the Maccabean Revolt, the Hasmonean Kingdom was conquered by the Romans after 73 years of independence.

Israel is currently in the 73rd year of its third time as a nation in the land, after being re-established for the third time in 1948.

It’s important to know that Orthodox groups in America condemned the extremists. These modern-day zealots do not represent the vast majority of Israelis nor the vast majority of religious Jews. They are rabble-rousers and hooligans.

Foreign Minister Yair Lapid also condemned the “Sinat Chinam” of the extremists. “We won’t let them destroy the Kotel, destroy Israeli society or destroy our relations with the Jewish world. The Kotel belongs to every stream of Judaism, and it will be a place where every Jew feels at home.”

[Note: Sinat Chinam was not the main reason the temple was destroyed in 70 CE, but rather because of Jewish rejection of the Messiah. Yeshua predicted as much in Matthew 23:37-39:

“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate. For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’”]

While turmoil raged among the “tribes” worshipping at what is believed to be a retaining wall for the Second Temple, 1,600 Jews faced international ire as they ascended to the Temple Mount to worship on Sunday.

The Temple Mount—arguably the most hotly disputed piece of real estate in the world—is also home to the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Jordan, Egypt, and Turkey denounced the Jewish pilgrimage, calling it “extremely dangerous.”

During Ramadan in May, nightly violence by Palestinian protestors over a land dispute in Jerusalem and the Temple Mount escalated into a war—with Hamas terrorists firing over 4,000 rockets into Israel in an 11-day conflict.

Ra’am, the Islamist party that is part of Israel’s new governing coalition, also railed against the Jewish “settlers,” which included one Knesset member, for standing in front of the iconic golden Dome of the Rock Mosque and singing Hatikvah, Israel’s national anthem.

In a statement, Ra’am declared that the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the entire hilltop are “solely the property of Muslims. The events that may result from (continued clashes and provocations) could inflame the situation in Jerusalem and entire region, leading to a catastrophic religious war.”

Israel captured all of Jerusalem, including the Temple Mount, from Jordan in the defensive 1967 Six-Day War. In 1994, Israel made a peace treaty with Jordan and gave custody of the Temple Mount and other Muslim holy sites in the city back to Jordan.

For decades, Israel’s official policy has been that Jews can visit but not worship on the Temple Mount. However, Israel’s Channel 12 recently reported that it appears that a quiet “revolution” may be underway, signaling a significant shift in the status quo.

For several months, every morning, Jews have been quietly praying on the Temple Mount (with no outward symbols such as prayer books and shawls). They have even been conducting Torah lessons there. In times past, the Israeli police on the Mount would have immediately shut down such activities. However, Channel 12 reports that they seem to be unofficially giving it their approval by allowing the actions to occur.

After the pilgrims ascended the Temple Mount on Sunday, Prime Minister Bennett asserted that both Jews and Muslims have “freedom of worship” at the holy site.

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestTelegramEmail
Isaac Hertzog, Israel flag
ArticlesIsraelIsrael InsiderNews

Israel’s 11th President Takes Office

by Ron Cantor
written by Ron Cantor

Isaac Hertzog was sworn in as Israel’s 11th president on Wednesday, following in his father’s footsteps and assuming the honorary title of “Citizen Number One” at a time when the nation is deeply divided.

The former Labor Party leader took his oath of office with his hand on the 107-year-old family Bible his father, Chaim Hertzog, used when he was sworn in as Israel’s 6th president in 1983. The Bible has made it through several wars and was a wedding gift to his grandmother from her father.

During his acceptance speech, Hertzog said, “My mission, the goal of my presidency, is to do everything to rebuild hope. Baseless hatred, polarization, and division are exacting a very heavy price…the heaviest price is the erosion of our national resilience.”

While the executive power in Israel rests with the prime minister and the president’s role is primarily ceremonial, Hertzog urged the government to remember its obligations to the minorities in Israeli society. He called for more assistance to combat crime, mafia, and violence plaguing many Arab communities.

Hertzog won more votes for president than any other candidate in the history of the young nation. Hertzog, an attorney by profession, and most recently, the head of the Jewish Agency, comes from a family in service to Israel. His grandfather, Isaac Hertzog, was Israel’s first Ashkenazi chief rabbi. In addition to his father’s service in government and in the military, his brother and an aunt have also served in leadership or influential roles in the nation.

Before the ceremony Wednesday, Hertzog visited the Western Wall, where he promised to devote himself to “unity among our people and true love for Israel.”

The presidential term in Israel is for seven years.

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestTelegramEmail
ArticlesIsraelVideo

Jerusalem – The Western Wall

by GOD TV
written by GOD TV

The Western Wall

The Western Wall is a landmark that defines a people. The Western Wall, also known as The Kotel, makes a powerful statement to a fallen world. It is huge, sacred and it is the only remaining standing wall of the 2nd Temple. This was the wall that was located the nearest to the Holy of Holies. That is according to the Mishna (the first written transcript of the oral Torah). This fact alone has enabled it to become the main focus and place for prayer for Jews throughout the world. Their ‘crying out to God’, is a testimony and demonstration to us all of devotion and commitment to God.

“…King Solomon conscripted to build the Lord’s temple, his own palace, the terraces, the wall of Jerusalem, and Hazor, Megiddo and Gezer.” (1 Kings 9:15)

A Brief History

Although it is agreed that Solomon built the first temple. Following its destruction, construction began around 516 BCE on the second. However, it was Herod The Great who totally refurbished the second temple bringing about the magnificent edifices and facades that we all recognize today. The second temple lasted for 585 years (516 BC – 70 CE), until it was destroyed by the Romans.

The last standing wall has been a site for pilgrimage since that time. The 187 foot wall is overwhelming. Stretching up from the sacred ground, it beckons to millions each year to come forth and to offer up prayers.

The Western Wall is unique and incomparable to any other structure or synagogue in the world. Nearby is the remains of Solomon’s palace and stables. He completed the first temple, what his father, King David could only dream about…Whenever Jews pray silently, no matter where they are in the world, they pray in the direction of The Kotel. Whilst the area appears busy and noisy as times, you cannot help but feel privileged to be able to stand in this place, to witness what is still represents today, thousands of years later.

The Western Wall

Contemplation

Looking across the skyline, you feel compelled to share in the experience somehow and you begin to get a real sense of the importance of The Western Wall. As you make your way through the tunnels and visit the strategic places where Jesus and his disciples visited and where Jesus himself was condemned, the spiritual significance of this entire area begins to reveal itself more and more.

The agreement of so many voices ringing out and crying unto God in unison is impactive. Whilst many split hairs as to what is the right way to worship, we must never forget this one fundamental fact – that it is the ability to worship God that is important…

Tunnels

Below the Western Wall is a series of tunnels called The Western Wall Tunnels, hidden under layers of the wall they convey the story of ancient Jerusalem like no other. Here you will see spiritual landmarks come to life i.e the place where Jesus as a child took Passover as described in the 2nd chapter of the Gospel of Luke vs 46 where Jesus conversed with the Elders.

You will also see first hand the very place where St Peter healed a beggar and of course the famous confrontation that Jesus had in later life with the money changers at the temple, all this and more is part of the tour. Whilst the tunnels are like a series of arched tunnels that separated the rich from the poor, they had an important function and were structured in such a way to support the streets above and indeed they still hold up the Muslim quarter today!

The Praetorian still exists in the tunnels and this is powerfully significant to Christians. This is the actual place where Jesus was condemned by Pilate. It is at the beginning of the Via Dolorosa. Visiting Jerusalem is not just another vacation, it is an experience – one that you will never forget.

In the Footsteps of Jesus - The Western Wall Tunnels in Jerusalem

_______________________________________________

Location: Old City, Jerusalem

Opening Times: Accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week – never shuts

Admission: FREE

Nice Touch! Western Wall Tunnels are also accessible – visitation is only allowed by booking a tour – see official website link below for details.

Official Website: The Western Wall

 

 

 

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestTelegramEmail
Discover more about Beth Yeshua International here on GOD TV.
ArticlesFaithIsrael

Beth Yeshua International and the Importance of Prayer

by Jeff S. Bray
written by Jeff S. Bray

We all have prayer needs: for direction, healing, a job, patience, for our family, our church, our neighborhoods, and for the world. To God, there is no small prayer. There are numerous accounts in the Tanakh and the Gospels of God’s people on their knees in prayer. Daniel prayed three times a day; David has an entire book of the Bible filled with praises and prayers; Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob prayed to God; Moses would continually pray for the Israelites; most importantly, Jesus prayed – as a model. It is still important today. In Jerusalem, there is a wall dedicated to prayer, and Beth Yeshua International has brought that emblem of prayer to the US.

Beth Yeshua International: Prayer Needed in the US

“If my people who are called by my name humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”

 (2 Chronicles 7:14)

It began in 1962 with one court case that would change the face of a nation. Over the next year, prayer, as well as Bible reading, would be abolished within the American school system. From there, unless you already had a religious upbringing or attended a church service, you would not have experience with prayer. Unfortunately, that is where society is today; prayerless and clueless about the power of prayer.

Prayer in American Society

In today’s non-offensive movement, it could be costly to profess faith and pray to God. We see what happens to those in the spotlight who take a stand for Christ. They are shunned and rebuked, all the while those who stand for un-Biblical standards are praised and rewarded. One cannot openly pray before a sporting event, before a city council meeting, or even before a meal at a local restaurant without somebody taking offense. Even Christians are straying from prayer out of fear of reprisal.

Most people do not pray anymore outside of the four walls of a church, or perhaps a brief prayer over a meal. We wonder why bad things happen; we blame God for allowing hunger, suffering, and natural disasters. But how can God work within a prayerless society? Yes, God knows all; He is omniscient. But He still wants us to voice our hurts and struggles with Him. When we stop praying, we close the door on allowing God to work in us. God can act, but He is also a gentleman, He will wait for us to ask before He begins to work.

Beth Yeshua International aims to change the way the world feels about prayer with a unique perspective; the history of prayer to the Jewish community. Namely the Western Wall in Jerusalem.

Beth Yeshua International: The Western Wall

The Western Wall is significant to the Jewish community. It was once the western retaining wall of the Second Temple. Its importance was because the western wall was the closest place to the Holy of Holies that someone who was not a priest could go.

In Israel, during the time that Yeshua walked the earth, the temple stood. Although Herod controlled it, the temple still had meaning to the Jewish community. However, the temple was destroyed in 70AD after a Jewish revolt failed. One of the last remaining pieces of the temple left was the Western Wall. There it remained for centuries.

In 1956, during the rule of Suleyman and the Ottoman Empire, an earthquake occurred, but the wall stood. The area was cleared and made into a place for Jews to pray. There was a brief time where it was under Jordanian rule and Jews were prohibited from entering. However, after the Six-Day War in 1964, Israel controlled the area once again. They rid the section of Muslim structures and once again used the Western Wall area for prayer.

Beth Yeshua International:

The Mission

Beth Yeshua International is a Messianic Jewish synagogue in Macon, Georgia. They minister to their community through teaching God’s word, outreaches, and unique ministry opportunities.

    • Rabbi Greg Hershberg – Rabbi Hershberg has served with Beth Yeshua International since 2002, only when it was only Beth Yeshua. Through his leadership, the synagogue has expanded into a teaching and training facility for missions’ work.
    • Teaching – The International part of Beth Yeshua International came in 2010 when they began to teach and train missionaries. They spread into Kenya, Australia, Germany, and of course, Israel with congregations and schools. The primary teaching tool is Rabbi Hershberg’s teaching site, org.
    • Outreach – Beth Yeshua International has Congregation plants in Australia, India, Kenya, and Germany.
    • Ministry – Beth Yeshua International works with three mission projects: The Miracle iPad Mission which provides iPads for those with special needs; Neve Michael which is a Children’s home in Padres Hanna, Israel; and the Miracle Wheelchair Mission which partners with Foster Foundation to provide funding for wheelchairs for those with disabilities in Israel.

Beth Yeshua International: Today’s Message

The Western Wall has stood for nearly 2000 years. It was significant to the Jewish people when Nehemiah began to build the second temple. There was significance during the times of Jesus when it surrounded the second temple; it was the closest place to where sacrifices were offered to God within the Holy of Holies. It remained significant after the second temple was destroyed as it was the only structure left standing. Even today, Jews will migrate from all over the world to visit this highly religious site and submit their prayers to God.

In 2013, Rabbi Hershberg and his congregation began to build a replica of Jerusalem’s Western Wall where people could come to pray. He says that he knows that walls in themselves do not have the presence of God but hopes that people will know that God still hears prayer.

Beth Yeshua International has brought the ambiance of a Prayer Wall to the congregation in Macon, Georgia. Considering the prayer needs around the country, they want to share it with those across the US. However, Rabbi Hershberg says in an interview with a local television station, “I believe that we need to have a wall like this… in each state in the United States of America,”

It is amazing to witness this belief in prayer. Not that we need a wall to pray to God, we can do it from anywhere. It is the community spirit that is prominent here. The act of brothers and sisters in Christ joining together in prayer. Whether it be for our sick puppy, an aging relative, an empty pocketbook, or the governing powers of the nations; God hears prayer. And as we opened with, if we unite together in humble prayer, God will hear us, and heal our land.

 

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestTelegramEmail
Selichot
News

Awe and Inspiration During Selichot at The Western Wall

by GOD TV
written by GOD TV

The sound of the shofar was loud and strong. Every few moments a man dressed in white, wearing a Breslov kippah blew into the ram’s horn as people filed through the entrances of the Western Wall.

In the days that run-up to Rosh Hashanah and during the period between the High Holy Days, selichot – communal prayers for divine forgiveness – are recited daily. The catch: The prayers begin at midnight, their words and laments carrying through until 2 a.m.

Despite the late hour, thousands upon thousands of people from all over Israel flocked to the Western Wall to take part in this phenomenon.

From Ethiopian Jews to Secular Jews to Hasidim, Sephardim, Ashkenazim, Yemenite Jews – it was a sea of diversity with some in traditional dress and others wearing black pants, white shirts, black hats, shtreimels, jeans and t-shirts.

As thousands gathered, there was a hustle of activity. On the one side of the plaza, a large group of women congregated and made challah together as the leading women spoke about Rosh Hashanah. They mixed ingredients and kneading the dough while they prayed for the safety of Israel, for healing, a good year, success, blessings – and as each was recited loudly by the leader, the crowd of women shouted “Amen.”

Several women came forward asking for blessings and as they did so, each was given a plastic bag to put over their hand and the opportunity to knead the dough. Some were seen closing their eyes as cries of “Amen” washed over them, desperately hoping for their prayer to come to fruition.

A group of religious Ethiopian Jews, led by one man dressed in a long garment with a turban on his head, sang laments and the group answered loudly in a chorus of sad song, so beautiful it touched a chord within. Although it was dark, a man stood behind him – also dressed in a white garment – holding a beaded green umbrella, sheltering their leader.

Earlier in the evening, tours of all sorts were on offer for visitors who wanted to explore the history of the Old City and its surroundings.

In the Old City square, one man, dressed in pure white and wearing a desert cap, played his guitar and sang about some of the city’s history while explaining to those on his tour the trials and tribulations experienced in the area. Two others held tambourines and hit them softly as the man stood and sang.

Another tour guide danced around his audience showing them pictures and graphs, many a laugh could be heard from the group, while one man could even be heard giving a tour in a poetic language, which almost sounded Shakespearean.

Middle Eastern drums could be heard banging in the distance as the groups moved closer and closer toward the Western Wall plaza. The energy across the plaza was electric, and yet there was still a sense of foreboding, which spread far and wide across the crowds.

As midnight dawned, the thousands began to quieten down. And then it began, as if he were crying before God, begging for mercy – the loud, quivering voice wailed as he said each word of the selichot prayers.

In a chilling chorus, thousands upon voices responded. This continued for hours and not once did the cantor lose his emotion. Not once did the crowd falter as they answered. Some drew out their cell phones, photographing and videoing the rare event and the togetherness of the Nation of Israel.

Tears shined on many faces as the prayers drew to a close and the sound of several shofars billowed once more, marking an end to the spiritual endeavor.

Do you want to be aware of all the latest from Israel and the Middle East? CLICK HERE to Sign up for GOD TV’s new daily newsletter, The Israel Insider.

Written by Ilanit Chernick  |  Photo by Ilanit Chernick/TPS 

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestTelegramEmail
News

Shas MK Leaves Western Wall Committee, Leaving Future in Doubt

by GOD TV
written by GOD TV

Minister of Religious Services David Azoulai, a member of the ultra-Orthodox Shas Party, resigned Sunday from a ministerial committee charged with implementing plans to expand a pluralistic prayer space at the southern reach of the Western Wall. Azoulai was the third member of the committee to resign in a week, following Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked and Culture Minister Miri Regev last week, leaving Prime Minister Netanyahu and National Infrastructure Minister Yuval Steinitz as the only members of the committee.

The decision to expand the Robinson’s Arch prayer space dates to a January, 2016 agreement between the government, the Women of the Wall monthly prayer group and representatives of non-Orthodox Jewish groups, who agreed to use the alternate site for mixed-gender prayers provided that the space was expanded and that appropriate signage was provided at entrances to the Western Wall complex informing visitors of the new section.

Representatives of the ultra-Orthodox parties also signed off on the deal, but quickly came under fire from the powerful Haredi press, which is vociferously opposed to granting any state recognition to streams of Judaism not based on the observance of Jewish law (halacha). Netanyahu eventually bowed to pressure from his haredi coalition partners and shelved the compromise last June.

Zionist Union MK Nachman Shai, a member of the Knesset foreign affairs and defense committee and the chairman of the Knesset lobby for US-Israel Relations and lobby for Strengthening the Jewish People, called the collapse of the committee a “disaster” and said Netanyahu has a responsibility to find a solution to unite all streams of Judaism. Steinitz added in an interview with Army Radio on Sunday morning.

“(Opposition to the new prayer section) only harms Zionism,” Steinitz added.” There is nothing new or substantial in (constructing a) Reform Judaism plaza. There is nothing worth fighting about.”

Written by TPS  |  Photo by Mati Amar/TPS

0 comment
0 FacebookTwitterPinterestTelegramEmail
Newer Posts
Older Posts

GET YOUR DAILY
DEVOTIONAL