The Following The Ancient Paths site now has several areas.

There is an area dedicated to this blog, you’ll find that link here (for those of you with RSS feeds, e-mail subscriptions and NetworkedBlogs).

Also there is an area dedicated to our family service trip as well as an area dedicated to the various studies that we participate in and have open invitations for those in our community.

I will soon be adding an area for my home business(es), Ancient Paths, Naturally! as well.

Now that this stage is complete, I plan to continue with the series about my guys’ trip to Israel this fall, and other thoughts, as time allows.  So visit the new blog and follow along from there.

I’m hoping to be able to redirect from this site to the new one, but it’s best if you adjust your RSS subscriptions using the links provided at the top of the sidebar (NOT the ones at the very top of the page, I can’t disable them).

Any links to my blog you have shared, please be sure to edit them to take you to the new site.

The Networked Blogs information is being updated now so any future notifications will be from the new site.

Looking forward to seeing you there!!  :)

After their work week was complete in Bracha and Shiloh they were able to spend a little time touring on Friday and on Sunday.  I wish I had photos to share with you all, but they were so caught up in their adventures that they forgot to take very many photos.

They visited Elon Moreh which is near Bracha and Shechem, where G-d made a covenant with Abraham saying “To your descendants I will give this land.”  This was a tremendous sight for the guys – you really can see all around, for miles and miles, nearly all of Israel (and beyond).  This is a special place  to remember a special covenant between the King of the Universe and Abraham, the father of the Jewish people.  There is a resettlement of Jewish pioneers living on Elon Moreh, reclaiming their ancient homeland in the Biblical Heartland of Israel.  The website of the settlement at Elon Moreh has a wonderful timeline of events in this place, check it out.

Outside Machpelah

After their visit to Elon Moreh were able to go to Hebron.  Hebron is the home of Abraham and Sarah, where G-d ratified an eternal covenant with Abraham (some of you will remember HaYesod lesson 3 – the lesson on Covenants), Hebron is where Sarah died and Abraham purchased a plot of land that included a burial cave in which to bury his beloved wife.  The burial site is still honored today:  The Cave of Macpelah and it’s not just Sarah who is buried there.  This is the resting place for Abraham and Sarah, Isaac and Rachel, Jacob and Leah.  This is the burial place of The Fathers and Mothers.  The Cave of Macpelah in Hebronis the second holiest site in Judaism, next only to the Temple Mount.  The Arabs have had control of this site for quite a long time and since they honor Abraham as their father, there is a certain level of respect that they show as well.  The monument is split in two, half for the Jewish population and half for the Arab population.  While that sounds

This ancient road, where Abraham walked in Hebron, is still there today

nice, you must realize that Hebron is an Arab town and the Jewish families that live there live under continual threats.  Most people in Israel, whether visitors or natives, do not go to Hebron because “it’s too dangerous.”  But it is powerful!  The community of Hebron itself left quite an impression on my men, as well as on everyone else I’m sure.  This is where my son is waiting to bring me, so I can experience what he cannot put into words.  It’s beautiful.  It’s life changing.  Their visit to Hebron was powerful in its history, it’s significance, Macpelah and in its representation of the struggles of today.  It has been a difficult place for Jewish people to settle in because the Arabs simply do not want them there and they make their messages very clear.  When our guys and their group went to Hebron, there were IDF soldiers everywhere.  Not just two or three IDF soldiers, but quite a few of them.  They met a family who are among the first settlers in Hebron and heard the stories of their struggles and losses as they’ve been called to resettle the mountains of Israel and are committed to this task.  It was awe-inspiring!  Check out the photos of the Beit Hadassah Neighborhood, this is a thriving and modern city where children play in the playgrounds and in their yards.  The restaurant where they had lunch that day had bullet holes in the widows and the local Jewish people said, “Oh that.  Yes, sometimes we get shot at.  It’s no big deal, really.”  So, how committed are you to the task you’ve been called to?   It is their visit to Hebron where they reached their saturation point.  They both said it was like putting water on a dry sponge, it soaks it all in.  But when the sponge is full it simply cannot absorb any more.  Hebron was so powerful, on top of so many other powerful and incredible things they had seen and done.  They are glad for their journals but kept telling me that there’s no way they could put it all into words, no way that pictures can do it justice.  ”It’s just . . . . I can’t even begin to tell you…” they tell me with that far-away look in their eyes.  I am anxiously awaiting my first visit to Hebron.

The last city in our history-tour series is Beit El, which you might recognize as Bethel.  This is a place where Abraham stayed for a while and the place of Jacob’s vision of the ladder as he was leaving the Land after receiving the blessing from Isaac.  There wasn’t an organized tour in Beit El so the guys were able to wander around and ponder the significance of the place where they were standing.  From Beit El they participated in a live video broadcast for the families back home and they took us all on a little live feed video tour as they showed Beit El to their families back home and talked about events that took place there.  It was in Beit El where Shalom found a very deep cistern and since he has had the urge to climb the whole time he was there, he climbed down to the bottom and then back out.  The resettlement of Beit El is home to over 1,200 families where  Arutz Sheva Israel National Radio operates out of studios in Beit El and Petah Tikva. Beit El also has a number of small factories, such as a tefillin factory, a winery, metalworks, carpentry shops, a bakery and others.  It is from Beit El that our family acquired our Israeli flag.  Up on top of the water towers flies Israeli flags and because the flags get wind-whipped they tear up pretty quickly.  While our guys were there some men came to put up new flags and discard of the old flags.  Shalom brought home one of these old flags, and it now hangs proudly in our living room.

The final note I’ll share is from Tuesday evening.  The guys were rounded up and taken to a filming of Tuesday Night Live in Jerusalem featuring Ari Abramowitz and Joseph Gimpel.  These are always delightful programs to watch and apparently they were filming programs for the new season, this program featured HaYovel and the work they are doing with an interview of one of the guys on our guys’ team.

Their touring had been amazing, the work long yet enjoyable, the camaraderie was truly enjoyable and we’re half way through their trip already!  Miriam and I were doing well here at home, patiently waiting for our turn to go to Israel with them.

Itamar rests in the region of the ancient holy city of Shechem, where the tomb of Joseph is located and where the sons of Aaron, the High Priest, are buried.  One of Aaron’s sons was Itamar and it is in his honor that the resettlement is named. Today the Biblical city of Shechem is an Arab village called Nabulus, which you can find on the map to the left.  Itamar and Shechem are in the Mountains of Samaria, neighboring Har Bracha (the Mount of Blessing).  You might recognize this area as “The West Bank“, but it is technically not the west bank of the country of Jordan (did you know that’s why it’s called the ‘west bank’?).  In fact, this is the ancient territory of Manasseh and Ephraim, the sons of Joseph, and later this area was known as the region of Samaria.  This land was given to the new nation of Israel, as promised, when the nations agreed to recognize the new Jewish state in 1948.  It was a struggle to keep this territory but after a few battles with the Arab nations, this special piece of land has been back in Israel’s hands for over 44 years.  Resettling this territory has not been for the faint of heart!

Itamar is the longest Jewish settlement in Judea & Samaria, roughly 7 miles long and just a few miles wide.  As far as our western standards go, it is a small town.  With a population of just over 1,000 people, this is certainly not a thriving modern metropolis but it is a wonderful community!!  Most of the residents of Itamar work in organic farming and education, and all are closely and deeply connected to one another.  These are a people strongly dedicated to the survival and future of the Jewish people in the Biblical heartland of Israel.  These are modern day pioneers, idealists carving out a wonderful life in the hills of Israel.

When our guys got to Itamar, it was cold and wet.  If you look at the Itamar website, read what Leah Goldsmith has to say about Itamar and look at the photos – just beautiful!  Some stories on the website are sad, but they reflect the devotion to G-d and to their faith in the Covenant between the King of the Universe and Abraham and his descendants.  Even when life is hard, life is still very good.  It is good because G-d is true to His Word and there is abundant joy in deeply trusting Him.

The day before they visited Itamar they were given a tour of the region and this video was recorded as they looked down from Har Bracha (The Mount of Blessing) into the valley where the Priests once stood as Israel reaffirmed their covenant with HaShem.  In the background you see the ancient city of Shechem – now called Nabulus by the Palestinians.

Part 2 is here

You may be thinking, “Itamar sounds so familiar, but I’m not so sure why.”  Just days after my guys returned home there was a horrible terrorist attack in the town of Itamar, two Palestinian teenagers from the village of Awarta snuck into the settlement on the Sabbath and brutally murdered Rabbi Udi Fogel, 36 and his wife Ruth, 35 and three of their six children:  Yoav, 11; Elad, 4 and three month old Hadas.  News of this brutal murder deeply affected my men.  The following day that they gave the second of a series of public presentations about their trip – their emotions were raw as they spoke of the people, the land, the lessons they learned, and the deep desire to help the rest of us begin to really understand the significance of Judea and Samaria and what HaShem is doing there.  Once it becomes a part of your heart, little else matters.

A lot has happened in this region since my guys have come home.  Visits to Joseph’s Tomb, more murder, destruction, and cancelled visits.  But in the wake of these things, Israel responds by building, growing, tzedekah (righteous deeds) and with a strong vision of hope for a wonderful future.

G-d spoke through the prophets concerning these days and this land, it is very important.  If it weren’t so important, this tiny bit of hill country on the other side of the globe wouldn’t be in our daily news.  What happens in this land affects each of us in more ways than we might realize.  There is a spiritual battle over this land, over these people, and the Adversary doesn’t want the Jewish people to thrive there, he doesn’t want them to be at all.  However, HaShem has promised that they will thrive in His land and thriving is exactly what they are doing!  The enemies of G-d will stop at nothing to destroy His Name, His people and His land.  The people who have become subject to the will of the Adversary need prayer, it is a spiritual battle, but the choices are theirs to make.  HaShem has promised that He will defend His people, He will fight for them.  As politicians discuss what should be as they try to fulfill their ideological goals for the whole world, what we stand on are the promises of G-d.

The time is upon us – it is time for You to act, O L-RD, for Your Name is upon Your people and upon Your land.  The whole world is watching, waiting.  Your enemies are taunting You to see if You truly are Who You say You are.  You have called people from the nations to come and help restore your people to your land, and we are doing this in greater numbers every day.  Open our eyes so we can see, touch our hearts so we will care, strengthen our hands so we will do the work You have called us to and make Your Name great in all the earth so every living thing will praise You.

]]> http://followingtheancientpaths.wordpress.com/2011/05/24/itamar-shechem/feed/ 1 FollowingTheAncientPaths israel_map At Itmar http://followingtheancientpaths.wordpress.com/2011/05/08/week-2-part-2-shiloh/ http://followingtheancientpaths.wordpress.com/2011/05/08/week-2-part-2-shiloh/#comments Sun, 08 May 2011 21:43:54 +0000 Lisa W http://followingtheancientpaths.wordpress.com/?p=1861 ]]> In this series I have been sharing bits and pieces about a trip to Israel that my husband and son took earlier this year.  They went to fulfill Biblical prophecy, to get their hands dirty in Israeli soil, to assist the Jewish farmers as they resettle their ancient homeland, and as a bonus they were able to spend over a month together with “just the guys”.  What an experience they had!  So far I have shared about their arrival and first week in the resettlement of Har Bracha and their second week in Psagot.  At the end of their second week their team began working in a vineyard in Shiloh, a 10 to 15 minute drive from Har Bracha.  Shiloh is where my men worked for the bulk of their time in Israel.

The Emblem of Shiloh

In the Biblical Heartland of Israel, Shiloh holds special prominence.  It is here that the Tabernacle stood for 369 years while the young nation of Israel settled into her Promised Land under the leadership of the judges through to the days of Samuel the Prophet.  Shiloh is the place where the Children of Israel would travel three times a year to celebrate the festivals of HaShem.  This special city was the judicial heart of Israel early on as this is where Joshua cast lots for the portions of land for each tribe and where Israel’s High Priest lived – it was the first capital city of Israel.  Once the children of Israel entered into the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and their descendants, the Tabernacle no longer needed to be quite so portable so while in Shiloh, the Tabernacle was given more permanent walls and a door.  In fact, the outline of the ancient structure is still visible in the ancient city of Shiloh.  G-d’s tabernacle stood here throughout the days of Joshua, Hannah and Samuel the Prophet.

Olive Groves in Shiloh

Today’s Shiloh bloc of communities, called Gush Shiloh, consists of 12 independent yet interconnected communities with a combined population of  about 6,000 people. Adjacent to the ancient city of Shiloh, the modern community of Gush Shiloh has the city of Shiloh at the center of the smaller adjacent communities. The 3,300 year old community was reestablished in 1978 and in 1979 the Israeli government recognized Shiloh as an official Israeli community in Judea and Samaria. Shiloh is just a few miles north of Beit El (or Bethel) and I’ll share a little about that later.  In the Shiloh bloc, residents work in a variety of industries: education, computers and technology, agriculture, and much more. Many residents work locally and others commute to work in Jerusalem and elsewhere. Local visitor’s attractions include:  Ancient Shiloh tourist sites, Achiya Olive Oil Factory, Shiloh Winery, Shiloh Israel Children’s Fund programs.  This is a thriving modern community nestled in the Biblical heartland of Israel.

Burning pruned vines in Shiloh vineyard

Working in Shiloh was a great joy for my men for several reasons:  Shiloh is home to the ancient Biblical sites and they would be able to visit many of them when time allowed, and the vineyard was not on top of a mountain so they could now work without the constant cold winter wind and rain sapping their strength.  It was in Shiloh that they were finally able to work in their t-shirts instead of layer upon layer of warm clothes and they began to get some sun on their skin, even a bit of a sunburn.  Once the vines were pruned, the parts that were removed were thrown into the fire, you can see the smoke in the vineyards in the photo above.  The teams of men would start their days with Bible study and their conversations would continue as they drove from Bracha to Shiloh as well as throughout the day as they worked.

prayer & study time in Shiloh

This was a time of wonderful fellowship as the men all worked together, studied together and had fun together in the Biblical heartland of Israel.  One afternoon the men were given 2 dozen chickens (live) and they spent the evening butchering most of them to have for their dinners throughout their stay.  It was a blessing, and a hysterical time because many of the men they were working with also live on farms and raise their own food which means everyone has a story to share about butchering chickens.  Their group had a meal rotation where everyone took turns making the days meals, and chicken was a common ingredient for dinners while they were there.

Tabernacle Site

While they worked in the vineyards they were given tours through the area when time allowed.  They were able visit the site of the ancient Tabernacle and given time to think deeply and pray.   It was amazing for them to see the remnant of the Tabernacle compound with the rock walls, post holes and even pieces of pottery laying in the dirt.  Just think, so long ago thousands of people would come to this place to worship HaShem, just as He said, and thousands of years later my men standing in the very spot that the Tabernacle stood and the worship services were conducted, the people celebrated and blessed G-d for 369 years.  After a hard days work in the vineyards to spend some time at this very special place, there just weren’t words to describe it.

Home of Eli the High Priest in Shiloh

Ancient walls & mosaics

They were also able to see the home where Eli the High Priest in Shiloh lived.  This is where Samuel the Prophet grew up.  Of course this is a very old home (in a cave, mind you) and has shifted or collapsed a little over the millennia, but here it sits.  There were many archaeological sites and buildings they were able to look at and some they even could walk about in.  There were ancient mosaics covered up and protected by sandbags – just sitting out there.

Shalom & a turtle in Shiloh

At one place they visited Shalom found a turtle stuck on it’s back in a hole.  Since his “homeschooling” didn’t stop while they were on their trip, one of Shalom’s tasks was to find and write about different animals, insects and plants he found on his journeys as well as about the various locations he visited.  In the Har Bracha entry I shared a photo of a gecko that shared their home and there are several photos of dogs, cats, turtles, various flowers, sheep & goats & a camel as well as some photos of the places they visited.  There were so many learning opportunities while my guys were away on their trip and I knew that as members of a seasoned homeschooling family, they would take advantage of as many learning opportunities as possible.  While their journals came home full, the camera didn’t.

In Shiloh the guys were able to visit a classroom at the school where the children were attentively involved in their daily lessons and then the guys were able to go to the trauma center next door.  Life in “the west bank” comes with an accepted risk and nearly every family has experienced terrorism in one form or another.  While it is very safe in Judea & Samaria, the stakes can be quite high at times.  Just next to the school is a facility where children who have been traumatized by acts of terror can find support and therapy as they heal from their wounds – emotional and physical.  Rather than having to travel far away from home for various therapy appointments, families can stay closer to home while Israel’s children recover from various terrorist experiences.  Whether they have physical wounds or not, many children have suffered greatly from the terrorist activities in Judea & Samaria and this special center is designed to help the children heal.  The evening after they visited the Shiloh Israel Children’s Fund facilities, Shalom called me to tell me about it saying “Mom, this is exactly what Miriam was born to do – they even have therapy for the kids using animals.  You’ve got to come here.”

Mishkan Shilo Synagogue is a replica of the Biblical Tabernacle

Throughout their trip they were regularly treated to talks from gracious Rabbis who would teach them about the areas they were visiting, about the weekly Torah portions, or about whatever was on their hearts to share.  It was a tremendous blessing for my men and for the other men in their group.  They were able to visit the synagogue in Shiloh which is built as a replica of the Tabernacle.  There is such a desire to remember and honor Biblical history in Judea and Samaria that it shows in everything they do.  From the names of the towns to the way they construct their buildings to the types of jobs that people choose to do – Judea and Samaria have a rich Biblically focused environment, you simply cannot escape it.  But it’s not all about history.  While history is important to remember, that’s not the driving force in Judea and Samaria.  So what is it all about?  It is all about the future!  The future of Israel, the future of the people uniquely chosen by the King of the Universe to be His special treasure, even the future of the whole world in the Messianic Kingdom.  You don’t know where you’re going if you don’t know where you’ve come from.  These special people know very well where they have come from, and they know exactly where they are going!  It was an incredible blessing to experience this intense devotion, even as a visitor.

My guys’ time in Shiloh was amazing.  Working in the vineyards fulfilling Biblical prophecy (Messiah is coming soon!), working near and walking among ancient Biblical sites, learning from area Rabbis, teachers and members of the Jewish community that they worked with – it was all so overwhelming and such a blessing for our family.  Our whole family has been richly blessed from sending my husband and one son on this special trip.  I can only imagine the deep and lasting impact that would affect our family if we were all able to travel to Israel as humble servants together.  May it be His will that we can accomplish this task soon, together.

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Books:  God, Israel & Shiloh and The Islamic Tsunami by David Rubin

A Little About Kosher Wine

For many the first thing they think of when one says “kosher wine” is the super sweet Manischewitz or Mogen David wine that you might find in your local grocery store.  Not all kosher wine is equal.  Kosher wine comes in all varieties, for all palates.  Years ago “kosher wine” simply meant any sweet deep-red liquid, but that has all changed now!  

Some people believe that in order for a food to be certified kosher it just needs to be blessed by a Rabbi.  That’s not true.  In the Torah HaShem outlines the dietary standards for His children and these provide the foundation for kosher certification.  Judaism has a long history with wine.  We read throughout the Scriptures that wine played an important part in Tabernacle and Temple worship, celebrations and at festivals as well as in common daily life.  In the Scriptures, wine symbolizes joy and has remained an important part of Jewish life even today.  In ancient days it was common for pagans to also use wine as they worshiped their gods and unless you processed the wine yourself or you knew who did, chances were great that any wine you might find in the market place was indeed dedicated to, or used in the worship of, a pagan god.  This was not acceptable to the Jewish people and it became necessary to identify wine that was not tainted by idolatry.  Because of this, non-Jews are not allowed to participate in the processing of kosher wine because they might be idolators.  Consuming wine that has been dedicated to a pagan god is not something that the children of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are willing to do.

But there is more to kosher wine than keeping the gentiles out of the process.  It begins in the vineyards.  No fruit from vines younger than 5 years may be used, according to the Torah.  All the equipment, utensils and facilities must be kosher.  A portion of the kosher wine is always poured out as a reminder of the tithe of the produce that would be taken to the Temple were it standing today.  And here’s a big one, during the production of the wine no animal products may be used.  What animal products are used in non-kosher wine?  To make a short, but gross list, things like fish bladders, skin and connective tissue of swine and ruminants, gelatin and/or egg whites.  Who wants that in their wine anyway?  eeww…

A Little About Israeli Wine

I’m sure you’ve enjoyed good wines from various places:  California, Washington, Canada, South America, Portugal, France, Italy, etc.  Specific types of wine come from specific types of grapes.  Vintners even in the same region will often have a slightly different process or technique from one another which allows the same variety of wine from the same kind of grape to have flavors unique to each vintner.  In our area there are two winemakers who produce the same types of wine, but they each have a distinct taste.

One primary factor in the making of wine is the growing of the grapes.  Here in the USA we think of vineyards in mild climates with plenty of rainfall and sunshine, green grass and even beautiful rolling hills.  Think of the climate between central California up through the lower parts of British Columbia, adequate rainfall and adequate sunshine to produce flourishing vines, thereby wonderful grapes.  Israel boasts of a Mediterranean climate in the north and west to an arid climate in the south that often does not receive adequate rainfall but sure does have plenty of sunshine.  One would think that grapes might not grow so well when it looks like this:

Vineyard in Samaria at pruning time

But that is where we had some learning to do!  You see, when the vines search for adequate nutrients and water it puts a particular stress on the vine.  While we might think that stress is a bad thing, it is actually a very good thing.  As those vines send their roots deep and wide searching for nourishment, it produces a hearty vine and yields amazingly flavorful fruit.  The stress of the vine produces a fruit with tremendous flavor, making for a wonderful wine in the end.  We have tried wines from various parts of the world and nothing we have found can compare to the wine from Israel.

Vineyard in Samaria at harvest time

But there’s more to Israeli vineyards than just semi-stressed out vines.  As the Jewish people have returned to the homeland of their ancestors, the land has blossomed.  It really is amazing.  HaShem has blessed His land and His people living in His land.  What this long deserted wasteland has now awakened and is blossoming with incredible joy as her children have returned.  Israel’s economy is growing and their agricultural exports are an important part of that GDP.  The hand of G-d is on this land, this people, these plants and it is a wonder to behold!  The tremendous flavor of Israeli wine is not just because the vines need to work hard to produce amazing fruit, but because the blessing of the King of the Universe rests on this place.

Specific Israeli Wine Recommendations

Our family has not yet had an opportunity to sample all the Israeli wines, but we aim to do so in time.  For now, let me share with you about the wines we’ve enjoyed the most and are on our list for our next KosherWine order.

Mount Blessing Winery owned by Nir Lavi, is a new winery as far as winery’s go.  Located in the Shomron Mountain Region, Mount Blessing Winery is on Har Bracha, the mount of blessing.  Currently this wine is only available in Israel as far as I can see, so when you travel to Bracha be sure to bring some amazing wine home with you.  You surely won’t regret it!  A review written this past fall said:  ”Mount Blessing might have people beating down their doors sonner than later once the word gets out how interesting their wine can be”.

Tura Estate Winery, founded by Erez Ben Saadoun and located in Rechalim in the Shomron Mountain region.  A photo-tour of their winery shows the bottling process and you can read about the Tura Merlot (2005) here.  The first vineyards planted by the family in 1997 are in Har Bracha and have been proved to be among the finest quality vineyards in the country.  The winery was founded in 2003 after the vineyards reached the appropriate age for harvest and winemaking.  The winery has been awarded many prizes and honors for their excellent winemaking.  You can acquire Tura Estate Merlot for yourself here.

Shiloh Winery was established in 2005 in the vicinity of the ancient Biblical city of Shiloh, in the Mateh Binyamin Region of Judea and Samaria.  Entrepreneur Dr. Mayer Chomer could not resist founding the Shiloh winery in this region because gapes and wine have been strongly associated with the Shiloh area for millennia, and it is fitting that the Shiloh Winery would produce wonderful wines today.  This growing winery has received many top-ranking international awards and positive reviews. The winery’s greatest pleasure is for wine lovers to experience Shiloh’s blessings for themselves.  You can acquire Shiloh Wine for yourself here.

Psagot Wine is what my husband and son brought back the most of.  Nestled in the Judean Hills of the Mateh Binyamin Region, just a few miles north of Jerusalem, the region has a history of winemaking dating back thousands of years.  Planting the first vineyards for wine in 1998, Yaakov Berg and Psagot Winery have grown to become a premier winery in Israel.  At the Vinalies competition in Paris this past March, the Psagot winery was awarded a gold medal and a silver medal for their wines.  ”The prestigious gold medal was awarded for its Cabernet Sauvignon and the silver medal was for its Edom wine. Both wines were entered in the ‘Single Vineyard 2009′ category” says Israel National News.  Their Edom wine is their signature wine and in 2006 was the winner of gold medals in the 2006 Eshkol Hazahav Competition and the 2006 International Terravino Competition.  Their wines have been winning many awards for the past several years and they keep improving with each passing year.  You can acquire Psagot wines for yourself here, or you can go to your local shops and ask them to carry this wonderful award winning wine.

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**  Kosher Wine, Mevushal Wine Explained With Buying Tips

Kosher Wine

Is Your Wine Fined?

What Makes A Wine Kosher?

Haganah Ship - The Exodus

The Scriptures speak of the land of Israel having a special connection to the Jewish people.  To many of us this might sound kind of quirky, but do you know what this land has done since her children have returned?  HaShem tells Israel that if they obey His teachings that He will send rain from heaven in the proper time so the crops will grow and produce a good harvest, even an abundant harvest.  However, when His children do not keep to His teachings that the rain will be withheld and the land will not give them a good harvest.  The Prophets say that when the Jewish people return to their homeland, the land will rejoice and spring to life, bearing abundant produce – even produce that boggles the mind!  It’s interesting to note that for millennia the land of Israel has been considered a barren wasteland.  Pictographic records from the 19th century show that very few people lived on this land because it was infested with disease bearing mosquitoes in the swamps, dry and desolate nearly uninhabitable desert, and produced very little in the way of necessary food and raw materials for shelter (probably due to the various saltings of the land by invaders over the years).  The few people who lived there were either nomadic tribesmen or Jews who lived mainly in the four cities of Jerusalem, Safed, Tiberius and Hebron (I will be sharing about my guys’ trip to Hebron later).  Life for the Jewish people in Israel in the mid to late 1800′s was difficult, as it had been for millennia before.  The aftermath of World War II brought worldwide recognition of Israel as THE Jewish homeland and a steady influx of Jewish people began to return. This once desolate and useless ancient land that nobody really wanted all of the sudden began to rejoice!  The swamps were drained and cleared in order to turn them into fertile farmland.  The desert wastes were cared for, trees planted and suddenly there was harvest after harvest from the crops planted there.  As the people came home, the land rejoiced and began to bloom.  There are now forests and farmland as well as a blossoming desert when the rains come.  Israel now exports a tremendous amount of produce all around the world, food for the nations.  The prophets tell us that this will happen once Israel returns home and at the time that King Messiah will come.  Again, the first flowering of Israel’s redemption has begun!

Harvesting Vineyards in restored parts of Samaria Today!

There are many things that the prophets tell us will take place when it is time for Messiah to come, many of these things are happening right now.  Never before has the time been so right.  So, understanding that Messiah is coming soon, what does one do?  Do we sit around and wait?  Do we “bide our time” and expect that once He comes that He will make everything right?  Or are there things that we are supposed to be doing?

I do not believe that we are to sit around, but that we are to be continuously at work preparing for His coming.  Tikkun Olam - repairing the world, doing our part to bring a restoration of G-d’s original intent to the world.  In the beginning G-d saw that it was good and then we sinned.  Tikkun Olam is about loving HaShem, loving one’s neighbor, being good stewards of what He has entrusted to us in this life, encouraging others to live the way we were created to live, etc.  Tikkun Olam is about ethical change in our own lives (<– visit this link, it’s so worth it!).  But as we prepare for Messiah’s coming, there’s more than just ethical change in our own lives.  We must physically be preparing, making real tangible preparations.  Messiah is coming to complete the work of both The Suffering Servant and The Conquering King.  We must be about the task of preparing for His arrival in every way.

Ancient walls in a once desolate place now filled with olive groves (in the back), grass and wildflowers.

In Judea and Samaria (also known as The West Bank) there are wonderful people who are busy preparing with confidence!  The make-up of the Jewish re-settlements in the mountains of Israel is diverse, and while there are many non-religious families in the re-settlements, there are a lot of Orthodox Jewish families resettling their ancient homeland.  Orthodox Jewish families have known all their lives about the prophecies concerning the mountains of Israel in Judea and Samaria and reading the signs of the times, they understand that Messiah is coming soon.  The Prophets tell us that there will be vineyards dripping with sweet wine, flocks of sheep and goats and many Jewish people living on the mountains of Israel, then this is what must be done.  Vineyards have been planted on the mountains of Israel, shepherds raise flocks on the mountains of Israel, committed Jewish families are dwelling together on the mountains of Israel.  Their trust in the Word of HaShem is tremendous!  What they are doing is, in fact, preparing for and hastening the coming of Messiah!  As HaShem works to bring about the final stages of this age, we must be about preparing for the World to Come.  The people of Judea and Samaria are people of great trust in G-d, good courage, and an intense desire to see HaShem fulfill His word.

Recently I wrote two entries for Bible study friends after the subject of Messiah the Suffering Servant and Messiah the Conquering King came up.  We discussed how when Messiah comes He will reveal Himself to His brothers, the Jewish people.  He will reign as King of Israel, taking His place on King David’s throne and begin to restore all things.  In Judea and Samaria, right now, there are families living with great anticipation for the coming of Messiah, to the point that many have given of all they own just to re-settle the ancient cities, to plant vineyards and olive groves, to raise flocks and herds on the mountains of Israel.  Literally with every breath they are preparing for and anticipating His arrival, very soon.  My hope in this next little while is to share a bit about my husband’s and son’s recent trip to Israel to contribute to the preparations for Messiah’s coming.  They went as people from the nations to work in the vineyards, assist with flocks and herds, to plant and to assist with some building.  My hope is to encourage others to serve Israel in humility, and to encourage us all as we await the coming of Israel’s Messiah!

It is time, the time has come for HaShem to make His name great once again.

Last Passover my husband was injured at work and we spent all of Erev Pesach in the ER, they let us out just in the nick of time to get home before sunset.  When we arrived home we found that the children hand cooked our meal, set the table, tidied up the house and had everything just perfect for us to change our clothes and begin our seder, the wine was even poured as we pulled in the driveway.   I cannot begin to tell you what kind of blessing that was for me!

This year is similar.  I’ve spent the past week in the hospital with a family member, I am their primary caregiver.  It’s been an intense week, to say the least!  With all the Passover preparations needing to be finished, our Chronicles of the Messiah study group and starting a new round of HaYesod, it was the perfect opportunity to get really stressed out.  My children, again, came to my rescue.  While I spent day after day at the hospital, they were home cleaning and purging and cleaning some more.  Miriam said to me today, as she put the last post-it note on the last cupboard “Boy, that feels good!”  I’ve used sticky-notes to mark clean rooms and cupboards and I was only able to participate in about half of the house cleaning before I began spending day after day at the hospital.  My husband cleaned out the van and tidied up the garage as well as mowed the lawn (YAY!!) and did some outside work.  Everything is just perfect, wonderful.

Now tonight we have just completed the chametz search, burned the last of the leaven, said the blessings and are heading off to bed.  Vacuum bags are replaced, trash is taken out, behind the appliances are mopped, windows are clean…  *sigh*  I have amazing children.  My daughter even took a walk with me this afternoon when I came home from the hospital – we both needed to get out and enjoy the sunshine.  Shalom sat and talked with me and allowed me to process the various potentials ahead with him, knowing that I’m a verbal processor (so is he) and wanting desperately to know exactly what has been happening at the hospital with his loved one.

Miriam and Shalom – you are such a blessing for your mother!   If I can ever find the words, I’ll use them (you know that’s true!).  I love you.

May it be His will that next Passover be hospital free for our family.  May your Passover be blessed.

“Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when they shall no longer say, ‘As the LORD lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt,’  but ‘As the LORD lives who brought up and led the offspring of the house of Israel out of the north country and out of all the countries where he had driven them.’ Then they shall dwell in their own land.”   Jeremiah 23:7-8

A day is coming when the next exodus will far surpass the exodus from Egypt.  As we remember the exodus this Passover season, let’s not only look back at the birth of a new nation and the greatness of our G-d but let’s look ahead with great anticipation as we prepare for the time when G-d will again bring His children out of foreign lands and to His special land, with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm.  Let’s remember, let’s anticipate and let’s prepare and pray for the restoration of Zion.  It appears that the next exodus will be more awe-inspiring than the first!  WOW!

“Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land.  In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The LORD is our righteousness.’  ”Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when they shall no longer say, ‘As the LORD lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt,’  but ‘As the LORD lives who brought up and led the offspring of the house of Israel out of the north country and out of all the countries where he had driven them.’ Then they shall dwell in their own land.”

I do have a few blog posts brewing in my mind, but I’m up to my eyeballs with Passover preparations.  I hope to get these entries written soon – so I can focus a little more clearly.  :)