The Example of Daniel

Nebuchadnezzar knew that the best method to alienate Jews, transform them into harmless puppets, was to change their diet. It is through eating and drinking that the king would try to shake their Jewish identity.

Celebrated on the 50^th day, or seven weeks after Passover, Shavuot is a one-day event in Israel and a two-day holiday in the Diaspora. The holiday commences at sundown following the 5th of Sivan and lasts until nightfall on the 7th of Sivan (or 6^th Day of Sivan in Israel). On the Gregorian calendar, this corresponds to variable days in the latter part of May or early June.

With a basis in scripture ranging from Miriam’s dance in the Red Sea to the expressive poetry of Psalms, the Jewish people have since the beginning of time incorporated dance into their culture, traditions, and faith as a joyful form of worshipping the Lord. Ecclesiastes 3:1,4 seems to best summarize the Jewish attitude toward dance throughout history, even if that was not the original intention of the scripture. As Solomon writes, "There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under heaven... a time to mourn and a time to dance."

Tikkun Olam is a Jewish phrase found in the Mishnah, a collection of rabbinic teachings and oral Jewish traditions dating back to the writings of Judah the Prince in the 3rd century, which characterizes social action performed to perfect or repair the world and help those who may be disadvantaged. In the Jewish faith, this moral responsibility to repair the world falls on each individual. Judaism views the mitzvot as defined in the Torah as a means to engage in Tikkun Olam. The practice of Tikkun Olam, an important but not central tenet of Judaism, has also profoundly come to shape Jewish identity and is an undercurrent in modern-day Jewish social and political movements.

In January of 2023, two members of Israel’s parliament, known as the Knesset, introduced a bill that would outlaw sharing the love of Jesus (Yeshua in the Hebrew) in the Jewish State and jail those who attempt through any means—verbally, digitally, or otherwise—to share the Good News of Yeshua and why they believe that Yeshua is the Messiah in hopes that Israelis might consider following Him.

Yom Ha’atzmaut in Hebrew, or Israel’s Independence Day in English, is a festive day of jubilation commemorating Israeli independence from British occupation, which occurred eight hours before the end of the British Mandate of Palestine when members of the provisional government signed a Declaration of Independence in Tel Aviv, granting sovereignty to the modern State of Israel as we know it today.

Yom HaShoah Ve-Hagevurah, often shortened to Yom HaShoah as it is observed globally by the Jewish people, or Holocaust Remembrance Day as it is known in English, began on Monday evening with an official state ceremony beginning at 8pm in Yad Vashem in Jerusalem which was live-streamed on YouTube with translations in English and a few other languages as well. A variety of other events throughout the world have honored the occasion.

Aren’t we supposed to look at Jesus and not at people?

Unfortunately, as early as the 3^rd century church has adopted many traditions that grossly misrepresented the Gospel truth and the teaching of Jesus. The list of examples includes:

Our mission to Jewish people presents a unique challenge and opportunity for Seventh-day Adventists as well as for other Christians. Since the expansion of British Empire began in the 19^th century, Protestant Christianity has understood its mission as going out to bring the Gospel to the different corners of the globe to the people who do not have knowledge of the Bible.

INTRODUCTION

The nature of the Sanctuary represents a major fundamental issue that separates Seventh-day Adventist theology from the mainstream of Christianity. The structural similarity between the Eastern orthodox cathedral and Jerusalem Temple is emphasized as a proof of the church’s representation of Jerusalem on this earth.¹

What do you think when you hear the word Torah? The answer depends on your religious upbringing.

If you are from a Jewish background, the Torah is often associated with a set of 613 commandments, which every Jew is expected to observe.

According to the Bible writers’ own claims, and in harmony with the traditional understanding held by ancient interpreters and most biblical scholars until the rise of historical criticism during the Enlightenment, approximately 35 individuals wrote the Bible over a period of 1,500 years.

Christmas festival of lights.¹

Reveling in Christmas Lights

I revel in the lights of Christmas! And I am not alone in such reveling. Our wider Christian family is entranced each year by the lavish display of lights so festively decorating our homes. If I were forced to eliminate all types of Christmas decorations but one, I could forego the tree, the tinsel and Christmas balls, the snowflakes, and many other things, but I would keep the lights! Somehow, for me, the holiday lights capture the essence of Christmas.

Early Christianity and its significance for Seventh-day Adventist theology

EARLY DEBATES AND THEIR IMPACT ON SEVENTH-DAY ADVENTIST THEOLOGY

The role of Israel in the plan of salvation and in last day events presents one of the hotte st debating topics in Christianity. Throughout the two thousand year history of Chri stianity this debate has continued. This discussion is deeply rooted in t he historical events that occurred during the period of the Jewish–Roman wars between the destruction of the Temple (70 AD) and the Bar Kohba rebellion (136 AD).

Military conflict in Ukraine affected members of our congregation on very personal level. We are raising funds for medications and medical supplies to support Adventist clinics, city hospitals and combat medical workers. Your donations support humanitarian efforts for evacuation of people from the zone of hostilities, food and medication distribution organized by the ministers and volunteers from Adventist churches and institutions in different regions of Ukraine.

A Jew Meets Christianity

It was beautiful summer Sunday of 1985. My friend Victor and I, two high school students, lazily strolled through the streets of Kiev trying to kill a few hours before boarding our train home. Suddenly we heard very unusual sounds for our ears–singing coming from one of the distant corners of the square. When we came through the arch, we arrived at the doors of a Russian Orthodox cathedral.

In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. And a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab. The man’s name was Elimelech, and his wife’s name Naomi.

Now Elimelech, Naomi’s husband, died; and she was left with her two sons. They married Moabite women, one named Orpah and the other Ruth.

What makes biblical hope so special as it has for 4,000 years nurtured the dreams and the faith of millions of people?

It is  not an accident that Israel has chosen the Tiqwah (hope) as a theme for her nationalIsrael was born on hope.