Yom Yerushalayim / Jerusalem Day – the Israeli government proclaimed the holiday of “Jerusalem Day” for the 28th of Iyar, corresponding to the date that the Israeli military liberated those parts of Jerusalem which had previously been in Arab possession.

In 1967 – 19 years after the establishment of the State in 1948 -
The Israelis captured Jerusalem in 1967.

On May 14, 1948, on the day in which the British Mandate over a Palestine expired, the Jewish People’s Council gathered at the Tel Aviv Museum, and approved the following proclamation, declaring the establishment of the State of Israel. The new state was recognized that night by the United States and three days later by the USSR.

For the first time in 2520 years she was independent.
That follows the destruction of the Jewish state 2520 years ago by the Babylonians in 606 BC followed by the destruction of Jerusalem and Solomon’s Temple on 9th of AV 587 BC exactly 19 years later. Jerusalem was never to be under Jewish rule until 1967.

“This will be a sign to the house of Israel. Lie also on your left side, and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel upon it. According to the number of the days that you lie on it, you shall bear their iniquity. For I have laid on you the years of their iniquity, according to the number of the days, three hundred and ninety days; so you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Israel. And when you have completed them, lie again on your right side; then you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Judah forty days. I have laid on you a day for each year” (Ezekiel 4:3-6).

Each day represents one biblical year. 430 years (390 years plus another 40 years). “And after all this, if you do not obey Me, then I will punish you seven times more for your sins” (Leviticus 26:18; see also Leviticus 26:21, 23-24,27-28). 430 years – first 70 years = 360 years x 7 = 2,520 biblical years x 360 day = 907,200 days

If we work backwards from May 14, 1948 and using this information the 907,200 days (2,520 years) prophecy, we arrive at 606 BC

Israel lost its independence in 606 B.C. but Jerusalem was left intact with the Second temple. The “desolations of Jerusalem” began with the annihilation of the city of Jerusalem and the Solomon’s Temple in 587 B.C. According to Jeremiah it was punishment for not yielding to the “Servitude of the Nation” which began in 606 B.C., with the first siege of Nebuchandnezzar – 19 years prior.

On the morning of Shavuot, June 15, 1967 — just six days after the liberation of the Old City of Jerusalem in the Six Day War — the Old City was officially opened to the Israeli public.

In total, 200,000 visited the Western Wall that day. It was the first pilgrimage, en masse, of Jews to Jewish-controlled Jerusalem on a Jewish festival in 2,000 years, since the pilgrimages for the festivals in Temple times Some wept, but most faces were wreathed in smiles. For 13 continuous hours, a colorful variety of all peoples trudged along in perfect order, stepping patiently when told to do so at each of six successive barriers set up by the police to regulate the flow

Enjoy the Day and ponder the fact that the generation that saw her restored would also see the end of the age.

I ponder the number 40 more so for it is a generation. Gods time piece in the end times is Israel and Jerusalem the “cup of trembling” handed the nations.

“Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem. And in that day will I make Jerusalem a burdensome stone for all people: all that burden themselves with it shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together against it… Zechariah 12:2-3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L64q221HsKA

Earlier today I was browsing Facebook pages that belong to people who are on my friends list when I came across a sister who uses the Hebrew word "YAHshua" to describe our Master. This is the message I sent her. I would love your comments below – especially if you disagree with the conclusions of this note. However, I ask that you respect this conversation and take the time to review my references.

My dear sister,

I noticed your profile just now and it brought a smile to my face to read Jeremiah 6:16 and how we are to walk on the ancient paths. That is a wonderful verse.

Next, I noticed that you call our Master by the word "yah-shua" (יהשוע). I have something very, very important to share with you about that Hebrew construct.

First, it isn’t even a word in Hebrew. It isn’t found once in Scripture, but the real Name of our Master, "Yeshua" (ישוע) is found 30 times in the Tanach (29 times in Hebrew and once in Aramaic). It is something that someone fabricated and it has spread throughout our circles.

You may know that it is supposed to mean "YAH" and "saves". You may have heard that "shua" (שוע) means "saves". Actually, the Hebrew verb for "to save" is "yasha" (ישע). The word "shua" (שוע) does mean something, but what it does actually mean will shock you.

The two words are related. The verb "shua" is the PUAL form of "yasha". A pual verb form takes the verb and intensifies it and shifts it’s focus to the subject. Instead of the verb describing something the subject is doing, the verb describes something that IS BEING DONE TO THE SUBJECT. That is what a Hebrew pual verb form does. The following document will introduce you to this concept: Introduction to Hebrew Verbal Patterns, Stems, Binyanim PDF.

What "yah-shua" actually means is not that "YAH saves" us, but that "YAH cries out for help", God forbid. It means the opposite of what our Saviour’s name actually means. Do you understand the significance of that? It is blasphemy. When someone says "YAHshua" in Hebrew they’re actually saying that "YAH cries out for help". They’re saying that YAH needs someone to save Him, God forbid! It is foolishness and wickedness. I’m sure that hasatan laughs whenever he hears someone say such a blasphemous thing.

I don’t know the origin of this blasphemy, but I hope that you will carefully consider your involvement with it. I realise that this will come as a shock to you, since so many are using this word and are convinced that it is perfectly right. You will be skeptical of what I have told you because you probably have never heard this before and I’m some stranger you don’t know.

So, I hope that you will invest a little of your time to listen to the following lecture in two parts. It will help you to understand this better.

The Name of the Messiah Part #1

The Name of the Messiah Part #1

The Name of the Messiah Part #2

The Name of the Messiah Part #2

If you are convinced that what I have told you is true I would appreciate a short reply to tell me that you have received this message with the love it was intended.

Peace and grace,

Writen by Bryce Henderson

PS: Something I forgot to mention in my letter to this sister is that this Hebrew word, "shua" (שוע) appears in Job 30:24b.

See also: Mashiach’s Name / מה-שמו ומה-שם-בנו

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ph5aZIcDkic

Why do people pray to idols? What does idol worship mean today? What is an idol? Is there new idols today?

Idol worship begins in the mind—it starts with an incorrect perception of who HaShem is. It says you can turn an abstract, invisible God into a concrete, metal, wood or plastic god, which of course, is impossible.  It is written by the Rambam’s 13 principles of the Jewish faith‎:  “I believe with perfect faith that God does not have a body. Physical concepts do not apply to Him. There is nothing whatsoever that resembles Him at all.”

Idol worship doesn’t just mean singing and dancing and bowing in front statues, it does means believing in any force, object or item outside of the  infinite, or the all-powerful God Himself; an angel, a man of God, a constellation, a force of nature, a living creature—or simply a funny-looking little statue. Everything is created by HaShem, and to designate any piece of physical matter as “God” or a “Higher Power” is idol worship. To think that HaShem is not control at all times, and that somehow he is fighting and even some times losing to another power (Satan) is also idol worship.

Idolatry can take many shapes, in my opinion. It’s not only bowing to a representation of a deity, it’s giving up your faith to anything else than God. One can also worship a car, a job, a boss, a woman, etc. It doesn’t have to be a deity per say. You commit this sin if you ever come to consider something in your life more important than God. Idols can be made out of desires, ideas, fears, ideals or simply lies.

The Decalogue begins with the command to reverence the one true God and to recognize no other deities.  I am HaShem your God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shalt have no other gods before me. You shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: You shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them… Shemot 20:2-5.

There is no end to the false gods we create when our homing device gets misdirected. In Western cultures we often bow down to the false gods of materialism and control. Some try to relieve their inner emptiness by trying to get approval for being talented or successful. The list goes on, but the point is clear. Whatever we try to derive our core sense of worth and meaning apart from HaShem is idol worship or avodah zarah. Idol worship is also coming into the presence of a holy God on your own terms, not on God’s terms. Doing what you want because your god loves you and changes His standards as you go along.  Idol worship is placing your faith in a thing of God and not in God Himself. And by the way, the god of Islam is not a god but a demon.

Making the holy Jewish Messiah into someone he is not is idol worship. We are not to pray to him, but through his holy merit, we are to acknowledge that he is the one send from HaShem. He is the second Adam, the one after one after Moses, suffering like Yosef (suffering, but at the end saving the Jewish people), coming back as King David, to fight the wars of God. But we must remember that we are not to pray to him: Our holy Rabbi, Maran Yeshua HaMashiach said in Mattityahu / Matthew 4:10, “You shall worship HaShem your God and Him only shall you serve.”

We must only worship God and our worship must be in spirit and in truth.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=METrbSiEANo

In later Jewish eschatology and legend, a king who will arise at the end of time against the Messiah, and will be conquered by him after having brought much distress upon Israel.

Parasha Ve’zot Haberacha, Devarim 34 says “and the affliction of generation after generation, and the punishment of Armalgos the wicked…”

In ancient Jewish literature, the Anti-Christ (Greek term) or False/Psuedo Messiah (Aramaic term) was called "Armilus". "Armilus (Hebrew: ארמילוס‎)" is a Hebrew version of "Romulus", put in future form, to indicate that he would rule from Rome.

Targum Yonathan translates Isaiah / Yesha’yah 11:4 into Aramaic with the following paraphrase: "and with the speech of his lips he [Messiah] will slay the wicked Armilus. "

In the Midrash Pirkei-Ha-Mashiach (8th century CE) the False Messiah is called,  "Satan Armilus, whom the Gentiles call Antichrist"

It is interesting that main line judaism disagree with believers on the concept of the Messiah, but still tell us that their concept of Armilus is the same as found in the Good News of Messiah.

According to the Jewish Encyclopedia, Armilus is "a king who will arise at the end of time against the Messiah, and will be conquered by him after having brought much distress upon Israel", similar to Gog. He is spoken of in both Midrash Vayosha and Sefer Zerubbabel, in which he defeats the Messiah ben Joseph.

We believe that the Madhi is the Anti-Messiah, whom is the future messiah for the Islamic people.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2vbZG4_g8k

This year, This Thursday April 19 is Yom Hashoa v’Hag’vurah- Holocaust Memorial Day. Really it is the Day of the Martyrs and Heroes . begins on Sunday, April 11th starting at sundown and continues through Monday, April 12th at sundown. The commemoration of Yom Hashoah is held on the 27th day of Nissan, one week after the seventh day of Passover. Passover celebrates the freedom of the Jewish nation from the harsh slavery of the Egyptians, while Yom Hashoah Ve-Hagevurah or Day of (Remembrance of) the Holocaust and the Heroism, grips our hearts with tremendous sorrow in memory of the enslavement and execution of 6 million Jews and a great number of other “undesirables”.

We deeply mourn the six million Jews who perished at the hands of the evil and cruelty of the Nazis. We mourn the way of life that was destroyed. The Jewish community of Europe was nearly ended. And today even as it tries to rebuild itself it is a small shadow of the millions that once lived there. And to boot there is still Anti-Semitism that runs deep throughout Europe. Lithuania is one place where Anti-Semitism has never been addressed. It run throughout the culture. Jews are still seen as foreigners there and in truth are not welcome.

The world, or at least certain portions of it, would have us forget an event that they either say happened too long ago to care about or indeed, didn’t happen at all. The events of the holocaust occurred within living human memory and are systematically denied, while we continue to commemorate much older events, such as Canada Day and Thanks Giving in this country without any doubt whatsoever.

For thousands of years, the Jewish people have been systematically attacked, exiled from the Land of Israel on numerous occasions, and been subject to a long list of pogroms, forced conversions to Christianity and Islam, rejection, condemnation, torture, and murder.

Whenever any group of Jewish people finally decide they have had enough, stand up for their right to live and fight back, the rest of the world condemns them as oppressors and even “occupiers” of their own land. All manner of “conspiracy theories” have been associated with the Jews, from blood libel to the irrational fear that Zionism is an attempt by Jews to take over the world.

All of this thinking and much more, makes universal hatred, bigotry, expulsion, and murder of Jewish people possible and likely across history. That is why it’s so important to commemorate Yom Hashoah and to continue to remind the world that such atrocities as the Holocaust must never be allowed to happen again.

The world we live in is closer to repeating this sort of behavior than we’d like to believe. That’s why we must never be complacent or lax in our defense of the Jewish people; the chosen ones of God. This year, don’t forget! This year, don’t let the world forget! Once the world forgets a tragedy, it has no problem in repeating it. Even if you aren’t Jewish, if you are a person of conviction, compassion, and faith, how long will it be before an oppressor comes for you? Don’t wait until then. Care, not because it might happen to you. Care because it already happened to us all.

http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDB4EEE2E01DFE013

What does Shoah means? Shoah is the Hebrew word for "destruction" and is another name used to refer to the European Holocaust, when six million Jews – including one and a half million children – were systematically murdered by the Nazis during World War II.

Note: Some Jewish people do not observe Yom HaShoah, but commemorate the long history of anti-Semitism during Tisha B’Av, the Ninth of Av. They reason that remembering the European Holocaust recalls a singular event, whereas anti-Semitism has a long and bloody history where thousands and millions have perished over the millennial (for example, recall the two conquests of Israel, the destruction of the two Temples, the Inquisition, the Crusades, the Pogroms, the Intifada – etc.).

I strongly recommend that you research a fascinating and tragic period of Jewish history that stretched for more than three hundred years yet is little known.

The story of the Anusim, the Secret Jews, is a valuable and significant, yet rarely discovered, Jewish event that, in its world range, the numbers of Jews killed or affected by it for centuries can be called the longest genocide in world history.

I refer to the fate of the Spanish and Portugese Jews at the hands of the Spanish Inquisition.

The campaign of the Catholic Church to eliminate the Jews went beyond the borders of Spain and Portugal. The plague of Ant-isemitism swept through north Africa, across the Atlantic to South and Central America, and to the Caribbean in pursuit of the Jews.

Under threat of deportation, torture, and death by being burnt alive at the stake many Jews adopted an overt Christian image while covertly maintaining their Jewish rituals and prayers.

I attended “The Worldwide Awakening of the Descendents of the Secret Jews: Conference . This major conference marked the launch of a new international institute for the study of Anusim (the Secret Jews) at the Netanya Academic College.

Gloria Mound, an impressive English lady who has just moved to Netanya to be close to the college, has researched this subject for decades compiling an impressive two thousand five hundred books and over five thousands documents and files that record a cruel oppression of the Jews that outstrips in time and range anything seen in human history. Her archives will be a precious addition to the research centre but, as one important speakers at the conference pointed out, research is insufficient if it is not linked to practical application. This should apply to the Anusim who should be encouraged to openly adopt their heritage to the extent of making Aliyah to Israel. Early research reveals a startling statistic that as many as six million Portugese were descended from Anusim (Secret Jews).

Even today many thousands of Spanish speakers on three continents are fearful or wary of announcing their Jewish heritage. Others are not aware that they have Jewish blood in their veins as this part of their history has been kept from them for generations out of fear, and out of shame.

The Spanish Government is loath to open its official archives to researchers of this horrendous period in Spanish history. The Vatican, similarly, keep documents and records secreted away in the Vatican vaults.

Increasingly, though, Anusim people are making their way to Israel to fulfill a new life that had been forbidden for hundreds of years to their family. And here lies another problem. Israeli authorities do not know how to receive these people. Are they truly Jewish and welcome in the Jewish state under the Law of Return? Or are they, as they publicly claimed, really Catholics?  The feeling at the conference was that Israel should welcome these people home with open arms. They have suffered centuries of persecution for holding secretly to their faith and it should not be down to local politicians or bureaucrats to question the ambition of these people to come and live as free Jews in a state of their own.

I knew about the Spanish Inquisition but never fully appreciated the scope and size of the persecution of the Jews. I read a book tantilisingly called “The Jewish Pirates of the Caribbean” when I was on vacation that opened my eyes to this episode of history. Now this conference revealed more amazing stories and detail.

Please research this rich and dramatic story and be prepared to be moved by the human tragedies, tales of ingenuity, and learn about a period of Jewish history long forgotten but slowly being discovered. The effect of its telling will affect Israel, the Jewish people, and Christian conscience.

The View from Israel.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-5AsREe7TEQ

Chol HaMoed Pesach or Chol Ha-Moed Pesach (also transliterated from Hebrew as: Hol HaMoed Pesach or Hol Ha-Moed Pesach) refers to the intermediate or middle days of the Passover or Pesach festival as well as another Jewish festival, the autumn harvest festival of Sukkot. Literally-speaking, Chol HaMoed means "The Non-Holy Appointed Time" in Hebrew, where Chol means "Non-Holy" as opposed to "Kodesh" which means "Holy"; Ha means "The", and "Moed" means "appointed time."

Our reading this Shabbat starts with the successful attempt by Moses to have God reconsider and have God come close again and lead the people through the wilderness. Let’s read:

So Moses carved two tablets of stone, like the first, and early in the morning he went up on Mount Sinai, as HaShem had commanded him, taking the two stone tablets with him. 5 HaShem came down in a cloud; He stood with him there, and proclaimed the name Yud Hey Vav Hey. 6 HaShem passed before him and proclaimed: "HaShem! HaShem! a God compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in kindness and faithfulness, 7 extending kindness to the thousandth generation, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin; yet He does not remit all punishment, but visits the iniquity of parents upon children and children’s children, upon the third and fourth generations." 8 Moses hastened to bow low to the ground in homage, 9 and said, "If I have gained Your favor, O HaShem, pray, let HaShem go in our midst, even though this is a stiff-necked people. Pardon our iniquity and our sin, and take us for Your own!" [Exodus/Shemot 34:4-9]

Many non-Jews that I talk to about Judiaism claim the difference between Christianity and Judaism is that Christanity promotes grace & love, but that the God of the Jews was always angry and that there is no grace in Judaism.

That is simply NOT true!! We see in the passage above that HaShem is “compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in kindness and faithfulness, 7 extending kindness to the thousandth generation, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin.” 

This does not sound to me like the angry unloving God which most non-Jews ascribe to our faith.  The entire story of Pesach (Passover) is one of liberation from being enslaved in Mitzrayim (Egypt) to freedom in Eretz Yisrael (the Land of Israel).  Even the Korban (offerings) for our sins shows the grace of HaShem, in that, HaShem allowed for an alternative to us paying for our own sins.

May you have a Chag Sameach v’kasher Pesach as you remember the love which HaShem has for us.  Even as Messianic Jewish believers we rejoice in the death and resurrection of our Maran Yeshua, the ultimate Korban Pesach.

Next Year in Jerusalem!!

Israel and the charge of Apartheid

Day by day the anti-Israel alliance, and sadly in collaboration with major church movements mainly from the Protestant world, is seeking to make the Apartheid label stick to Israel. We see this at present in the fortnight of global agitation known as “Israel Apartheid Week.” There is more to this scheming than meets the eye in that the real agenda behind branding Israel an “Apartheid state” is to remove the Jewish State altogether.

The real Apartheid State of South Africa was rightfully dismantled in the late 1980s and early 90s. It was first discredited, then delegitimized and finally dismantled to the elation of the world and the enslaved black majority who had lived under and endured its brutality. However, to describe Israel in these terms is, quite frankly, immoral and wicked. Yet on university campuses across the Western World, this is becoming a very popular cause.

Radical leftist academics and politicians are teaming up with extremist Muslim elements to pursue this goal. They want to equate Israel with the original Apartheid State and thus demand that the world do as it did to South Africa – dismantle it! Most of these people know absolutely nothing about Apartheid, but the word is extremely powerful since it conjures up notions of hatred, discrimination, brutality, racism and prejudice.

It is quite astonishing to witness how a lie told often enough can eventually be accepted as truth! Most of these people have no knowledge of the “inner workings” of the Apartheid regime and couldn’t even tell you the basic facts about it. It is just a very powerful weapon to use when discharging their hatred of Israel.

Essentially, Apartheid was a totalitarian system of governance – not unlike many of the regimes in the Arab world today – whereby a minority white population subjugated and enslaved the overwhelmingly black population. It was ideologically driven and was obsessed with racial superiority. The superior whites could not mingle with or even sit on a bench with the inferior black peoples. Even the education system was “dumbed down” for black people because they were deemed mentally inferior and unable to cope with the higher levels of learning that whites could embrace.

The towns and cities were “white by night” as all “blacks” – as they were called – had to be removed to their shanty towns, which served as cheap labour ghettos for the nation. The black people could not vote, own property or even move freely inside their own country.

Various instruments of state were used to ruthlessly apply the system of total and complete segregation and these included the police, the military and the judiciary system. In short, it was Aryanism in a new form!

There is absolutely nothing equivalent to this in the dispute that rages between the Palestinians and Israel today. Within Israel itself, Arabs and Jews share the same shopping malls, benches, hospitals, theatres and, in many cases, suburbs. The educational institutions do not have a deliberately “dumbed down” Arab curriculum and the privilege of voting is given to all. The Israeli Knesset has Arab members of parliament, and Jews, Arabs and Palestinians often work together at construction sites, businesses, hotels and elsewhere. Most important of all is the fact that Israel is a democratic state. Though not a perfect one, it does have democratic institutions and it is definitely not governed by a totalitarian minority!

Out in the disputed territories, some 98% of the Palestinian Arab population now lives under the governance of their own Palestinian Authority, where they have the right to vote and change their leaders – at least theoretically. True, Israel has adopted security measures that curtail their movement, but these have been necessitated by the conflict thrust upon her and are legitimate acts of self-defense, rather than acts of racial discrimination.

It is also important to remember that there never had been a Palestinian State in the region, as even Jews were called and registered as “Palestinians” in 1948! British authorities held a Mandate over the country and accepted the right of Jews to have a state of their own in what was their ancient homeland. Even the United Nations accepted and voted for this right. When Israel implemented this decision by declaring its existence, she was immediately attacked by no less than five Arab armies!

This brings into focus the real nature of this conflict. That is, it has very little to do with politics or peace agreements but everything to do with theology! By this I mean a radical jihadist theology that considers the whole Land of Israel and not just the West Bank as part of the “House of Islam.”

This theology dictates that all this land must be returned to Islamic rule, whether by peaceful, political or violent means of jihad. So from 1948 to 1967, when the Palestinians had everything they say they want now, they neither protested against the illegal Jordanian occupation of the West Bank nor even remotely demanded a state of their own. They did, however, found the PLO in 1964 with the distinct mission of destroying the State of Israel. They subsequently launched a terror campaign to force this end and throughout the Oslo era refused to remove the infamous clauses from their Charter calling for the “elimination” of Israel!

The same jihadist theology drives Hamas and its affiliated militia al-Aksa Martyrs’ Brigades, as well as Hizbullah, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran, and all the rest of the “resistance” front.

This has absolutely nothing to do with Apartheid! The state of Israel enjoys a Jewish majority. It is democracy which must answer to its citizens and thus has demonstrated a willingness to make painful concessions in order to secure a future of peace with its neighbors. In all cases, it alone paid the real price by giving up land. It even withdrew from Gaza to demonstrate its sinceri ty in seeking a peaceful resolution to the conflict with the Palestinians. The trauma that this withdrawal brought to the people of Gaza and to Israel was played out for the entire world to see through the international media. Yet it was not good enough! So, the result was the, “same old, same old”. That is, within a short span of time thousands of missiles, fired from the vacated territory, rained down on Israeli civilians in the western Negev. The world said and did very little, except to call Israel an “apartheid state”!

Over the years, and even in response to Israel’s most generous peace overtures during the Oslo era, the Palestinians have opted for violence. This they called an “intifada.” Wave upon wave of suicide bombers attacked Israel from the porous boundaries surrounding the West Bank. Men, women and children were indiscriminately murdered in buses, restaurants, hotels and shopping malls. To protect herself from these murderous infiltrations, Israel built a security barrier, which in some of the more vulnerable built-up areas consisted of a wa ll. It was not built to segregate people or discriminate against them, but to protect its own citizens from attack. In this connection, the security fence has been highly successful though even Israelis admit it is regrettable. But what would any other self-respecting, democratic state do? Nevertheless, Israel’s detractors love to deride the “Apartheid Wall” to further their accusation.

To presume, after all that Israel has been through in her sixty-two years of modern statehood, that the Jewish State has no legitimate security concerns is madness. The Palestinians have time and again demonstrated that their strategy has not changed since 1964. In Johannesburg in 1994, a year after shaking the hand of Israeli leader Yitzhak Rabin on the White House lawn, PLO chief Yasser Arafat declared as much. Close monitors of the Palestinian media have also repeatedly drawn attention to this fact. The liberal left and their fellow travelers conveniently ignore this fact. No sir, Apartheid is not the issue; the destruction of Israel is.

Just recently, the Syrian-based leader of Hamas stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Ahmadinejad and together they boasted that very soon Israel, in its entirety, would vanish from the map of the world. Theirs is a holy war but for the liberal left it is Apartheid, and the truth is their radical positions have made them allies!

These same radical leftists espouse democracy but in practice they deny it. They will not allow Israeli academics, leaders or politicians to exercise their democratic right to free speech. Their intolerance knows no boundaries as they threaten and disrupt meetings in educational institutions in Western countries that supposedly are there to educate within the context of democratic values. This is exactly what the Apartheid thugs of the South African regime did. They violently brought public meetings to an end if anyone opposed their view of the world. They were scared to death that someone might just have a more truthful and compelling argument than theirs. The democratic rights they claim for themselves, they deny to others.

For sure, the Palestinians have suffered and still do but to place the blame entirely at Israel’s door is folly. Their failed and corrupt leadership, missed opportunities, and willingness to support violence and terror are also central causes of their suffering. Israel is no Apartheid state. She is a democratic state living under the constant threat of annihilation and thus seeking to balance her need to find a lasting peace with her neighbors with that of her security. Her regional experience has taught Israel that her security and very existence is the number one issue. After all, in all the so-called peace plans presented for the region, she is expected to do all the giving with only verbal guarantees of security given by her interlocutors. These have never amounted to much!

The truth is the Apartheid accusation is just another smokescreen in the war against Israel! I should know because I grew up in the dark Apartheid era of South Africa and stood against it to my peril.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ED4zSX0L4rM

At Pesach many people are invited to family gatherings but there is no reason why you cannot do it yourself should you find you are "it". The good news is that you may already have the "manual" or can buy one – the Haggadah normally tells you what to do as you go along. However here are a few tips:

Firstly do not worry too much about the meal your first time – there is too much else to be doing!

Secondly like everything you do for the first time – keep it simple – better to embellish things next year. Before you start you will have to get the ingredients. First are the candles – after lighting the candles some people cover their eyes until the blessing is and/or spread out their hands with palms facing inwards pulling them in towards themselves several times in a symbolic gesture of welcome for the Sabbath.

The traditional blessing is then said:

"Blessed are you, HaShem, our God, Sovereign of the Universe, Who makes us holy with His commandments and commands us to light the Yom Tov candles"

ברוך אתה ה’ א‑לוהינו מלך העולם, אשר קדשנו במצותיו וצונו להדליק נר של שבת.‏

Baruch ata Adonai elohaynu melech haolam asher kiddishanu b’mitzvotav vitzeevanu l’hadleek ner shel Yom Tov.

Next some Matzah – if you can get "Kosher le Pesach" (Kosher for Pesach) so much the better. The arrangement of the matzah and what to do with it are described in the Haggadah. Essentially you have three – separated traditionally by some form of cloth, improvise if you do not have a traditional cover.

The centre of the table is the Seder Plate. Whilst ornate ones are available an ordinary plate or a series of small dishes are fine. Boil an egg then put it (with shell) into the oven. If you can get a bit of lamb leg bone or chicken neck do likewise (other bits of meat are better than nothing, vegetarians can improvise). These will represent respectively the festival offering and the paschal offering. Cook until pretty burnt – they are not for eating! Next is the best bit – Charoset. Charoset is meant to represent mortar but does not taste like it. Essentially it is a mixture of apples and nuts crushed up together, in a food processor if you have one, with a little wine and cinnamon to taste – smooth or crunchy (as you like your peanut butter!). Maror – bitter herbs – is usually horseradish, the pre made sauce will do. Karpas is lettuce, parsley or chicory and the second bitter vegetable, Chazeret is usually lettuce.

You need some salt water, representing tears, and also useful for dipping the boiled eggs which some people eat before the meal! Last but not least – wine, lots of it. If, like me, you get too shika, use grape juice instead. We have four glasses of wine during the course of the meal and remember we have to enjoy the meal in comfort which traditionally means leaning rather than sitting straight. You should be able to get an Haggadah through the Judaica shop or from any Jewish bookshop and if you look through before the big day you will get plenty of hints on "How to do it" including how to dispose of your chametz (leavened food) the day before. Remember there is no reason why you cannot do the whole service or parts in English and indeed this makes it more interesting.

Free PDF Haggadah

Conducting Your Passover Seder

The Seder Table:
When possible, the table should be set before nightfall. A white cloth, flowers, candlesticks, Seder plate, and matzot in a special three part cover, wine cups and the cup of Elijah should be present.

Wine: Provide a wine cup and saucer for each person. Also make sure to have enough wine since the Seder calls for four cups per person. Elijah’s cup, a separate special cup, should be set in the center of the table.

Matzah – Three Matzot, separated from one another are placed in a matzah holder or cover. The middle matzah, called the afikomen, will be broken in half and is later needed as the “dessert.” By tradition, it is hidden to maintain children’s interest and the one to find it is awarded a prize for its return.

Seder Plate and Other Symbols

Zeroa (lamb shank or chicken leg bone): symbol of the Paschal lamb sacrificed in ancient days

Marror (bitter herbs, usually horseradish or romaine lettuce): symbol of hardship and suffering of Jews in slavery

Betsah (roasted egg): symbol of the holiday sacrifice

Charoset (finely chopped nuts and apples moistened with wine): symbol of mortar which held bricks together when Jews were slaves in Egypt

Karpas (greens such as celery, parsely, or lettuce): symbol of hope and spring, to dip into

Salt water: a symbol of tears

Haggadah: lays out the story of Passover and the order of Seder

Candlesticks with candles: lighting the candles inaugurates the festival

Pillows: – used to recline in chairs as a symbol of the privileges of freedom

Why three Matzot?

On Shabbat and Yom Tov, one is required to say Hamotzi over two whole loaves of challah. On the two nights of Seder, three Matzot are used. Since one of the three is broken before the meal for the afikomen, two whole are required. The third matzah is also added to fulfill the commandment of eating “The Bread of Affliction.” The Kabbalists called the three matzot by names of the three divisions of the Jewish people (Kohen, Levi, and Israel) to symbolize the unity of the Jewish people.

Why the four cups of wine?

Each participant drinks four glasses of wine during the Seder. The first is when the Kiddush is recited as on every Shabbat and Festival. The second follows the benediction of redemption. The third is drunk at the end of Grace after Meals, and the fourth falls before the conclusion of the Seder.The drinking of the four cups of wine recalls the four expressions of redemption in Exodus.

Why the cup of Elijah?

A controversy arose during the Middle Ages among the Rabbis, about the necessity of drinking four or five cups of wine because of a fifth expression related to redemption, “And I will bring you into the land” (Exodus 6:8). Since they did not reach an agreement, they declared that a fifth cup of wine should be placed on the table but not be drunk. The Talmudic expression for the settlement of a doubt was “… until Elijah arrives.” As it was hoped that the problem of the controversial fifth cup would likewise be settled by Elijah, this goblet was named for him.

The use of the cup of Elijah, a comparatively late custom, has become a symbol of the eternal hope for freedom and salvation that will be realized with the coming of the prophet.

Opening the door following the Grace after Meals, is also a “reminder to trust in Divine Providence” on this “night of watching.” Thus it expresses one’s belief in the promise of salvation from enemies and of the Messianic era. This tradition is based on the Talmudic statement that “in Nisan they are redeemed and in Nisan they are destined to be redeemed.”

A new custom is to add a cup of water for Miriam to honor her role in the Exodus and her connection to life-saving water. We also honor the many other women of our tradition whose stories are seldom told.

Why the practice of reclining?

One is obligated to recline at the Seder table as a sign of freedom as that was the behavior of free people in ancient days. Even the poor of Israel are expected to recline while they eat at the Seder table as an expression of their independence even though they may be subject to hardships throughout the year.

Since the practice of reclining while eating was common at the time Passover observances were instituted, the series of questions to be asked at the Seder contained no reference to leaning. After the destruction of the Temple, when this custom was no longer in vogue, the Seder night was the only time during the year when Jews reclined while dining. Hence the question relevant to this practice was included in the Four Questions, replacing a question about how the sacrificial meal was prepared.

How To Conduct Your Seder

Kiddush (Sanctifying the Festival): Begin the Seder with the chanting of the Kiddush (a proclamation of the sanctity of the Festival) over a cup of wine. While on Shabbat and other Festivals everyone drinks the wine of the Kiddush from the cup of the leader; at the Seder, all participants have their own cup of wine. The wine is drunk in a reclining position.

Urchatz (Washing the Hands): In ancient times one was required to wash before one dipped food into a liquid. Thus, before partaking of the karpas, hands are washed without reciting the blessing.

Karpas (Dipping the Greens): A small piece of celery, parsley, or other green vegetable is dipped in salt water, and the benediction for vegetables is said. This unusual practice is for the purpose of arousing the interest of children. Many associate the vegetable symbolically with the joyous rebirth of spring and the salt water with the tears shed during the Israelite enslavement in Egypt.

Yachatz (Dividing the Middle Matzah): The middle of the three matzot is divided into two. The larger piece, called the afikomen, is then wrapped in a napkin and hidden. The smaller piece is returned to its place. The purpose of this procedure is to retain the interest of the children throughout the Seder.

Maggid (Narrating the Pesach Story): At this point, the story of Passover is told, and the discussion of the Seder takes place. Sufficient time should be allotted for a proper reading of the Haggadah and discussion concerning its meaning and message. Adjust your Seder to the needs of your family and guests. If your Seder participants do not read or understand Hebrew, then an English service will be more meaningful. Don’t rush this section; with smaller children, plan a shorter but complete service. With more adults, plan more discussion, explanation, or creative readings.

Rahtzah (Washing the Hands): The hands are washed and the appropriate blessing is said, prior to eating matzah.

Motzi Matzah: The two complete matzot as well as the half broken matzah are taken in hand and the two appropriate blessings are recited.

Marror (Eating the Bitter Herbs): As a reminder that “the Egyptians made the children of Israel to serve with rigor. And they made their lives bitter with hard service, in mortar and bricks” (Exodus 1:13-14), it has been ordained that bitter herbs shall be eaten (Exodus 12:8). The bitter herb is dipped into charoset and the blessing is recited. Charoset (a mixture of apples, nuts, cinnamon and wine) is symbolic of the mortar from which the children of Israel made brick in Egypt. While one may eat different kinds of bitter herbs to fulfill one’s obligation, it is customary to use horseradish, romaine lettuce, or both.

Korech (Eating the Maror with Matzah): Matzah and the bitter herb are combined to make a sandwich to fulfill the commandment “they shall eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs” (Numbers 9:11). The Talmud tells us that this practice was introduced by Hillel during the days of the Second Temple.

Shulchan Orech (Serving the Meal): It is an Ashkenazic custom to start the meal with an entrée of hard boiled eggs in salt water, symbolic of the tears shed at the destruction of the Temple (with the egg representing the Festival sacrifice). The egg, also eaten at the mourner’s first meal, is said to represent the idea of the continuation of life. Jewish sages have felt that even joyous occasions should have a symbol of sadness in memory of the destruction and suffering of our people throughout our history.

Tzafun (Eating the Concealed Afikomen): At the conclusion of the meal, the leader redeems the afikomen and distributes it to all the celebrants. The custom has arisen that the children try to obtain possession of the afikomen during the course of the Seder and hold it until it is redeemed. This may be based on the Talmudic statement “they hasten (the eating of) matzot on the nights of Pesach so that the children should not sleep.”

Barech (Recite the Grace after Meals): Birkat Hamazon, thanking God for the food we have eaten.

Here are audio clips of the major portions of the Haggadah that are recited during the Passover Seder – to help you learn how to better conduct your own seder at home.

• Kadesh, Ur’hatz – Order of the Passover Seder
• Kiddush – Kiddush Recited Over First Cup of Wine
• Ha Lachma – As the Matzah is Uncovered
• Mah Nishtanah – The Four Questions
• Avadim Hayinu – Beginning the Story of the Exodus
• V’Hi She’Amdah – As the Second Cup of Wine is Raised
• Dayenu – Passover Hymn of Thanksgiving
• Hallel (Part 1) – Before the Seder Meal
• Second Cup of Wine – Berachot Recited Over Kot Sheni

• Shir Ha’Ma’alot – Before the Birkat HaMazon
• Birkat HaMazon – Grace After the Meal
• Eliyahu HaNavi – The Cup of Elijah
• Hallel (Part 2) – After the Seder Meal
• Hallel HaGadol (Ki L’Olam Hasdo) – Psalm 136
• Fourth Cup – Includes "Al HaGefen V’Al Pri HaGefen
• Nirtzah – Concluding the Seder (Includes L’Shanah HaBa’ah)

Concluding Seder Songs

• Ki Lo Na’eh
• Echad Mi Yodeah
• Adir Hu
• Chad Gadya

* Because of the great variety of printed haggadot, you may find slight variations from the text you use. These clips are only of the selections that are typically sung during the Passover Seder. We have not recorded hagadah passages that are read aloud or simply davened (chanted) without a set melody – such as karpas, 10 plagues, hamotzi, etc.

Remember that Christianity is false and Yeshua was / is Jewish.

The Jews (Yehudim) who were originally Hebrews, were then called Israel all worshiped The ONE (echad) God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob.

Maran Rabbeinu Yeshua said, "I am the Way — and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except through me. – Yochanan 14:6

Maran Rabbeinu Yeshua said he is the way, he did not say call yourselves after me as he knew the commandments.

Here are just two of the 613 commandments from Shemot 20:4-5 states: You shall not make for yourself a graven image or any likeness which is in the heavens above, which is on the earth below, or which is in the water beneath the earth. You shall neither prostrate yourself before them nor worship them, for I, the Lord, your God, am a zealous God, Who visits the iniquity of the fathers upon the sons, upon the third and the fourth generation of those who hate Me.

There is only one way and that way is the Torah ancient Jewish way; Follow HaShem, learn His Torah.

This is exactly what Maran Rabbeinu Yeshua did and that is the example He set for us to follow.

Is it or will it be easy? No. But when your life is focused on HaShem and you put Him first and foremost in your life, this will be easier. It is only when we replace HaShem with our own desires is when things get difficult.

Stay in the Word and Read the TaNaKh (Hebrew Scriptures) and the writings of the Emissaries (Apostles) and be in prayer with HaShem on a daily basis and ask Him to show you the way.

The name of the holiday refers to the plot of the king’s advisor, Haman, to draw lots for which Jews to kill first. He planned to massacre all the Jews. Esther, one of the king’s wives and a Jewess herself, saved the Jewish people from Haman’s "lots" plot by revealing it to the king.

Historical Background

The story of Purim took place many years ago in the land of Persia. King Achashverosh married a beautiful Jewish woman by the name of Esther. Esther had an uncle, Mordechai, who had looked after her since the death of her parents. He advised her to conceal her Jewish identity from the King.

Haman, one of the King’s top advisors, was an evil and vain man who demanded that everyone bow down to him. When Mordechai would not bow down to him (being Jewish, he would only bow down to God), Haman became enraged and decided to kill Mordechai along with all the Jewish people.

To set the date on which he would carry out this plan, Haman cast lots (‘purim’). The date he determined was the 13th of Adar. Mordechai informed Esther of Haman’s plot and asked her to tell the king.

This was easier said than done, as it was the custom to approach the King only after being invited. This applied even to his wife. To ensure the mercy of God (and also presumably of Achashverosh), Esther asked all the Jews to fast for three days before she went uninvited to the King.

Meanwhile, Haman had erected a gallows on which he planned to hang Mordechai. When the King heard from Esther of Haman’s plan, he ordered that Haman be hanged there instead.

Achashverosh was reminded that years before, Mordechai had saved his life; to honour him, he made Mordechai his top advisor. Thus, instead of being killed on the 13th of Adar, Mordechai and the Jews of Persia were saved.

Mordechai sent letters rolled into scrolls to all the people in the kingdom, telling them what the King had done to Haman. The next day was declared a holiday and thus ever since, Jews have celebrated Purim.

Purim is usually celebrated on the 14th day of the month of Adar in the Jewish calendar, which is in February or March in the Gregorian calendar. According to many sources, the celebrations begin at around sunset on the 13th day of Adar, while other sources mention that Purim is observed on the 15th day of Adar.

What do people do?

Jewish people must do four things on Purim according to Jewish law. These are:

• Listening to a public reading, often in a synagogue of the Book of Esther, or the Megilla (also referred to as Megillah).
• Sending a gift of food to at least one friend.
• Giving charity to the poor.
• Eating a festive meal.

Each pronunciation of the name of Haman is drowned out by the noise of wooden rattles or other instruments that make loud noises during the reading of the Megilla. The services in the synagogue have a festive nature and often include elements, which would be unacceptable at other times of the year (like wearing customs). Some people fast for one or more days before or after Purim.

Wearing Fancy Dress

Since a key theme of Purim is concealment and disguise (Esther hid her Jewishness from the King), dressing up in costume is a favourite Purim custom. In the Diaspora (ourside Israel) it is mainly children who dress up, but in Israel and in religious communities, everyone does it. In Israel on Purim the streets are filled with characters from Biblical to TV superheroes and this helps to create the festive mood.

V’nahafoch hu

At the end, the theme of Purim is v’nahafoch hu, a celebration of things getting turned upside down. Haman builds gallows for Mordechai, and is hung on those same gallows. Haman plans a fantastic reward for himself, and instead has to bestow this reward on Mordechai.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kgJInVvJSZg

My Italian Jewish surname (last name)… could it be Jewish? Researching Italian Surnames for Possible Jewish Roots

Have you wondered if you have Jewish ancestors? Does your family history include stories of Jewish heritage or Jewish traditions? Some experts state that as much as 50% of the populations of Calabria and Sicily (the most Southern regions of Italy) were Jewish before the Inquisition. During the Inquisition, some of these families moved north in Italy and then east into Greece and Islamic countries to pursue their religion without fear of death. Some were already inter-married with Catholic families and were blending into that society and not openly practicing the Jewish religion so they didn’t need to move. Some were converted to Christianity as adults to stay in their towns and keep their lives.

There is a Jewish congregation in Salonika (Greece) dating to the Inquisition, so that now most of them aren’t even aware of their Italian roots! Rabbi Barbara (see below) has traced her family as it traveled around the Mediterranean and eventually settled in Calabria.

Some of these traveling families returned to Italy after the Inquisition, some didn’t. Knowing that among the emigrants to the US, the Italians were the most likely to return to their homeland, I suspect the same applies to these people.

Here’s an alphabetical list of Jewish surnames (last names) who had lived in Italy.

A lot of them don’t sound to be Italian but they’ve maintained their original foreign writing even if established in Italy: Also a few of them are also used by Christian families and hence it’s impossible to know which is their religion just by their name.

Italy has a very important role in Jewish history and genealogy: it is located centrally on the Mediterranean sea and serves as an important crossroad and an intersection between North and South, East and West, Sephardic and Ashkenazi culture. If your ancestors came from Europe, there are many possibilities that a branch of your family went throuh Italy. In Italy there is not a central collection of records for genealogical purposes, but there are numerous places in which administrative, civil, religious, and military records are stored.

Here you’ll find information and resources on the places where most Jews lived: Ancona, Livorno, Roma, Venezia, Sicily and others.

A

Aadith, Abadì, Abeles, Abenaim, Abeniacar, Abib, Abigdor, Aboaf, Abramson, Abravanel, Abulaffi, Abulaffia, Acco, Acher, Adagnia, Aderca, Ades, Adler, Aelion, Aghib, Ahrens, Ajar, Alatri, Alba, Albahari, Albaum, Albert, Albina, Albini, Alcalai, Alfaquain, Algranati, Alhaique, Allalouf, Allan Civita, Alrnagià, Almansi, Almansi Macchioro, Almeda, Alphandery, Alpron, Alt, Altarass, Altaress, Altberger, Alter, Alticheh, Amar, Ameriglio, Amati, Ambonetti, Ambron, Amì, Amman, Amy, Anau, Ancona, Andrè, Angel, Angeli, Angelini, Anguillara, Anticoli, Ara, Arbib, Archivolti, Arditti, Arditi, Ariani, Arias, Ariccia, Ariete, Arieti, Arnstein, Artom, Aruch, Ascarelli, Ascer, Aschenazi, Ascher, Ascoli, Ascoli Marchetti, Assajcas, Asseo, Astein, Asti, Astrologo, Attal, Attias, Aub, Avigdor, Auerbach, Awerbach, Azankot, Azavei, Azavey, Azria, Azriel, Azzaria.

B

Badalassi Orvieto, Baer, Bachi, Backschmiedt, Bagdalli, Bahorjudà, Baiona, Bak, Balachovsky, Ball, Ballanti, Balog, Banon, Banti, Baquis, Baracchi, Barchi, Barmè Mazloun, Baroccio, Barroccio, Baruch, Barzilai, Barzillon, Basevi, Basilea, Basola, Bassan, Behor, Bassani, Bassano, Bassi, Batò, Battino, Bauer, Beck, Bedarida, Bedussa, Beer, Behar, Beilinson, Belaise, Belforte, Belgrado, Belimbau, Belleli, Bellom, Belmonte, Bemporad, Benadì, Benaim, Benamozegh, Benarayo, Benedetti, Beniacar, Beniamin, Benigno, Benoliel, Bensillun, Bensussan, Benusiglio, Benveniste, Benvenisti, Benzimrà, Benzouan, Berahà, Berer, Bergmann, Bergholz, Bermann, Bernardoni, Berni, Bernheimer, Bernsteir, Bertel, Beruchel, Besso, Betrich, Betti, Bettinelli, Bettmann, Biach, Bianchini, Bienenfeld, Bigiavi, Bigio, Biks, Bingen, Bischof (vescovo!), Bises, Bisi Mantovani, Bisogni, Bisson, Bivak, Blanes, Blaskopf, Blau, Blitz, Bloch, Blotzek, Blum, Blumberg, Blumenthal, Boaz, Bobek, Boccara, Boffi, Boghen, Boehm, Bolaffi, Bolaffio, Bollag, Bolle, Bologna, Bolosca, Baustein, Bonaventura, Bondì, Bonfiglioli, Bonomie, Bonucci, Boralevi, Borgetti, Borghi, Borlenghi, Borseti, Bows, Bracci, Brandenburg, Brandes, Brandi, Braeuer, Braun, Brauner, Braunschweig, Braunstein, Bravermann, Brecher, Breiner, Breinin, Bresner, Brill, Brisi, Brociner, Brok, Brod, Brodanka, Brunner, Buchbinder, Buchsbaum, Bueno, Bunzel.

C

Cabibbe, Cademann, Cadorini, Caffaz, Cagli, Caimi, Caimmi, Caivano, Calabi, Calabresi, Calderoni, Calef, Caleff, Calfoa, Calimani, Calò, Calvo, Camaioli, Camerini, Camerino, Camhi, Camis, Camis de Fonseca, Cammeo, Campagnano, Campos, Canarutto, Cannaruto, Cantoni, Capato, Capua, Carasso, Carrara, Carcsson, Cardoso, Carijo, Carlì, Carmi, Carmona, Caro, Carpanetti, Carpi, Carsen, Caruba, Casanova, Cases, Cases Pellegrini, Cascinelli, Cassin, Cassuto, Castelbolognesi, Castelletti, Castelli, Castelfranchi, Castelfranco, Castelnuovo Tedesco, Castiglioni, Castro, Cattelani, Cava, Cave Bondì, Cavaglieri, Cavaglione, Cavalieri, Caviglia, Cendraissousa, Cervetti, Cesana, Cevidalli, Clerido, Clava, Clerle, Cludnevitz, Chajes, Chapira, Chimichì, Ciaroff, Cingoli, Citone, Citone in Alvarenga, Citoni, Cividalli, Civita, Coen, Coen Cantarini, Coen Gialli, Coenca, Cogoi, Cohen, Coifmann, Colasanti, Colia, Colombo, Colonna, Colorni, Confino, Conforte, Conforti, Confort, Conigliani, Consarelli, Consigli, Consiglio, Consolo, Contini, Corcos, Cori, Corinaldi, Coscas Majon, Costa, Costantini, Cotton, Covo, Cramer, Cratz, Crema, Cremisi, Creo, Croccolo, Curiat, Curiel, Cusin, Cutti, Cuzzeri, Cuzzi, Czachi, Czatzkis, Czimmer.

D

Dadone, Da Fano, D’Agata, Daldon, Dalla Torre, D’Ancona, Daniel, Danitti, Dann, Da Zara, De Abravanel, De Alvarez, De Angelis, Deangelis, De Benedetti, De Castro, De Cori, De Farro, De Frigessy, De Funel, De Leon, Della Riccia, Dell’Ariccia, Della Rocca, Della Seta, Della Torre, Della Volta, Dello Strologo, Del Mar, Del Monte, Del Sole, De Luisa, Del Valle, Del Valle de Paz, Del Vecchio, Demajo, De Medina, De Montel, De Nola, Depace, Depangher, De Paz, De Rossi, De Semo, De Sousa, Dessau, Deutsch, Diamant, Diaz, Di Capua, Di Castro, Di Cave, Dickmann, Di Cori, Diena, Dienstfertig, Di Gioacchino, Di Laudadio, Dina, Di Nepi, Dinkelspiel, Di Nola, Di Porto, Di Segni, D’ltalia, Di Tivoli, Ditz, Di Veroli, Dolfo, Donati, Donner, Doerfles, Dorn, Dowek, Dragoner, Dresner, Dreyfus, Drucker, Dubinsky, Durante, Duranti, D’Urbino.

E

Eckert, Edward, Eibenschuetz, Effendi, Efrati, Ehrenfeld, Ehrenfreund, Ehrenteil, Ehrlich, Eisenstaedter, Elfer, Elia, Elias, Eliazon, Eliezer, Elseo, Eltbogen, Emdin, Eminente, Engel, Enriquez, Eppinger, Epstein, Erber, Ergas, Errera, Esdra, Esquenasi, Essinger, Ettlinger, Evangelisti.

F

Falcini Servi, Falco, Faldini, Faldino, Falk, Fano, Faraggi, Farber, Farchi, Fargion, Farinelli, Farkas, Fasano, Fassel, Fasulo, Fatucci, Fein, Feiner, Feistmann, Felberbaum, Felici, Fellner, Fernandes, Ferrarese, Ferro, Ferusciany, Fiandra, Fiano, Fieder, Fifer, Fink, Finkelstein, Finker, Finzi, Fiorentino, Fimberg, Fischbein, Fischer, Fischl, Fischmann, Fiz, Flack, Flaschel, Fleisher, Fleischner, Foà, Fodor, Foligno, Fonseca, Fontanella, Forlì, Formiggini, Fornari, Forti, Franchetti, Franco, Frank, Frankental, Frankl, Franzes, Frascati, Frassinetti, Freiberger, Freisinger, Frenkel, Fresco, Freund, Fried, Friedenthal, Friedlaender, Friedmann, Fries, Frizzi, Frischmann, Fruchter, Fuà, Fubini, Fuchs, Funaro, Fuerst.

G

Gabbai, Gabriel, Gaensler Frankenstein, Gaggio, Gori, Galinidi, Galletti, Galli, Gallichi, Gallico, Galligo, Gandus, Gani, Garda, Garsen, Garza, Gasperini, Gattegno, Gattinara, Gazes, Geddes, Geller, Gemelli, Genazzani, Gentili, Gentilli, Gentilomo, Gerold, Gerstel, Gerstenfeld, Gesess, Gerschanovitz, Ghersfeld, Ghiron, Ghissin, Giaconi, Giavol, Ginzburg, Giovanelli, Giroux, Giuili, Giuli, Glanz, Glass, Glattstein, Glicenstein, Glueck, Godell, Goetz, Goetzel, Goldbacher, Goldberg, Goldberger, Goldenberg, Goldfinger, Goldfrucht, Goldmann, Goldring, Goldschmiedt, Goldstein, Goldstaub, Golembiovski, Gomel, Gondelmann, Goudstikker, Graf, Granichstaedten, Grassetti, Grassini, Graziani, Greco, Greco-Siglina, Grego, Greiger, Gronich, Gruen, Gruenbaum, Gruenberg, Gruenland, Gruener, Gruenfeld, Gruenwald, Gruss, Guagnacchi, Guetta, Gugenheim, Guggenheim, Guglielmi, Gurewitsch, Guttierez, Guttmann.

H

Haardt, Haas, Haber, Hackl, Hagmann, Hahn, Haim, Haimovici, Haimovitsch, Hajek, Hajon, Hakin, Haliffi, Hamburger, Harmer, Hanania, Hanau, Handler, Hanemann Toff, Hanen, Harrari, Hasdà, Hassan, Hassid, Hasson, Haussmann, Hasan, Heilbrunn, Heimann, Heinhorn, Heischmann, Heitler, Helfer, Heller, Hensel, Hepner, Herbatschek, Herbert, Herlitzka, Hersch, Herschmann, Herzer, Hirschfeld, Hirsch, Herzog (duca), Hochwald, Hodara, Holberg, Hollaender, Hollinger, Honig, Hoenisberg, Horitzky Orsini, Horn, Horniker, Horovici, Horvat, Huesca, Hupperi.

I

Ichainer, Illes, Isciaki, Ismalun, Israel, Israeli, Issel, Issmann, Italia.

J

Jacchia, Jacobson, Jacur, Jaffe, Jahni, Janowitz, Janni, Jarach, Jarè, Jenda, Jenina, Jenna, Jenni, Jesi, Jesurum, Jessulam, Job, Joffe, Johanan, Jolles, Jones, Jona, Jos, Joseph, Josz, Joung, Jules, Just.

K

Kabiglio, Kach, Kagnaff, Kahn, Kajon, Kalk, Kalmus, Kaminka, Kaptan, Kasman, Kastner, Katz, Kauffrnann, Kaula, Keller, Kern, Kessler, Kirsch, Kirschen, Kitt, Klauber, Klein, Kleinzeller, Klippel, Klugmann, Koch, Kohn, Kohner, Kolb, Koltzinsky, Koenigsberger, Konti, Konrad, Koerber, Korn, Kornell, Kornfeld, Koschiltzki, Kostoris, Krassner, Kraus, Krauterkraft, Krebs, Kreh, Kreilsheim, Kremer, Kron, Kries, Krikunetz, Kron, Kropf, Kruskah, Krzentowski, Kuehn.

L

Lacis, Lackenbacher, Lacomba, Laden, Lager, Laide, Lakin, Lamberg, Lampronti, Landesmann Laudi, Landau, Langbank, Lanternari, Lanzana, Lapajowker, Lappert, Lascar, Lassejower, Laz, Latis, Lattes, Latzer, Lavagno, Leblis, Lehrecht, Lecerf, Lechner, Lenner, Lee, Leipziger, Lekner, Lenghi, Lennox, Leone, Leoni, Leonino, Leonzini, Leperer, Lerner, Lessmann, Levi, Levi Bianchini, Levibran, Levi-Cases Momigliano, Levi de Veali, Levi Minzi, Levi Montalcini, Levin, Levis Levitsch, Lewish, Levy, Lewy, Lichetnstadt, Lichtenstein, Lieblein, Liehmann, Limentani, Lindemer, Linder, Lipschuetz, Liscia, Liuzzi, Livoli, Lob, Locascio-Goldschmiedt, Lodeserto, Loeb, Loeffler, Loevy, Loewy, Loisada, Lolli, Lombroso, Lopes, Lopez, Lopez-Rabello, Lorant, Loria, Loschitz, Loethe, Loevinson, Loew, Loewental, Loewenthal, Loewinson, Loewy, Luft, Luftschuetz, Luisada, Lumbroso, Luria, Lusena, Lust, Lustig, Lutomirsky, Luttinger, Luzzatti, Luzzatto.

M

Macchioro, Macerata, Maendl, Maestri, Maestro, Magrini, Mahlberg, Maimann, Maino, Maionica, Maissa, Majò, Malvano, Manara, Manasse, Mandel, Mandelberg, Mandler, Mandula, Mangold, Mann, Mannheimer, Marach, Marcaria, Marcheria, Marcus, Margulies, Mariani, Marino, Marini, Mariotti, Maroni, Marradi, Marsiglio, Massa, Massarani, Massarek, Massiah, Matalon, Mattatia, Mattersdorfer, Mautner, Mayer, Mazzola, Mazoleni, Medina, Medvedieff, Medoro, Meinster, Melgrano, Melli, Menasci, Mendel, Mendes, Menz, Merkl, Mesha, Mestre, Michelis, Michelstaedter, Mieli, Migliau, Milano, Milla, Millul, Minerbi, Mingardi, Mires, Misan, Misan-Saia, Misano, Misul, Misrahi, Modena, Modiano, Modigliani, Modigliano, Modona, Moeller, Moisé, Molco, Molnar, Momigliani, Momigliano, Mondolfi, Mondolfo, Mondovì, Monferini, Monreale, Monselise, Monselles, Montag, Montagnana, Montalcini, Montalcino, Montalti, Montebarozzi, Montecorboli, Montefiore, Montefiori, Montel, Montiglia, Morais, Moravia, Mordo, Mordoh, Morel, Morelli, Morello, Moreno, Moreschi, Moresco, Moretti, Morgenstern, Mori, Moroni, Morpurgo, Mortara, Mortera, Morway, Moscato, Moscé, Moskowitz, Moully, Mrad Esses, Mosseri, Muggia, Mugnai, Muehlstein, Muia, Muelberg, Mueller, Musacchi, Musatti, Mussafia, Mustacchi.

N

Naar, Nacamù, Nacamulli, Nacmias, Nacson, Nador, Najschitz, Nahmias, Nahon, Nahum, Naim, Namen, Namer, Nathan, Navara, Navarra, Navarro, Negrini, Neiger Nepi, Neppi, Neri, Neppi Modona, Neris, Netter, Neumann, Nibal Raimondi, Nigris, Nissim, Nizza, Nordlinger, Norlenghi, Norsa, Norzi, Nossal, Nunes, Nunes Franco, Nunes Vais, Nuernberg, Nussbaum.

O

Oberdorfer, Oblath, Ocvirk, O’Hara, Ohlsen, Olivieri, Olivetti, Olper, Olschki, Oppenheim, Oreffice, Orefice, Orefici, Ortona, Orvieto, Oser, Osimo, Osmo, Osta, Oesterreicher, Ottolenghi, Ottolenghi Boccara, Ottolenghi di Vallepiana, Ovazza.

P

Pace, Pacifici, Padoa, Padova, Padovani, Padovano, Paggi, Panerai, Panzieri, Paoli, Paper, Pardo, Pardo – Roques, Parente, Parenzo, Passigli, Pattin, Pavia, Pavoncello, Pegna, Perez, Perlmutter, Permutti, Perpetui, Perugia, Pesaro, Pesaro Maurogonato, Pescarolo, Philipson, Piattelli, Piazza, Picard, Picciacci, Picciaccio, Pick, Pieboni, Piesen, Pignero, Piha, Pincherle, Pinto, Piperno, Pines, Pirani, Pirola, Pisa, Pisanty, Pisetzky, Pisinger, Pitigliani, Pitteri, Plankenstein, Plaskis, Platzek, Plaschier, Poggetto, Poggibonsi, Poggiolini, Polacco, Poliakoff, Politi, Politzer, Pollak, Pomeranz, Pontecorboli, Pontecorvo, Pontremoli, Popper, Porges, Porta, Portaleon, Portaleone, Portnoff, Porto, Post, Pozinak, Prato, Pregel, Pressburger, Priester, Procaccia, Prohatzka, Provenzal, Pugliese, Puritz, Puttermann, Putti.

Q

Quercioli.

R

Rabà, Rabbeno, Rabelio, Rabinovici, Racah, Radau, Raffael, Raffaelli, Rahamin, Ram, Randegger, Rappaport, Rath, Ravà, Ravà Longhi, Ravenna, Ravicz, Reah, Recanati, Reder, Redzinsky, Reeson, Reggio, Reghini, Reich, Reichenback, Reichmann, Reinach, Reiner, Reinert, Reinhardt, Reinisch, Reis, Reiser, Reis, Reissner, Remondini, Renier, Resignani, Restani, Reuben, Revan, Revere, Revici, Riboni, Richetti, Richtmann, Riedler, Rieger, Rieti, Rietti, Rignano, Riftin, Rimini, Rocca, Roccas, Rodriguez, Roganti, Rogers, Roumann, Romanelli, Romani, Romanin, Romanin Jacur, Romano, Romoli, Roques, Rosel, Rosen, Rosenberg, Rosenfeld, Rosenholz, Rosenstein, Rosenthal, Rosenzweig, Rosselli, Rossi, Rotbart, Roth, Rouff, Rouzel, Rovighi, Rubert, Rubinstein, Rudoi, Russi.

S

Sabatello, Sabbadini, Sacerdote, Sacerdoti, Sacerdotti, Sacerdotti di Carobbio, Sachs, Sacuto, Sadok, Sadun, Saadun, Saffaro, Sagà, Saiegli, Salem, Salmon, Salmona, Salmoni, Salom, Salonicchio, Saltiel, Salto, Salus, Samaia, Sambulovich, Samuele, Sancò, Sanguinetti, Sanguski, Santillana, Saporta, Saralvo, Sarasson, Saraval, Saravalle, Sarfatti, Sariette, Sarsowski, Sasson, Savani, Saxel, Scazzocchio, Scandiani, Scaramella, Scarpa, Schjowitz, Schalmon, Schamasch, Schapira, Schaerf, Schick, Schiffer, Schiller, Schischa, Schlesinger, Schloss, Schmitz, Schmoltz, Schmukler, Schnur, Schoen, Schoenfeld, Schoenhaut, Schoenheit, Schoenstein, Schor, Schostal, Schotte, Schreiber, Schreider, Schultz, Schunnach, Schuessler, Schuetz, Schwarz, Schwarzkopf, Schweiger, Schwob, Sciaky, Scitrug, Sciunnach, Sdraffa, Sed, Sefardi, Segal, Segrè, Seidel, Seidmann, Seif, Semak, Semania, Semo, Senigaglia, Senigallia, Sepilli, Serena, Sereni, Sereno, Sergi, Sermoneta, Serravalle, Serrera, Servadio, Servi, Sessa, Sessi, Sestieri, Sforni, Sermann, Siccoli Bondì, Siebzehner, Sierra, Silbermann, Silva, Sivera, Sinai, Singer, Sitri, Slvaja, Smolensky, Smolesco, Soarez, Soliani, Soavi, Somenzi, Sommer, Sommermann, Sonne, Sonnenberger, Sonnino, Sorani, Sorbi, Soria, Sornaga, Sorraga, Soschino, Spagnoletto, Spagnolo, Specos, Spiegel, Spierer, Spitilli, Spitz, Spitzer, Spizzichino, Sprinzeles, Sraffa, Stein, Steindler, Steiner, Steinhardt, Stern, Steinhaus, Sternberg, Sternfeld, Sternschuss, Stettner, Stipanowitsch, Stock, Straaten, Stransky, Strossberg, Stucovitz, Stuetzel, Suarez, Subak, Subert, Sullam, Sulmona, Sun, Supino, Susani, Susin, Suess, Suessland, Sviadoschitz, Szabados, Szamatolsky, Szeynberg, Szirmay.

T

Tabet, Tagger, Tagiuri, Tagliacozzo, Tailor, Tajar, Tannenbaum, Taenzer, Taubert, Taussig, Tazartes, Tedeschi, Tedesco, Teglio, Teichner, Temin, Terni, Terracina, Terracini, Tesoro, Teubal, Tewich, Thuretzky, Tiano, Tivoli, Toaff, Todeschini, Todesc, Todros, Toledano, Tolentino, Tolosa, Torres, Toscano, Toschi, Tramer, Treulich, Treves, Treves de’ Bonfili, Trevi, Trevis, Trieste, Trietsch, Trionfo, Turba, Tuerk, Turra.

U

Udine, Ullmann, Umano, Ungar, Urbini, Urbino, Urovitz, Usigli, Usiglio, Uziel, Uzielli.

V

Valabrega, Valch, Valensin, Valenti, Valentin, Valenzin, Valobra, Valmarano, Valmarin, Varadi, Varios, Varsano, Velicogna, Venezia, Veneziani, Veneziano, Ventura, Vercelli, Veroli, Verona, Verreano, Vigdorcik, Vigevani, Vigevano, Vilcher, Visser, Vita, Vitta, Vitale, Vitalevi, Vitali, Viterbi, Viterbo, Vitta Zelmann, Vivante, Vivanti, Vovante, Vogel, Vogelmann, Vogler, Voghera, Volli, Volterra, Vretermann, Vucenovich.

W

Wachsmann, Walch, Wallfisch, Waschitz, Wassermam, Wax, Wehli, Weichsel, Weiger, Weil, Weiller, Weil-Schott, Weinstein, Weisberg, Weischel, Weishut, Weiss, Weiss Dodi, Weisser, Weissmann, Weizmann, Weleminsky, Welisch, Werblowsky, Wernikoff, Wilhelm, Windspach, Winternitz, Wohl, Wolf, Wolfler, Wolff, Wolfsohn, Wollemborg, Wollner, Wolner, Wortmann.

Z

Zabban, Zaccaria, Zaccuti, Zacun, Zacutti, Zagdun, Zalai, Zalman-Finzi, Zamatto, Zamorani, Zanotti, Zarfati, Zargani, Zarzovsky, Zebolun, Zeller, Zelman, Zemanek, Zevi, Zibell, Zibren, Ziffer, Zipper, Zitrin, Zmigrod, Zoller, Zuccari, Zuckermann, Zurk, Zweig, Zwillinger.

The Jewish history of the Jews of Arabia

The Arabia Peninsula lying between the mainlands of Africa and Asia. It is separated from Africa on the south by the Red Sea and on the north by the Sinaitic peninsula and the strip of land which in modern times has been cut through for the Suez canal. On the south and southeast its shores are washed by the Indian Ocean, which has been constantly receding and allowing more of the land to emerge. On the east it is separated from Persia by the Persian Gulf, and on the north is bounded by the Syrian desert, which is but a continuation of the great desert lying in the heart of Arabia itself. This desert is relieved by a number of oases, on which grow palms and tamarisks in abundance, providing food and shade for the Bedouins. Arabia has no rivers, but is artificially irrigated. The land outside the desert is very fertile, especially on the western side; it is known on this account as Arabia Felix. Arabia has an average width of 600 miles and alength of about 1,200. Egress from the country is possible by the two land routes to the east and west; the eastern road leads into Babylonia and thence northward into Syria, the western into Egypt and thence southward, or directly north along the coast plain, which at some places furnishes an entrance into the interior of Palestine.

The first mention of Jews in the areas of modern-day Saudi Arabia dates back, by some accounts, to the time of the First Temple. Immigration to the Arabian Peninsula began in earnest in the 2nd century CE, and by the 6th and 7th centuries there was a considerable Jewish population in Hejaz, mostly in and around Medina, in part because of the embrace of Judaism by such leaders as Dhu Nuwas (who was very aggressive about converting his subjects to Judaism, and who persecuted Christians in his kingdom as a reaction to Christian persecution of Jews) and Abu Karib Asad.

The History of the Arabia Peninsula:

• Arabia
• Religion
• The Jews of Arabia
• The North
• The South
• Mohammed
• Mohammed and the Jews
• Mohammed’s Jewish Adversaries in Medina
• Mohammed’s Conquest of the Jews
• Influences on Mohammed

Mohammed, the Prophet of Islam, was born in Mecca in the year 570.

The world at that time had its physical centre somewhat around the Eastern edge of the Mediterranean sea. There for many hundreds of years the two great ‘world’ empires of Rome and Persia had confronted each other in a state of perpetual warfare, punctuated by brief periods of peace.

Our world was ready for change in the seventh century as conflict everywhere had undermined the old-established patterns of society.

The surviving Byzantine Eastern half of the Roman Empire, ruled from the splendid city of Constantinople, still controlled a broad swathe of territory in the Balkans, North Africa and the Middle East. Remember that the coast of North Africa then was not arid as it is today, but covered with trees and very fertile.

The Jews helped the Persians in their conquest of Jerusalem in 614. The Byzantines exacted their revenge when they recaptured Jerusalem in 629. But the Persian and Byzantine empires were now in a state of utter exhaustion and impoverishment.

Arabia

The vast and mostly arid peninsula of Arabia adjacent to both the Roman and the Persian empires.

By the time of Mohammed, the merchants of Mecca controlled much of the transit trade between East and West. They bought goods off the ships at Aden and then transported them along caravan routes for sale in Egypt, Syria and Persia. The proceeds were used to buy manufactured goods, which were then brought back to Mecca and sold at the trade fairs.

Religion

The rudimentary and barely developed pagan worship of the Arabs was centred on the three hundred and sixty idols which surrounded the shrine of the Ka’aba in Mecca, to which the Bedouins flocked in annual pilgrimage. The Ka’aba housed a black stone sacred to all Arabs – which was most probably a meteorite that had once fallen flaming from the skies.

Some Arabs had developed an admiration for the more developed religions of the Jews and Christians.

This feeling manifested itself in signs of spiritual discontent such as the rejection of idol worship by a small number of seekers after the one God, who practised a religion of their own. There were also converts to both Judaism and Christianity in the settled populations of the desert oasis and in the deep South.

The Jews of Arabia

Before the coming of Mohammed, the Jews of Arabia, were few in number, and I have found only two references to them in Jewish sources. All we know of them comes from Arab historians, and from the Qur’an itself.

The North

I Will start on the Jews of the North.

Before Islam, they dominated many of the main oasis in the West of Arabia and had also settled in the present-day Gulf States – Bahrain in particular. There was even a tiny Jewish community with its own cemetery in Mecca. Curiously enough, Naim Dangoor told me that a Saudi Arabian father of many children from the Gulf area visited him with his family, about 8 years ago to ask for help in emigrating to Israel. He claimed to be one of a large group of Muslims of Jewish origin who had always maintained a separate identity, praying together and marrying only amongst themselves. Naim believed the story and contacted the Israeli Embassy on the man’s behalf – but without success.

Arab historians mention some 20 Jewish tribes, including two tribes of Kohanim. The Jews spoke Arabic, were organised into clans and tribes just like the Arabs, and seem to have fully assimilated the values and customs of desert society.

A contingent of 500 Jewish soldiers was supplied by Herod to accompany the Roman expedition set to conquer the Yemen in 25 BCE. It paused for a time at a place said in the Talmud to contain Jews. We may legitimately ask ourselves whether the Jewish soldiers were sent to act as links between the Roman armies and the Jews of Arabia.

Arab sources maintain that the Jews of Medina were survivors of the Jewish revolt against Rome.

Another theory is that the Jewish date-growers – and the cultivation of dates was the most common occupation – might have come from the Jordan valley as refugees from Christian Byzantine persecution.

Another obvious source of immigrants was, of course, Babylonians.

The Jews were engaged in agriculture, not trade which was exclusively in the hands of the Arabs.

According to Arab legends, Jews introduced the date palm and the honey bee into Arabia. Also, advanced irrigation and other new agricultural crafts.

The Jews appear to have been educated. It was their ability to read and write that made Bible stories and Midrashim generally familiar to the pagan Arabs – and those were the seeds from which Islam developed.

Perhaps most importantly of all, Jews also familiarised the Arabs with the belief in the coming of the Messiah.

The South

Many legends refer to early Jewish settlement in Himyar, present-day Yemen.

The first is that Jews accompanied the Queen of Sheba when she returned from her visit to King Solomon.

Arab historians claim that very large numbers of Jews – the figure of 80,000 is mentioned – arrived after the destruction of the First Temple, to join others already established there.

There is a story that Ezra the scribe cursed the Jews of Yemen for ignoring his call to return to Israel and help rebuild the Temple. In retaliation from then on, they refused to name their sons Ezra.

Arab legend ascribes the conversion to Judaism of the king and people of Himyar to two Jewish Rabbis from the oasis of Medina who cured the kind of a terrible illness on an expedition to the North of Arabia. The king was so impressed by the Rabbis that he and his generals converted to Judaism on the spot. He then took the Rabbis back with them to Himyar where they also converted part of the population – presumably members of the court and leading families. Himyar fell to the Christian Ethiopians in the year 525.

Persia sent an expedition to expel the Ethiopians and take control for itself. The Jews prospered for a time under Persian rule and maintained contact with their brethren in Babylon. But the economy of Himyar was in steep decline during this period, partly because of the warfare, and partly because of a catastrophic failure of the great dam that controlled its irrigation system.

Mohamed

Mohammed was born in Mecca in the year 570, at a time when guardianship of the Ka’aba and successful international trade had greatly enriched its ruling clans. We are told that the Meccans were swollen with pride and their society was an unhappy one, differing from that of other Arabs because of its rivalries, greed, and great disparity between rich and poor.

Mohammed came from one of the poorer and least influential of the ruling families of Mecca. Orphaned at an early age, he had a reputation for honesty and reliability.

Mohammed had already accompanied his uncle on trading missions to Syria, where he had come into contact with Christian monks and with Jews, when he was asked to lead a similar expedition himself on behalf of the wealthy widow Khadijah. This was successful; and he accepted Khadijah’s proposal of marriage on his return to Mecca. The marriage was a happy one. Khadijah bore him six children; and Mohammed took no other wife or concubine until after her death.

Thus freed from financial anxiety for the first time, Mohammed was able to devote himself increasingly to spiritual concerns. He made his own family live frugally, distributed much of his money to the poor, and was conspicuously kind to slaves.

He used to retire alone to an isolated mountain cave for days at a time in order to meditate and pray.

Mohammed received his first revelation in the year 610, when he was forty years old. An angel appeared to him in his cave and commanded ‘Iqra’ – recite! When Mohammed demurred, the angel ‘overwhelmed me in his embrace until I reached the limits of my endurance.’ Then the angel proclaimed what was to become the first verse or sura of the Qur’an:

‘Recite in the name of your Lord, the Creator, who created man from clots of blood.’

At first Mohammed doubted his own sanity. It was only three years later, when other revelations began to follow in quick succession, that he recovered his self-confidence and commenced his mission to the Arabs as the ‘Messenger of God.’

The revelations, transmitted by the angel Gabriel to Mohammed when in a state of trance, were taken down in writing by his followers as he repeated them later. They were collected together after Mohammed’s death, to form the Qur’an.

The message of the Qur’an is similar in essence to much Jewish and Christian teaching.

There is no God but Allah, the all-powerful Creator, and Mohammed is his Messenger.

There will be a Day of Judgement.

There is an afterlife in which the good will be rewarded and the wicked will burn in hell.

Life is to be lived according to divine law, with prayer and fasting, the giving of alms and the supporting of widows and orphans.

Mohammed had some success with the young and the poor, but he was ridiculed by the leaders of Meccan society.

The fact that he could not work miracles was held against him. His prayer ritual of repeated prostrations was alien to their proud Bedouin spirit; and the required total allegiance to the new community of Islam cut right across traditional tribal loyalties.

More important, Mohammed’s teaching that their idol-worshipping ancestors were burning in hell, outraged the Arabs, who had always venerated their forefathers.

Above all, the concept of only one God, and the resulting rejection of idols, seemed almost to have been designed to ruin the cult of the Ka’aba, the basis of Meccan prosperity. It would, quite simply, have been disastrous for business.

Mohammed made some converts to Islam among pilgrims who visited Mecca on the haj. A group from Medina, a desert oasis some two hundred and fifty miles away, secretly invited Mohammed and his followers to join them there to become their judge in disputes between their tribes.

So, in the year 622, Mohammed and seventy of his followers fled from Mecca to Medina. And that is counted as year one of the Muslim calendar.

Medina was occupied by three Jewish tribes and two pagan tribes who had once forced their way into the oasis; each tribe lived in its own fortified village. Mohammed was soon accepted as leader by the pagans and concluded a treaty with the Jews.

Unlike the Meccans, the pagans of Medina – who had long lived alongside Jews – were not shocked by the demotion of their gods to mere spirits under the new order. It did not affect their livelihood, and they were thrilled by the presence in their midst of the Prophet for the Arabs, with his revelations in their own tongue. There was a rapid tide of conversions to Islam; and Arab historians praise the Jews for preparing the ground for the favourable reception of the Prophet’s message.

Mohammed and the Jews

As a fellow monotheist, Mohammed looked to the Jews as his natural allies; and he no doubt hoped they would accept him as their long-awaited Messiah. Some Jews did so at once and I quote an Arab historian’s account of the first Jewish convert to Islam.

Many other Jews converted to Islam later and I am obliged to Naim Dangoor for his account of the Jewish ruler of Afghanistan visiting Mohammed at the peak of his power and accepting Islam.

The leading Afghan tribes, you may remember, still claim with pride to be descended from King Saul of the tribe of Benjamin – as again confirmed by Naim Dangoor’s account of the meeting of Eliezer Kedourie and King of Afghanistan in 1925, and also by official guidebooks of the country.

In a deliberate attempt to reconcile the Jews and gain their acceptance, Mohammed promptly adopted the Aramaic name ‘Medinta’ used by the Jews (‘al-Madinat’ in Arabic) in place of Yathrib, the old name of the oasis.

His followers were directed to face towards Jerusalem in prayer and to recite three daily prayer services and special Friday evening prayers in imitation of the Jews.

Ablutions and forms of worship were modelled on Jewish patterns. It seems that the Muslims had misunderstood the solemn Jewish fast of Kippur to be a celebration of victory over Pharaoh, for they too adopted the same day to celebrate their own successes.

Mohammed repeatedly compared himself to Moses and clearly regarded himself as his successor. According to the Qur’an:

‘Before this book there was Moses’s book…. and this book confirms it in the Arabic language.’

And again, in response to taunts arising from the Jewish origin of one of his wives, Mohammed proudly declared:

‘Aaron was my father and Moses my uncle.’

Above all, the Qur’an itself is full of Jewish elements.

Mohammed’s Jews Adversaries in Medina

It is clear that Mohammed knew the Torah only from hearsay and that he was much confused by imperfect knowledge of scripture and rabbinic legend.

"The Messenger was a proud man who could not tolerate public ridicule; and so, only eighteen months after his arrival in Medina, he began to order the assassination of Arab poets who had satirised him and also of certain Jews who had opposed him in one way or another.

His attitude to the Jews also changed radically. Mohammed demonstrated his displeasure with the Jews as a whole and his growing self-confidence and his independence of them by adopting measures designed to steer his followers firmly against Jewish practices."

Mohammed’s Conquest of the Jews

Mohammed next moved to eliminate the three Jewish tribes of Medina, by then considered a threat to the Muslim community in its struggle against its pagan enemies in Mecca.

One by one he accused them of treachery, of having broken their treaty with him by conspiring with his pagan enemies in Mecca. As already mentioned, the Jews were also accused of making common cause with the waverers within the ranks of the Muslims of Medina.

Curiously enough, the Jewish tribes made no attempt to defend one another against the common foe when pretexts were found to attack and besiege each of their villages in turn. They were eliminated one by one.

The first tribe was called on to accept Islam. When its members refused, a pretext was found to besiege its village. The Jews were expelled on condition to leave most of their possessions behind.

The following year saw the expulsion of the second tribe, accused of planning to kill the Prophet by dropping a rock on his head as he rested under a wall outside its village. Mohammed, who received divine warning of the plot, returned home unharmed before anything happened.

The second tribe, being in a less vulnerable position managed to depart carrying all their possessions with them. Muslims were ordered to turn towards Mecca in prayer and no longer towards Jerusalem – now with five daily prayer services instead of the Jewish three.

All traces of the Sabbath were eliminated when Friday was declared a day of public prayer on which work was allowed. The month-long fast of Ramadan was instituted in place of Kippur. The extra month instituted by the pagan Arabs long before Mohammed to reconcile the lunar year with the solar year, as practised by the Jews, was abolished. Since then the Muslim year has consisted of 12 lunar months, with no correction at all for the solar year.

In a complete change of emphasis, Mohammed began to lay far greater stress on Abraham, whom he claimed as the first Muslim, than on Moses.

Influences on the Mohammed

Though respecting Christians – Christian monks in particular, and accepting Jesus as a major prophet, Mohammed vehemently rejected the notion that Jesus was the Son of God a well as all idea of the Trinity. The Qur’an itself is full of unmistakably Jewish elements – Bible stories and midrashimin particular.

However, a major puzzle remains. Although Moses is mentioned over one hundred times and Jesus only twice in the Meccan period of the Qur’an, Mohammed’s often repeated dread of the Day of Judgement and hellfire is certainly more akin to Christian monasticism than to rabbinic Judaism.

Mohammed died of natural causes in the year 632, leaving the whole of Arabia united under the rule of Islam.

By definition, Mohammed – as Messenger of God and the last of the Prophets, was irreplaceable. Yet, a new leader had to be found at once if his achievements were not to be squandered.

The Arabs found it very difficult to elect a successor and bitter struggles between rival clans resulted in the violent death in office of three out of the first four Khalifs. One of them, and this is significant, was killed by a revolt led by a Jewish convert to Islam.

Those early controversies persisted; and it was the refusal of some to accept the legitimacy of any but a descendant of the murdered Khalif ‘Ali (cousin and son-in-law of the Prophet) that created the Shi’a movement, which permanently split Islam.

Welded together by Islam, their poverty and their greed, the half-starved Bedouin nomads erupted from Arabia with extraordinary vigour. The Byzantine Empire was humbled and the Persian Empire totally destroyed during their first twenty years of warfare.

By 732, one hundred years after the death of Mohammed, the Arab Empire stretched from the Atlantic in the West to modern Pakistan in the East. At one stage, the vanguard reached a point in France only two hundred and fifty miles from Dover before falling back into Spain. Progress was slower after that, with Sardinia, Sicily and parts of Southern Italy gradually added to the Islamic world.

Many hundreds of years later, of course, the Muslim world expanded again to include the Balkans in Europe – though Spain was lost to the Christians, much of the Northern half of the African continent, the whole of Northern India and parts of South East Asia, such as Indonesia. In retrospect, it is not difficult to find convincing reasons for the astonishing success of the comparatively small body of Bedouin tribesmen in defeating the armies of two mighty empires and then going on to conquer much of the civilised world.

There can be no doubt that Mohammed himself had the rare ability to inspire unlimited devotion in most of those who met him in Arabia.

Also the essential simplicity and egalitarianism of Islam suited the mentality of the Arabs, already discontented with their primitive form of paganism and aspiring to a nobler expression of their religious yearnings. The new creed of Islam, combined with the old fighting traditions of the Bedouin tribes, provided the Arabs with the self-confidence they needed to challenge the rest of the world.

Once the invasions started, belief in the one God who had chosen the Arabs and rewarded them with success after success became inspirational. Fighting, Arab-style, seemed to be the way of God as the Bedouin warriors used the deserts like seas – appearing suddenly from nowhere and, whenever necessary, retreating back where none could follow.

Looked at in another way, the Arab conquest was a classic invasion of the world’s settled lands by semi-starved nomads, seeking bread and booty – but this time, spurred on by the powerful missionary zeal of Islam.

It should not be forgotten that the Arabs exploded into a world exhausted by twenty-six years of constant warfare, a world whose inhabitants longed for peace and stability and had come to believe that great changes were inevitable. Christian heretics and Jews in the Byzantine Empire, to whom almost any change must have seemed for the better, welcomed the Arabs with open arms. The Christians and Jews of the Persian Empire too, weary of civil and religious strife, also willingly accepted the prospect of change.

Another important factor in the overwhelming success of the Arabs was the generosity of their surrender terms. For most pagans, the choice of Islam or the sword was not onerous; they too could join the ranks of the conquerors by simply declaring: ‘There is no God but Allah, and Mohammed is his Messenger.’ Also, it soon became widely known that Jews, Christians and Zoroastrians would not be harmed by the triumphant Muslims so long as they submitted to the new order by paying the poll tax, which often amounted to no more than the tax demanded by the former regimes.

The result was that, in time, almost all the defeated nations aspired to the name ‘Arab’. Though strict social barriers between Arabian and non-Arabian Muslims were erected in the first century following the conquest, those dissolved and merit alone became the key to advancement for Muslims in the expanding empire.

According to surviving records, Jews helped the Arabs in many places. From Syria to Spain, they opened city gates to the besieging armies; and in Spain, they often garrisoned the captured cities to enable the Muslims to sweep on to further conquests.

In 658, Gaon Yizhak of Pumbeditha, at the head of 90,000 Jews, was reported to have welcomed Khalif ‘Ali into Firuz-Shapur. The Exilarch Bustanay was even awarded one of the Persian King’s daughters by the grateful Arabs – and as another daughter was given to Husain, grandson of the Prophet, that was no mean gift.

The conquests of Islam united both halves of the Jewish people under a single political and cultural system. Arabic became the universal language, replacing the Aramaic, Persian, Greek and Latin they had previously spoken.

Jews, accustomed to adversity, found their change of masters an improvement. They survived the hardship brought about by the conquest and were eventually able to participate in the creation of the new Arabic civilisation that followed.

Islam, claiming to be God’s last and perfect revelation to mankind, extended limited toleration to members of the older monotheistic faiths on condition they submitted humbly to its rule. In contrast, the only choice open to polytheists was Islam or the sword – though the less wasteful alternative of slavery was often substituted for the sword.

The Qur’an frequently refers to Jews and Christians, who had received earlier revelations from God but had then distorted and corrupted them.

Though some of its suras (verses) mention Jews and Christians in friendly terms and are quoted in support of Islam’s tolerant attitude to fellow monotheists, others display very different sentiments. The Qur’an it must be remembered, came to Mohammed in stages throughout the many years of his ministry – from the time he was a persecuted outcast to that of his final role as the undisputed master of all Arabia.

Non-believers, though protected by Islam, were generally despised because of their wilful persistence in refusing to accept the words of God recorded in the Qur’an. However, unlike Jews in Christian Europe, they were neither hated nor demonised.

Mainstream (Sunni) Islam and Judaism have more in common with each other than with Christianity. First and foremost, they both share the basic concept of the absolute unity of God. Though Muslims accept Jesus as a major prophet, they strenuously deny that he was the Son of God. In the words of the Qur’an:

‘…Allah is one, Allah the eternal. He begets not and is not begotten. Nor is there anyone like him’.

Abraham is accepted as the first man to have received God’s revelations: and most other Jewish patriarchs and prophets are also revered by Islam.

Both religions are based on divinely given books. The Qur’an like the Torah, is the unchanging word of God; and every letter of its text is holy. Sunni Muslims go even further and believe that the Qur’an is eternal and untreated – as is the view of the Torah held by some Jewish mystics.

Muslim forms of worship are far closer to those of the Synagogue than the Church. Neither Islam nor Judaism employs priests with supernatural powers to serve at symbolic alters of sacrifice. Indeed, Jewish Rabbis and Sunni Alem receive similar training and perform much the same function. Other concepts such as the sanctity of Jerusalem, forbidden and permitted foods, and many others, appear to have come directly from Judaism.

The equivalent position of law in Islam and Judaism may not be a coincidence, for Islamic law first developed in Iraq, home to the great academies of Jewish learning. In both faiths, holy law governs every aspect of human activity and its very study is an act of worship. Both distinguish between ‘written’ and ‘oral’ law in much the same way; and in the development of ‘oral’ law, the mufti’s fatwa serves the same purpose as the Rabbi’s responsa (an authoritative statement of the law on an obscure or disputed point).

Another common feature of the two systems is that neither was imposed by the state or by a central ecclesiastical authority – as was the canon law of the Church – but was developed by the deliberations of independent scholars.

Condensed from a recent lecture at the Montefiore Hall, London. by Lucien Gubbay. This Article is split into ten sections :

Every one who knows the problems of territory, religion, education, and simple racial hate and international involvement, knows that the greatest problem of all is related to the Bible. Jews have for the two thousand years of exile among the nations dreamed of returning to the land of their forefathers, the land of Israel, between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea.

People who believe that the Bible is the Word of God give this ancient document the authority of an international contract between God and mankind. The Bible is for those who believe it a living Word that not only tells the story of past ancient history, but also predicts the future and makes a road map for the rest of man s days on this Earth. Those who believe that the promises of the Bible are to be understood literally are called, Fundamentalist.

What is in the Bible that relates to the Land of Israel and causes Jews and those who believe the Bible as Fundamentalist to reject any compromise with the Arabs on the Land of promise?  Here are some Biblical facts on this issue:

1.God s promise to give the land of Israel to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and their seeds forever is repeated more times in the Bible than any other promise. In Genesis alone it is repeated close to twenty times.

2.The promise of God to give the Land of Israel (Canaan) to Israel is given to every one of the patriarchs, to Moses, to Joshua, and to the prophets of Israel.

3.Israel is the only nation that has been exiled for more than one hundred years that has returned home to the land of their forefathers. In fact Israel has returned to the land already three times. Our forefathers returned from Egypt to the Land of God s promise with Moses and Joshua.

After 70 years of exile in Babylon Ezra and Nehamiah returned with a large number of the Exiles back to Jerusalem and the Land of Israel. Modern Zionism is a third time that
God s promises of return to the Land and inheritance of His promises. We are actually living witnesses of this return and rebuilding and restoration of this land and all this is happening before our own eyes and the eyes of the whole world.

I believe that, although, the Biblical promises made by God seem unrealistic right now, they are the most realistic and since God has the power to change people and nations, we who believe Him and believe His Word, must hold on to God s promises and never stop hoping that He will keep His Word in the future as He has kept it in the past.  Who would have believed 150 years ago that there is going to be a Jewish State in the land of Israel and that it will have an army and Jewish farmers, and win wars against the whole and joint force of the Arab countries.

These promises of God to Israel bring a special rational to the people who believe that the Bible is God s Living Word and want to live according to what the Bible teaches. People stand on God’s Word and say to themselves the following:

How can we give this land that is promised to us by the Creator of the World as an inheritance forever to the Muslim/Arabs who have always opposed God and His Word. We read that the Arabs opposed the return of the Exiles from Babylon in the days of Nehemiah also just as they do today: "Now when Sanballat, Tobiah, the Arabs, the Ammonites and the Ashdodites heard that the repair of the walls of Jerusalem went on, and that the breaches began to be closed, they were very angry. 8 All of them conspired together to come and fight against Jerusalem and to cause a disturbance in it." (Nehemiah 4:7-8)

Our God is able and His Word is living and every one of His promises will be fulfilled. Our hope is in God and in His promises, and even if we at times misunderstand God s Word and misinterpret his promises, we know that not one word from God will fall empty.  What to us seems virtual and unreal for God is real and already accomplished.

By Joseph Shulam

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MdsolNljD8

SCENE: The water cooler at the office. An Anti-Semite is trying to convince a co-worker that the Jewish people should be blamed for "everything"

• Anti-Semite:  "All the world’s troubles come from the Jews"
• Average Joe: "Oh really, from the Jews??!"
• Anti-Semite:  "You know they have all the money in the world"
• Average Joe: "All of it? Seems to me that Bill Gates and Donald Trump have some, not to mention the Saudi Royal Family"
• Anti-Semite:  "They’re taking over the government too"
• Average Joe: "I can’t seem to remember any Jewish Presidents"
• Anti-Semite:  "Besides, they’re not pure Americans anyway"
• Average Joe: "My ancestors are from Italy, where are yours from?
• Anti-Semite:  "Never Mind! Like I said, our troubles are from the Jews"
• Average Joe: "OK, from the Jews,… and the Bicycle riders"
• Anti-Semite:   "Why the Bicycle riders??"
• Average Joe:  "Why the Jews?!!"

“Believing in Yeshua does not produce anti-Semitism. It may have been the convenient scapegoat for some, perhaps for many. For prejudice runs deep in the core of men’s experience. But belief in Yeshua the Messiah is not the cause of anti-Semitism. In fact, one Jewish source claims that modern anti-Semitism is not religiously motivated at all, "Modern anti-Semitism is thus built on racial, not religious foundations and the adoption of the prevailing faith no longer provides an escape route for persecuted Jews."

For a professing believers to side with the anti-Semite is to side not only against the Jewish followers of the Jewish Messiah who penned the Besora Tova HaGeula (Good News of Redemption), but it also invites the sternest judgment from the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. To court God’s judgment doesn’t seem very rational or logical. But then foolishly blaming all of our troubles on the bicycle riders doesn’t either!

First, anti-Semitism is totally inconsistent with the stated attitude of Yeshua toward the Jewish people. To believe that our Rabbi Yeshua is the Messiah and then not reflect His attitude toward the Jewish people is the height of hypocrisy, let alone a fallacious inconsistency.

Yeshua was born a Jew, He lived as a Jew, and He died a Jew,… He lived in the midst of His Jewish people and He loved them with a love unparalleled in the annals of Jewish history. Those guilty of such an attitude show by their fruits that they don’t follow Yeshua the Messiah at all.”   You cannot claim to have the King of the Jews in your heart and also hate the Jewish people? Absurd!

A true follower of the Jewish Messiah loves the Jewish people.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dbnc7hCoM9A