Update From Sderot 1/11/11

For Zion's sake I will not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof goes forth as the noon day, and the salvation thereof as a blazing torch. Isaiah 62:1

On Saturday 39 projectiles, including Grads and mortar shells were fired at the southern cities in Israel, hitting populated areas in Ashdod, Ashkelon, Be’er Sheva, and regional councils across the region including Sderot. A number of rockets caused extensive damage to buildings including a multi-story apartment building, and a school. There have been many hospitalized with injuries including small children. A 56 year old man who was injured by shrapnel to the lower limbs died on Shabbat.

An Egyptian brokered “cease-fire” was scheduled to take affect Sunday morning at 6 a.m., but that was soon ignored by the terrorists as a dozen or so Grads and mortars were fired at the southern cities throughout Sunday.

The current escalation actually began last week when a rocket hit the small residential community of Be’er Tuvia which is located south of Ashkelon. Be’er Tuvia is 18 miles (over 30 kilometers) from Gaza – That’s how far the various militia terror groups’ rockets can now reach inside Israel, at least the ones they have fired so far.

Take a moment, and wherever you are living in the world imagine an 18 mile (30 km) radius from your home. How many loved ones, co-workers, acquaintances would that radius include? Now imagine an alarm sounds and you have only seconds to find safety… you count off the seconds and then you hear the loud explosion. You then instinct fully grab your phone to call family and friends to make sure they are ok. This is the reality of those living here in the cities of the Negev.

At any given second, over 1 million Israeli citizens; men, women, and children are living under the constant fear of rockets. At any given moment the ‘Tseva Adom’ may sound the warning that a rocket has been fired. The time you have to respond ranges up to 60 seconds in the remote areas to only 15 seconds for those of us living in Sderot.

This terror, over 1 million Israelis (and the number continues to grow as the weapons reaching Gaza become more and more advanced), hardly ever gets mentioned. Many are just too busy to care about Israel’s need for security. Moreover they simply refuse to address the fact that no peace agreement can be enforced in the Gaza Strip – a cease fire can hardly be enforced!

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! "May those who love you be secure! May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels!" For the sake of my brothers and friends, I will say, "Peace be within you!" For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your prosperity.

Psalm 122:6-9

Barbra Streisand - Avinu Malkeinu (Our Father ' Our King)

Update From Sderot 10/7/11

I thought I would share this beautiful prayer that is sung throughout the days of reflection between Rosh HaShana and Yom Kippur. It is called Avinu Malkeinu which means; Our God, our King.

Security forces on high alert as Israelis mark Yom Kippur. Currently as Israel approaches her most High Holy Day, the Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur a full closer of the West Bank has been put in place as well as large numbers of police and rescue forces deployed in and around Jerusalem and the West Bank. All train and bus services throughout the country have been stopped until after Yom Kippur.

Israelis, who are old enough to remember Yom Kippur 1973, recall how people were shocked to see cars driving down the streets in the early afternoon. They were rounding up soldiers as the Yom Kippur War had broken out during the day. Nearly all the soldiers, religious and secular, were at their local synagogues and army cars went from synagogue to synagogue with lists, while sirens wailed shortly afterwards in Jerusalem and worshipers raced to shelters.

The Day of Atonement provides us with prophetic insight regarding the second coming of Mashiach (Messiah), the restoration of national Israel, and the final judgment. It is also a day that reveals the High Priestly work of Yeshua as our Cohen Gadol (High Priest) after the order of Malki-Tzedek.

In Torah, the term Yom Kippur is actually written in the plural, Yom Ha Kippurim. Kippurim can be read as Yom Ki- Purim, a “day like Purim,” that is a day of deliverance and salvation.

Yom Kippur is the most solemn day of the year, yet an undertone of joy suffuses it; a joy that reveals the spirituality of the day and expresses the confidence that Hashem who accepts our repentance and forgives. Todah raba Abba, baruch ata Adonai

l’shanah haba’ah birushalayim

Next year in Jerusalem