Yom HaAtzmaut (Independence Day) in Israel

Israel's 64th Anniversary: Then and Now

Israeli weather has finally come to our part of the world, at least for this week.

This past week, Israel celebrated the 68th Anniversary of Independence. This anniversary has a deeper meaning for our Family, as my wife, Bonnie's Father landed on the dock in Haifa on the day Israel was created along with a boatload of other Jews who were wanting to return to the homeland.  Elder James McFarlane was called to the Palestinian Syrian Mission and served in the Middle East.  Israel became a state the day he docked.  He recounted that it was really quite a scene with the Arabs not happy with the decision by the United Nations of the creation of a home land for the Jewish people.

David Ben-Gurion, who was the first prime minister of Israel, publicly read the Declaration of Independence of Israel on May 14, 1948. According to the Jewish calendar, this was the fifth day of Iyar, the eighth month of the civil year, in the year 5708. The anniversary of this date on the Jewish calendar is known as Yom Ha'atzmaut and usually falls in April or May of the Gregorian Calendar.

Our political world is turning upside down.

Our political world is turning upside down.  Many are calling good evil and evil good.   Leaves you asking why.   This short presentation by Dennis Prager is too good not to pass along.

SUBSCRIBE for more speakers ► http://is.gd/OxfordUnion Oxford Union on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theoxfordunion Oxford Union on Twitter: @OxfordUnion Website: http://www.oxford-union.org/ The Motion: This House Believes that Hamas is a Greater Obstacle to Peace Than Israel. ABOUT THE OXFORD UNION SOCIETY: The Union is the world's most prestigious debating society, with an unparalleled reputation for bringing international guests and speakers to Oxford.

Holy Land in 4K

Bullet shared this video which features the stunning time lapse video by Jared Cook with some outstanding quotes from general authorities about the Savior.  Truly inspirational!

 

Check out the Behind The Scenes here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFeEPnl4ltA This trip was made possible by Tyler Gathro and his project The Living Stones. He will be compiling a full length documentary on our trip in The Holy Land so go check out his work to keep up to date on when that will come out!

Am Yisrael Chai!

Last Sunday I attended a Yom HaZikaron ceremony at a local Jewish Community Center.   Yom HaZikaron is the day Israeli's pay honor, tribute and remembesr those that have fallen in establishing and defending the State of Israel.  It is always a solemn and heart felt ceremony.   This year's event was juxtaposed with a tragic event at that same Jewish Community Center a month before when an evil man shot and killed three individuals.   He had targeted them solely because he thought they were Jewish.  He was mistaken.   All three were Christians who just happened to be attending an audition at the center.   It was a sad reminder that anti-Semitism and evil are still too common place in 2014.  

 Yom HaZikaron is followed the next day by Yom Ha'atzmaut or Independence Day in Israel.   From deep sorrow and soberness to celebration and pride.   It is an interesting contrast that says tribute must be paid to those brave men and women who died defending and establishing Israel in order to truly celebrate the freedoms and protections for Jews enjoyed today.

The following video celebrates that Am Yisrael Chai or the nation of  Israel (still) Lives!

Cameron

http://www.nbn.org.il/israel66 - Celebrate Israeli Independence Day with 66 Israeli heroes sharing a powerful message! Hear their stories. Live your dreams. Am Yisrael Chai!

4000 year History of Jerusalem

Jerusalem, a mosaic of different peoples, faiths, and nationalities. Nevertheless, despite this diversity, under the sovereignty of Israel, Jerusalem is a city that works. But has it always been this way?

This short 5-minute narrative of the history of Jerusalem does a great job of putting into context the any conquests for the Holy City and the ultimate return of the Jewish people.   Video produced by the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs.

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Lessons Learned from Auschwitz

Short video that speaks to the things we say taken from a TED Talk given in 2008.

View full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/lessons-from-auschwitz-the-power-of-our-words-benjamin-zander Classical music mastermind Benjamin Zander concluded his 2008 TED Talk by recounting the heartrending story of an Auschwitz survivor and her brother. This short animated piece highlights that story, reminding us that the words we speak to one another are incredibly powerful tools that we shouldn't take for granted.