International Fellowship of Christians and Jews® of Australia

Netanyahu Says Iran Tops his Agenda

jdalton — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 15:33:52 +0000

As Israelis prepare to go to the polls next week, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that, if re-elected, preventing Iran from becoming a nuclear threat is tops on his agenda. Also this week in Israel in the News: U.S. denounces Morsi’s vicious anti-Semitic remarks made in 2010. Israeli military shoots Palestinian teen who was trying to [...]

President Obama Nominates Hagel for Defense Post

jdalton — Mon, 14 Jan 2013 22:50:25 +0000

This week, President Obama nominated former Republican Senator Chuck Hagel to be Secretary of Defense. If approved, Hagel would be the first Vietnam veteran and enlisted soldier to lead the department. Also this week in Israel in the News: • Hagel is expected to face a tough confirmation hearing from both parties for his positions on [...]

Iran’s Nuclear Standoff Takes Ominous Turn

jdalton — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 20:07:08 +0000

The nuclear standoff with Iran has escalated, with the Iranian Navy reportedly warning foreign military forces to back off. The Navy just wrapped up a five-day exercise this week in the Straits of Hormuz. Also this week in Israel in the News: • The Fatah Party celebrated its 48th anniversary with hateful messages against Israel. • A [...]

Wisdom and Comfort from the Psalms

jdalton — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 15:41:23 +0000

Shalom, The book of Psalms has provided me with the deepest comfort during the most trying times. It is my sanctuary, where I feel safe and comforted. Although written thousands of years ago, the psalms resonate in my soul and provide a safe path through the emotional hills and valleys of life. In good times [...]

A Spiritual New Year’s Resolution

jdalton — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 15:40:16 +0000

Dear Friend of Israel, Many of us make New Year’s resolutions. You might have made some yourself this year! Maybe you vowed to cross a few items off your long-term “to do” list. Or maybe your goals are more financially oriented – to save $50 every paycheque, or to pay off your debt by the [...]

Our God Who Performs Miracles

jdalton — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 19:13:53 +0000

Dear Friend of Israel, For both Jews and Christians, this is a season to celebrate – and marvel at – miracles. For Christians, there is Christmas, celebrating the birth of Jesus. For Jews, the miracles celebrated at Hanukkah, which begins this year at sundown on Saturday, December 8th, include a long–ago military victory of the [...]

Psalms of Praise and Comfort

jdalton — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 19:04:27 +0000

Palestinian Statehood Vote Passes at U.N.

jdalton — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 22:51:42 +0000

Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu said the Palestinian’s bid will derail peace efforts between Israel and the Palestinians: “The only way to achieve peace is through agreements that are reached by the parties directly; through valid negotiations between themselves, and not through UN resolutions that completely ignore Israel’s vital security and national interests And because this [...]

Israel Launches “Operation Pillar of Defense” Assault in Gaza

jdalton — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 20:24:06 +0000

After hundreds of rockets from Palestinian terrorists hit Southern Israel since last weekend, Israel in self-defence has launched what it dubs “Operation Pillar of Defence” in the Gaza Strip. Since the rocket attacks began, three Israeli citizens have been killed and many wounded. Also this week in Israel in the News: • Israeli forces have [...]

Netanyahu Congratulates President Obama on Win

jdalton — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 22:15:27 +0000

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu congratulated U.S. President Barack Obama for winning a second term, saying that the strategic alliance between their two countries is “rock solid.” Also this week in Israel in the News: • Netanyahu vowed to take whatever measures available to stop Iran’s nuclear program despite what the U.S. does. • Syrian tanks [...]

Everyone Has Something to Be Thankful For

jdalton — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 21:45:50 +0000

Shalom, Every morning when I wake up, before even getting out of bed I recite the traditional Jewish morning blessing: “I offer thanks before you, living and eternal King, for You have mercifully restored my soul within me; Your faithfulness is great.” Giving thanks to God helps me start my day filled with positivity and [...]

The Amazing Story of Ethiopian Aliyah

jdalton — Fri, 09 Nov 2012 21:41:49 +0000

Dear Friend of Israel, It is one of the most amazing stories in Israel’s history – perhaps in world history. In 1769, while searching for the source of the Nile River, Scottish explorer James Bruce discovered something extraordinary – a community of approximately 100,000 Ethiopian Jews, living according to the precepts of biblical Judaism. Little [...]

Ask Yael – Reading the Torah

jdalton — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 20:50:37 +0000

From Israel, Yael answers a question about the original translation of the Bible, and how an understanding of Hebrew – the "Holy Tongue" – can lead us to a greater understanding of the Torah.

The Time of Our Happiness

jdalton — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 19:56:51 +0000

Dear Friend of Israel, As soon as I arrived in Chicago after returning from launching The Fellowship’s work in Korea last week, I could feel the change in the air. Seeing the students rushing off to class in these first weeks of the new school year, the yellowing leaves, and countless campaign ads reminding us [...]

A New Year — A New Beginning

jdalton — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 18:19:00 +0000

It is hard for me to believe that another year has passed, and that Rosh Hashanah is upon us. So much has happened in the past twelve months, and I feel blessed to have this holiday set aside as a time of reflection. Too often my life is so hectic that I rarely have time to take a moment – let alone two full days – to simply focus on the goodness that God has bestowed on me and the world.

The Importance of Family

jdalton — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 18:04:03 +0000

My travels over the summer were filled with a wide range of activities – but one of my most memorable moments was also one that probably seems one of the most mundane – standing in a restaurant parking lot chatting with my daughters Talia and Yael, and their families.

Will Israel Attack Iran Before U.S. Elections?

jdalton — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 16:55:56 +0000

A new report claims that Israel is “determined to attack Iran before the U.S. elections.” U.S. state officials say they will not be drawn into what they call a hypothetical debate. Also this week in Israel in the News: • Meanwhile, UN talks aimed at getting access to Iran’s nuclear program have broken off. • [...]

Ask Yael – Israel’s Immigrants

ifcjwebmaster — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 20:56:55 +0000

Israeli Athletes on Alert as Olympics Begin

ifcjwebmaster — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 18:19:33 +0000

In the wake of the deadly attack last week on Israelis in Bulgaria, Olympic officials are raising the terrorism assessment for the games. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the 1972 Munich Olympics in which 11 Israeli athletes were killed in a terrorist attack. Also this week in Israel in the News: • Israel [...]

Despair and Redemption

ifcjwebmaster — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 21:42:02 +0000

Dear Friend of Israel, I recently flew to the United States to spend some time at The Fellowship’s Chicago offices. It’s a routine trip, one I’ve made hundreds of times. But recent events made it feel a bit different. Perhaps that’s because during my trip I was thinking about the victims of the recent attack [...]

The Sorrow of Syria

ifcjwebmaster — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 15:23:55 +0000

Dear Friend of Israel, The carnage in Syria continues. Late last month, forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar Assad slaughtered more than 100 people, including women and children, in the city of Houla. It was the latest violence in a conflict that has, by some accounts, left more than 10,000 Syrians dead since the uprising [...]

Returning to My Roots

ifcjwebmaster — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 15:23:39 +0000

Shalom, Love for Jerusalem has been running through my veins since the day I was born due to my ancestral heritage in the Holy City. Although I was born in America, some of my greatest childhood memories are of taking family trips to the Holy Land and marvelling at God’s exquisite city. Walking through the [...]

A Mother’s Day Message

jdalton — Tue, 01 May 2012 20:22:15 +0000

Shalom, My amazing and wonderful husband made a mistake many a father has made in the past — he forgot Mother’s Day. There were no flowers, no smells of breakfast cooking in the kitchen, no beautifully wrapped presents awaiting me when I woke up. I must admit that I was initially a little disappointed. Yet [...]

If I Forget You, O Jerusalem…

jdalton — Tue, 01 May 2012 20:18:41 +0000

Dear Friends of The Fellowship, Every year Israel marks Yom Yerushalayim – Jerusalem Day – the commemoration of the Holy City’s miraculous liberation during 1967′s Six Day War. This year’s celebrations will begin on May 19 at sundown, which corresponds to the 28th day of the Hebrew month of Iyyar.

Violence Resumes as Syria Cease-Fire Falters

jdalton — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 17:21:36 +0000

Deadly violence has started up again in Syria just two weeks after a United Nations-peace pact was reached. While the peace plan is still on the table, a sharp rise in deaths casts doubts on the U.N. mission in Syria. Also this week in Israel in the News: Citing the ongoing violence in Syria, France [...]

Syrian Cease-Fire Holding

jdalton — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 19:56:25 +0000

So far a cease-fire in Syria is holding, but U.N. officials remain skeptical. Officials say the Syrian government has a lot to prove to show that they are sincere about keeping the peace.

God is Still with Us

jdalton — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 18:41:16 +0000

Shalom, Being a mother has taught me more than any other experience in my life. From the moment my first child was born and I looked in to her eyes, I made a vow to myself to always remember that being a mother is the greatest gift from God. Although at times life can be [...]

Prayers for a Profound Passover

jdalton — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 18:28:57 +0000

Dear Friends of The Fellowship, Spring, a time of new beginnings, is also one of the holiest times of the year for our two great faiths. For Christians, this is a week to prepare for the solemnity of Good Friday and anticipate the joy of Easter. For Jews, it is a time to prepare for [...]

Life Lessons from My Children

jdalton — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 14:09:11 +0000

The Biblical Call to Respect the Elderly

jdalton — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 14:05:10 +0000

Dear Friends of The Fellowship, Though Christians and Jews have many beliefs that differ, it is always helpful to remember that there are many beliefs we share. One of these beliefs, reinforced time and again in Scripture – though, sadly, absent from many aspects of our modern life – is the importance of respecting the [...]

Iran Claims More Advances in Nuclear Program

betsy.schmitt@ifcj.org — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 22:49:04 +0000

Fears about the nature of Iran’s nuclear program are rising as its state media is reporting on the development of a new generation of uranium centrifuges. Also this week in Israel in the News: Israelis are on high alert worldwide after a bombing attack in Thailand Iran is cutting off oil supplies to six European [...]

More Unrest and Killings in Syria

ifcjwebmaster — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 18:50:05 +0000

Violence in Syria continues to escalate leading to more unrest and killings among the opposition to the government. In particular, the Syrian army is targeting its fire power on the rebel city of Homs. Also this week in Israel in the News: The European Union considers more sanctions against Syria Iran steps up its threats [...]

Seeing the Desert Bloom

jdalton — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:57:03 +0000

Tu B’Shvat, which begins on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Shvat (this year it started earlier this week, at sundown on Tuesday, February 7), is sometimes referred to as the “birthday of the trees.” It’s considered a time when nature revives after the winter. After seven years of living in Israel, it [...]

On Women’s Rights, Israel Stands Tall

jdalton — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 20:39:06 +0000

What began with Naama Margolese, an eight-year-old Orthodox girl in Israel, and a handful of overzealous, ultra-Orthodox men who began harassing her has grown into an ongoing international discussion about women’s rights. Though I’m saddened that it took this event to start the conversation, I’m glad it is taking place. The issue of women’s rights, [...]

Journey to Zion Teaching

ifcjwebmaster — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 05:00:23 +0000

Rabbi Eckstein teachings about the Shabbat, the most important subject in all Judaism.

A Spiritual News Year’s Resolution

ifcjwebmaster — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Many of us make New Year’s resolutions. You might have made some yourself this year perhaps you resolved to exercise more in 2011. Maybe you vowed to cross a few items off your long-term “to do” list. Or maybe your goals are more financially oriented -- to save $50 every paycheque, or to pay off your debt by the end of the year.

Hanukkah Celebrations Begin

ifcjwebmaster — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 00:00:33 +0000

Jewish people around the world this week began the eight-day celebration of Hanukkah. In the United States, the beginning of Hanukkah was marked by the lighting of the world’s largest menorah in New York City. The “Festival of Lights” celebrates two miracles — the military victory 2,100 years ago of a small group of Jews against a powerful army that had invaded and occupied Israel, and a one-day supply of oil that miraculously lasted eight days, keeping the eternal flame burning in the holy Temple.

Israel Welcomes Her Newest Citizens

ifcjwebmaster — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 05:00:07 +0000

One week before New Year’s Eve, I went to Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv to greet Russian immigrants coming home to Israel. As I watched the planes full of Jewish elderly, children, and families arrive, I had the unshakable feeling that 2011 is going to be a miraculous year, and I thanked God for enabling The Fellowship to help sponsor these freedom flights. What a privilege we have to be part of this prophetic ingathering of God’s children!

Hello world!

ifcjwebmaster — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 22:16:22 +0000

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!

U.S. Forces Prepare Final Exit from Iraq

ifcjwebmaster — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 05:00:51 +0000

Israel in the News reports that U.S. military operations in Iraq formally ended this week with the lowering of the flag of American forces in Bagdad. It’s expected that the 5,500 troops still in Iraq will be leaving well in advance of the year-end deadline. On the other front, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta told the 33,000 troops in Afghanistan that they are schedule to leave that country by next October.

Hello world!

ifcjwebmaster — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 03:41:53 +0000

Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start blogging!

My Journey Home Memories

ifcjwebmaster — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 05:00:00 +0000

The Fellowship’s 2011 Journey Home to Israel Tour has come to an end...

Cultivating a Grateful Heart

ifcjwebmaster — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 00:00:00 +0000

How do you tell God thank you? Do you do so privately during your quiet time

Gilad Returns Home!

ifcjwebmaster — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 05:00:00 +0000

For over five years I have been praying for Israeli captive soldier Gilad Shalit...

A Different Kind of New Year’s Observance

ifcjwebmaster — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Next Wednesday, September 28th at sundown, Jews begin the observance

Spreading Courage and Comfort

ifcjwebmaster — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 05:00:00 +0000

It is hard to believe that another year has passed, and that in one week we will be celebrating the Jewish New Year of Rosh Hashanah

An Unforgettable Aliyah

ifcjwebmaster — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Every time I return to Israel I feel a swell of inspiration as the plane flies in to

The Miracle of Israel

ifcjwebmaster — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 05:00:15 +0000

What in your world would constitute a miracle? Your child getting an A in math? Finding a job? Getting that promotion you've been working hard for?