Today's blog is a cartoon-discussion about the contributions of Israel to the world market and some well founded facts about our intentions toward the Palestinians and statehood. Enjoy!
PS Someone asked why yesterday's blog was titled 'The 10th Leper'. There is a famous Bible story about 10 lepers who were healed. Only one came back to say 'Toda'. The 2 Spies realized that we have been praying and praying for rain and were forgetting to give a heartfelt 'Toda' for the beauty of our wet winter.
Yom Tov!
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Monday, February 21, 2011
The 10th Leper
What a marvelous winter we are having in Israel. We have had 3 weeks of beautiful and much needed rain.
The pleasure of seeing clouds move through the otherwise blue skies, the cozy joy of hearing the wind beat the rain against our windows, the fuzzy growth of green life on the barren hills... for these and other blessings ... we thank the Lord.
To know that the Kinneret is filling, the underground cisterns and springs are brimming, and the parched ground is taking a much needed drink... for these and other blessings... we thank the Lord.
The assurance of a coming season of growth and abundance of produce, to watch trees near dead~ lift their once dry limbs, the washing of dust and dirt.... for these and other blessings.... we thank the Lord.
To know that the Lord's favor has been on us, to be washed with the physical sign of his magnanimous grace, to enjoy the answer to our petitions.... for these and other blessings... we thank the Lord.
For the sake of His name and as the Keeper of his Covenant... because of His great love... has he blessed us at this time and in this season with the rain that is so greatly needed. May this be a reminder to us of His Spiritual Rain that is always showered, undeservingly, on us... for these and other blessings... we thank the Lord.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
A-7713 International Holocaust Remembrance Day #2
A-7713 The number tattooed on the arm of Elie Wiesel. One of the best known survivors of the Auschwitz death camp, Wiesel has documented through many writings his experiences as well as others from the horrors of the camps. At this site you can read a little about Elie Wiesel and his journey as a young teen through manhood~ a journey of mind and spirit~ as he struggles to make sense of all he and others suffered.Elie Wiesel
On this International Holocaust Remembrance Day, The 2 Spies would like to share some of the thoughts from Wiesel's heart. May we truly understand what it means to not forget....
"I told him that I did not believe that they could burn people in our age, that humanity would never tolerate it . . ."
"I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented."
"I have tried to keep memory alive... I have tried to fight those who would forget. Because if we forget, we are guilty, we are accomplices."
"To forget the dead would be akin to killing them a second time."
"But because of his telling, many who did not believe have come to believe, and some who did not care have come to care. He tells the story, out of infinite pain, partly to honor the dead, but also to warn the living - to warn the living that it could happen again and that it must never happen again. Better than one heart be broken a thousand times in the retelling, he has decided, if it means that a thousand other hearts need not be broken at all. "
"I pray to the God within me that He will give me the strength to ask Him the right questions."
"We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented."
"There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest."
"The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it's indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it's indifference."
On this International Holocaust Remembrance Day, The 2 Spies would like to share some of the thoughts from Wiesel's heart. May we truly understand what it means to not forget....
 |
| Wiesel is in the second row of bunks, 7th from the left. |
"I told him that I did not believe that they could burn people in our age, that humanity would never tolerate it . . ."
"I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented."
"I have tried to keep memory alive... I have tried to fight those who would forget. Because if we forget, we are guilty, we are accomplices."
"To forget the dead would be akin to killing them a second time."
"But because of his telling, many who did not believe have come to believe, and some who did not care have come to care. He tells the story, out of infinite pain, partly to honor the dead, but also to warn the living - to warn the living that it could happen again and that it must never happen again. Better than one heart be broken a thousand times in the retelling, he has decided, if it means that a thousand other hearts need not be broken at all. "
"I pray to the God within me that He will give me the strength to ask Him the right questions."
"We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented."
"There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest."
"The opposite of love is not hate, it's indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it's indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it's indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it's indifference."
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