Oct 13, 2017

Turning guilt into inspirationBy: C4i

Why do so many Christians feel so guilty all the time? I'm not talking about real guilt for deliberate sins, I'm talking about residual guilt. The low-hum of regret that constantly intrudes on your thoughts. The background radiation of your life that won't stop setting off your mental Geiger counter.

And what do we feel guilty for? That we aren't doing enough spiritually. That we indulge in too many frivolous wastes of time or flights of fancy. That we aren't living up to some lofty standard as a partner or parent. That we work too much, or not enough, or not the right kind of work. Or whatever other nagging, exhausting thought you have rattling around in your head all day.

I would love to offer a simple explanation and solution for this. I'd love to just be able to say something that would assuage your fears, bolster your confidence, and dispel your guilt. Unfortunately, guilt is a complicated subject, and it would be too easy and pat to just say "ignore it” or "you have nothing to be guilty for.”

The sad truth is, the nagging sense of guilt you feel could very well point to some real problems in your life. If your conscience is trying to tell you something, it's important to listen.

At the same time though, it's also easy to feel guilt for things that are beyond your control, or is in disproportion to what you deserve. The important thing is learning to tell the difference between those times when your conscience is telling you that you need to correct something that is wrong in your life, and the times when it's just saying you could do better.

Do some introspection

Examine what kind of guilt you feel. In some cases, a low-hum of guilt can mask the presence of a more pressing issue that you need to address. Maybe there really is something in your life that you know is wrong and need to repent for, some behavior that you need to change. Don't try to drown out your conscience, instead, tune into it and try to figure out what message its trying to send.

If you know you are committing a sin that is damaging your relationship with God, you need to do something about it. David understood exactly how draining and corrosive guilt could be to the spirit, and the revitalizing effects of confession and redemption, as he wrote in Psalm 32:3 -

"When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy on me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.” And you forgave the guilt of my sin.”

Turn guilt into inspiration

When your guilt is not founded on a particular sin or act, but a general sense of failure or inadequacy, things get more complicated. Nobody will ever feel like the perfect Christian, husband, wife, or parent. There are always going to be times when you secretly worry that you don't measure up, that you're letting yourself, your family, or even God down.

When left alone and unaddressed, that kind of feeling can become an anchor around your neck. A dragging weight that sucks the joy out of your days and diminishes your actual accomplishments. I truly believe that God did not put us on this Earth just so we could feel miserable and inadequate all the time. He wants us to live full, happy, and productive lives that celebrate his creation.

If you're feeling guilty about not doing enough, or not living up to your potential, do something about it. Use that feeling to motivate you rather than to punish you. Look for ways that you can improve, things you could do to give more to the community, your family, or your church. Use that feeling in a positive way to strive to live up to your personal best, and not some artificial or unreachable standard.

Accept yourself when you've done your best

Finally, recognize when you have done your best and accept yourself. No one person can do it all, and no matter what you do, there will never be a time when you look at yourself in the mirror and think "yup, I'm done, I am the perfect man/woman.” You need to know when to let go, give yourself some credit, and realize that while you might not be perfect, you did your honest best.

Your job isn't to "finish” yourself as a human being. You're not supposed to reach some lofty state where there is no room for improvement or refinement. All God asks is that you do what you can, and leave the rest to him. As it says in Philippians 1:6 "Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

[Comment]

Oct 11, 2017

'COUNT DOWN DAYS TO DEATH' IN ISRAEL:By: Colin Wingfield

In one of the fieriest speeches directed at Israel by Hezbollah terrorist chief Hassan Nasrallah, he called for the ethnic cleansing of all Jews in Israel, the destruction of the Jewish state and told Israelis to begin a "count down to death.” The Investigative Project on Terrorism said the threats contain two messages. "The first message is a reaffirmation of the Shi’ite axis’ jihadist, ideological, long-term commitment to Israel’s destruction,” the report said. "The second message is more immediate; it is an attempt to deter Israeli decision makers from trying to stop Iran and its proxies from taking over Syria.” Iran, Hezbollah and several other Shi’ite militias are helping the Syrian regime of Bashar Assad regime complete its victory over ISIS, with the assistance of Russian airpower. The upsurge in war-like rhetoric toward Israel is a signal of growing confidence fueled by their victories in Syria, said the IPT report.

Nasrallah has good reason to remain fearful of Israel, for it is the only state that has both the capability and determination to challenge their takeover of Syria. There have been a series of reported Israeli precision strikes on weapons production centers and arms smuggling attempts in Syria. One strike reportedly targeted the Assad regime’s Scientific Studies and Research Center weapons facility, where chemical, biological, and advanced ballistic missiles are developed and manufactured. Israel issued its own warning on what is taking place in the region. "The next conflict, if it erupts, will have a completely different character,” said Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman. "Our enemies will try first to strike our population centers and civilian infrastructure. And if our red lines will be breached, the other side must know in advance that it is going to pay very heavy prices.” (WND) [Comment]

Oct 11, 2017

REVOLUTIONARY GUARD THREATENS AMERICAN BASES: By: Colin Wingfield

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards on Sunday 8 Oct. 2017 warned the United States against designating it as a terrorist group, saying USA regional military bases would be at risk if further sanctions were passed. The warning came after the White House said on 6 Oct. 2017 that President Donald Trump would announce new USA responses to Iran’s missile tests, support for "terrorism” and cyber operations as part of his new Iran strategy. "As we’ve announced in the past, if America’s new law for sanctions is passed, this country will have to move their regional bases outside the 2,000 km range of Iran’s missiles,” the commander of the Revolutionary Guards, Mohammad Ali Jafari said. He further warned that additional sanctions would end the chances for future dialogue with the United States. Jafari also said that Tehran would ramp up its defense capabilities, including its missile program, if the USA undermined a nuclear deal between Iran and Western powers. His comments come amid reports indicating that Trump plans not to recertify Iranian compliance with the 2015 Iranian nuclear deal. The president must inform Congress whether Iran is complying with the deal by 15 Oct. 2017. (Reuters) [Comment]

Oct 11, 2017

‘THE JEWISH PEOPLE AT ITS BEST’:By: Colin Wingfield

Thousands of Jews flooded the alleyways of the Old City of Jerusalem on Sunday 8 Oct. 2017, and headed towards the Western Wall, where the traditional priestly blessing took place in honor of the Succot holiday. After the priestly blessing, Israeli Chief Rabbis Yitzhak Yosef and David Lau, and Western Wall Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz shook hands with the thousands of Jews, wishing them a happy holiday and sweet new year. Agriculture Minister Uri Ariel said, "The Jewish People at its best, tens of thousands of people going up to the Western Wall, looking up to the place of the Holy Temple - 'And let our eyes behold your return to Zion.'” (INN) "Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your King comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” Zech. 9.9 [Comment]

Oct 9, 2017

The terrifying rise of online antisemitism By: C4i

You would think the benefit of hindsight would give people perspective. With everything we know about the holocaust, the sick Nazi attempt to exterminate the Jewish people, you would think antisemitism would be a thing of the past. A dark relic of humanity's collective history, remembered as something shameful and unspeakably harmful.

Instead, in the year 2017, antisemitism is unbelievable, inconceivably, on the rise. And a major factor in it's current ascent back into public sentiment and political thought is owed to the manipulative powers of online racists doing everything they can to warp and infect a new generation with their insidious viewpoint.

When Joseph Gobbles wanted to turn the German people against the Jews, he relied on the volksempfänger, a line of mass produced radios specifically designed to be as cheap as possible. He recognized the power of the relatively new mass communication medium and seized on it to promote the Nazi agenda. The idea was to make sure Hitler’s hate filled speeches could reach the homes of every German citizen.

The propagandists of today have latched on to the same idea, but have no need to be as industrious as to produce a line of new devices. After all, the perfect mass communication propaganda tool has already been developed for them - social media. More than 70% of Canadians use social media on a daily basis, many checking in on their profiles multiple times a day, from wherever they happen to be, be it in line at the grocery store, slacking off at work, and everywhere in between. A constant communication path that makes the volksempfänger look positively antiquated. And the antisemites of today know it.

A recent study by the World Jewish Congress sheds some light on the extent of the problem. According to their findings, every 83 seconds, another hateful antisemitic message is posted on social media. Roughly every minute and a half, someone out there is taking the time to spread the same abhorrent stereotypes, lies, and manipulations Hitler used to lead Germany into the darkest chapter of human history.

As horrifying as this statistic is, it is also an exceedingly low estimate. The WJC based their findings on collected number of over 382,000 antisemitic messages they found posted to different social media channels in 2016. However, as they are working with historic, publicly accessible posts, they can only see posts that have not been deleted (either by moderation or voluntarily), and are publicly visible. This excludes vast private online communities of antisemites who come together specifically to share antisemitic material and strategize on how to make their views more mainstream.

The findings also only find posts that are relatively easy to search and find in logs, discounting a large number of image based posts spreading racist "memes” or subtle and disguised racism (such as the use of multiple brackets around names, used by far-right antisemites to identify subjects as Jewish and part of a shadowy "cabal” of Jews they blame for most woes in the world). The study also did not include posts critical of the Israeli government. Criticisms of the Israeli government are of course fair game and can sometimes come in good faith with legitimate complaints and outlooks. But, as anyone who has examined the online discourse surrounding Israel can attest to, these kind of criticisms are often used to hide racist sentiment behind a mask of political commentary.

The proliferation of antisemitic messages and memes are a threat that men and women of peace and justice should take seriously. While it is easy to write off online hatemongers are fringe wackjobs that nobody will take seriously, we've seen the destructive power of this kind of sustained propaganda effort again and again.

The Nazi party did not rise up out of nowhere. It started with angry disgruntled racists that mainstream Germans also considered fringe wackjobs. But, with time and a consistent message, the early Nazis were able to convince enough people to take their views seriously. And even if they didn't convince the majority of Germans (at least to start), they convinced enough to bring their hateful message into the common discourse. They moved the standards of decency and hatred further and further, until what would have been considered social unacceptable became common sentiment, and the unthinkable (mass expulsion and genocide) became tenable positions.

We can already see the seeds of this new antisemitism taking root. Look at Poland, where antisemitic violence and confrontations are on the rise. Where the far-right politicians become increasingly brazen with their anti-Jewish dog whistles in statements and speeches. Look at recent marches in America where far-right groups chanted Nazi slogans like "blood and soil.” These cretins are not coming from nowhere – they feel emboldened to be open with their hateful views because they see posts supporting those views every single day.

We live in an incredibly dangerous time. We cannot afford to ignore the rise of antisemitism in our midst or write the purveyors of hate off as lunatics who will never be able to advance their cause. It is up to those of us who learned the lessons of the holocaust to take a stand and send a loud, clear message to the modern Nazi – NEVER AGAIN.

[Comment]

Oct 6, 2017

4 things you should know before traveling to IsraelBy: C4i

Making a trip to Israel can be a life changing experience. Being able to reach out and touch actual biblical history, to see with your own eyes what Jesus himself saw when he walked this Earth is a wonderful, awe-inspiring thing that everyone should try to experience at least once in their life.

However, there are a few things you should know before buying that plane ticket and heading off. The Holy Land can be an amazing place, but you need to know what you should expect.

Israel is smaller than you might think

For as historically and politically important as Israel is, you might think it is a sprawling nation with endless expanses of desert and valleys. While there are plenty of impressive vistas and sights to see in Israel, the actual land mass of the country is fairly small. For an Canadian comparison, Israel is around the same size as Vancouver Island in British Columbia.

When it comes to planning a trip however, this small size is actually not a bad thing! Israel is a compact nation, with so many incredibly important historic and religious sites tucked into one nation, you can accomplish a LOT of sight seeing in a relatively short period of time! Plan your trip right, and even a week in Israel can let you see an incredible array of locations. Consider going as part of a tour, this will smooth out the travel details and allow you to experience as much of the nation as possible with a minimum of logistics and fuss.

Be prepared to try some new things

Israeli cuisine is some of the best in the world. When you visit the Holy Land, you'll be exposed to a whole new way of life and that includes an entirely different menu. Even familiar standards such as a cup of coffee have their own unique spin in Israel, so you have to be prepared for a few new things.

Don't be too worried though. Even if you don't care for spicy food or lack adventurous taste-buds, there are plenty of options for everybody. Keep an open mind, and you're sure to find something you'll love!

You'll want to pack carefully

It's easy to think of Israel as a desert nation and pack nothing but a collection of t-shirts and sandals, however, this would be a mistake! Israel boasts an incredibly diverse climate. As you may already know, while it can certainly be very hot during the day, nights in arid climates cool down quickly and have the potential to get quite chilly. You'll also want to keep an eye on where you'll be staying or visiting. In the early Spring, you can find surfers and sun bathers in the beaches of the Mediterranean coast, while the north of Israel may be getting the first few flakes of snow. Be sure to pay attention and bring some warm clothes along with you just in case.

Bring extra supplies with you as well. The markets in Israel are a little different than what you might be used to in the West. While its possible to score great deals on some items and find relatively inexpensive meals if you look around, utility and convenience items such as toothpaste, deodorant, and batteries can get pricy. You'll want to spend your holiday budget on once in a lifetime experiences and treasured souvenirs, not toiletries you forgot to pack.

Israel is safe to visit

We live in tumultuous times, there is no denying that. We also have to recognize the unique threats Israel faces from Hezbollah and other rogue groups in the area. That said, Israel is by and large a very safe place to visit. Crime rates are low and the likelihood of a terrorist attack or act of violence effecting you while on vacation are miniscule. It may be a cliché, but you have a higher chance of being struck by lightning at home.

All major cities and tourist locations feature a heavy police and security presence. While it may strike you as unsettling to see soldiers on the street and police stationed on certain corners, remember that these are not forces responding to some immediate threat. Their job is prevention and observation, they keep the peace by establishing a presence in the area, similar to a security guard walking the rounds around a store.

If you just go by what you see on TV, Israel may seem like a dangerous place, but it's important to remember that news coverage is always going to focus on the most spectacular and dangerous elements of any country. For the average Israeli citizen is safe and predictable. You can travel to Israel with confidence.

[Comment]

Oct 2, 2017

What is Sukkot and how is it celebrated?By: C4i

No matter your background or beliefs, many of us in the West are familiar with the Jewish holidays of Yom Kippur and Hanukkah . These are serious, somewhat sombre holidays that Jewish peoplecelebrate all over the world. What many of us are not aware of however, is another holiday tucked between those two. A joyous celebration of thanks and gratitude with a playful spirit all of its own. It's called Sukkot, and it is a celebration you'll want to know more about!

Held the fifth day after Yom Kippur, Sukkot lasts seven days for those within Israel, and eight days for those celebrating in other countries. It is a combination celebration, with both agricultural roots and historical origins.

As the last of the "Three Pilgrimage Festivals,” Sukkot is in large part a harvest celebration. Held at the end of the agricultural season in Israel, the holiday is used to give thanks to God for a bountiful harvest and the continued prosperity, health, and protection of the Jewish people. The first days of the holiday are given over to rest and relaxation, work is forbidden similar to the sabbath and festive meals are served. In this way, you can think of it kind of like a two-day Thanksgiving celebration.

As is keeping with the harvest theme of the holiday, Sukkot meals are often prepared with several autumnal ingredients. Honey-sweetened root vegetables, dried fruits, and hearty stews and pot dishes are common sights. One way of celebrating the bounty and abundance of God's gifts is to prepare and serve stuffed foods, with delights such as stuffed peppers, squash bowls, cabbage wraps, and even strudels being popular holiday treats.

The other aspect of Sukkot comes from a religious and historical perspective. It commemorates the 40 year period of the Exodus during which the Jewish people lived in temporary shelters and depended on God for protection. The biblical origins for the holiday can be specifically found in Leviticus 23:33

"The Lord said to Moses, "Say to the Israelites: ‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh month the Lord’s Festival of Tabernacles begins, and it lasts for seven days. The first day is a sacred assembly; do no regular work. For seven days present food offerings to the Lord, and on the eighth day hold a sacred assembly and present a food offering to the Lord. It is the closing special assembly; do no regular work.”

To celebrate this event and reaffirm their reverence for and trust in God, Jewish families will dwell in small temporary shelters known as "sukkah” for the seven days and nights of the holiday. "Sukkah” translates to something similar to "booth” in English and these shelters indeed often resemble small wooden booths.

There are several traditions involved in creating a proper sukkah, and while pre-made units and kits are commercially available, many families opt to make their own. It may be of any size so long as your family can dwell in it, and include at least three walls. While these walls can be made of any material you like (many use wood, but canvas and tent-like walls are not uncommon) the roof of the sukkah must be made with traditional covering material such as bamboo reeds, sticks, corn stalks, or rough two-by-fours. The roof is to be left intentionally loose and unbound, preferably so dwellers can see the stars when they look up through it. This is to replicate the temporary and transient nature of their ancestors homes during the Exodus.

Technically, families only need to eat their meals in the sukkah to satisfy the "dwelling” component of the holiday. However, for many younger children, there is a certain thrill in camping out overnight in a homemade "fort” and people of all ages are encouraged to spend as much time as they can in sukkah as is keeping with the spirit of the holiday.

Another observance during the holiday is the "taking of the Four Kinds.” This refers to four different plants that are bound together and used in prayer. These include an etrog (known in the West as citron), a lulav (palm frond), three hadassim (myrtle twigs) and two aravot (willow twigs). Each day, these plants are bound together, blessed, and waved in six directions during prayer.

Why these particular plants and what do they mean? Well, there are different interpretations. Some say the Four Kinds represent the different personalities that make up Israel and their unity as one collective community. Other say the plants represent different parts of the body, all of which have the potential to commit sin, but must come together to perform commandments and worship.

Interestingly, after the holidays, some families take their bound together Four Kinds and use them to make treats such as marmalade, or candied etrog peel! A kind of post-holiday treat to remind families of all the fun they had.

Finally, the sukkot is celebrated nightly with singing, dancing, and rejoicing. In the intermediate days when work is not forbidden, live bands often play late into the night, ringing in the harvest season and encouraging everyone to enjoy themselves. It's a cathartic and upbeat holiday that serves as a kind of balance to Yom Kippur. The High Holidays may be all about introspection and solemnity, but the Sukkot is a festival of joy. A yearly tradition that celebrates God's gifts, his protection, and inspires the Jewish people to even greater devotion in the year to come.

[Comment]

Sep 27, 2017

Tips for studying the bible with your childrenBy: C4i

One of the most important responsibilities you'll have as a parent is fostering a healthy foundation for your child's spiritual life. While you can't make their decisions or steer their interests forever, you can plant the seeds for a long, rewarding, and self-motivated walk with Christ for your children with the right lessons.

Here are some tips to make biblical study more fun, engaging, and rewarding for your kids.

Put on a show

When you have young children, you need to find a way to make the bible connect with them. If you're ONLY reading verses out of the Bible to them, that won't be anything but a quick path to nap time, not to any kind of lasting interest in the Word of God. You need to get their attention and make the Bible something they want to know more about.

Instead of making Bible study time a totally serious and straight laced affair, try to make it a fun activity that they can look forward to. Pick interesting stories from the bible and act them out as you read them, bringing your kids into it wherever you can. Use different voices for different characters, bring in things like puppets, pictures, and props to make it entertaining for your little audience members. If a particular story resonates with your kids, stage an amateur play in the living room with the kids acting for different characters and going through the broad strokes of the story (David and Goliath is a great choice for this, as is Jonah in the belly of the whale, or the good Samaritan).

Transform bible study time from a passive activity where the kids just sit there to something they engage with and help to create as well.

Read the bible as a family every day

In addition to the times where you specifically teach your children about the word of God, work a daily devotional into your family routine. It's easiest to structure this as something you do right before bed as part of the wind down for the day (maybe as an extension of story time or tucking them in) or as something you do in the morning before you start the day, but if another time works for your family then go for it. The important thing is that you take a moment every day to read a passage of the Bible together and pray.

Your family devotional doesn't need to be long or drawn out, it just needs to be consistent. Reading a quick pair of verses and saying a prayer together everyday is better than trying to struggle through full chapters and missing days because you just don't have the time. What you need to show is that as parents reading the Bible is important and valuable to you, that is is something that is part of your lives, not just something you sometimes sit down to do like a math class.

Always answer questions, but know when to have your kids look for the answers themselves

Whenever you are studying the Bible or holding your daily devotion, be sure to always answer any questions your kids have to the best of your abilities. You want them to fully understand the lessons you've imparted to them, not to walk away scratching their heads.

But, once your children become more capable readers on their own, have them look up the occasional answer or passage themselves when they have questions. By all means, guide them and give them direction, but have them flip through the Bible and find the spot they need themselves. Make sure they understand how the Bible is divided into different books, chapters, and verses and how to use that knowledge to find specific parts. This is the kind of knowledge that will stick with them as they become young adults and allow them to find their own path to spiritual growth. You'll be giving them tools they'll use for the rest of their lives.

Live what you teach

Your own example will always be the most important Biblical education your children receive. Words are one thing, but actions are another, and your children will see your example and model their own actions and decisions after it. Always look for ways to implement the lessons you've taught your children in your own life. Model your teachings, enthusiastically live the virtues you've taught them and be sure they know that their parents stand by what they preach.

[Comment]

Sep 22, 2017

How Israel grows food in the desertBy: C4i

They say need is the mother of invention, and there is no need more primal or natural than hunger. No country have completely conquered hunger yet, but, how do you even begin to approach the problem when you live in a desert?

Well, if you're a member of the Ramat Negev Agro-Research Center, the answer is "get creative.”

Walking through the greenhouses of the Ramat Negev Agro-Research Center, you'd never guess you were in an arid climate where water is scarce and the soil is mostly loose sand. All throughout the center things are growing, from plump gourds and peppers, to reaching vines of cherry tomatoes coiling towards the sun. It's a place of growth not just for vegetables, but for knowledge.

The Center's chief goal is the development of innovative farming techniques that allow them to do more with less. One of the Center's most famous innovations includes their method for irrigating soil with brackish water. They managed to find a way to take water that would normally be considered too saturated with sodium and other impurities to be used in farming by irrigating gardens directly underneath the plant. This way, the root system can soak up the moisture it craves while the more delicate leaves and stem of the plant are safe from the salt. A simple, but ingenious method that has applications in any arid climate.

"From waste to feed” is the motto of the center, with nothing taken for granted or left for scrap. The two guiding principles of the Center include the strict protection of nature and it's ecological systems, as well as the smart use of sustainable natural resources. The idea is to take what is available in their region and use it to maximum effect in a way that will not damage the local environment, but allow it to thrive and grow with the population in tandem. This doubly important considering the Center is located Negev, an area rich with delicate natural splendor.

As the population in the area increases and the number of tourists the country sees every year continues to rise, demands on the local climate also increase in step. It is the goal of the Ramat Negev Agro-Research Center to ensure that the local environment can meet those needs, but without diminishing or destroying what makes the area unique and beautiful. A tall order in a country with a hot, dry, climate and very little rainfall, but with ongoing research into energy conservation, farming techniques especially designed for arid climates, and infrastructure, they seem more than up to the task.

What's more, the Center isn't interested in keeping this knowledge to themselves. They see sustainable farming as a global goal and freely share their research with the rest of the world. In coordination with the CINDADCO (the Center for International Agricultural Development Cooperation ), Israeli farming experts and scientists regularly tour their findings in other arid nations. Demonstrations in Africa, Latin America, and Asia are common, helping to bolster Israel’s reputation as agricultural innovators.

While the techniques and technology employed may be cutting edge, the spirit is very old school Israel. The Center's emphasis on creative usage of what is available, self-reliability, and community responsibility comes straight from the nations history of Kibbutz. Modern technology and thought applied to a noble traditional spirit – that's how Israel grows food in the desert.

[Comment]

Sep 20, 2017

REPORT: ISRAELI POPULATION CONTINUES TO INCREASE IN ALL SECTORS: 88% OF ISRAELIS WERE SATISFIED WITH THEIR LIVES IN THE PAST YEAR:By: Colin Wingfield

The Central Bureau of Statistics released its annual report on Mon.18 Sept. 2017 ahead of Rosh Hashana. The report looked at population trends in Israel over the course of the year and includes information on education, social welfare, public attitude and employment trends. According to the data, Israel’s population is on a consistent incline. Israel’s population grew by 156,000 or 1.8% since last year’s report. In terms of public attitude, 88% of Israeli citizens aged 20-years-and-older said they were "very satisfied" or "satisfied" with their lives. 21% or some 1.1 million people feel stressed on a constant basis. 6% of the population of 340,000 admits to feeling lonely on a regular basis and 34% say they find it difficult to cover their monthly expenses. Today, Israel’s population is estimated at approximately 8.743 million. The Jewish population makes up approximately 6.523 million or 74.6% of the total population. The Arab population is about 1.824 million, 20.9% of the population and the rest make up about 396,000 or 4.5%. Each of these sectors experienced consistent growth since the previous report. (J.Post) "Like the flock at Jerusalem on its feast days, so shall the ruined cities be filled with flocks of men. Then they shall know that I am the Lord.” Ezek. 36:38 [Comment]

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