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The Fast of Tammuz: When God Seems to Hide His Face‏

Hide and Seek

While for much of the world summertime is a time of joy, relaxation and vacations, for the Jewish People it is a time of mourning and remembrance of great loss, including the destruction of both the First and Second Temples, and exile. Tonight, as terrorist missiles continue to fall on Israel, Jews around the world will solemnly prepare for a fast that recalls historic tragedies that befell the Jewish People on the Shiva Asar B'Tammuz (בתמוז עשר שבעה), which is more simply called the Fast of Tammuz or 17th of Tammuz.

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Jerusalem Day: A Miracle and an End-Time Sign

Jerusalem Day-Western Wall

Yom Yerushalayim is day of rejoicing that commemorates the reunification of Jerusalem and the establishment of Israeli sovereignty over the Old City in June 1967 during the Six Day War. It is marked by special prayers, programs and lectures, as well as parades through downtown Jerusalem and memorial services for those soldiers who died in the battle for the city. It is not just a national holiday; it is considered a minor religious holiday as the Chief Rabbinate of Israel declared it so in order to thank God for victory and for answering the 2,000-year-old prayer of "Next Year in Jerusalem."

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Israel Asks the United Nations to Recognize Yom Kippur

Ron Prosor

Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Ron Prosor has launched an official campaign asking the United Nations to approve the Jewish observance of the solemn Day of Atonement. "Yom Kippur is the most sacred day in the Jewish calendar. In the days leading up to Yom Kippur, Jews throughout the world seek forgiveness and reconciliation. Jews fast, abstain from work, and spend the day in prayer and contemplation,” Prosor wrote in his letter.

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Counting the Omer: The Countdown to the Great End-Time Revival

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Today, is Pesach Sheni (Second Passover). This second Passover falls exactly 30 days after the day on which the Korban Pesach (Passover lamb) was brought to the Temple to be slaughtered for the Passover Seder and eaten in the evening with matzah (unleavened bread) and herbs. This holiday is unique from every other Jewish holiday. God provided it as a day of second chances in response to the plea of the Israelites who couldn’t keep Pesach (Passover) just like they had in Egypt the year before because they had become tamai (ritually unclean).

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Yom HaZikaron and Yom HaAtzmaut: When Our Mourning Turns to Joy

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Yom HaZikaron is a solemn day not unlike last week’s Yom HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day), which commemorated those who died during the World War II Holocaust—those murdered outright and those who died fighting the Germans in acts of resistance. Although this day was originally dedicated solely to those who have died in battle, in more recent years the day has been expanded to include victims of terrorist attacks and political violence in general. When it comes to a close tonight at the military cemetery on Mount Herzl, also called Har HaZikaron (Mount of Remembrance), the flag will be returned to full staff as Yom HaAtzmaut (Israel Independence Day) is ushered in with full military colors including marching bands.

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Israeli Pilgrims Permitted to Enter Tunisia

Djerba-Ghriba

The government of Tunisia decided for the first time to allow tourists from Israel to use their Israeli passports on an annual pilgrimage during the upcoming Lag BaOmer holy day to the Ghriba Synagogue on the island of Djerba. In the past, they required a special document issued by the Tunisian embassy. Since Tunisia does not have diplomatic relations with Israel, the move has drawn opposition from lawmakers who see this as de facto recognition of the Jewish state.

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Acharon Shel Pesach: A Feast for the Messiah

Passover-Kotel

In Chasidic Judaism in the Diaspora (outside Israel), a final feast will begin tomorrow before sunset and continue until after nightfall. This final festival meal on the seventh day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread (eighth day of Passover) is called Seudat Moshiach (Feast of Messiah). It was initiated by the founder of the Chasidic movement, Rabbi Yisrael (Israel) ben Eliezer, also called Baal Shem Tov or Besht, a Jewish mystic (ca. 1700–1760). The traditional Feast of Messiah, held in anticipation of the future redemption by the Messiah, includes songs, matzah (unleavened bread), and the four cups of wine typical of the Passover Seder.

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Divine Presence of God Felt During Priestly Blessings at the Wailing Wall

Tallit-Prayer Shawl-Kotel

Early this morning, tens of thousands of Jewish people from here in Israel and around the world descended through the alley ways of the Old City of Jerusalem, walked down the ancient stairs and through tight security, before entering the open area which was quickly filling up before the Holiest place in Judaism – the Western (Wailing Wall). For the past couple of days the Cohanim (Jewish Priests) have been preparing themselves to enter into a state of holiness to give the special blessings to the people of Israel this morning. They were purified in the mikvah (water immersion pool) and then conducted other blessings of washing. This morning wearing their tallit (prayer shawls), they presided for God over the people in the Holiest Place accessible to the Jewish People today – the Western Wall.

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Chinese Jews Celebrate First Community Passover Seder in 200 Years

Tzuri (Heng) Shi

This Monday in Kaifeng, China, on the first night of Passover, a Chinese Passover celebration marked a historic moment, when over 100 descendants of the Jewish People sat at the Seder table two centuries after the death of the community's last rabbi. “Kaifeng’s Jewish descendants are a living link between China and the Jewish people, and it is very moving to see the remnants of this community returning to their Jewish roots," said Michael Freund, the chairman and founder of Shavei Israel, which sponsored the event.

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Israeli Prime Minister Takes a Moment to Bake His Own Passover Matzah

Israel-Passover-PM Benjamin Netanyahu-matzah-Kosher for Passover-Pesach

In preparation for Passover next Monday, the Israeli Prime Minister visited the Kfar Chabad Matzah Bakery and baked his first "homemade" matzah. Last week, Prime Minister Netanyahu received instructions on how to make kosher-for-Passover matzah, which must be prepared quickly. To keep the dough from rising, it is not allowed to stand longer than 18 minutes.

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