BEHIND THE SCENES
Just Like Us Cell phones were sounding vibrantly with all their jive and chime eclectic rings—nothing out of the ordinary in the middle of a meeting in Israel. But this wasn’t your typical mix-and-mingle social event. It was a night where Jew and Arab, Israeli and Palestinian sat in peace and harmony, not to reconcile, make amends or ask forgiveness, but simply to hang out. It was a meeting of 25 20-somethings from two different, yet similar worlds. Our Messianic congregation’s young ‘THE WALLS OF PARTITION are broken down’ (Eph. 2:14) adult group invited the young adults from Independent Baptist Church of Beit Jala, a Palestinian-ruled town near Bethlehem, for a special evening to get acquainted and socialize. Palestinian young people harbored no feelings of bitterness. Though they said it is frustrating to be subject to lengthy and The vision began when two guys from our group and two intense security checks at the “block” [i.e., the security barrier], from theirs trekked through the wilderness of Wadi Rum in their attitudes remained positive, bright and they wouldn’t let it Jordan with a reconciliation organization seeking to create ruin their night with us out on the town. peace through humanistic means. Abandoning this method, Until late into the night we yakked and laughed and stuffed these young men instead built a relationship and based their ourselves with steaks, hamburgers, chicken, cheesecake and “peacemaking” on terms laid out in the Bible. coffee just like any other large group occupying half a Jerusalem For about half a year we tried to get together, but our scheduled restaurant. gatherings met with relentless failure since our new friends were Though we live only a few miles from each other, we remain denied entry permits into Israel and we Israelis are forbidden by separated by a barrier. Yet for that one evening there was no law to enter the Palestinian territories for security reasons. border, no barrier of hatred, bitterness, blame or worry. For that Some of the Israelis among us have stood guard at checkpoints one night we were united, we were one and that because of the and raided Palestinian homes while serving in the army. only reason we are able, because we are brothers in the Messiah. Despite this, and despite the fact they had to add an hour to And because of Him, we know that they are just like us. their journey because of the wait at the border crossing, the By Sara R . Fischer
and the Desert Snow It’s been many years since it snowed here in the desert.
But I don’t care, I love the snow!
Israel Today
But every time, crowds come from the cities to see this spectacle and wind up getting stuck.
What!? 500 shekels for a tow?!
March 2008 | 25