Sun Apr 06, 2008
Shalom from Israel: A View from Sderot
"When the sirens go off, we start praying."
Such is the routine of daily life in Sderot, a city under constant attack in the Western Negev. I visited Sderot today despite the ongoing kassam rockets that have reigned down on the city, sometimes at the rate of seventy per day. I visited Sderot to see first hand the physical and psychic damage caused by these incessant attacks by Hamas from Gaza on innocent Israelis. To learn more, read on and then feel free to submit a comment.
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Thu Apr 03, 2008
Shalom from Israel: Jews and Christians Standing Together
Today, during a brief return to Israel, I looked into the eyes of new immigrants to Israel and saw a beacon of hope, a ray of sunshine and enormous anticipation for a new life in the land of our people.
This past Wednesday, I returned to Israel to recognize and say "thank you" to Pastor John Hagee and hundreds of Christian evangelicals who are touring Israel as part of the celebrations of Israel's 60th anniversary of statehood. More than six hundred Christians are part of the John Hagee Ministries tour; they are joined by other Christian groups that are here, concurrently, with their churches. The culmination of these multiple groups touring Israel will be a "Night to Honor Israel" at the Israel Convention Center this Sunday evening in Jerusalem and a "Christian March" through Jerusalem this Monday afternoon. Both are intended to proclaim Christian solidarity with the State of Israel. In the interim, these various groups are traveling the breadth of the country and seeing for themselves the miracle of Israel.
Please read on and if you have comments you would like to share regarding Pastor Hagee's work in Israel, please post them on the blog.
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Thu Mar 20, 2008
Shalom from Israel: Ever the Optimist
I have been privileged to travel to Israel many, many times and each trip provides unique insights in this land of our people. As I conclude my two week journey here accompanying a group of business executives, I am humbled by the continued and mind- boggling contributions that Israel is making to the global economy while deeply concerned with the geopolitical challenges that continue to face this place that I cherish and love.
This dichotomy was never so apparent as when we traveled to Iscar, the industrial manufacturing plant in northern Israel that was acquired by Warren Buffet two years ago, and when we had dinner with a number of Israeli business leaders and philanthropists. At once we heard about leading technologies and business practices that have become the anchor of the Israeli economy and that are being exported to the world while at the same time listening to deep concerns about the continued rocket attacks in Sderot and the existential threat from Iran. In my many years of travel to Israel, I don't recall listening to so many wonderful stories about innovation and creativity while observing deep and profound worry about the future of Israel - it's as if the leaders of Israel are living in two different countries. One country reflects the very best opportunities available to a society; the second reflects a country in despair over the endless conflict. One country reflects enormous optimism, with an entrepreneurial spirit and a never ending quest for the next big idea. The other country reflects pessimism as to whether Israel's neighbors will ever come to terms with the reality of Israel and all that it has offered and continues to offer to civilization and our way of life.
If you have thoughts you would like to share, please read on and then post them on the blog.
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Thu Mar 13, 2008
Shalom from Israel - Inspired by KIPP
I arrived in Israel this past Sunday to pursue a dream.
Almost three years ago, at the suggestion and encouragement of one of our active community leaders, I made a visit to the KIPP Academy. "KIPP" is transforming public education in America and I was excited and moved by what I saw at its southwest Houston campus. Founded by two young, innovative, entrepreneurial teachers, KIPP is raising the bar on educational achievements for the most vulnerable in our society - first generation and minority children from lower socio-economic families. There is not room in this short message to explain all of the goals of either KIPP or its remarkable successes over the fourteen years since its founding. It is enough to say that the story of KIPP has been the focus of stories on "60 Minutes," "The Oprah Winfrey Show," and other print and broadcast media. Its success has captured the imagination of educators and philanthropists around the country. If you want to read more about KIPP, click here. If you would like to learn more about KIPP- inspired schools in Israel and help make this dream a reality, call me or write to me.
Why am I telling you this?
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