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The Jewishness of Christmas

December 24, 2025 By Bella Davidov Leave a Comment

The Good News (Luke 2:1-20)

When the angel appeared to the shepherds that night in the fields of Israel, surrounded by the glory of the Lord that shone around them, a great fear fell on them. The angel told them not to fear because they were chosen to be the first ones to receive the good news of the great joy of the Messiah’s birth. It would be for all people. (Luke 2:5-10) The good news (good tidings) is that God so loved all the people of the world that He gave His only begotten Son, to be born of a virgin in Beth Lehem, in the land of Judea, Israel, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish (a just sentence of death for their sins) but have everlasting (eternal) life.

The angel announced to them that the Savior of the world, the Lord Messiah (Christ) would be born that day. He is the fulfillment of the prophecies in the Hebrew bible about the redeemer, the Lamb of God, who came to take away the sins of the world that humanity inherited from the first man, Adam, who was cursed with the sentence of death because of his sin of disobedience against God, Who created him.

According to the apostle John’s account, the Word of Father God was with God in the very beginning. He was actually God (God the Son) Who became flesh and blood (Human), sent to dwell among men for this purpose, to die for the sins of humanity. He came first to His own, the people of Israel. He was born to a Jewish mother, Miriam (known as Mary), and an adoptive Jewish father, Yoseph (known as Joseph) in the land of Israel (the city of the Jewish King David, Beth Lehem, the house of bread in Hebrew).

Sadly, He was rejected as the Messiah by His own, even though many of His people did receive Him, believe in Him, and follow Him. His disciples were Jewish, He spoke to them in Hebrew.

He went around the Land of Israel, healed many of His own people, and did many miracles among them. He lived and died in the Promised Land, the Land of Israel.

After Messiah’s death and resurrection, His Jewish disciples went to the world to preach to the nations the “Good News” of salvation, the Gospel of Messiah Yeshua, known as Jesus Christ the Lord.

The Jewish shepherds who were the first to hear the good news of the Savior’s birth were amazed to see the host of angels who appeared after the announcement of His birth, praising God and saying:

“Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests!”

It was truly good tidings of great joy for all people.

Our calling is to

“go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you go, preach (the good news of salvation,) saying, ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”

Jewish People Do Not Recognize the Jewishness of the Good News Because It is Dressed in a Foreign Religion

One of the most serious obstacles for Jews to believe in Messiah Yeshua is religion. They immediately associate faith in Yeshua with the Christian religion. Christianity, to them, is Roman Catholicism, created in the 3rd century, which completely denied any connection to the roots of biblical Judaism.

Most Jews in Israel and around the world reject the idea that Christmas has anything to do with the Jews. As far as they are concerned, Christmas is a Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of someone they don’t believe to be the Jewish Messiah and is in direct opposition to their Jewish faith.

Many Holocaust survivors claim that Hitler and the Nazis were Christians and that the Christian church is anti-Semitic; that in the Name of Jesus, the Church persecuted Jews as “Christ-killers.”

Even non-Jews around the world who celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ on Christmas Day do not realize that, as well as being the savior of the world, He is also the Messiah of Israel.

The prophet Isaiah in chapter 9:6 made this Messianic prophecy to Israel about the Jewish Messiah, Who also fulfilled God’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 12, that through the Messiah all nations would be blessed. Therefore, the prophecies of the Messiah’s coming, His sacrifice for humanity, His resurrection, and return to earth apply to Israel as well as to all nations.

“The people living in darkness have seen a great light; upon those living in the land that lies in the shadow of death, light has dawned. For a child is born to us, a son is given to us; dominion will rest on His shoulders, and He will be given the name Pele-Yo‘etz (wonderful counselor,) El Gibbor (mighty God,) Avi-‘Ad (everlasting Father) Sar-Shalom (Prince of Peace)”. Isaiah 9:6

The world celebrates Christmas with cheer, decorated evergreen trees, flickering lights, manger scenes, and baby Jesus, all the while unaware of its Jewish roots and connection. That the story took place in Israel with Israelites and angels who spoke Hebrew seems far away.

But the fact is that Mary’s original name was Miriam, Joseph was Yoseph, and Jesus was Yeshua – all Hebrew names. Yeshua (baby Jesus) was born in Beth Lehem (the house of bread in Hebrew), fulfilling the Hebrew prophet Micah’s words as recorded in the Hebrew bible, Micah 5:1:

“But you, Beth Lehem Ephratah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of you shall He come forth unto Me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting days.”

The Christmas story starts with God’s angel appearing to the priest Zecharya (Zechariah in English, which means in Hebrew God remembers), who was chosen by lot to enter the Temple of the God of Israel for the incense offering (Luke 1:9-11).

This was in accordance with God’s law given to Moses for the priests from the tribe of Levi. Exodus 30:7-8:

“Aaron must burn fragrant incense on the altar every morning when he tends the lamps. He must burn incense again when he lights the lamps at twilight so incense will burn regularly before the Lord for the generations to come.”

The angel announced to Zecharya that his barren wife would conceive and bear a child to fulfill Malachi’s prophecy

“to go as a forerunner before Him (the Messiah) in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children.” Luke 1:16 -17

The child’s name would be Yohanan, meaning God pardons (known as John the Baptist in English). A short time later, the angel Gavriel (Gabriel, meaning God is my strength) appeared to Miriam (Mary), announcing that she would conceive by the Holy Spirit of God.

Miriam was a young Jewish virgin from the Jewish village of Natzeret, Israel, engaged to a Jewish man, Yoseph, of the house of David.

The angel told her (in Hebrew):

“Do not be afraid, Miriam; for you have found favor with God. And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Yeshua” (meaning Salvation in Hebrew). (Jesus is the Hebrew letters of the name of Yeshua transliterated to English.)

“He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and God will give Him the throne of His father David (the Jewish king.) And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”
(Luke 1:26-33).

The Jewish connection is very clear in this account of the birth of Jesua/Yeshua. It is no coincidence that the Savior of the world would have a Hebrew name and would be born of a Jewish mother in a Jewish town near Jerusalem, the Jewish capital. He is Emmanuel (God with us in Hebrew), Who will sit on King David’s throne forever and rule from Jerusalem. All nations will come to hear the Word of the Lord from Zion (Jerusalem). (Isaiah 2:3.)

When Yoseph (Josheph) learned Miriam was pregnant, he feared she had been unfaithful to him. As a righteous man, he didn’t want to expose Miriam to public disgrace and planned to divorce her in secret. But the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said to him (in Hebrew:)

“Yoseph,, son of David, do not be afraid to take Miriam as your wife because what is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Yeshua (meaning Salvation) because He Yoshia (will save) his people (Israel) from their sins.“

All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet Isaiah 7:14:

“The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel – which means (in Hebrew); God with us.”

We present this holiday to our Jewish people in this Jewish setting with Jewish characters, saying that Yeshua is our Jewish Messiah, as well as the Savior of the world, and that He didn’t come to start a new religion. As a matter of fact, Yeshua was against religion as well as man’s traditions.

Let us pray for the Holy Spirit to open the eyes of our Jewish friends, family, and neighbors to see that Christmas celebrates the birth of our Jewish Messiah Who came to the world in Israel.

From the first verses in the New Testament, we see how Jewish the New Testament is:

“This is the genealogy of Yeshua the Messiah (a Hebrew word,) the son of David, the son of Abraham” (the father of the Jewish nation).

Yeshua’s birth and reincarnation WERE prophesied in the Hebrew bible, written in Hebrew, by Hebrew prophets. His Jewish parents took him to the Jewish Holy Temple when He was eight days to be circumcised; how more Jewish can you get?

We wish you a very Merry Holiday of Yeshua’s birth and a very Happy New Year in 2026.

Hamas in America

December 22, 2025 By Bella Davidov Leave a Comment

_{Image from unsplash, by Luke Braswell}

A Hamas network has been in operation nationwide in the USA since the 1980s, active in fundraising, education, and propaganda. Their propaganda is mainly against Israel, demonizing the Jews, portraying them as savages, racist, power hungry, and seeking world dominance.

In 1993 and mostly based in Chicago, Dallas, and Washington D.C., they established Islamic and pro-Palestinian committees and public organizations such as The Islamic Association for Palestine (IAP), the financial arm represented by the Holy Land Foundation, HLF (previously the Occupied Land Foundation), and United Association for Studies and Research (UASR).

Throughout the years, fearing FBI investigations, they have used different tactics to hide their Hamas affiliation. According to leaks from secret meetings, they realized they needed to “deceive the enemy”, avoiding the use of Islamic and Hamas flags and violent language. They also understood the need to be “a front” in order to “camouflage” their Hamas association.

Since the 1960’s Palestinian members of Muslim Brotherhood networks in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank (Hamas is one of their wings) have been immigrating to the US as American university students or as immigrant refugees.

Since Hamas’s official foundation in 1987, it has increasingly organized itself, creating a relatively large set of public organizations devoted to activities such as funding, lobbying, education, and disseminating propaganda.

In 1997, the US government designated Hamas as a foreign terrorist organization, and since then the US authorities have conducted several activities to expose and shut down some of their multiple front organizations. US authorities have been able to deport some members and prosecute Hamas operatives.

Some of the organization leaders were prosecuted in 2001 for funneling approximately $12.4 million to Hamas.

Nevertheless, these networks and members have recovered and resumed their pro-Palestinian activities in various forms, mainly by political means.

A subgroup of the MB (Muslim Brotherhood) in the US which is made up mostly of members of Palestinian origin, the Palestine Committee issued a memorandum expressing their vision of the Jihad to liberate the Holy Land from the “defilement of the Jews that will continue until the Day of Resurrection. It is a Jihad for victory or martyrdom.”

The Islamic Association for Palestine (IAP), the financial arm represented by the Occupied Land Fund (which later became the Holy Land Foundation, HLF), and the United Association for Studies and Research (UASR) are three US Muslim Brotherhood organizations, each operating in its individual fields but interconnected in their aim to aid Palestinian Hamas.

As internal Palestine Committee documents obtained by the FBI confirm, IAP and HLF constituted the main entities of the public-facing, pro-Hamas network. Musa Abu Marzook, a native of the Gaza Strip who obtained a doctorate in industrial engineering in Louisiana, was instrumental in the foundation and development of the Chicago-based IAP and was the head of the Hamas political wing in the US.

After being deported from the US for transferring $150,000 to HLF, Abu Marzook became one of Hamas’ most senior leaders.

Typical of the Muslim Brotherhood mode of operation, the Hamas network in the US, such as IAP, HLF, and other of their organizations, was founded and operated by a small group of Palestinians connected by kinship or business ties who shared the same MB and Hamas worldview. They were also connected to top Hamas leaders in the Middle East.

The organizations determined that fundraising was the most important activity in local Muslim communities. Most of the funds went to Hamas, with a small amount going to orphans and needy children.

Hence, the HLF organization could maintain its image of being a charitable organization. However, it was shut down by US authorities at the end of 2001 after the prosecution of its members for funneling to Hamas more than 12 million dollars.

The pro-Palestinian anti-Zionist organizations that supported Hamas were against peace treaties with Israel and actively spread this message and the need to support Hamas among the American Muslim youth.

They also stressed the need for their Committees to increase their “influence with Congress.” This could be achieved by infiltrating American media outlets, universities, and research centers, and also by working with organizations such as the American Muslim Alliance, the United Muslims of America, MPAC [Muslim Public Affairs Council].

“If American Muslims engage in political activism and public relations, we will have an entry point to pressure Congress and the American decision-makers.”

To this end, they developed a media strategy that would support Hamas without blatantly supporting violence. While supporting Hamas inwardly, a necessary tactic was to take a more moderate position outwardly for the American general public and policymakers.

They stressed the need for publishing messages in prominent American Newspapers in English geared to western audiences that differed from those they published in Arabic to Muslim audiences.

According to Islam and therefore, American Muslims, “war is deception.” “We are fighting our enemy with a kind heart… Deceive, camouflage, pretend that you’re leaving while you’re walking that way. Deceive your enemy.”

“Politics is a completion of war,” because of Hamas’ negative image, they realized the need for creating a new official US Islamic organization that would serve as a “cover for the existing Hamas-supporting organizations,” camouflaging extreme Islamic ideologies and avoiding use of Muslim terminology such as “Al Aqsa” or “Al Quds.” “It is hoped that it will become an official organization for political work. It’s headquarters will be in Washington D.C., as it represents the political aspect of the American front.”

That organization became the Washington D.C.-based Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR).

The reorganized US-Hamas network has become a large dynamic network functioning under the guise of a regular Islamic charity organization, dedicated to improve its American citizens’ conditions and fight so-called “Islamophobia.” Some network organizations focus on fundraising activities while others concentrate on political and educational activities.

Hamas in the Bible

The Hebrew word HAMAS, (which means violence, malicious, cruel) first appears in Genesis after the fall of Adam and Eve when sin entered the world and spread through all the earth.

Genesis 6:11: Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with HAMAS (violence).

Genesis 6:13: Then God said to Noah, “the end of all flesh has come before Me; for the earth is filled with HAMAS.

In Ezekiel, Hamas appears in connection with the fall of Satan:

Ezekiel 28:16: By the abundance of your trade you were internally filled with HAMAS (violence), and you sinned. Therefore, I have cast you as profane from the mountain of God, and I have destroyed you, O covering cherub.

More scriptures with the Hebrew word Hamas:

Exodus 23:1: You shall not bear a false report; do not join your hand with a wicked man to be a HAMAS (malicious) witness.

Isaiah 53:9: His grave was assigned with the rich…Because he had done no HAMAS (violence) nor was there any deceit in his mouth.

Isaiah 59:6b: Their works are works of iniquity, and acts of HAMAS (violence) are in their hands.

Psalm 11:5: the Lord tests the righteous, but the His soul hates the wicked and the one who loves HAMAS (violence).

Psalm 18:48: He delivers me from my enemies. You also lift me up above those who rise against me; from the HAMAS (violent) man.

Psalm 25:19: Consider my enemies, for they are many; and they hate me with HAMAS (cruel) hatred.

Psalm 74:20: for the dark places of the earth are full of the haunts of HAMAS (cruelty).

Habakkuk 2:17: for the HAMAS (violence) done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, and the devastation of its beasts by which you terrified them, because of human bloodshed and HAMAS done to their land, to the town and all its inhabitants.

Zephaniah 1:9: In that same day I will punish all those who leap over the threshold, who fill their master’s house with HAMAS (violence) and deceit.

Ezekiel 7: 23: Make the chain, for the land is full of bloody crimes and the city is full of HAMAS (violence).

Ezekiel 45:9: Thus says the Lord God, enough, you princes of Israel, put away HAMAS (violence and destruction), and practice justice and righteousness.

Amos 3:10: But they do not know how to do what is right,” declares the Lord, “these who hoard up HAMAS (violence) and devastation in their citadels.”

Isaiah 60:18: HAMAS will not be heard again in your land.

Other scriptures include:

Psalm 58:3, Proverbs 3:32, Prov. 8:36, Prov. 10:6, Micah 6:12

Image from Unsplash, by Luke Braswell

The 20 Points of President Trump’s Peace Plan

October 13, 2025 By Bella Davidov Leave a Comment

Gaza will be a deradicalized terror-free zone that does not pose a threat to its neighbors (out of the two Gaza neighbors, Egypt and Israel.
Gaza will be redeveloped for the benefit of the people of Gaza, who have suffered more than enough.
If both sides agree to this proposal, the war will immediately end. Israeli forces will withdraw to the agreed upon line to prepare for a hostage release. During this time, all military operations, including aerial and artillery bombardment, will be suspended, and battle lines will remain frozen until conditions are met for the complete staged withdrawal.
Within 72 hours of Israel publicly acceptation this agreement, all hostages, alive and deceased, will be returned.
Once all hostages are released, Israel will release 250 life sentence prisoners plus 1700 Gazans who were detained after October 7th 2023, including all women and children. For every Israeli hostage whose remains are released, Israel will release the remains of 15 deceased Gazans.
Once all hostages are returned, Hamas members who commit to peaceful co-existence and to decommission their weapons will be given amnesty. Members of Hamas who wish to leave Gaza will be provided safe passage to receiving countries.
Upon acceptance of this agreement, full aid will be immediately sent into the Gaza Strip. At a minimum, aid quantities will be consistent with what was included in the January 19, 2025 agreement regarding humanitarian aid, including rehabilitation of infrastructure, such as water, electricity, sewage, rehabilitation of hospitals and bakeries, and entry of necessary equipment to remove rubble and open roads.
Entry of distribution and aid in the Gaza Strip will proceed without interference from the two parties (Israel and Hamas) through the United Nations and its agencies, and the Red Crescent, in addition to other international institutions not associated in any manner with either party.
Gaza will be governed under the temporary transitional government of a technocratic, apolitical Palestinian committee, responsible for delivering the day to day running of public services and municipalities for the people of Gaza. This committee will be made up of qualified Palestinians and international experts with oversight and supervision by a new international transitional body, the “Board of Peace,” which will be headed and chaired by President Donald J. Trump, with other members and heads of States to be announced, including Former Prime Minister Tony Blair. This body will set the framework and handle the funding for the redevelopment of Gaza until such a time as the Palestinian Authority has completed its reform, as outlined in various proposals, including President Trump’s peace plan in 2020 and the Saudi-French proposal, and can securely and effectively take back control of Gaza. This body will call on best international standards to create modern and efficient governance that serves the people of Gaza and is conductive to attracting investment.
A Trump economic development plan to rebuild and energize Gaza will be created by convening a panel of experts who have helped birth some the thriving modern miracle cities in the Middle East. Many thoughtful investment proposals and exciting development ideas have been crafted by will-meaning international groups, and will be considered to synthesize the security and governance frameworks to attract and facilitate these investments that will create jobs, opportunity, and hope for future Gaza.
A special economic zone will be established with preferred tariff and access rates to be negotiated with participating countries.
No one will be forced to leave Gaza, and those who want to leave will be free to do so and free to return. We will encourage people to stay and offer them the opportunity to build a better Gaza.
Hamas and other factions agree not to have any role in the governance of Gaza, directly, indirectly, or in any form. All military, terror, and offensive infrastructure, including tunnels and weapon production facilities, will be destroyed and not rebuilt. There will be a process of demilitarization of Gaza under the supervision if independent monitors, which will include placing weapons permanently beyond use through an agreed process of demilitarization of decommissioning, and supported by an internationally funded buy back and reintegration program all verified by the independent monitors. New Gaza will be fully committed to building a prosperous economy and to peaceful coexistence with their neighbors (Israel and Egypt).
A guarantee will be provided by regional partners to ensure that Hamas and other factions (terror organizations) comply with their obligations and that New Gaza posses no threat to its neighbors (Israel) or its own people.
The US will work with Arab and international partners to develop a temporary International Stabilization Force (ISF)to immediately deploy in Gaza. The ISF will train and provide support to a vetted Palestinian police force in Gaza, and will consult with Jordan and Egypt who have extensive experience in this field. This force will be the long-term internal security solution. The ISF will work with Israel and Egypt to help secure border areas, along with newly trained Palestinian police forces. It is critical to prevent supply of ammunition from entering Gaza and to facilitate the rapid and secure flow of goods to rebuild and revitalize Gaza. A deconfliction mechanism will be agreed upon by the parties.
Israel will not occupy or annex Gaza. As the ISF establishes control and stability, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) will withdraw based on standards, milestones, and timeframes linked to demilitarization that will be agreed upon between the IDF, ISF, the guarantors, and the Unites States, with the objective of a secure Gaza that no longer poses a threat to Israel, Egypt, or its citizens. Practically, the IDF will progressively hand over the Gaza territory it occupies to the ISF according to an agreement they will make with the transitional authority until they are withdrawn completely from Gaza, save for a security perimeter presence that will remain until Gaza is properly secure from any resurgent terror threat.
In the event Hamas delays or rejects this proposal, the above, including the scaled-up aid operation, will proceed in the terror-free areas handed over from the IDF to the ISF.
An interfaith dialogue process will be established based on the values of tolerance and peaceful co-existence to try and change mindsets and narratives of Palestinians and Israelis by emphasizing the benefits that can be derived from peace.
While Gaza re-development advances and when the PA reform program is faithfully carried out, the conditions may finally be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood, which we recognize as the aspiration of the Palestinian people.
The United States will establish a dialogue between Israel and the Palestinians to agree on a political horizon for peaceful and prosperous co-existence.

Israel and Hamas agreed to halt fighting. This initial ceasefire went into effect on Friday after Israel’s cabinet formally approved the agreement the day before. Trump’s peace plan sketches this out as “all military operations, including aerial and artillery bombardment, will be suspended, and battle lines will remain frozen.”

Image from Aliaksei Lepik, Unsplash

Yom Kippur, The Day of Atonement

October 1, 2025 By Bella Davidov Leave a Comment

Simcha blowing the Shofar. [Click pic for video.]

At sundown, on Wednesday, October 1, begins the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur).

Leviticus 23 indicates that Yom Kippur is also to be considered a special Sabbath when no work is allowed.

The Hebrew word translated as atonement is כִּפֻּר [kip·pür] which means, to cover, purge, make atonement, and make reconciliation. Atonement restores the relationship between man and God that was broken because of sin.

Therefore, Yom Kippur is the most important holy day on Israel’s calendar.

Leviticus 23:26-32
“And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “Also the tenth day of this seventh month shall be the Day of Atonement. It shall be a holy convocation for you; you shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire to the Lord. And you shall do no work on that same day, for it is the Day of Atonement, to make atonement for you before the Lord your God. For any person who is not afflicted in soul on that same day shall be cut off from his people. And any person who does any work on that same day, that person I will destroy from among his people. You shall do no manner of work; it shall be a statute forever throughout your generations in all your dwellings. It shall be to you a sabbath of solemn rest, and you shall afflict your souls; on the ninth day of the month at evening, from evening to evening, you shall celebrate your sabbath.”

From sundown to sundown the next day, the entire country of Israel shuts down. Even the roads are closed to all but emergency vehicles. Bicycles are allowed; therefore, many children ride their bikes on the empty streets. Religious, and even non-religious Jews spend most of the day in the synagogue, taking breaks to go for a walk. There is a sense of peace and serenity in the quiet of the day throughout the country.

In biblical times, in the Holy Temple, Yom Kippur was the only day of the year that the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies. There he made atonement for the entire nation of Israel by putting the blood of the sacrificial goat on the mercy seat.

God gave very specific instructions.

The High Priest

Leviticus 16:2
”…and the Lord said to Moses: “Tell Aaron your brother not to come at just any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark, lest he die; for I will appear in the cloud above the mercy seat.”

The High Priest bathed several times, wore special garments, and offered multiple sacrifices. However, the blood of animals could never take away the sin of the people and God provided a better sacrifice.

Two Identical Goats

The second unique feature of this holy day is the sacrifice; two identical goats were required. The High Priest would symbolically transfer the sins onto the heads of the goats.

Leviticus 16:7-10
“He shall take the two goats and present them before the Lord at the door of the tabernacle of meeting. Then Aaron shall cast lots for the two goats: one lot for the Lord and the other lot for the scapegoat. And Aaron shall bring the goat on which the Lord’s lot fell, and offer it as a sin offering. But, the goat on which the lot fell to be the scapegoat shall be presented alive before the Lord, to make atonement upon it, and to let it go as the scapegoat into the wilderness.”

One goat was sacrificed and its blood taken into the Holy of Holies. The other was sent into the wilderness and left to die. The first goat bore the sins of the people while the second goat carried them away and into the wilderness.

Leviticus 16:20-22
“And when he has made an end of atoning for the Holy Place, the tabernacle of meeting, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat. Aaron shall lay both his hands on the head of the live goat, confess over it all the iniquities of the children of Israel, and all their transgressions, concerning all their sins, putting them on the head of the goat, and shall send it away into the wilderness by the hand of a suitable man. The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to an uninhabited land; and he shall release the goat in the wilderness.”

Real Atonement

The word translated as “bear” comes from the Hebrew root נָשָׂא nasa which means to lift or to carry off. It is also used in Isaiah 53:4 which is part of the most clear description of the atoning sacrifice of Messiah Yeshua.

Isaiah 53:4
“Surely He has born our sicknesses, and suffered our pains.”

The word translated as “BORN” comes from the Hebrew root נָשָׂא “Nasah” and the word translated as “carried” comes from the Hebrew root סָבַל Saval which means to bear a heavy load or to drag oneself along.

Yeshua lifted our sins from us and dragged the heavy load Himself to the cross.
When the Day of Atonement ends at sundown, many Jews are uncertain if God has forgiven their sins. One rabbi said, “We can’t be sure – we hope so; we just act as though He has. God is merciful. However, God said that there was only one way there could be atonement:

Leviticus 17:11
“For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.’

But the blood of animals could only provide temporary covering of sin.

Yom Teruah

The first day of Tishrei is Yom Teruah (Day of Trumpets, Leviticus 23:24.) There are ten days from Yom Teruah to Yom Kippur. They mark the final 10 days of Teshuvah, repentance, or coming back to God. These 10 days are traditionally referred to as the “10 Days of Awe.” However, in Hebrew they are called, “the Ten Terrible Days.” These are the most intense days of praying, and repenting, leading up to the climax of return, which is Yom Kippur.

Isaiah 55:6 “Seek the LORD while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near;”

When We Had the Temple and Jewish Tradition

In biblical times, the High Priest (HaCohen HaGadol) would enter into the Holy of Holies in the Holy Temple only once a year on Yom Kippur. He would sprinkle blood on the Mercy Seat of the Ark of the Covenant, as an atonement for the entire nation of Israel.

According to Jewish tradition, on Yom Teruah (known in Judaism as Rosh HaShana or the head of the year,) God’s Books are opened. They are the Book of Life and the Book of Death. The names of those who have lived righteous lives during the past year are inscribed in the Book of Life. However, the names of those who lived sinful lives are inscribed in the Book of Death.

During these ten terrible days, all are prepared to stand before God for judgment, as the books are opened. According to Jewish tradition, God makes His judgment at this time.

Once Yom Kippur ends at sunset, the books are closed for another year. It was during Yom Kippur that men would traditionally tear their outer coats as an outward sign of repentance and mourning and place ashes on their heads, begging God for forgiveness.

Some would beat their chests in a show of repentance and pain, hoping that God would hear their cries of repentance, forgive their sins and inscribe their names in the Book of Life. A common greeting in Israel in those ten days of awe, and especially on Yom Kippur: “May your name be inscribed in the Book of Life.”

What Does the Bible Say?

Although this tradition is not Biblical, the truth is that God does have a Book of Life – for eternal life or eternal punishment.

Revelation 20: 11-15:
“Then I saw a great white throne and Him who sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away. And there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.”

God sees the heart of men and desires true repentance, as He says through the prophet Joel:

“Yet even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and He relents over disaster.” (Joel 2:12-13)

God called His people to come before Him with weeping and fasting.

“Submit yourselves therefore to God…Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. (James 4:7-8)

As believers, we know that the throne of God is always accessible to us through Yeshua. He is our High Priest, we can approach anytime to obtain mercy. Yet, we too can use this time to search our hearts, evaluate our achievements and consider where we may have gone astray. It is a time we can ask God to cleanse us of resentments, bitterness and bad attitudes.

We can take this time to sincerely seek OUT where there is need of repentance of sins against others and against God, asking for His mercy as we extend mercy to those who have sinned against us. We thank God that we have His Son Yeshua’s blood to atone for our sins.

Sin and Believers

However, we still sin against Him when we allow our flesh to take control of our spirit man. So, even as believers, according to I John 1:8-9,

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness” (I John 1:8–9) and according to Yeshua’s teaching we can pray, “and forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.” (Matthew 6:12)

By debts, Yeshua means sins.
The ultimate goal of repentance is salvation which Yeshua provided for us through His sacrificial death.

What Shall We Do?

On this Holy Day, it is a good time to draw closer to God and prepare for a new beginning through greater dedication to Him and His word, as well as through contemplation of His manifold mercies.

“Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16)

“Return to the Lord your God, you and your children, and obey His voice in all that I command you today, with all your heart and with all your soul.”(Deuteronomy 30:2)

Now, while Jews and Israelis are more than ever opening their hearts to God, seeking His mercy and forgiveness, we pray fervently to the God of Israel to touch hearts and open eyes to see there is forgiveness only through the Blood of the Lamb of God, Yeshua the Messiah, Who takes away the sins of the world.

How Shall We Pray?

Pray for the Peace (Shalom) of Jerusalem, and for Israel to fulfill her destiny.
Pray that Israel and the Jewish people recognize Messiah Yeshua, as they seek God’s mercy and forgiveness.
Pray for the fear of the Lord to fall on Israel at this time, and for the nation of Israel to humble herself before the God of Israel.
Pray that Israelis and Jews acknowledge and confess personal and national sins, and repent of their sins.

Although the nations do not practice a formal Day of Repentance, pray these things for your nation as well.

10 Killed, Including Two Children, in Overnight Iranian Missile Strikes

June 15, 2025 By Bella Davidov Leave a Comment

הֶן עָם כְּלָבִיא יָקוּם וְכַאֲרִי יִתְנַשָּׂא

A Nation rises like a lion; the people rouse themselves like a lion…Numbers 23:24

Israel continues to recover from one of the deadliest escalations in its ongoing conflict with Iran after an unprecedented overnight missile barrage left at least 10 people dead, including two children, and hundreds wounded.

Rescue operations remain underway, with emergency services still searching for survivors trapped beneath collapsed buildings. The heaviest damage occurred in Bat Yam, just south of Tel Aviv, where a residential building suffered a direct hit from an Iranian missile carrying heavy explosives.

Six people, including two children, were killed instantly. In the immediate aftermath, at least seven people were reported missing. However, emergency services have since located four of the missing individuals alive and receiving treatment in hospitals, reducing the number of missing persons to three.

Rescue teams from the Home Front Command continue complex operations at the Bat Yam site, where portions of the building remain dangerously unstable. Large sections of the structure are partially suspended, threatening the safety of both those trapped and the rescuers. According to authorities, the projectile that struck Bat Yam was not a new model but part of a salvo of known long-range heavy munitions, each containing hundreds of kilograms of explosives.

The building that was hit also housed a command center and shelter on the ground floor, though most of those located on the upper floors managed to escape unharmed. Victims were primarily found in unprotected areas of the structure.

(Pictured Left: Israeli rescue workers at the scene where a ballistic missile fired from Iran caused damage in Bat Yam on June 15, 2025. Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

In a separate strike in northern Israel, an Iranian missile hit a home in Tamra, killing four members of the same family and injuring 20 others. The attacks mark one of the most devastating nights in Israel since the beginning of the war.

Meanwhile, further south, Home Front Command rescue teams managed to pull a Holocaust survivor from the rubble of a damaged building in Rehovot. His son, present at the scene, embraced the rescue teams and thanked them for saving his father’s life. Nearby, the Weizmann Institute also sustained damage, with fires breaking out in some laboratories following another missile strike.

The Iranian barrage, launched in response to Israeli airstrikes on Tehran’s nuclear infrastructure, included not only missiles but also reports of drone activity and launches from additional regional actors, including Yemen. Israel continues to face simultaneous threats across multiple fronts.

As the situation remains volatile, Israeli defense forces remain on high alert for further escalation while search and rescue teams continue their dangerous work in hopes of locating the remaining missing individuals.

Please pray for the protection of all of Israel at this volatile time, and as the Holy Spirit leads.

“Behold, He who keeps Israel shall neither slumbers nor sleeps.”