Up To Zion Tour                                             
Battalion of Deborah
Feb.16-26
Come join the Battalion of Deborah in the most unique tour of the Land of Israel. Not only discover the ancient Biblical sites, but discover the modern day Israel just as the prophet Isaiah foretold thousands of years ago. You will see this scripture come to life when you enter the Independence Hall where the place remains just as it was in 1948 where Ben Gurion made the announcement that traveled across the world,  Israel was born today. You can visit the site here Click Here
Then from there we will see a  a major player who lead up to this event that few Christians have ever heard of, "Ze'ev Jabotinsky - Historical Life-Span".  The Jabotinsky Museum.
On display is Jabotinsky's life within its historical connection, emphasizing his political and educational activities in service of Zionism, as well as his Hebrew cultural and literary heritage.Click Here
We will go to the hospital, Assaf Harofeh Medical Center where we will have lunch, meet staff, and see first hand the medical side of Israel that we support.
This tour will cover all facets of Israel in their unique setting.
We will leave the ...   more »

"Even if it is not your intention, the slanted media in Israel is interpreting your visit as applying pressure to accelerate the implementation of "Disengagement II" a move that will place in mortal danger all residents of Israel," the Rabbis wrote.  
Shturem.net
The Rabbinical Congress for Peace (RCP) comprised over over 350 leading rabbis in Israel have sent an urgent letter to U.S.President George Bush requesting that he cancel his upcoming trip to Israel next week.
"Even if it is not your intention, the slanted media in Israel is interpreting your visit as applying pressure to accelerate the implementation of "Disengagement II" a move that will place in mortal danger all residents of Israel," the Rabbis wrote.
The RCP move came came after Prime Minister Ehud Olmert sent an official letter on Sunday to the ministers of defense, housing and agriculture with an order to refrain from authorizing any construction in the West Bank without his and Defense Minister Ehud Barak's prior approval.
Officials in the PM's Office said that the order was a follow-up to the announcement he made in the cabinet meeting before the Annapolis peace conference, that Israel would not build additional settlements and would evacuate ...   more »

Even slightest 'sign' of Jewish worship prohibited at Judaism's holiest site
By Aaron Klein
Temple Mount in Jerusalem
JERUSALEM – Jews are not allowed to pray on the Temple Mount in any way whatsoever, even if they only move their lips or demonstrate other "signs" of prayer on Judaism's holiest site, ruled Avi Dichter, Israel's public security minister.
Dichter was responding to a recent decision by two Knesset members who said they would ascend the Temple Mount quietly – without informing the media or making any protest – and attempt to pray on the holy site.
The lawmakers, Uri Ariel and Aryeh Eldad from Israel's National Union Party, said Muslim prayer services take place throughout the day in the many mosques and Islamic religious schools situated on the holy site, and Jews should be able to pray as individuals on the Mount.
In a letter to the lawmakers, Dichter, Israel's highest ranking public security officer, wrote that while police cannot generally arrest a person "conversing with his maker ... however it is possible to carry out an arrest for expressions of outward and demonstrative signs [of prayer on the Temple Mount]."
Dichter's use of the phrase "conversing with his maker" ...   more »

By Stan Goodenough
Jan 01, 2008
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Monday he believes he can almost see "the hand of God" in the coming together of purportedly Israel-friendly countries which are working to create a Palestinian state on the historical homeland of the Jewish people.
In an exclusive interview timed to coincide with the start of 2008, Olmert told The Jerusalem Post he believed the current constellation of key international personalities who were "favorably disposed" to Israel created "comfortable conditions" for negotiations that may not exist again in the future.
The prime minister, a secular Jew, said it is "a coincidence that is almost 'the hand of God' that Bush is president of the United States, that Nicolas Sarkozy is the president of France, that Angela Merkel is the chancellor of Germany, that Gordon Brown is the prime minister of England and that the special envoy to the Middle East is Tony Blair."
"What possible combination could be more comfortable for the State of Israel?"
Olmert maintained that it was imperative that Israel make every effort towards progress in the land-for-peace process as long as this lineup of friendly faces remains in place.
It is an historical irony ...   more »

I have the opportunity to travel to Israel and the Middle East with President Bush, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, and the White House press corps from January 8 to 17. The trip will include stops in Jerusalem, Jericho in the Palestinian territories, Kuwait, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt.
I will travel on the White House press charter and will be departing in what may be one of the most important times in the history of Israel and the Middle East. Many are praying that doors would open and that I might have the opportunity to share my heart with President Bush, Secretary Rice, and others as to the importance of America’s position on the land of Israel.
Moreover, the volatile issues that have arisen in Pakistan in recent days make the region even more stressful and dangerous. It is said that security for President Bush's trip will be unprecedented. In Israel, 8,000 policemen will provide security during the visit in addition to members of the US Secret Service.
According to Haaretz, President Bush has changed the itinerary of his trip to Israel in order to fit in a visit to Capernaum, on the northern end of ...   more »

A new campaign by Israel's Ministry of Interior to revoke the citizenship of believers highlights an urgent need for reform.
By Michael Decker
The Law of Return, in its current wording, grants every Jew the right to immigrate to Israel. Moreover, the Law of Return also grants the family members of Jews the right to immigrate to Israel, even if they themselves are not Jewish. As a result, a situation has been created whereby, as of today, there are many citizens in Israel who are related to Jews, yet hold to different religious beliefs. There are also citizens who are devoid of any religion whatsoever. What's more, among mixed families who immigrated into Israel, there are many people who have grown up with a mixed religious worldview. Nonetheless, the uniting factor is that all of the abovementioned are Israeli citizens.
Lately, a troubling situation has arisen. Certain faithful citizens of the nation of Israel have been receiving letters whereby they have been summoned into the offices of the Ministry of Interior in order to review their civil status. What was the transgression of those who received these strange letters from the Ministry of Interior? Have they betray the nation? Do ...   more »