11-11-2023 Afula-Israel
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Faith. Many of you who are lovers of the God of Israel, the people of Israel and the land of Israel.
These days when each one of us praying for Israel, encourages, supports and lends a helping hand to the soldiers who risk their lives every moment; for the kidnapped and for the Jewish people living in Zion.
Sometimes it is the desire to take a short break and to get a little bit of refreshment from this pressure.
This happened to us Friday morning, November 10, 23.
When we were invited to the school for the 2nd grade party where Sabra helps and supports the school, you as friends of Sabra who are part of this activity throughout the year (we have not stopped supporting).
What can these little children learn? a little bit of math? Yes; a little reading? Yes; also, a bit of drawing. But in the school where you and I are involved, these children learn also something more important.
Especially in this “modern” time, when in schools almost everywhere in the world, in the “modern” world, prayers are banned, and maybe even the mention of the Creator of the sky and the earth, and this also is happening into the secular schools in our country.
Now, in the difficult time Israelis facing, in this cruel war; before our eyes we see with our spiritual eyes the beginning of the “end of times”, we are the believers who pray and ask for the Messiah to come as soon as possible. In this school the focus is on faith, in (daily) prayer, learning the “mitzvah” of helping each other (in a real daily way), reading God’s Word, the holy book of books.
Today the second class received the first book of the Bible, Genesis (for children).
During this celebration, the children learned when to read from this book (including a schedule, so important to teach the child how to divide the day). Learn about the holiness of the Word of God and how to keep it holy.
Also, what the Torah is, how it was created, and how the Torah book is written (with a feather, as in the old days, with special ink, and precision in writing the letters.)
The girls learn how to bake challah and especially the matter of “Hafrashat challah” (separating the bread as contribution), the prayer before starting the work and then kneading the dough as a special challah (bread) for Shabbat (creating the letter “shin”’ ש’ which symbolizes the concept of “El Shadi”.
While these little girls were praying with their eyes closed together with their mothers, some of the mothers are not religious and not traditional mothers, and suddenly the girls and the mothers broke down in tears of excitement, and so did all of us. We all had a sense of the Holy Spirit, a sense of the holiness of that place.
You will ask me and my Sabra colleagues why we tell you these things.
What I want to tell you is that you, my brothers and sisters, are partners in this event. Many of you who donate for the children and the schools, we bought the first part of the Bible.
This is the first book of your Bible, the story of creation, the flood, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, until the descent into Egypt. To every boy and girl, you have given this special gift.
I’m so happy and proud that we have true friends like you, friends whose hearts are with us and with these kids, with the holy work that we do together.
We are one body, Jews and Christians, saying to the Creator of the world. The King of Kings: “… give us our share in your word, we want to be partners in giving your word to your children, to lift them up especially in this time…”.
We, Sabra’s team and I pray: that the Creator of the world will give each of you, your families and all those around you who want your best from His good treasure.
“…Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it…” Proverbs 22:6
May the blessings of the Most High be upon you, your family and your community.
From the land of Zion and the city of Jerusalem
Your brother in faith
Mordechai ben Yaakov.
