Sunday, April 29, 2012

Bob Simon’s “High Dudgeon and Theatrical Outrage”


April 29, 2012 10:39 By Pesach Benson
                                                           
When reporter Bob Simon interviewed Ambassador Michael Oren, Simon’s outrage — that the ambassador sought to intervene in the 60 Minutes piece on Christians in the Holy Land — was sharp.

Turns out Simon was more theatrical than we realized.  Buzzfeed obtained a copy of a letter Simon sent Oren politely inviting Oren to share his views on the status of Christians in the Holy Land — was courteously acknowledged by the ambassador.

“We didn’t realize it would become so controversial,” Simon said in his introduction to the story, which featured an on-air clash between him and Oren. “I’ve never gotten a reaction before from a story that hasn’t been broadcast yet,” Simon told the ambassador during the segment.

But Simon’s apparent shock — and high dudgeon — at Oren’s conduct were nowhere to be found in a letter he wrote the ambassador before the taping, and which was provided to BuzzFeed by a political operative not party to the dispute who said he shared it because he thought it illustrated CBS doubletalk.

“Fortunately, we are still in the process of reporting the story, so [CBS News Chairman Jeff] Fager and I want to give you an opportunity to express your views and correct any misrepresentations or omissions which you apparently believe might have occurred,” Simon wrote, in a courteous missive on personalized “60 Minutes” letterhead, dated January 4. “Thank you and best wishes.”

Oren responded to Simon on January 11 with an equally courteous letter, saying he was “indeed concerned” about the planned segment and that he would like to “respond to the allegations raised” once he knew what they were.

All this is fairly common in the dance between reporters and sources. It’s not unusual for reporters to seek difficult interviews with innocuous correspondence. Less common is the theatrical outrage Simon expressed on air, but not in the letter, at Oren’s interest in shaping a story about his country.

Despite Simon’s play for the cameras, the real outrage is this: If not for the Oren’s involvement, not one Israeli voice would’ve been represented in 60 Minutes’ hatchet job.


Thursday, April 26, 2012

YOM HULEDET ISRAEL! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

                       
Who has ever heard of such a thing?
Who has ever seen such a thing?
Can a country be born in a day
Or a nation be brought forth in a moment?
Yet no sooner is Zion in labor
then she gives birth to her children.   Isaiah 66:8,9

This is what the Lord says:
“Sing with joy for Jacob,
Shout for the greatest of nations,
Make your praises heard and say,
‘O Lord save your people,
the remnant of Israel.’
See I will bring them from the land of the north
And gather them from the ends of the earth.
Among them will be the blind and the lame
Expectant mothers and women in labor;
A  great throng will return.
They will come with weeping;
They will pray as I bring them back.

  
I will lead them besides streams of water
On a level path where they will not stumble
Because I am Israel’s father
And Ephraim is my firstborn son.
Hear the word of the Lord O nations;
Proclaim it in distant coastlands
‘He who scattered Israel will gather them
And will watch over His flock like a shepherd.’
For the Lord will ransom Jacob
And redeem them from the hand of those stronger than they. Jer 31
They will rebuild the ancient ruins
And restore the places long devastated;
They will renew the ruined cities
That have been devastated for generations.    Isaiah 61:4

                                           
And I will multiply the number of people upon you,
Even the whole house of Israel.

                              
The towns will be inhabited and the ruins rebuilt.
I will increase the numbers of men and animals upon you
And they will be fruitful and become numerous. Ezekiel 36:10,11
                         

                    
                              
http://youtu.be/7MhrcxK2PvQ    

   
                       .PRAISE BE TO THE LORD G-D
                       THE GOD OF ISRAEL
          WHO ALONE DOES MARVELOUS DEEDS
     PRAISE BE TO HIS GLORIOUS NAME FOREVER
MAY THE WHOLE EARTH BE FILLED WITH HIS GLORY
                                                                                                       PSALM 72:18-19






    Tuesday, April 24, 2012

    60 MINUTES - CHRISTIANS IN THE HOLY LAND


    I realize that many of you who read this are not American and do not live in the United States. There is a popular investigative news show on Sunday nights, 60 Minutes, that has increasingly become a source of political propaganda and unprofessional reporting. Sadly many of us remember a day when the show was actually interesting and presented less bias and more truth. 

    60 Minute's amazingly failed attempt to present Christians’ plight in the land of Israel was enough to place it in the fiction entertainment category, maybe even close to “sci-fi mystery”.  Before you continue reading, you may want to refresh yourself with the the post from 1-19-12, WITH WHOM SHOULD CHRISTIAN LEADERS BE ALIGNED?  The article identifies some of the players in this drama and lists the biblical basis for the nation of Israel.
                             
    I noticed throughout the 60 Minutes show  (which aired April 22), Christians outside the Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran and Anglican Churches were never mentioned or interviewed. All four of these denominations have a dark history of anti-Semitism……you might also what to reread the post also from 1-19-12, THE MYTH ABOUT CHRIST KILLERS. They do not necessary represent the majority of Christians in the world. In this decade Christians who are Baptist, Pentecostal, Non-denominational, and simply Bible believers make up a huge portion of Christianity on earth and in Israel. There are even Jewish believers in Jesus in Israel! I guess they are kind of like Matthew, Mark, John and Paul! Who, by the way, contrary to the Lutheran Minister from Bethlehem on 60 minutes, WERE NOT PALESTINIAN! In fact, there was NO such place called “Palestine” until 135 AD!  That was way after Jesus and the New Testament !
    This minister actually said, “Christianity has a stamp in  back, ‘Made in Palestine’.”
    If that’s the case, it is bootlegged and not authentic so DO NOT BUY IT!
                                                   

                                                     
    An Orthodox Priest on the show said, “Arab Christians whose roots date back to the very beginning.” Ok, this is also interesting, “the very beginning of what?” The beginning of Jesus’ ministry on earth? Jesus quotes the Jewish scriptures 78 times covering Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Deuteronomy, Psalms, Proverbs, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Hosea, Amos, Jonah, Micah, and Malachi. None of these men were Arab. They were ALL Jewish prophets used by the G-d of Israel to speak His truth. The Apostles in the New Testament quoted the Old Testament 209 times! They even called it “the Word of God.” None of these men were Arab. They were Jewish and used their scriptures to explain who Jesus is. So what “roots” is the Orthodox priest referring to? Maybe the day of Shavuot/Pentecost? The Book of Acts, Chapter 2, verse 11 mentions “Arabs and Cretans” in Jerusalem; however, they were touched by G-d when they heard Jews who believed in Jesus declaring the wonders of G-d in arabic! So, again, the Jewish believers lit a fire that ignited others as the Holy Spirit fell on them. I guess that would make them "the root" or as the Bible says, "First fruits".
                                                                                         
    Towards the end of the 60 Minute piece, Christian leaders from the Catholic, Orthodox, Lutheran and Anglican denominations boast about a “Document of Peace” they wrote which states, “Christians call the Israeli Occupation a sin against God.” I am scratching my head – which G-d are they talking about? Surely NOT the G-d of the Bible!  It would take too long to explain, so I refer again to a post written 2-21-12, WHAT ABOUT THE WORD “EVERLASTING” DON’T YOU UNDERSTAND?

    The amazing thing about all this is that the Muslim community is hardly even mentioned as a possible reason Arab Christians are struggling in areas of Israel governed by Muslims!  60 Minute's host, Bob Simon, “the investigative reporter,” is bent on slamming Israel with total responsibility for the ARAB Christian’s struggle. Any thorough investigation could not overlook the fact that Middle Eastern Christians are not just struggling in parts of Israel! The Wall Street Journal reports, “In Egypt, 200,000 Coptic Christians fled their homes last year after beatings and massacres by Muslim extremist mobs. Since 2003, 70 Iraqi churches have been burned and nearly 1000 Christians killed in Baghdad alone, causing more than half a million-member community to flee. Conversion to Christianity is a capital offense in Iran, where Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani was sentenced to death.” (Wall Street Journal March 9, 2012)
                                                           
    What is the common factor in the Christians plight? Not Israeli Jews! Arab Muslims! For more information about Christian persecution in the Muslim world go to: http://barenakedislam.com/category/persecution-of-christians/     
    In fact, only in Israel are Arab Christians prominent in society. They serve in the Knesset, the Foreign Ministry, and the Supreme Court. Thousands have volunteered for military service and have the same access to public schools and health care as Jewish Israeli citizens.  In Arab nations surrounding Israel this is not the case. In fact, in many of these nations, and in the Palestinian territories, voices that oppose Islam are severely oppressed. Why would it surprise any educated person that voices critical of the Muslim majority in “The West Bank” and Gaza would remain silent fearing retribution. A clear example , and something grossly overlooked by Bob Simon and his CBS colleagues, is the end of THE TEACHER’S BOOKSHOP in the Gaza Strip.  It was a Christian Bookstore from 1998-2007. It was located in the center of Gaza City and the only Christian bookstore in Gaza.  In 2006, the store was bombed twice by “Islamic Extremists” doing a great deal of damage.  In 2007, the manager, Rami Ayyad was kidnapped and murdered.
                                                 
    Although Hamas condemned the attack and pledged to protect the Christian community, the bookstore was permanently shut down.

    During the 60 Minute piece, Bob Simon interviewed an Arab Christian, living in the “West Bank” who laughed in unbelief at Ambassador Oren’s comment suggesting Arab Christians living in the “West Bank” fear Muslim extremists. The gentlemen boasted of 20,000 coca-cola customers, and he’s never heard anyone say there’s a problem with Islamic persecution. I guess he just ignores any Islamization of society like Muslim codes of conduct for women or attacks on bookstores.  
                                                        
     Another glaring and purposefully overlooked fact in the 60 minutes piece is this: Arab Christians who are Israeli citizens are thriving in their communities. The Jerusalem Central Bureau of Statistics recorded that “Israel’s Christian community that numbered 34,000 people in 1949 is 163,000 today and will reach 187,000 in 2020.” (http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/01/30/when-will-west-act-against-persecution-christians-in-middle-east/#ixzz1syxBiqdl )
    So, one would have to ask, “ is this an Arab Palestinian Problem?”  If it is, and the Arab Israelis are ok, then maybe those who govern the “Arab Palestinian Christians,” Fatah and Hamas, should be more thoroughly investigated. Even Newsweek magazine has recognized that Christian communities in many Muslim nations are suffering.  So, to totally ignore this is an obvious attempt to slander Israel and present her as “unjust” to the Christian community. Nothing could be further from the truth.
                                                      



    Thursday, April 19, 2012

    L'CHAIM ISRAEL!


    Today, in Israel, it is Holocaust Remembrance Day. It’s a sad time, yet the testimony of G-d is very vibrant throughout. Many who survived as children went on to make huge impacts in society. Not only did they raise families and continue their family lines against all odds, they wrote books, and many have done things to preserve the memories of those who needlessly perished. Because I believe this is a part of history that should never be watered down or forgotten and I believe that we need to remind the world that the G-d of Israel still wins. Like in Moses’ day, even though the babies were murdered, G-d’s plan prevailed. Like in Esther’s day, His people were not eliminated.

     So I chose today to post things that boasted about the courage, character and fortitude of the Jewish people. There are articles from today’s papers about brave men and women who not only survived but did great exploits in difficult situations. One was an attorney in Casablanca during the war who helped rescue as many as 60,000 Jews! Then there’s Shimon Peres’ personal testimony, amazing, and he became a leader in the then “new” nation, Israel. A painting that was taken by the Nazis has recently been returned. And there is an article about how Israel does NOT just take care of her own. She reaches out to the nations to be a blessing. If you do not like to read, or want a  little extra with your “copy,” check out Bat-Sheva Dagan’s story of survival or the “Iran vs. Israel” video warning of another holocaust today. Most importantly though, don’t miss the Israeli flash mob dancing to “Shalom Israel.” All these are strong testimony against Israel’s enemies. THEY WILL NOT WIN.

     INDEED, HE WHO WATCHES OVER ISRAEL WILL NEITHER SLUMBER NOR SLEEP. Psalm 121:4

    MANY MADE A DIFFERENCE


    Helen Cazès ben Attar: Portrait of an Unknown Holocaust Heroine

    Helen Cazès ben Attar, a Jewish attorney in Casablanca, managed to help as many as 60,000 refugees.

    By David Lev

    First Publish: 4/19/2012, 10:38 AM
                   

    Auschwitz

    Israel news photo: Flash 90

    One of the lesser-known stories of rescue and hope during the Holocaust centered on the Moroccan city of Casblanca, where tens of thousands of Jews – perhaps as many as 60,000 - found refuge, and eventual passage to the U.S. or Israel, all thanks to the actions of one woman. Helen Cazès ben Attar.

    A Jewish attorney in Casablanca, Attar, who was active with the Red Cross, established and single-handedly ran an organization that clothed, fed, and housed refugees who managed to make their way to Casablanca, finding them jobs, and eventually helping them to leave for safer regions.

    And the fact that she was able to operate openly in Morocco – under the control of the Nazi-aligned French Vichy government, which controlled the country during the war – was nothing less than amazing.

    Ben Attar's efforts on behalf of refugees began in July 1940, when she heard about a ship of refugees, both Jewish and non-Jewish, that was docked in Casablanca's harbor. Authorities would not let them disembark, as they had no documentation or family in the country.

    Ben Attar had good relations with many local officials, and given her activities with the Red Cross, she was asked by the officials to deal with the refugees. She agreed, quickly arranging housing and food for them at a local auditorium.

    News of the success of the endeavor made its way to France, and points beyond, and ships with refugees who were seeking any port that would accept them began making their way to Casablanca – where Ben Attar made sure they were cared for, without exception. This she did using her own money, and whatever funds she could raise. At least at the beginning, Ben Attar received no assistance from organizations working on behalf of refugees, like the Joint Distribution Committee.

    Dozens, if not hundreds, of refugees daily joined the ranks of those being cared for by Ben Attar's organization. To make room for new arrivals, Ben Attar arranged for those already in Morocco to live in cities, towns and villages around the country. Many of the refugees took jobs as domestics in the homes of wealthier Jews, and lived with the families they served.

    As the needs grew, Ben Attar spent more time and effort on raising funds, and eventually aid organizations, both Jewish and non-Jewish, began to contribute. The Vichy government, meanwhile, recognized Ben Attar's group as the best way to handle the refugee issue, and would often refer refugees to her.

    By the fall of 1940, thousands of refugees had reached Morocco, and Ben Attar showed no signs of letting up. But the government, under pressure from the Nazis, began to get nervous, and it decided to send thousands of refugees, including children, to the equivalent of concentration camps.

    Ben Attar petitioned against the move, but to no avail – so instead, she did the next best thing: Arranging for work for as many refugees as possible, so that the government would have less reason to detain them in concentration camps. Eventually the government relaxed its attitude, and Ben Attar's group continued to work on behalf of the refugees.

    But it was not to last. The Germans got wind of what was happening, and demanded that the Vichy government put an end to it. In May 1941, the government demanded from Ben Attar a list of refugees, and closed the building where she had been housing them, after police arrested two Jews who had escaped from a concentration camp.

    Ben Attar, thanks to her connections, was able to make a deal, and managed within days to get many undocumented refugees on ships bound for the U.S., enabling them to avoid detention in concentration camps in Morocco.

    Although her life-saving activities were curtailed, Ben Attar did what she could throughout the war, helping as many refugees as possible to stay alive.






    HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS MAKE A DIFFERENCE


    Peres Tells Personal Story at Holocaust Memorial Ceremony

    President Shimon Peres tells personal story at the central Holocaust Memorial Day ceremony, calls the world to stand against Iran.

    By Elad Benari

    First Publish: 4/19/2012, 12:14 AM
     
    President Shimon Peres at Holocaust Ceremony
                     
    Flash 90

    President Shimon Peres told his personal story at the central Holocaust Memorial Day ceremony at Yad Vashem on Wednesday.

    “I was born in Wieszniev. Half of the townspeople came to Israel. The other half perished,” said Peres. “After the war, I learned that on Sunday August 30th, a dark dawn had come upon my hometown. The Nazis who had seized it ordered the Jews to pack their belongings and present themselves at their doorsteps.

    “The SS officers passed by striking them and told them to proceed towards the synagogue.

    “One of them cried out ‘Jews, save yourselves!’ The Germans shot down those who tried to escape. The rest reached the synagogue which was made of wood. The doors were locked. All were burned alive.

    “That was the last day of Rabbi Zvi Meltzer, my grandfather, my mentor. He was consumed by fire with his Tallit on his head.

    “That was the last Jewish day in Wieszniev.

    “Not even a single Jew remained alive.”

    Peres recalled his visit to Wieszniev after the war and said, “Not a Jewish mark remains. Not a house, not a synagogue, not a school, not a cemetery, only a heap of stones.

    “As I stood there, the last Kol Nidrei prayer emitted by my grandfather's sweet voice rang in my ears.

    “My lips murmured the Kadish.”

    He added that Hitler chose to identify the Jews as his greatest enemy because “the moral strength of the Jews was more dangerous to him than the military menace of his neighbors.

    “The Nazis feared that the Jewish conviction that all men are born in the image of God would damage the fascist lie according to which there is a superior race,” said Peres.

    “They feared the prophetic vision may dent the Nazi sword.

    “I am proud to be an arch enemy to the Nazi evil.

    “I am proud of our fathers' legacy being absolutely opposed to racism.

    “I am proud of our belief that there is no one Man superior to another Man.

    “There is no superior race, only deep roots.”

    Peres reminded the audience of Israel’s non-Jewish citizens and of the importance of them not being discriminated again.

    “We are obligated to make sure that none of them are ever discriminated because of their nationality or religion,” he said. “This is the essence of the existence of the State of Israel. Israel is a defense shield, a safe haven and a great spirit. Had the State of Israel existed during those days, I am convinced that things would have been different. We have paid a high price but we have not lost faith.”

    Like Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, whose speech at the ceremony focused on the Iranian threat, Peres called on humanity to “learn from the lessons of the Holocaust and stand strong against existential threats before it is too late.”

    He added, “Iran is at the heart of this threat. She is the center of terror, she represents a threat to world peace. There is no reason to undermine Israel's capacities to face this threat, whether visible or hidden.”

    Peres concluded by saying, “We came today to say Kaddish in memory of our beloved ones who were killed in the Holocaust. We came to say and to swear ‘Never again’. We came to say that we are a peaceful people who can defend itself.

    “We can and we will.

    “We have built and we shall build.

    PAINTING RETURNED AFTER MANY YEARS


    Painting Sold by Vichy Regime Returned to Jewish Family

    500-year-old painting auctioned by the French government during World War II returned to a Jewish family who proved it was sold illegally.

    By Elad Benari

    First Publish: 4/19/2012, 4:12 AM



    Remembering the Holocaust

    Flash 90

    A 500-year-old painting auctioned by the French government during the Nazi occupation in World War II was returned on Wednesday to a Jewish family who proved it was sold illegally.

    According to a report in The Associated Press, U.S. authorities in Tallahassee signed paperwork to return the 16th century Baroque painting to representatives of the family of Federico Gentili di Giuseppe.

    Gentilli died in 1940 shortly before the Nazis occupied France. The Vichy government sold the painting, but the sale has been deemed illegal.

    The painting has been displayed since March 18, 2011 at the Mary Brogan Museum of Art and Science in Tallahassee.

    AFP reported that before the exhibition ended on September 4, U.S. Attorney Pamela Marsh became suspicious about the origins of the painting. A subsequent investigation traced it to the Gentili family, who were Italian refugees living in France during the Vichy regime that collaborated with the Axis powers during World War II.



    The family's art collection was sold in 1941 during a forced sale, and U.S. authorities seized the painting last year for their investigation.

    The Gentilis' grandchildren have sought for years through courts to recover their family's stolen artwork. They succeeded in 1999 in having five paintings displayed in the Louvre Museum in Paris returned to them, AFP reported.


    HEARTLESS ISRAEL?


    Israeli Volunteers Provide Free Surgery to Thousands in Ethiopia

    The Israeli volunteer organization Eye from Zion is providing free cataract surgery to thousands of people in Ethiopia.

    By Rachel Hirshfeld

    First Publish: 4/19/2012, 3:59 PM

      

    Ethiopian Baby with Israeli flag
              

    Israel news photo: Flash 90

    The Israeli volunteer organization Eye from Zion is providing free cataract surgery to thousands of patients in Ethiopia, according to a press release issue by the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday.

    When the delegation of volunteers first arrived in Ethiopia in February, they were expecting to treat dozens of patients. Instead, they were confronted with thousands of people in need of medical care, who were on the verge of being blinded by cataracts.

    “They told us 70, and when we arrived there were 1,400 waiting for us,” said Nati Marcus, Founder of Eye from Zion. “We sent 400 away immediately because there was nothing we could do -- some even had no eyes. But we knew there were about 1,000 we could help.”

    After an initial 170 operations in the regions of Debark and Gondar, Marcus planned to return with another team of eye doctors to help those who were still in need of medical assistance.

    On March 17, a crew led by Prof. Dov Weinberger, head of ophthalmology at Rabin Medical Center, flew back to the country with representatives from the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC).

    “One thousand is an unbelievable number,” Marcus says. “We worked from morning to night with a local doctor from Ethiopia who helped us in the mobile operating room.”

    Supported by MASHAV, Israel's Agency for International Development Cooperation, the Foreign Ministry and volunteer medical personnel, Eye from Zion enables doctors from around the world to network and share techniques in order to advance medical treatment for improving sight in developing countries.

    The volunteers insisted that a 10-year old girl be brought to Israel for further treatment, after she underwent preliminary surgery in Ethiopia to remove a tumor behind her eye. “Everyone said, ‘You are stupid to bring this girl to Israel. She will die there.’ And I said, ‘No, we are going to save her life,’” Marcus recalls. “She is now recovering. In one month she will undergo some plastic surgery and will get a glass eye. And she is going to recover and we are going to send her home.”

    Marcus said he hopes that people who benefit from the training and the treatment will go on to become goodwill ambassadors for Israel and the Jewish people.






    Thursday, April 12, 2012

    SUPERNATURAL ISRAEL


    The nation of Israel cannot be separated from the supernatural. From her very beginning, Israel has a history of miracles, unexpected occurrences, and unpredictable victories. In this Passover season, we can just study the Lord’s Feast and see amazing things that have been told and remembered for over 3500 years!
    There’s Joseph’s unusual journey to 2nd in authority in the Egyptian empire, to be followed by 430 years in bondage to slavery.
                               
    There’s Moses’ supernatural rescue placing him in the care of Pharaoh’s family, his calling to lead his people out of Egypt from a voice that came out of a burning bush that was not consumed by the fire. 
                                          
     There were 10 plagues that came upon the land of Egypt, yet did not touch the district of Goshen where the Israelites lived and then,….there was the blood of a spotless lamb placed on the Israelites doors that protected them from death!
                                            
    The Israelite slaves left Egypt with the finest clothes from the Egyptians and all their jewelry. They left 430 years to the day their slavery began. When threatened at the shore of the Red Sea, a cloud blinded the Egyptian army from harming them and the waters of the sea made a dry path for over one million people to cross to the other side.
                                             
     When the army pursued them the water gathered back and drowned them. This is not a typical NY Times  article or something we hear on CNN.  Yet, this is normal for the nation of Israel, historically and in the present.
    We can read of Jericho’s walls supernaturally coming down,  supernatural victories for Gideon, Deborah and Samson. Then there’s  David's victory with one stone against an uncircumcised giant and King Hezekiah’s remarkable victory over the powerful King of Assyria. King Jehoshaphat stood against a vast army from Edom.  He followed the Lord’s instructions that said, “You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you.
       
     And so it happened, Jehoshaphat praised the Lord with loud songs of thanks and the enemy attacked each other! And this is just a tiny slice of the incredible history of Israel.
    There are the modern wars as well, 1948, 1956, 1967, 1973; Israel, always outnumbered, always the underdog, yet always coming out victorious. It is no different today. Israel, in the natural, cannot stand up against the world aligned together to destroy her.
                                   
     None of the above historical events had to do with man’s great ability or alliances. All these victories had to do with the G-d of Israel, His power, His faithfulness. How can anyone explain in 1967, a vast Jordanian army on French Hill approaching a small band of Israeli soldiers, yelling their threatening war cries, preparing to annihilate, to slaughter the Israelis when suddenly they lay their guns down.  Then they start bowing to the ground saying, “Father Ibrahim, Father Ibrahim.” This is testimony that the G-d of Israel is still the same today. He promises, “I the Lord, do not change.” (Malachi chapter 3, verse 6)
    So in this time of Passover, as we remember G-d’s  awesome deliverance for His people, let’s remember that He is the one to whom we must pray and seek protection. He is the one in whom we must trust and not be afraid. We must not be overcome by the circumstances and situations. They have been bad before. G-d has spoken about His plans for Israel, His desire for Israel and what He will do for Israel. He will not fail.  It is not time to trust in horses and chariots, in nations and alliances. It is time to trust in the Lord G-d of Israel.  His faithfulness endures FOREVER!