Category: Focus on Israel

January 26. By Joseph Shulam. We are still deep in the mega-epic events of the Exodus, Passover, and the crossing of the Red Sea. How much of this story do we believe, take seriously, and celebrate?    I have watched the movie “THE TEN COMMANDMENTS,” made in Hollywood, with Charleston Heston as Moses more than […]

What the great Middle East shake-up is all about. by Charles Gardner. It takes a brave soul to try summing up the background to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But my good Aussie friend Kelvin Crombie has met the challenge with great distinction in a 52-page (16,000-word) paper designed to put the record straight. Of Aboriginal descent1, […]

By Joseph Shulam. The Torah reading this Shabbat is called Bo!  = “Come.”    Exodus 10:1 – 13:15. From the Prophets, the reading is from Jeremiah 46:13-28  From the New Testament, the reading is from  Luke 22:7-30 and 1 Corinthians 11:20 – 34.  Before I go into the Biblical texts, please forgive me for sharing about […]

The heart-wrenching story of a truly great escape. by Charles Gardner. The story of how an agnostic London stockbroker dropped everything to rescue children from an impending Holocaust tugs hard at the emotions. Definitely a recipe for a sleepless night. But a round of applause for Warner Bros and the BBC for producing the heart-wrenching […]

German-based movement follows the way of love. by Charles Gardner. DONCASTER, January 10, 2024 – Witnessing the worldwide frenzy of hatred for Jews stirred up by the war in Gaza has left many of us feeling sickened and distraught. But a holiday read has provided me with a sweet antidote, which I shall explain. I […]

Our stand on the question of Israel is a matter of life or death. by Charles Gardner. When a Turkish member of parliament rounded off a fiery speech with a strong condemnation of Israel, he was struck down with a heart attack and later died in hospital. “You will not escape the wrath of Allah,” […]

By Joseph Shulam January 4th 2024. Welcome to the year of our Lord 2024, Israel is in the middle of a harsh and difficult war with a bitter enemy who has no limit to his hate and cruelty. An enemy that is driven by no objective but  hate, a deep hate based on totally mythological […]

December 23rd 2023. By Joseph Shulam. The last weeks of readings in the book of Genesis deal with the relationship between Joseph and his brothers.  The story of Joseph is one of the longest sagas in the Hebrew Bible.   Our Torah reading this Shabbat is Vayigash:The reading is from Genesis 44:18 – 47:27.  Some of […]

Return to me with all your heart, says the Lord (Joel 2:12). by Charles Gardner. We were amazed the other day as we watched a social media update on the Israel-Gaza war from the Aliyah Return Centre, who help Jewish immigrants to settle in the land. Their spokesman, an officer of some standing, was being […]

By Joseph Shulam. The last Torah portions of the year are bringing us closer to one of the most fascinating and important short novels in the Holy Bible.  The story of Joseph has all the nine elements of a perfect novel even by modern western standards.   The readings are:  The Torah Portion Miketz: Genesis […]