Prayer Slips Removed from Western Wall: Here’s Where They Go, and How You Can Have Your Prayer Added

By: Julie Stahl, Chris Mitchell – CBN News; cbn.com

Visitors to Jerusalem’s Western Wall often place written prayers in the cracks between the stones.  Twelve million people visited the Western Wall this year.  Have you ever wondered what happens when no more prayers will fit in those crevices?  First a little history…

The Western Wall is part of the retaining wall built by King Herod 2,000 years ago around the Temple Mount.  When King Solomon dedicated the First Temple, God said His eyes and heart would always be there.

https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/israel/2019/september/what-happens-to-prayers-when-the-western-wall-cracks-are-too-full

Israel’s National Baseball Team is Going to the 2020 Olympics

By: Marcy Oster – Jewish Telegraphic Agency; jta.org

(JTA) — In a first, Israel’s national baseball team has qualified for a spot in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

The squad of mostly Jewish-American college players and some pros team defeated South Africa on Sunday in the Europe/Africa Qualifier tournament in Italy and finished the tournament with a record of 5-1.

Once Considered ‘Simple,’ the Ancient Edomites Were Actually Tech Geniuses

By: David Grossman – Popular Mechanics; popularmechanics.com

The Edomites, an ancient kingdom derided in biblical texts as simple, have been underestimated for thousands of years, according to a new paper from a team of archaeologists. Far from simple tent-dwellers, the Edomites experienced a massive technological leap in the 10th century BCE, living near what is now southern Israel and Jordan.

“Our study sheds new light on the emergence of the archaeologically-elusive biblical kingdom of Edom, indicating that the process started much earlier than previously thought” says Erez Ben-Yosef of Tel Aviv University in a press statement.

https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/archaeology/a29155525/ancient-edomites-copper/

Israel’s Elections Are Over but the Battle for Who Will Lead Has Only Begun

By: Chris Mitchell – CBN News; cbn.com

JERUSALEM, Israel – With nearly all the votes counted, Israel began the next phase of forming a new government on Sunday, but it remains unclear who will be Israel’s next prime minister.

Israeli President Reuven Rivlin met with each party that won seats in the election.  He wanted their recommendation on whether Benny Gantz of the Blue and White or Benjamin Netanyahu of the Likud should form the next government before making his decision.

https://www1.cbn.com/cbnnews/israel/2019/september/israel-rsquo-s-elections-are-over-but-the-battle-for-who-will-lead-has-only-begun

Netanyahu in Hebron Invokes Caleb’s Call to Conquer Land

By: David Sidman; Breaking Israel News – breakingisraelnews.com

Kalev hushed the people before Moshe and said, “Let us by all means go up, and we shall gain possession of it, for we shall surely overcome it.” Numbers 13:30 (The Israel Bible™)

In a historic speech given by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Hebron, the Israeli premier referenced Caleb’s battle call in Numbers 13 saying: “We all remember the victory call of Caleb son of Jephunneh who was loyal to Hebron  – Let us by all means go up!”

https://www.israel365news.com/333124/netanyahu-hebron-invokes-calebs-call-conquer-land/

Back to School: Islamist Indoctrination for US Kids?

By: Sarah Bandujo; Clarion Project – clarionproject.org

The new school year is upon us and Access Islam, a program backed by the Department of Education, is under fire again after being accused of being an Islamist indoctrination program.

This program claims to educate school children about religious diversity, but it is specifically geared toward Islam.

https://clarionproject.org/back-to-school-islamist-indoctrination-for-us-kids/

John Bolton, National Security Advisor, Fired by President Trump

By: Omri Nahmias; Jerusalem Post – jpost.com

Trump thanked Bolton for his service and said he would name a new National Security Advisor next week.

WASHINGTON – John Bolton, the US National Security Advisor, is leaving the administration – US president Donald Trump announced on Twitter on Tuesday.

“I informed John Bolton last night that his services are no longer needed at the White House,” the president tweeted. “I disagreed strongly with many of his suggestions, as did others in the Administration, and therefore I asked John for his resignation, which was given to me this morning,” he added.

https://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/John-Bolton-US-National-Security-Advisor-resigns-601225

The Israeli-Iranian Cold War Heats Up

By: Ilan Berman, Opinion Contributer – The Hill; thehill.com

Last month, Israeli fighter jets bombed a series of weapons depots north of Baghdad, Iraq, destroying facilities that were being used by the Iranian regime to ferry weapons to proxy forces in Syria. The event was a milestone, marking the first time the Jewish State is known to have carried out airstrikes on Iraqi soil since its destruction of Saddam Hussein’s fledgling nuclear program back in 1981. But it is also an important barometer of a broader Israeli campaign against Iran’s proxies and influence in the region — a national effort that is now picking up serious steam.

https://thehill.com/opinion/international/458933-the-israeli-iranian-cold-war-heats-up

NJ Man Sues Costco After Cashier Makes Anti-Semitic Remarks about Him and Son

By: Marcy Oster; Jewish Telegraphic Agency – jta.org

A New Jersey man has accused a Costco cashier of directing anti-Semitic remarks and questions at him while he was checking out.

Irwin Levy filed a civil lawsuit on Monday in Monmouth County Superior Court about the April incident at the Costco in Hazlet. The lawsuit claims religious discrimination and negligent hiring and retention practices, and seeks an unspecified amount of damages, the Asbury Park Press reported. The lawsuit also calls for Costco to institute training against discrimination, retaliation and harassment.

Pompeo: ‘Jerusalem, Israel’ on US Passports is ‘Actively Being Looked At’

By: Jackson Richman; Jewish News Syndicate – jns.org

Despite the United States recognizing Jerusalem as Israel’s capital in December 2017 and relocating its embassy from Tel Aviv months later, Americans born in Jerusalem are still unable to list “Jerusalem, Israel” on U.S. passports.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Thursday that the Trump administration is considering allowing U.S. citizens born in Jerusalem to list “Jerusalem, Israel” on their U.S. passports.

“We’re constantly evaluating the way we handle what can be listed on passports,” he told JNS in a wide-ranging interview. “It’s something that’s actively being looked at.”

https://www.jns.org/pompeo-jerusalem-israel-on-us-passports-is-actively-being-looked-at/