From the Editor Jul/Aug 2015
Dear Friends,
As we all know, the Jewish people are no strangers to tragedy. They probably have endured more of it than any nationality on Earth. They even have what some call a Jewish “bad luck day”: the 9th of Av (this year it falls on July 26). On that date, both of their Temples were destroyed: the first in 586 BC, the second in AD 70.
On the 9th of Av in 1290, the Jews were expelled from England and in 1492, from Spain. Unhappy that he could torture and murder only those Jews who had converted to Catholicism, the Spanish Inquisition’s grand inquisitor, Tomás de Torquemada, persuaded the monarchy to banish those who had not converted, dismembering the largest Jewish community in the world at the time.
Many fled by boat, not knowing where they would go or if they would live to tell the tale. The Niña, Pinta, and Santa Maria sailed past them in Seville harbor. According to historian Solomon Grayzel, Christopher Columbus noted the fact in his diary.
I used to tell myself things like that don’t happen anymore. Then in 2005, I witnessed a modern-day 9th of Av tragedy. You did too.
The Israeli government expelled 8,600 of its own people from 21 thriving, beautiful communities known as Gush Katif in Gaza, where Jewish people had lived for almost 40 years. Some of you may remember the heartbreaking news photographs.
The Israelis of Gush Katif lost their homes, businesses, farms, synagogues, schools, parks, and way of life. Everything they had built they handed over to the Arabs in exchange for peace. Hamas repaid them by destroying much of it and trying to bomb Israel into extinction.
August marks the 10th anniversary of “disengagement.” In this issue of Israel My Glory, we are privileged to have well-known Israeli journalist Dr. Elliot Jager revisit the event for us. Before the expulsion, we sent Israeli photographer and friend, Hanan Isachar, into the Gaza Strip to take pictures. We’re rerunning some of them for you—a nostalgic look at what used to be.
We’re also taking you to the so-called West Bank and the beautiful city of Ariel. Ariel is considered the capital of Samaria and a testimony to Israel’s hard work and profound desire to live in peace with its Arab neighbors.
We want to thank the American Friends of Ariel for helping us so we could take you on a little tour and provide the truth about what is happening in this part of Israel. Welcome to Samaria!
Waiting for His Appearing,
Lorna Simcox
Editor-in-Chief
