Both Jewish and Christian rituals today utilize wine. And the Bible is full of stories that mention wine's prominence. Perhaps the first one is about Noah planting a vineyard after the flood (Gen 9:20). Anthropologists will tell you that nomads do not plant vineyards. This was a...
A tree grows in Israel, in Kibbutz Qetura – a Methuselah date palm tree. It is a very unusual tree, a living palm from the days of Jesus which was named Methuselah because of its origins.
The first time I heard about heaven’s pearly gates, I wondered how people knew what those gates looked like. The reason why many people believe that heaven’s gates are made from pearls is a reference in the book of Revelation. “And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; each...
Few symbols have a tradition as long and as rich as the dove. A particular favorite in art and iconography, the dove often represents some aspect of the divine, and its use has been shared, adapted, and reinterpreted across cultures and millennia to suit changing belief systems. From the ancient...
A lost Jewish city has been discovered by archaeologists hidden underneath an Israeli Defence Force training base, according to Tel Aviv daily Yedioth Aharanot. Archaeologists working for the IDF’s Civil administration were digging under the old parade grounds of a disused training center near the town of Beit El...
Rabbi Levi Yitzchak of Berditchev used to teach his students an interesting spiritual lesson about Passover. This is how he explained the meaning of the Passover holiday (Pesach). “Pesach” literally means peh-sach, “the mouth פה (peh) talks שח (sach).” On Pesach we open our mouths and talk about the wonders...
What did Jesus and his disciples eat during the Last Supper? What was on the menu? New research reveals a list of likely foods. A bean stew, lamb, olives, bitter herbs, a fish sauce, unleavened bread, dates, and aromatic wine likely were on the menu at the Last Supper, says...
First of all, what is Charoset? It is a special Passover menu item found on every Jewish table that celebrates the exodus from Egypt. Today Charoset (חֲרֽוֹסֶת), a sweet brown mixture eaten as a part of the memorial meal that looks back to the slavery of...
The Jewish Passover Celebration is a remembrance of the chosen people’s exodus from Egypt. During this celebration, a special plate with symbolic items is set as the centerpiece of every festive table. One of the items on this special plate is a bone. The traditional name of the bone...