~ The Festival of Succoth ~

      The annual Festival of Succoth has just been completed. We would like to share with you just a little bit about the wonderful time that we had celebrating this festival with brethren at a beautiful site in Ocean Shores, Washington.
      This festival site was sponsored by Christian Renewal Ministries International (CRMI). CRMI is dedicated to building bridges between Believers from the many different backgrounds who share a common love for their Savior, Yeshua HaMashiach, as well as the Hebrew Roots of the Faith. The efforts of Rick and Susan Richardson, and Gregory Richardson are greatly appreciated. It takes an enormous amount of planning, effort and enthusiasm to sponsor a Feast, and the Richardson family truly were enthusiastic to the very end.
      Of course many other people, in addition to the Richardson’s, were involved in the festive events that took place; examples include leading the praise and worship singing, special music, children’s activities, and hosting fellowship each evening in the Sukkah. We were so blessed to be able to meet and fellowship for eight full days with brothers and sisters who, while not holding in perfect agreement on every little point of scripture, were in complete agreement in spirit. Our loving appreciation is extended to all who contributed in making this Feast "Our best Feast ever."
      This year’s festival included a variety of teachers and speakers from divergent backgrounds. We were blessed to be able to meet, fellowship, form new friendships and learn from: Stephen Berkowitz, Robert Bodkin, John Christopher, Eddie Chumney, Doug and George Dolly, and Robert Somerville.
      Anyone wishing information concerning the ministry of CRMI or about next year’s Succoth celebration may contact them at:
            Christian Renewal Ministries Int.
            PO Box 111
            Auburn, WA 98071-0111
            1-800-333-5208
            Rick@Shalom-CRMI.org
            http://www.Shalom-CRMI.org

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~ Lost Tribe Found? ~

      The Jerusalem Post reports that a non-Indian tribe of people who live in the northeast corner of the nation of India believe themselves to be a part of the ‘lost’ tribe of Menashe (Meh-nah-shay Manasseh). As you may recall, Manasseh was the oldest son of Joseph, who was born to his Egyptian wife Asenath, the daughter of Poti-Pherah priest of On.
According to ancient traditions of this tribal group (known as the Shinlung), they migrated to their present location after many years of wandering throughout the east. ‘the native peoples of the area in which they live refer to them as "lu-Si," which some say means "the Ten Tribes"
      According to the Post article:
      "The Shinlung practiced a form of animism, albeit with curious similarities to ancient Jewish practice: levirate marriage; sin-sacrifices with unblemished animals; a hereditary priesthood passed from father to son; agricultural tithes; three major annual festivals; a form of family purity governing sexual relations; and a song of unknown origin chronicling events connected with the biblical Exodus. They also venerated a mythical ancestor figure known as ‘Menassieh’ or ‘Manmass,’ whose name was invoked for protection in storms and natural disasters, during animal sacrifices and in the clearing of jungles." (from The Jerusalem Post International Edition, April 25, 1998, p 16.)
      According to an ancient Jewish tradition, Menashe or Manasseh, will be the first tribe to be redeemed by returning to the land of Israel. This is said to be because it was a group of men from this tribe that removed the bodies of king Saul and his son Jonathan after the Philistines had killed them and hung their corpses on the city wall.

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~ Anti-Semitism Up ~

      "Cabinet secretary Dan Naveh, who heads a committee to monitor anti-Semitism, said last week that during the past month there has been a worrisome increase in violence against Jews throughout the world. Some of the incidents were connected to celebrations of Israel’s jubilee, he said. The incidents include two attacks on Jewish targets in Greece and Latvia, the explosion at the Habad synagogue in Moscow, and a series of street attacks against Jews in Britain." (From The Jerusalem Post International Edition, June 13, 1998, p. 4).

~ Fast Growing Religion ~

      Islam is now the fastest growing religion in both America and Europe. There are somewhere between 5 to 6 million Muslims in America. According to the July 20, 1998 issue of U.S. News and World Report; "Muslims now outnumber Presbyterians, Episcopalians, and Mormons, and they are more numerous than Quakers, Unitarians, Seventh-day Adventists, Mennonites, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Christian Scientists, combined. Many demographers say Islam has overtaken Judaism as the country’s second-most commonly practiced religion; others say it is in the passing lane." (p. 22).

~ No More Males? ~

      A report was given on ABC’s Good Morning America television program on September 23, 1998 that has frightening implications. Dr. Michael Guillen was interviewed about the recent discovery that an abnormal number of male fish in the rivers of England are unable to produce sperm because they are hatching with female genitalia. They have ovaries and produce infertile eggs, instead of the having the normal male reproductive system. In two of the rivers, a full one hundred percent of the male fish exhibit these characteristics. A first reaction to this report might be that these rivers are probably terribly polluted. But in actual fact, they are considered to be ‘clean’ rivers.
      The scientists believe the cause of this problem stems from estrogen like chemicals that exist in the water. It is also believed that the mother fish pass the estrogen onto the offspring, and that the high levels of estrogen suppress the male reproductive system. Older male fish apparently function normally, so the fish are still reproducing at this time.
      No one knows for sure where these ‘estrogen pretenders’ are coming from, but it is suspected that they stem from human waste effluent, since the major problems seem to exist several miles downstream from sewage disposal facilities. It is possible that urine from women who take estrogen supplements may be causing the problem, although scientists are quick to point out it may be the result of other chemical combinations that have entered the waterways through the waste treatment plants. Another theory holds that the problem may stem from growth hormones fed to cattle.
      In addition, Dr. Guillen mentioned similar problems with other species in other locations. For example, male alligators in Florida have been feminized by DDT residues; and male polar bear cubs in the Arctic are being born with feminine traits due to PCB pollution.
      One last example was given which concerned human reproduction. An area in northern Italy which has suffered pollution from Dioxin has experienced a lowered birth rate, and all twelve of the babies that have been born recently are female. Whether this is from the Dioxin pollution or merely by chance is unknown at this time.
      We are what we eat!

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~ Shalom ~

(Aleph-Tav)

The Beginning and the End

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