Passenger from the Exodus Immigrates to Israel

JTA reports:

An 88-year-old woman who was a passenger on the Exodus in 1947 immigrated to Israel.

Frances Greenberg arrived in Israel Tuesday along with more than 200 other immigrants from North America on a flight charted by Nefesh B’Nefesh.

Greenberg, was the only family member to survive World War II.

After the Exodus was denied entry to Israel, she was sent back to Germany and met her husband, who wanted to live in the United States.

“It’s time to fulfill the dream of my youth,” she said. “After 60 years, I am finally coming to Israel to stay.”

Austrian Post Office in Jerusalem

The building of the Austrian Imperial Post Office marked the beginning of the public, international postal service that developed in Israel as part of the activity of the European powers (following the Austrians’ lead, similar postal services were then established by France, Russia, Germany, and Italy). The Austrian postal service in Jerusalem apparently had its beginnings in 1853, and this building - opposite David’s Citadel - was built around 1859.

This photograph was taken sometime between 1898 and 1917:

Upcoming Special on Biblical Archaeology

An upcoming Nova special about biblical archaeology is being publicized in various newspapers.  Jim West provides the links and his opinions.

Questions about the Dead Sea Scrolls

The Jerusalem Post website has posted the cover article of the most recent Jerusalem Report.  The article is called “The Qumran Quandary.”   It is a good summary of the questions still open about the Dead Sea Scrolls and their authors:

• Were they or weren’t they Essenes?
• Were women part of the sect’s community?
• How did such a small sect produce so many scrolls?
• What is the significance of the newly rediscovered “Messiah Tablet”?

The article focuses on the relationship between textual studies of the scrolls and archaeological research at Qumran.  Well worth reading.

Controversy over Elective Bible Classes

The Texas State Board of Education has approved elective Bible classes in public high schools.  According to the Constitution’s principle of separation of church and state, these classes must be taught while “maintaining religious neutrality and accommodating the diverse religious views, traditions, and perspectives of students in their school district.”

Proponents say the constitutional guidelines are clear enough and that the classes will focus on biblical content and its context in modern society, including culture, art and public policy.

Critics (who are given a lot of space in the AP article) claim the guidelines are too vague and that in reality most Bible classes currently given in public schools are slanted in some way.

Read the rest at Google News.
Via Jim West.

Irgun Pamphlet to Be Auctioned Off

The London Times reports that a pamphlet issued by the Irgun 60 years ago will go on auction next month.  The pamphlet warns British soldiers of the Mandate that if they stay in Palestine they may be killed.  The Times views this pamphlet as proof that the Irgun was a terrorist organization not so different from some of today’s terrorists.  The article also expresses amazement that Menahem Begin, head of the Irgun, later became Prime Minister of Israel and a Nobel Peace Prize laureate (for signing a peace treaty with Sadat of Egypt).

Infra-Red Technology

Two Dead Sea Scrolls fragments have become legible thanks to infra-red technology.  James Charlesworth has posted his provisional research on the fragments - from Deuteronomy and Nehemiah - on the Institute for Judaism and Christian Origins blog.  Click on the pictures to see an enlarged version.

Diaspora Jews and Identification with Israel

The issue of the declining identification with Israel among young Jews in the United States was discussed at Hadassah’s 49th convention.  The Jerusalem Post reports:

Prof. Steven Cohen, a researcher in Jewish social policy at the Hebrew Union College, conducted his own scientific study of non-Orthodox American Jews who constitute 90% of Americans who identify themselves as Jews.

According to all measures, the younger they are, the less attachment they feel about Israel. “It’s a terrible tragedy. The only exception of less activity compared to their elders is that younger Jews are more likely to speak to non-Jews about Israel, but this is because they know more non-Jews.”

Interfaith Dialogue

Yesterday, the sad day on which the coffins of two Israeli soldiers were returned to Israel, an interfaith dialogue conference sponsored by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia began in Madrid. Ari Alexander, co-founder and co-Executive Director of Children of Abraham, an international organization dedicated to the promotion of dialogue between Jewish and Muslim teenagers around the world, is sending updates from the conference to the Mixed Multitude blog. The first post is here. Particularly interesting is Ari Alexander’s report of a conversation he had with the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Islamic Affairs in Bahrain, which demonstrates the power of one-on-one dialogue.

UPDATE: Apparently the conference ended on a bit of a sour note with an argument about Zionism between Ezzeddin Ibrahim, an adviser to the president of the United Arab Emirates, and Rabbi Marc Schneir, North American chairman of the World Jewish Congress. See the article on this at Reuters.

Rihab Cave

A cave recently discovered in Rihab, Jordan, has been the subject of controversy.  Originally billed as the Holy Land’s earliest church, this assertion has been hotly contested.  The Biblical Archaeology Society has posted a comprehensive list of links on this topic.