Have you ever thought about how God is working in multiple ways in the same situation? The Bible tells us that His ways are higher than our ways and sometimes we can see a situation and not understand why God would allow it. This week, Chris explains the diaspora. The diaspora is the scattering of the Jewish people all around the world beyond the land of Israel. The first diaspora happened between 722 BC and 586 BC when the Assyrian and Babylonian empires scattered the Jewish people out of the land of Israel.

There isn’t just one reason why God scattered His people. He did it for judgement as we see in Deuteronomy 28:64, but as we’ll learn today, God also did it to preserve His chosen people, the Jewish people. Isn’t that amazing? The diaspora, something that comes from disobedience is also being used for good. Isn’t that just like God to take our sin and bad choices and use it for His glory?

by Steve Herzig

Every area of Jewish life is tied to some aspect of symbolism. Hundreds of traditions date back thousands of years. How did these customs get started? And what special meaning do they hold? In the book Jewish Culture and Customs, Steve Herzig answers these questions in this fun and personal book on the colorful world of modern Judaism.

In Canada? Order Here

Zvi and his wife missed their bus to Jerusalem. They caught the next bus and found out shortly after that the bus they missed was attacked by terrorist. As they passed the bus and the carnage, a passenger on their bus exclaimed that they all must go home and put oil on their mezuzahs and thank God for preserving their lives. Zvi called out his pride and said that he was going to pray for the injured and the families of those who died. Zvi then explained how they, the Jewish people should be a light to all the other nations.

Zvi’s story is available in Elwood McQuaid’s book, “Zvi: The Miraculous Story of Triumph over the Holocaust,” available at our online store.

More stories from Zvi are also available in his book, “The Best of Zvi,” available at our online store.

The Friends of Israel Today and Apples of Gold theme music was composed and performed by Jeremy Strong.