by Joseph Shulam, writing from Brazil, The Jewish New Year is right at the door. Next week on Thursday the Year will change from 5770 to 5771 according to Jewish Tradition. I would like to wish all of you a wonderful New Year for 5771, a year of good health, prosperity both in the spiritual and physical. We say in Hebrew, Shanah Tova Umetuka, which in English would be a wish that you should have a 'Good Year and a Sweet Year'. There is no doubt that for Israel this next year will be a great year of challenges from every point of view. Right now our Prime Minister Mr. Benjamin Natanyahu is in Washington D.C. with Mr. Mahmud Abbas the Prime Minister of the Palestinians. I say Palestinians because there is no country and there has never been such a country called Palestine. May be next year there will be a country called Palestine and if there is it will be a new creation from the space of global politics. No matter what the outcome of the summit in Washington D.C. will be, and no matter what the results of the talks between Israel and the palestinians will be next year will be very difficult for Israel and also for the Jewish Disciples of Yeshua in the land of Israel. I am not predicting anything new with this statement and I am not being a pessimist by stating the above. I am calling you to make a very serious commitment as Disciples of Yeshua to pray and to also fast from eating food for the sake of God's people and for the sake of Israel. Israel is again becoming like a boiling pot, the kind that Jeremiah the prophet saw in his days. There is a very serious rift from inside between right and left wing politics and between religious and secular and also among those who call themselves “messianic Jews” there is a rift that at first sight looks un-healable, malignant, and cancerous. Although, I do believe that all these schemes are going to end in God's economy and in the right time as different colors in the rainbow all for the glory of God and all working in God's economy for the salvation and redemption of Israel and the world. This in fact is what I am asking you to pray for – that God will use all the different factions and denominations and rifts in our society and even in the Body of the Messiah for the Good and for His glory.

Again I wish all of you a great Jewish New Year and wonderful and great opportunities to do good and serve God and Yeshua and please don't forget us in Israel.

I am actually here in Brazil with Marcia. We came to Brazil to record several teaching courses for the internet school that our brothers in Brazil have and also to strengthen the whole idea of Restoration. At first the Restoration concept was very well accepted and very attractive for many people here. Recently some have been influenced by traditional Evangelical ideas that Restoration is not possible and that you can't erase 2000 years of Christian history and that God is finished with Israel and the Jewish people. So, we are here to answer and to strengthen those who are interested in Biblical truth. One can not read the Bible and than look at present day Christianity and even see close proximate between the two. First, the New Testament says: “There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” (Eph. 4:4-6) When I see Christianity I see everything but “one” - there is no one body, there is no one baptism, there is no one Lord, there is no One God and Father of all, and I could go on and one. The argument comes that the Reformation was designed to fix all this, but the facts are the division and schemes increased in Protestantism at least 100 fold than they were in the Catholic churches. Second, in the New Testament it is stated clear by the Apostle Paul: “I say then, has God cast away His people? Certainly not! For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not cast away His people whom He foreknew.” (Rom. 11:1-2) Paul's answer is very clear but the answer that most churches today give is very different than that of the Apostle Paul. Whom shall we listen to the Apostle Paul or Martin Luther and John Calvin or may be we should listen to Augustine or Tertulianus or the other church fathers who created that monstrosity that killed and burned and poisoned people whole-sale just because they had a different theological idea. No, I really believe that the only option for truth is to go back to the Words of the Prophets of old, and the Words of Yeshua and Apostles and start over, Restoration is the only option for people who are interested in truth. With all the rich history of Christianity and the beauty of the art work in the vatican and the riches of the churches if you are interested in truth and not tradition and in fact and not myth – go back and re-read your Bible with a fresh eye looking for what it says and not what people have said about it, looking at Yeshua and His teaching and not what the churches are actually doing. This is the only way, my dear brothers and sisters, to be sure that you are walking in the steps of the Master and not following some drunk Christian monk who was excommunicated by the Roman church.

The Jewish New Year is on the first day of the seventh month. I realize that this is not the Old Testament New Year that comes on the first day of the month of Nisan (Aviv) which falls normally in the spring of the year around the end of March and beginning of April. This modern Jewish New Year is also only traditional, but the date is Biblical and in the Bible it is called, the Feast of Trumpets: “Speak to the children of Israel, saying: ‘In the seventh month, on the first day of the month, you shall have a sabbath-rest, a memorial of blowing of trumpets, a holy convocation. ‘You shall do no customary work on it; and you shall offer an offering made by fire to the LORD.’ ” (Lev. 23:24-25)

The meaning of bowing the trumpets is normally a declaration of war or a welcome to the King. Kingship of God is one of the main points in the feast of Trumpets, or Rosh HaShanah as it is called today. The readings in the Synagogues are usually about the Lord's Kingship over us and over all of His creation. I think that it is a good time for all Christians and Jews to declare the Lord as their King during this Rosh HaShanah and to celebrate Yeshua's Lordship and Kingdom, as we pray “May they will be done on Earth as it is (already) being done in Heaven.”

I hope for greater things to happen and greater fulfillment of God's promises this next year then even in the last sixty year of our history. I feel, especially about Israel, that it is like a woman that is pregnant and getting ready to have a baby. I have great expectations for our country and for the Lord's body not only in Israel, but also in Brazil, and the whole World. I pray for this kind of a major breakthrough that will awaken people all around the world who see themselves as disciples of Yeshua and as servants of God and bring unity of purpose and focus in the challenges and empowerment to get the job done and bring glory to the name of Yeshua (Jesus) and Honor to our heavenly Father. If you will please join me in this same prayer and look at your corner and watch for opportunities to do good in His name, the name above every other name, the only name by which men might be saved, Yeshua.

Time is flying and the conference in Portugal is fast approaching. If you are interested in the salvation of the Jewish people, and if you are interested in making right what the churches have done wrong and if you are interested to see those Jews who are victims of the Spanish and Portuguese Inquisition be resorted back to the fold of Israel. Please pray for this conference and even more so if you are interested to participate you need to quickly register and make arrangements to pay for your travel and hotels. The hotels are to be register through EuroMar. Please go to the following web page and register and we will have EuroMar contact you directly. Put your e-mail and phone number and address in the registration. Here is the web page link: www.anussimconference.com

If you are interested in attending this conference please don't delay register now.

In Jerusalem all the congregation is getting ready for the holiday like all the rest of Israel and getting ready for the very significant worship service that we have on Yom Kippur the day of Atonement. The day of Atonement is a fast day for the sins of the nation not for the sins of the individual. It is the perfect time to do intercession for the nation of Israel and to join with more than 70% of this nation that actually fasts 25 hours without food or drink. There is no nation in the world that can boast such numbers of people fasting all at the same time for one reason. So, our dear brothers and sisters all around the world, if you feel like it and you want to join 'all' of Israel and fast and intercede for this nation and for all those who call upon the name of the Lord, please feel free to do so with us. I suggest that during this fast on Yom Kippur you also make yourself a schedule of reading from Isaiah chapter 40 to the end of Isaiah and mark for yourself all the places that talk about the nations. I believe that if you do this you will experience a very positive and uplifting spiritual boost to your faith and life.

We have our sick and needy in Jerusalem and this holiday season is always a time to bless the needy of Jerusalem. This is the reason that the Apostle Paul actually raised the funds from the churches of Greece and Asia Minor. Please pray for Ahuva she had a cataract surgery this week. Also include Leah and Ilana our dear sisters who are returning from Finland this week. We have Liora, Sarit, and Dr. Tatiana, all in Jerusalem. Dr. Tim Tucker is not doing so well and we ask God to do a miracle and heal this dear brother. Our dear sister Tellervo also in the same city in Finland as Dr. Tucker also needs a miracle of healing and although I am a sceptic by nature I do believe that God can if He will do these healing miracles and it is our duty to ask in faith and hope for the best.

I pray for Marcia and for all my family, Barry, Joey, Beth, Danah and Noaam, and my mother-in-law June to all have a wonderful healthy and prosperous year in 5771 and for those like Danah and Noaam who need a special blessing to see the hand of God moving in their lives for good.

I pray for Netivyah to be able to live up to all that God has designed for it, the feeding of the poor, and the transmission of the Good News on the Radio and may be on Television, and the writing of material and publishing of books, and teaching to give vision and strength to people in the United States, and Finland, and Brazil, Portugal, Germany, Korea, Japan, Australia, and of course in Israel. We are producing some basic Hebrew teachings on video now and we hope that these will be transmitted on the internet and also given on DVD to people who are interested. Please pray for this project because it has such a large potential. The first course will be an introduction to Biblical Hebrew. I have already recorded it and it will be edited and prepared for transmission on the internet soon.

I hope that all of you who have contributed financially last year enjoy the calendar that was sent to you from Netivyah as a thank you for your love and support.

Please don't forget Jerusalem! The forces who wish to see the Good News stop will never succeed because God has a plan for Jerusalem. The plan is not a secret it is published 1800 years ago when Isaiah, and Amos, and Jeremiah spoke it and wrote it for all to read and know. The summery of the plan is in these words of Isaiah the prophet: ”For Zion’s sake I will not hold My peace, And for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, Until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, And her salvation as a lamp that burns. The Gentiles shall see your righteousness, And all kings your glory. You shall be called by a new name, Which the mouth of the LORD will name.” (Isaiah 62:1-2) I invite you to join God's plan for Jerusalem.

Blessings to all of you and have a wonderful year in 5771,

Joseph Shulam