Tzom Tammuz 5778

The 17th of Tammuz, Shiv'ah Asar b' Tammuz, is a minor Jewish

fast day which commemorates the breaching of the walls of Jerusalem

before the destruction of the Second Temple. It falls on the 17th day

of the Hebrew month of Tammuz, and also marks the beginning

of a three week period of mourning leading up to the observance

of Tisha B'Av.  This is a time of reflection for Jews all over the world

regarding the significant events which have shaped their
history as both a people and as a nation.

Throughout their long and often difficult existence, 

the Jews have faced many challenges and yet, survived.

That there are still Jews alive today as well as a nation called Israel,

 is living testimony of the love and faithfulness of Almighty God,

Who has called them to be His own nation and people, and

 a blessing, to "all the families and kindred of the earth."

 (Genesis 12:3)

Over 10,000 Jewish children from Germany, Poland,  Czechoslovakia, and Austria 
were rescued from the Nazis by the British organization,  Kindertransport,
 nine months before the outbreak of WWII.
The ultimate goal of this organization  was to reunite these children with their parents

 and families once the war ended. Unfortunately, in the wake of the devastation

 across post war Europe and the Holocaust, many of these children were orphaned
 and remained in Great Britain where they became citizens. 

Some later emigrated to the United States, Israel, 
or eventually returned to their native countries.

"Then he (Noah) sent forth a dove to see if the waters had

decreased from the surface of the ground. But the dove

found no resting place on which to roost, and she returned

to him to the ark...He waited another seven days and

again sent forth the dove out of the ark. 

And the dove came back in the evening, and behold,

in her mouth was a newly sprouted and freshly plucked

olive leaf! So Noah knew that the waters had

subsided from the land."

Genesis 8: 8,9,10,11

Dove of the Ark

Marc Chagall

(1935)

 Moses smashed the tablets containing the Ten Commandments

when he saw the people worshiping the golden calf. He later
went back up on Mt. Sinai to plead on behalf of his people
for God's forgiveness for their idolatry.

Moses Breaking The Tablets Of The Law
Gustave Dore

"Today I know that such memories are the key,

not to the past, but to the future.

I know that the experiences of our lives,

when we let God use them,

become the mysterious and perfect preparation

for the work He will give us to do."

-Corrie ten Boom
(1892-1983)
Dutch Christian 
"Righteous Among The Nations"