May I wish each of you L'Sha'na Tova - A happy and blessed New Year - the year 5772.

Jewish tradition holds that Rosh Hashanah celebrates the anniversary of the creation of the world, a day when “God takes stock of all of His Creation,” which of course includes all of humanity. Translated from the Hebrew, Rosh Hashanah means “head of the year” – rosh means head, while hashanah means year. Jews believe that God’s judgment on this day determines the course of the coming year.

Leshana tova tika’teivu vete’chatemu

Translation: May you be inscribed and sealed for a good year

Beneath the revitalized layer of exaggerated hatred for Israel spreading over the Middle East dwell thousands of Arabs who are willing to help and even love the Jewish state.

Thanks to the "Arab Spring" revolutions in surrounding nations, a growing number of Egyptians, Syrians, Jordanians, Iraqis...are realizing just how good and decent Israel is compared to their own totalitarian societies, despite the fact that many were raised from childhood to view Israelis as blood-thirsty monsters.

Acting on that realization, and desirous of fleeing new regimes that may actually be worse than the previous rulers, thousands of foreign Arabs have sent requests to Israeli government agencies requesting asylum, visas to visit and even offering to serve the Israeli army and Mossad.

Israel's Foreign Ministry told the Yediot Ahronot newspaper that it is receiving requests even from "members of Arab parliaments, members of political movements and other important political figures." [israeltoday]

Moreover, the word of the LORD came to me saying, “Son of man, set your face against Mount Seir, [The descendants of Esau, the Edomites made their home in Mount Seir], and prophesy against it and say to it, ‘Thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I am against you, Mount Seir, And I will stretch out My hand against you And make you a desolation and a waste. “I will lay waste your cities And you will become a desolation. Then you will know that I am the LORD. Ezekiel 35

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has submitted application to the United Nations Security Council to appeal for recognition as a new country and attain acceptance in the body.

"I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat. And I will enter into judgment with them there, on behalf of my people and my heritage Israel, because they have scattered them among the nations and have divided up my land..." Joel 3

And so it begins ~~

"I will gather all the nations to Jerusalem to fight against it. Then the Lord will go out and fight against those nations, as he fights in the day of battle." Zechariah 14:2

The first tremors of that feared earthquake have begun.

A source in the Samarian Jewish community of Neve Tzuf told Israel Today that on Monday evening, a number of activists affiliated with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah faction used their vehicles to block the entrance to the village.

Many of the Jewish residents trying to get home simply turned around and decided to try again later. But at least one was reportedly forced to defend himself when several Palestinian thugs approached his vehicle in a menacing way.

"Tension is in the air and I can tell that neither side wants it," said the source. "I'm afraid that the few true Abbas supporters are lighting the fire as I talk to you."

The Jewish man continued by relating his fear that by the end of the week, when Abbas will officially request membership for "Palestine" in the UN, the number of violent incidents between Palestinians and Jewish "settlers" will "be too much for the army to control."

"For I will set My eyes on them for good, and I will bring them back to this land; I will build them and not pull them down, and I will plant them and not pluck them up. Then I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the Lord; and they shall be My people, and I will be their God, for they shall return to Me with their whole heart." Jeremiah 24:6-7

The Palestinians warned the Obama Administration that vetoing their UN Security Council bid for statehood would "destroy" the two-state solution to the conflict.

The warnings comes just hours after Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas confirmed in a speech in Ramallah that on Friday, September 23 he will address the UN General Assembly, after which he will submit to the Security Council an official application for UN membership~~  for "Palestine."

"I will gather all the nations and bring them down to the valley of Jehoshaphat. Then I will enter into judgment with them there on behalf of My people and My inheritance, Israel, Whom they have scattered among the nations; And they have divided up My land."  Joel 3:2

Religious leaders of all stripes, gowns and headgear gathered in Jerusalem’s Mishkenot Sha’ananim neighborhood  to attend the third annual Interfaith Ethics and Tolerance conference.

Bringing together Jewish and Muslim clerics, as well as clergy from numerous Christian denominations and those of the Bahai and Hindu faiths, the conference this year focused on the role of spiritual leaders in promoting peace and tolerance as well as the challenges of religious leadership in today’s globalized world.

''O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not! Behold, your house is forsaken. And I tell you, you will not see me until you say,

Baruch Haba Bashem Adonai

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!" Luke 13

"O Israel, put your hope in the LORD both now and forevermore." Psalm 131:3

The Jerusalem Post reports:

Israel is evacuating its embassy in Jordan in advance of a demonstration promoted on Facebook under a banner "No Zionist embassy on Jordanian territory".

70 activists burned American and Israeli flags in a noisy protest opposite the embassy in Amman chanting  "The people want the Americans out."

"Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me." Psalm 138