Grandma's army

THE ECOLOGICAL IMPERATIVE – ISRAEL The renewal of physical ties between the Land of the Bible and the people of Israel have led, in recent generations, to a rediscovery of and concern for the environment, and the ecological balance of the Land. The Land of Israel, ancient and biblical, has a beautiful and varied landscape with many distinct ecosystems: from the snow-capped Hermon and volcanic plateau of the Golan Heights to the pristine coral reefs and majestic mountains in Eilat; from the lush Galilee in the North to the Negev Desert in the South; from the Hula Valley wetlands of the River Jordan to the Savannas of the Arava Desert; and from the sandy Mediterranean Coast to the limestone mountains of Jerusalem. All are vital to a delicate natural balance. Israel is blessed with a wide array of biodiversity. It is home to some 2,800 species of plants, more than 500 species of birds and 100 species of mammals. Located along the African-Eurasian flyway, Israel hosts over 500 ...

ZIONISM - SPIRITUAL Jews often trace their nationhood back to the biblical kingdoms of David and Solomon, 950 BCE. The word  Zion  is used in a theological or spiritual sense in Scripture. In the Old Testament  Zion   refers figuratively to Israel as the people of God ( Isaiah 60:14 ) . –ism is a suffix added to the end of a word to indicate that the word represents a specific practice, system, or philosophy - accepted as an authority by a group or school of thought.  Often these practices, systems, or philosophies are political ideologies or artistic movements.  After the destruction of the Temple and their defeat by the Romans, the Jews passed beyond the realm of politics, becoming a nation of the spirit. They managed to construct a political strategy so creative that they could linger on as a nation after losing the three building blocks of nationhood: land , central authority , and the means of self-defense . In every place they settled, they ...