Israeli Food Beyond Kosher (part I)

         To those familiar with Israeli culture and food, you probably know what this post is about. I have posted particularly every popular topic that I could think of about Israel. So don't worry I haven't left out Israeli or Jewish food. 

      Western, European and Asian. A middle-eastern food that can be eaten as a snack or a meal in itself, known as Shawarma is quite famous here and Persian cuisine, like the kebab is capturing the taste buds of most Filipinos. I haven't tried eating in a Jewish restaurant (I have yet to discover a good and authentic Jewish restaurant here) but I have tried eating hummus with pita bread, a favorite of the Israelis. I hope that in the near future or better yet soon, Israel cuisine will also be popular in the Philippines.

Before we go and talk about Kosher. Let me introduce some popular Israeli food. Here in the Philippines, all types of world cuisine can be tasted from

      The streets in Israel is always bustling and there are a lot of street foods that's available to everyone. Like my country, neigboring Muslim and Arab countries has also contributed to the Israeli cuisine but of course, there is the original Israeli cuisine that is really Jewish. I will share with you all of what I have learned and watched online about Israeli food.

     Let me give you a look into Israeli's street food. According to Janna Guv, chef and author of The New

Book of Israeli Food. The unofficial dish of Israel would be the Falafel. Falafel is a mixture of mashed chick peas, fava beans and herbs that is deep fried in oil. According to her her it is filling, delicious, crispy and very, very cheap. She further added that generation of Israelis grew up eating Falafel. Every neighboorhood would have neighborhood joint Falafel. In the street food documentary that I've seen, the narrator said that there has tough competition on the streets, like Shawarma. Like I've mentioned earlier it is also very popular in my country. Shawarma is slices of turkey, lamb, or chicken meat that is shave off in a huge rotating skewer and then the meat shavings is stuffed into a pita bread with salad and hummus sauce. Another dish that the Israelis love is the hummus. This spread is made up of crushed chick peas, tahini sauce, lemon, olive oil, salt and garlic. The locals eat it in this manner, they wipe the hummus with pita bread and it goes straight into the mouth. Yum! Another popular street food is the Sabich, it is a sort of pizza sandwich made of fried

eggplant, hard-boiled egg, salad and pickled mango cakked as 'amba'. Then there's also Shashuka. As the narrator says nobody does Shasuka better than Dr. Shasuka himself, a legend in the Jaffa marketplace in Israel. Shasuka is a casserole dish of poached egg and spicy tomato sauce.

        The Abulafia bakery also in Jaffa, Israel is always packed with customers. Day and night this is the place to buy all kinds of bread and to find other dough bake goodness stuffs. Borekas (fried pocket bread that has fillings inside)  is a pocket full of happiness as the narrator says. The shape of the Borekas tells you what filling the bread has inside. Triangle shaped pocket bread has mushroom fillling inside. Rectangle has potatoes. Swirls has spinach in it and lastly half-moon shape has cheese filling.

   Janna Guv, chef and food writer further added that true street food is made on the premises, its fresh and is usually authentic. Fast-food in Israel is very different from the what 'fast-food' in the U.S of America is. She said U.S 'fast-food' is commercial and factory made food not like the fresh Israeli food.

  

     For dessert, you can try the Malabi, it is a milk-pudding flavored with rose-water, and topped with coconut and chopped peanuts. The latest darling of Israeli street is the Kurtosh, its a Hungarian cake that has undergone an Israeli makeover. It is an extra thin-dough wrapped around skewers, baked and then caramelized with chocolate and vanilla toppings. 

So that's about it! Happy Eating! As the Hebrews say it,  בתאבון (b'teyavon). 

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(The usual prayer/blessing said over food and drinks by a Jew)

Blessings for Food and Drinks:

Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha'olam hamotzi lehem min ha'aretz.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.

Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha'olam borei p'ri hagafen.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.

Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha'olam borei p'ri ha'eitz.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who creates the fruit of the tree.

Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha'olam borei p'ri ha'adamah.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who creates the fruit of the ground.

Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha'olam borei minei mezonot.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, who creates varieties of nourishment.

Barukh ata Adonai Eloheinu melekh ha'olam shehakol niyah bidvaro.
Blessed are You, Lord our God, Ruler of the universe, at whose word all came to be

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(Note: This is the part I of my food article about Israel, in the next part will talk about Kosher, what's and what's not in Jewish cooking.)

Why We Should Pray for Israel

                  I've planned to write an article before on why we should pray for Israel. But now, I have decided to share a short but very comprehensive article about praying for Israel. I would like to quote what Lt. Col. Bentzi Gruber's statement in a documentary about the IDF (Israel Defense Forces). He said, "We are a very unique and democratic country in this area (Israel). We are 5.5 million Jews surrounded by 600 billion Muslims." This is one reason why we should pray for peace in Israel. In this rift between the Muslim-Arab nations and Israel, there are civilians who are also affected, lots of casualties, wounded people, including the helpless children. Anyway, still clueless on why we should pray for Israel. Read the article below.

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Why should we pray for Israel?  Does the Bible instruct us to?  Should we also be praying for the peace of Jerusalem like the Old Testament prophets sometimes did?  Should a Christian be obligated to pray for Israel? In Psalm 122:6 it says, “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May those who love you be secure.”

God’s Chosen People?

God calls Israel the “apple of His eye” which is a term of endearment (Duet. 32:10, Zech. 2:8).  God adds a blessing to those nations and people who bless Israel and a curse on those who curse Israel (Gen. 12:2-3).  Do these blessings and cursings still apply?  I do not see why they don’t since God changes not (Malachi 3:6).  God was seen as the husband of Israel (Jer. 3:14).  God is evidently still concerned over Israel, saying in 2 Chronicles 6:6, “Yet I have chosen Jerusalem, that My name may be there, and I have chosen David to be over My people Israel.”  Wherever God places His name is where He still places His love.  Jesus wept over Jerusalem, knowing what their fate held, “As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it” (Luke 19:41).

This may be the very reason that God has prospered the United States.  America is one of the few nations that have chosen to be her ally but that seems to have recently began to change.  When America withdraws her support and defense of Israel, God could take His hand of blessing off of the U.S.  Perhaps He has already begun to do so since relations with Israel have cooled off lately.

Israel is surrounded by hostile nations and a religion (Islam) that seeks her destruction.  A blessing is pronounced over those who will pray for and bless Israel (Numb. 24:9).  God will never abandon Israel and in the end, Israel will be saved by God Almighty (Malachi 3:6, Romans 11:1).  Since Paul commands Christians to pray for governmental authorities and leaders, (Rom 13:1-7) why should we not also be praying for peace in the Middle East and in particular, for Israel?  No, Israel is not perfect and she has made many mistakes, but they are God’s chosen people (Duet. 6:3-4).

Listen to what the prophet’s and Old Testament writers say about Israel:

Isaiah 48:12 “Listen to me, Jacob, Israel, whom I have called: I am he; I am the first and I am the last.”

Psalm 105:43 “He brought out his people with rejoicing, his chosen ones with shouts of joy.”

Isaiah 41:8-9 “But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham my friend, I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, ‘You are my servant’; I have chosen you and have not rejected you.”

Deuteronomy 7:8-9 “But it was because the LORD loved you and kept the oath he swore to your ancestors that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. 9 Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.”

Deuteronomy 14:2 “For you are an holy people unto the LORD your God, and the LORD has chosen you to be a peculiar people unto himself, above all the nations that are upon the earth.”

Why We Should Pray for Israel

There are dozens of Scriptures where God says that we should pray for the peace of Israel.  In Psalm 122:6 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May those who love you be secure.”  Not only does this say that we should pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and by extension, Israel, we read that “those who love you [will] be secure.”  This is a clear signal that God would be pleased that we pray for Israel’s peace and safety because God is not giving up on Israel (Rom 10:1).

it says, “

In the New Testament, Paul prayed for Israel’s salvation, saying, “Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved” (Rom 10:1).  If Paul is telling the church that his heart’s desire is to pray for Israel and that “they may be saved” that should clearly be our prayer for them also.  Believers today are grafted into the natural olive tree – described as ethnic Israel – for we are “fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household” (Eph. 2:19).  Romans 11:24 is clear about this: “After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!”

What about the Lost 10 Tribes of Israel?

Perhaps you have heard about the lost 10 tribes of Israel which were separated from Judah when the Northern Kingdom was taken into captivity by the Assyrians (2 Kings 17).  The fact is that nothing is lost to God.  They are lost to history perhaps, but to God, never!  Revelation 7:4-8 says that these tribes are not lost if God knows where they are:

“Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel. From the tribe of Judah 12,000 were sealed, from the tribe of Reuben 12,000, from the tribe of Gad 12,000, from the tribe of Asher 12,000, from the tribe of Naphtali 12,000, from the tribe of Manasseh 12,000, from the tribe of Simeon 12,000, from the tribe of Levi 12,000, from the tribe of Issachar 12,000, from the tribe of Zebulon 12,000, from the tribe of Joseph 12,000, from the tribe of Benjamin 12,000.”

The Remnant of Israel

God has not rejected His people Israel and today we are Jews who are ones inwardly as Paul writes in Romans 2:29 “No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man’s praise is not from men, but from God.”  Neither has God rejected His chosen people.  Paul testifies to this fact in Romans 11:1-2 “Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin. God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don’t you know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel.”

Further, Paul says that “If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not boast over those branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid” (Rom 11:17-20).

“I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in [or has been saved]. And so all Israel will be saved [true Israelites, whether ethnic or spiritual, e.g. Rom 2:29], as it is written: “The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob [Israel]. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins” (Rom 11:25-27).  This does not mean that all of Israel will be saved…the entire nation and all Israelites of all time, but those who come to believe in Jesus Christ. This will happen someday when Israel finally recognizes Jesus Christ as the Messiah.  The nation will finally accept Him as the Prophesied One.

Today there are Messianic Jews who already believe that Jesus is the Messiah.  The national stock of Israel will join these Messianic Jews, but not until the “fullness of times” or when the last person is saved prior to Christ’s return as King of kings and Lord of lords. That time appears to be fast approaching.  Jerusalem means “king of” (Jeru) “peace” (Salem).   Jerusalem is anything but peaceful right now but the King of Peace is coming.  Until then, believers ought to be praying for the peace of Israel and for the King of Peace to come soon.  Even so Lord, come quickly. That is my prayer and I hope you will join me in praying for His Kingdom to come and for the peace of Jerusalem and for Israel.

(Note: The author of the above article is Jack Wellman. He is a Christian author, freelance writer, and pastor at the Mulvane (KS) Brethren church in Mulvane, Kansas. Jack has attended Southern California Seminary. His books are inexpensive paperbacks that are theological in nature: “Teaching Children The Gospel/How to Raise Godly Children“, “Do Babies Go To Heaven?/Why Does God Allow Suffering?“, and “Blind Chance or Intelligent Design?, Empirical Methodologies & the Bible“. Jack is a father and grandfather who has a BA in history, one in education, and one in science.)

Israel: A Living Prophecy of GOD's Promise

Our Lord Jesus, is a Jew and He is from Israel. I guess, if our Lord Jesus is Chinese then the people’s interest will be towards China (Chinese culture and language). I agree in a video documentary that I have just seen, that Israel is a living prophecy. Let me just share with you the bible prophecies that has come true with regards to the people and the nation of Israel. 

      The first prophecy about Israel was written in Genesis 17:7  (NLT), It is an eternal covenant. When GOD said to Abraham, "I will confirm my covenant with you and your descendants after you, from generation to generation. This is the everlasting covenant.” Remember, how doubtful Abraham was when GOD said that He will have numerous descendants as many as the stars in heaven. GOD never breaks a promise or a covenant. What is written is written. It is written in the bible, He is not like us who often breaks a promise, or is fickle-minded and never gets to decide what should really be done. GOD is faithful to His chosen nation, even if the people of Israel, like me oftentimes disobeyed Him. GOD's love can be seen in the book of Hosea.

     Did you know that the Jewish people are the only ancient people alive today? The Canaanites, Assyrians, Jebusites and the Babylonians all of them are gone. The Jewish people are the “eternal people”, and they stand alive today.

     It is also mentioned in the Bible that if the Jewish people don’t live in a ‘godly life’, they will be scattered in the four corners of the earth. What is so amazing is that even if the Jewish people were scattered to all the ‘four corners’ of the world they have remained until today. Another prophecy that has came true! Deuteronomy 4:27 (NLT), “For the LORD GOD will scatter you among the nations, where only a few of you will survive.” 

    In comparing the population of the Jewish people which is million to the billion people to China, they are a statistical error as mentioned in the documentary. That’s how small they are. The fact that they are small, and the fact that a lot of atrocities (anti-semitism, crusades, inquisition, religion after religion, muslim oppression) have been committed to the Jewish people worldwide. No one has suffered like they have suffered and no one has been persecuted as they were persecuted and yet they still remained. 

    Come to think of it, the Jewish people are hated for being rich and having a lot of money. If they are wealthy they are accused of being a money grabber. When they are poor and destitute, they are labeled as parricides. Another bible prophecy that has came true is mentioned in Leviticus 26:33 (NLT)  “I will scatter you among the nations and bring out my sword against you. Your land will become desolate, and your cities will lie in ruins.”

    Another important prophecy regarding the Jewish people is that they will be a “light to the nations.” How can that be? Have you seen the list of the Noble prize winners? Great inventors, achievers in chemistry, physics in all the branches of science, people who have imparted a lot to the improvement of a nation and, for the good of the society, the list goes to show that it is the Jewish people. 

They are indeed a light to the nation today. I have seen in a local Christian program in my country, The 700 Club Asia, it featured the water treatment invented by the Jewish people. Seawater can be made into a drinking water! Now, how clever is that? They really contribute a lot to science.

The Jewish people are a lifeblood to any country. As Mr. Jon Voight said, “And you can really see a direct correlation between countries that have Jews in them, and how they treat the Jews and how those countries do, in terms of political development, their scientific development, their technological development.”

      

In the 1800’s the land of Israel was desolate even Mark Twain visited it in the 1850’s and he’s really saddened how the land was parched, dry and nothing really grew there.

When they have not returned yet to their country, Israel, the land was a desolation. We were told that if the Jews were returned to their land, the land will flourish again. As mentioned in Ezekiel 36:8, “But the mountains of Israel will produce heavy crops of fruit for my people—for they will be coming home again soon!” Just as the people has been revived, the land was also revived! The land was changed! The land respond to the people of Israel! Truly the land knows its true owner!

The ‘ingathering of the exiles’, another prophecy that has come true before our very eyes! The Jewish people have now a country to call their own again. After years of exile they are back to GOD’s promised land for them. In Ezekiel 20:34 it says, "I will bring you from the nations and gather you from the countries where you have been scattered -- with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm and with outpoured wrath." 

         I am really proud to say that I am a Filipina, and that our country is the only country that has opened its doors to the Jewish people in the heights of the German Nazi’s occupation during World War II. Our late and former President Manuel L. Quezon opened the Philippines’ doors to up to 10,000 Jewish refugees. Now, you can see a beautiful monument designed by a Filipino in Rishon Lezion in Israel as a remembrance of the Philippines helping hand to Israel. 

I would also like to mention another important event done by my fellow countrymen for Israel, citing in an article online, “The Philippines was among the 33 countries who supported the creation of Israel and the only Asian country to who voted for the resolution."

My fellow Filipina, an entrepreneur and evangelical Christian, Grace Galindez-Gupana, made the Israel's largest flag. I am glad that my countrymen has supported and helped the Israelites from then, until now. And even if I can only support the Jewish nation and people by being active online, I am doing this wholeheartedly as a sign of my support to Israel. I hope to visit the land of our YHVH, someday. I thank the Jewish people because we Filipinos don’t need a visa if we wanted to visit Israel. Toda! תודה

       The entire world today has now returned to the land of Israel. Did you know that Israel is the only moral and democratic country in the middle-east, as we all know Israel is surrounded by Muslim and Arab nations. To the readers of my blog, I appeal do not believe the propaganda of Israel haters online. Israel is not a “killer”, it is a very small country surrounded by Muslim and Arab countries. Of course, Israel needs to protect itself. Imagine being bullied by these large Arab - Muslim countries. We also need to pray for peace, for Israel everyday. I am anxious that just because almost all the countries in the world are against Israel, that one day just because we are as a small country and also we’re no match against these other countries who are against Israel. That we will not join them and be against Israel. Do not forget that it is written in Genesis 12:3, GOD says to Abraham, “And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse.”  

    

   Then there will be a pure language, as mentioned in A Zephaniah 3:9, “Then I will purify the speech of all people, so that everyone can worship the LORD together.” 

As mentioned in the documentary. “Never before in world history has a dead language been revived and brought back to life before the return of the Jewish people to the land of Israel and the revival of the Hebrew language.” 

       In closing, as mentioned in the documentary, "We were given these visions and prophecies long ago. It is your opportunity to join the global revolution in world history. Israel: Living Prophecy.  

Land of Israel

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Credits:

All the thoughts and opinions expressed in this article of mine is all my personal opinion. All the bible verses are taken from the New Living Translation Bible. The quoted statements were all taken from “Israel: Living Prophecy” documentary, and from various online websites about Israel. The song below is one of my favorite Hebrew contemporary song Gadol ELOHAI sung by Joshua Aaron.

Recently, I joined and signed the petition in supporting Israel, declaring that -- Jerusalem is the eternal capital of the Jewish people and that I strongly support all efforts to maintain and strengthen a united Jerusalem as the undivided capital of the State of Israel.

If you want to support this cause you can click this link -> http://unitedwithisrael.org/declaration/

I dedicate this article of mine to our Almighty Father in heaven, YHVH and to my Adonai Yeshua (Lord Jesus) and to the Holy Spirit for the inspiration. שָׁלוֹם Shalom!

To GOD be the glory always!

( To watch and listen to the music video click on the song title below: ) 

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 How Great is our GOD (Gadol ELOHAI)

Gadol ELOHAI
Shiru ki Gadol ELOHAI
Kol echad Yirei
Ki gadol ELOHAI

Shem me’al kol shem
Otcha raui le’halel
Libi yashir ki gadol ELOHAI

How great is our GOD,
Sing with me
How great is our GOD,
and all will see
How great, How great
is our GOD!