Israel 2016: Family In Twelve Languages – The Conclusion of the Second B’ney Yosef National Congress

Posted on November 2, 2016 by Pete Rambo

We are sitting in the Newark airport awaiting our final leg home late tonight. I just read the Barking Fox’s second part of his Bney Yosef Congress report. I highly recommend it.

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Traveling home today

Posted on November 2, 2016 by Pete Rambo

The Congress is over and I am still processing the magnitude of the events I have seen and experienced in the last three weeks. 

I will be writing a lot once I get my feet back on the ground and can get over a bit of the jet lag.  Father has stretched my faith and understanding so much and I feel like I can see so much farther down the road, but I have to tell you, it has been mind bending.
Blessings!

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A report on the Second Bney Yosef National Congress

Posted on October 31, 2016 by Pete Rambo

Israel 2016: Picking Up Where We Left Off – A Report on the Second B’ney Yosef National Congress – http://wp.me/p4cMjG-1g1

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Second Congress has begun

Posted on October 27, 2016 by Pete Rambo

Last night we began the Second Bney Yosef Congress with worship that was just off the chain!!!

Internet is spotty, so updates will be sporadic.  I am taking notes and have much to process.  Abba is making amazing strides, particularly in the furthest regions of the earth among tribal peoples.

“Behold, I am bringing them from the north country, And I will gather them from the remote parts of the earth, Among them the blind and the lame, The woman with child and she who is in labor with child, together; A great company, they will return here.
Jeremiah 31 NASB

http://bible.com/100/jer.31.8.NASB

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First day of the Congress

Posted on October 27, 2016 by Pete Rambo

I’m having internet connection issues, but reall want to share this neat report.  More when I canget better connection. 

Israel 2016: Days of Transition – http://wp.me/p4cMjG-1fM

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Second Bney Yosef Congress begins tonight

Posted on October 26, 2016 by Pete Rambo

Sitting at Ben Gurion Airport waiting on some Congress attendees.   Already, those who have checked into Eshel Hashomron, there is terrific conversation and discussion concerning the wonderful works our King is about.

Keep us in prayer that our Father lead and direct every facet to His desired end!

“Is Ephraim My dear son? Is he a delightful child? Indeed, as often as I have spoken against him, I certainly still remember him; Therefore My heart yearns for him; I will surely have mercy on him,” declares the Lord .
Jeremiah 31 NASB

http://bible.com/100/jer.31.20.NASB

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Embraced!!

Posted on October 24, 2016 by Pete Rambo

I really should be packing.  Or, I should be asleep.  We have an early day tomorrow to get in some touring in northern Israel before checking in by mid-afternoon at the hotel for the Congress.  But, I’m processing.  This trip continues to just blow my mind and alter paradigms.

20161024_124209When we set out, we had a rough plan of places we wanted to take in, but intentionally avoided filling the schedule so much that we would be continually pressed for time.  Our spoken desire was to just ‘be.’  We wanted to breath and take in the Land and let Abba give us a few Divine appointments.  Well, we may not have seen physical rain during the Chag, but we certainly have been rained on spiritually, over and over, as Abba has watered abundantly our souls.

Earlier I wrote, Dayenu!!  Today, was a double dose of the same outpouring.

On Friday, I dropped a WhatsApp to our host simply asking, “Is it possible for us to attend Simchat Torah here in the village on Monday?” Continue reading →

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Last day in Jerusalem, a mixed bag….

Posted on October 23, 2016 by Pete Rambo

Tomorrow is Simchat Torah and then we head to Ariel for the Congress, so we made our 20161023_100545last trip into Jerusalem today.  Not having visited the Kotel yet, we made that our very first priority and, like last time, it was an emotional walk.  So many men praying.  It was a bit more crowded than last time we went, but nothing like three days ago during the Priestly Blessings when tens of thousands packed into the plaza at the base of the Wall.

It is an interesting thing.  In Christendom, Scriptures speaking to the dwelling of God with man in a spiritual sense are emphasized while the Beit Hamikdash, House of Prayer (for all nations, as Solomon prayed for it to be) is de-emphasized.  Still, on this trip I have met many, many Jews who are spirit filled, but may not understand the Messiah in the same way I do.  The trip to the Kotel, the western Wall, dashes the Christian de-emphasize.

Along with my three younger sons, I carefully slipped through the praying mass toward an empty spot on the Wall where we could Continue reading →

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“In the Courts of my King!”

Posted on October 23, 2016 by Pete Rambo

Following is a guest post written by my son Jeremiah.

This whole trip has been quite the experience. Hi, I’m Jeremiah Rambo, Pete’s second born. I’m 17 years old, and beginning to find my feet in the world that I live in. Going on 20161018_173139this trip has helped me mature in many ways, and realize how much I had wrong in many places in my life.

Often, I have no trouble with words, but sitting here trying to find the words to describe what is in my heart, it’s difficult. When the airplane touched down, I would like to say I felt a tug in my spirit that said, “This is home.” or something to that effect. When the plane touched down, all I felt was the immense pressure on my bladder, and the urge to find a bathroom. Then I felt at home.

When we arrived at the house we are currently staying at, we immediately connected with our kind host, Tzemach. Seeing his art gallery of stones, and touching a piece of rock that possible was around during the time of Yeshua, got me in a place I’d never felt before. I’m a very factual person, and if it isn’t supported by facts or logic, then it goes out the window. The fact of something hitting my emotions was a new, well, ‘feeling’.

We took many trips touring the Land and visiting places that were around since a long time ago. Getting to tour Hezekiah’s Tunnels was something I’ll never forget. Seeing Continue reading →

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Sabra…  

Posted on October 22, 2016 by Pete Rambo

In Israel, a native born is termed a ‘sabra’ after the tough cacti that grow around the land, due to its tough prickly skin and soft inner core.  The real irony, if I understand this correctly, is that the sabra cacti itself was imported from South America. 

I will rejoice over them to do them good and will faithfully plant them in this land with all My heart and with all My soul.
Jeremiah 32 NASB

http://bible.com/100/jer.32.41.NASB

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Dancing with Tzemach, Nadav and Dalia

Posted on October 22, 2016 by Pete Rambo

Last erev Shabbat we had the special privilege of having our host join us for dance.  As I related in a post about it, at close friend of his who happens to be a Jewish folk dance instructor was downstairs, so we ended up with special company an a grand time of dance and worship.

In the last two days, I figured out how to download Facebook videos so I can reload them on my blog.  Guess what I have to share…. Four videos of us dancing. Two traditional folk dances (one is a two part video) and a favorite worship dance, ‘Aliyah.’  Enjoy.

Continue reading →

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Shabbat Shalom 

Posted on October 21, 2016 by Pete Rambo


So the sons of Israel shall observe the sabbath, to celebrate the sabbath throughout their generations as a perpetual covenant.’ It is a sign between Me and the sons of Israel forever; for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, but on the seventh day He ceased from labor, and was refreshed.”
Exodus 31 NASB

http://bible.com/100/exo.31.16-17.NASB

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Good eats in Modern Jerusalem Restaurant

Posted on October 21, 2016 by Pete Rambo

Last year, as I recall, I took and shared tons of food pics.  This year, because we are 20161021_132505traveling with three teenage boys, we are quite glad to be renting a house from Tzemach through AirBnB.com.  Expenses have been much reduced, though I have missed the incredible Israeli hotel breakfasts previously reported on.

For the second time this trip, we splurged at a nice restaurant for lunch.  Having completed a wonderful time of worship and fellowship with our brothers at the Center for Jewish Christian Understanding and Cooperation, held at the Bible Lands Museum, we enjoyed a nice complimentary guided tour of the current special exhibit, David and Goliath in the Valley of Elah!! (Yes, you regular readers recall less than two weeks ago I wrote about some thoughts on Absalom, the antimessiah and the Valley of Elah!)

After the terrific tour, we walked across the parking lot to the Israel Museum for the purpose of eating in one of their two restaurants. We chose Continue reading →

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What an AMAZING day!!

Posted on October 20, 2016 by Pete Rambo

I’m pretty sure that I can’t even begin to describe today, but I’m going to give it a shot…

The experiences were wonderful, but the lessons learned were even more special.

Al McCarn and I, along with my two youngest sons, Joseph and Silas, set out this morning 20161020_113650without the rest of the families.  We are all tired, but the others especially, needed a recovery day.  The four of us who chose to push forward decided that before The Parade of Nations, we would stop at the Herzl Museum just outside the gates of Yad Vashem.

Our purpose for visiting the museum was to pay respects at the grave of Theodore Herzl, visionary and father of the modern state of Israel, but also to grow our vision and understanding of B’ney Yosef and the commitment, challenges and cost necessary to share that vision.  In an incredibly well-done series of rooms and high-tech video production, the museum tells the story of Herzl and the origins of Zionism.  It exposes the many challenges that Herzl faced, but also reveals the hand of God leading and opening doors to top dignitaries and diplomats for many, many nations.  Herzl, literally, worked himself to death in the first seven years of the World Zionist Congress.

Besides planning, coordinating, supporting and then leading the first few Congresses, he Continue reading →

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Dayenu, at Sukkot??

Posted on October 18, 2016 by Pete Rambo

20161018_173459Today was another amazing day!  We waited with great anticipation the arrival of David and Deborah Harding of Australia along with special guest, Bulkunu, of the Aboriginal people.  They showed up here looking exhausted, even a bit shell-shocked, after a 30 hour trip that started on the other side of the world. Once we had them safely in-hand with food and a hot shower set up, the ten of us set out on trip to the Golan for an afternoon of feasting and sitting in the sukkah of online friend and writer, Eliyahu Berkowitz.

Over the last six or seven months, The Barking Fox and I have come to be good friends with Eliyahu, feature writer for Breaking Israel News.  Well, with us coming to Israel for Sukkot, we had to try to get together and today was the appointed time.  Eliyahu extended an invitation for us to come sit in his sukkah, shake lulav and share a meal with he and his precious family.  For weeks we have been looking forward to this day and it was wonderful!

Our journey, that should have taken about two and a half hours, took nearly four hours!  Traffic snarls were the major problem, though a wrong turn in Tiberias and a wild jaunt through several parts of town was interesting.   But, and interesting thing happened in route…  We stopped for lunch at a jamb packed roadside filling station/ restaurant.  After we had our pizza, but before we could sit down, Tommy was invited by a very traditional looking Orthodox Jewish to come sit in his sukkah for lunch.  So, we all paraded the length of this rest stop to Continue reading →

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