OUR SERVICESWhere is the name Israel from?
In the Book of Genesis in the Bible, Jacob is also referred to by the name Israel. It is from him that the Jews, became known as the “Children of Israel.” The country Israel also gets its name there, as well. Jews, as well as the land, are referred to as “Israel.”
What’s the Jewish connection to the land?
Since Biblical times, Jews have lived in the area which is now called Israel. Many sections in the Hebrew Bible and Jewish prayers refer to Israel and Jerusalem. When the Second Temple was destroyed in the year 70 CE (AD), Jews were exiled from their land. Since that time, Jews have prayed to return. Jews traditionally face toward Jerusalem when praying. With the creation of the State of Israel in 1948, after the devastation of the Holocaust during World War II, Jews returned to their ancestral home.
Are all Jews Israelis?
Jews from all over the world, even those who have never lived there or have even visited there, feel a closeness to Israel. They are citizens of the countries in which they live, and feel that Israel is their ancestral homeland. Some feel that the Holocaust would not have happened if the Jews had had a land of their own to which they could have fled to safety.
Are all Jews related?
Jews often feel a special closeness to other Jews. They feel like extended family. Sometimes Jews prefer the company of other Jews, because they feel that they share much in common with each other. They share a religion, values, culture, ethics and understand each other. They also sometimes feel safer among other Jews, free from the fear of anti-Jewish feelings, comments or actions.