About some of the books I've recently read

Everette borrowed some books from friends of ours who have a real love for Jews and Israel. And they know that we do, too. Maybe not to the extent that our friends do, but its one of the areas that continues to change in our lives.

So, I spent a Shabbat & Sunday reading "Betrayed!" by Stan Telchin. It's about how a man who was "successful, 50 and Jewish" handled the situation when his 21 year old daughter told him that she believes in Jesus.

The daughter, Judy asks her dad Stan to "just ....find out more about this. You don't have to believe what I believe or believe me, but you're an intelligent man. Read the Bible for yourself and find out whether it's true or not.....It's either true or it's false. If He isn't the Messiah, you'll know it. And if He is, you'll know it. But read the Bible for yourselves and come to your own conclusions."

Stan couldn't deny the positive change that had occured in his daughter's life, and because of their close family relationship he rose to the challenge, even though he assumed the Bible was anti-Semitic. "And when I read it I'll be able to prove to her that she is absolutely wrong."

He thought it might take him to "read the Bible in 10 or 12 hours, maybe four or five nights" but ended up diligently studying for endless months. And in the end, he too believed that Jesus, the Jew, was the Messiah, the fulfillment to 456 prophecies concerning the Messiah.

What amazed me was a common thread I've seen in many religious peoples' lives, whether they are Catholic, Protestant, Muslim or Jew. They believe as they are told, and really don't even read for themselves the religious books they supposedly follow.

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I've also read "Once An Arafat Man" by Tass Saada, the true story of how a PLO sniper found a new life.

"At age seventeen, Tass Saada was carrying a high powered Simonov rifle. He had run away from home to become a PLO sniper and chauffeur for Arafat.

"His experience growing up as a refugee in Saudi Arabia had taught him to hate. Like many Palestinians, his hatred -- and his rifle -- was aimed squarely at Israel.

"This is more than the story of a Palestinian refugee making something good of his life in America. It's a story of the ultimate triumph of love over hatred, reconciliation over persistent divisions. It's a story that can inspire us all to overcome the divisions and conflicts in our own lives."

There are alot of memories I'm sure that Tass would like to erase completely from his memory. Enough is told in this story to get a picture of what it was like for him, as a killing machine, without being overly gory, and understanding what fed his hatred for Israel.

Question for You: What books have you read recently?