Passover ‘Blood Moon’
Eclipse Dazzles Skywatchers The total eclipse of the moon lasted only a short time, but it still dazzled not only viewers but those who have been noticing an unusual sequence. This the third of four ‘blood moons’ in a row that all herald the start of major biblical holidays, starting with Pesach (Passover) and Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles) last year and following up with the same two holidays this year. A total lunar eclipse is sometimes called a blood moon because of the red color that is cast upon it by light refracting in Earth’s atmosphere. Early risers in the western...
Read MorePesach/Passover 2015
The festival of Passover, or Pesach, will begin on Friday as Jewish communities worldwide commemorate the liberation of the Israelites from slavery, in one of the important festivities in the Jewish calendar. According to the Book of Exodus in the Torah, Moses called for the Pharaoh to free the Israelites, warning that if he failed to do so, Egypt would be struck by terrible plagues – the last one of which would be the death of every Egyptian first-born male. The Pharaoh refused to do so, despite the onslaught of plagues of frogs, flies, the death of livestock and total darkness. To avoid...
Read MoreSpring 2015 Grapevine
The latest published and printed edition of our newsletter, The Grapevine, is now out! If you’re on our postal mailing list, you’ll be getting a copy delivered to your address within days, and if you’re not please contact us so we can add your address to our list. In the meantime, click here to read about what’s happening at His Branches and then stay in touch by coming back to our website often or, if you’re in the area, stopping by to visit...
Read MoreMusic Series 4-11-15
Arnett Library Music Series Saturday, April 11, 12-1 pm Sungmin Shin Graduate student in Guitar at Eastman School of Music Acoustic and Electric Guitar Refreshments Interactive and Family Friendly
Read MorePurim, the PM, and the President
Twenty-five hundred years ago Queen Esther violated protocol and appealed to the king to intervene against a threat to annihilate the Jewish people. This week, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu violated protocol and appealed to the United States Congress to intervene against a threat to annihilate the Jewish people. In both cases, the enemy threatening the people of Israel was Persia (today, Iran). In the days of Esther, the deliverance of the Jewish people led to the institution of the holiday known as Purim. Today, just one day after Netanyahu’s speech, it is Purim again. Truth...
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