The Us-Israel Covenant: An Intermediate Jewish Study for the Busy Person

By Lemuel Baker Ph.D

This book is a sequel work to my signature book 'The Many Faces of Judaism.' The first seven chapters of this book deals with the central values the United States and Israel share and the animus towards Israel and the rest of the world for that matter. The chapters also explain the US-Israel covenant story telling the story for a new generation. Major attention is given to Israeli-Palestinian conflict and where it will end up. My goal as it pertains to this book is to create a sequel work to my signature book 'The Many Faces of Judaism' which is an introduction to Judaism while this book addresses intermediate issues and more complex concepts of Jewish Studies especially as it pertains to the nation of Israel, its relation to the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom as well as to the Arabic world. This work address more complex issues of Judaism, some nuances, geo-political issues and foreign policy issues facing Israel. This book is also designed to help western societies understand Judaism so that adequate foreign policy can be created when addressing Israel as a nation.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jan 22, 2023
• ISBN: 9781669855156

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Copyright © 2023 by Lemuel Baker, Ph.D.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the Holy Bible, King James Version (Authorized Version). First published in 1611. Quoted from the KJV Classic Reference Bible, Copyright © 1983 by The Zondervan Corporation.

Scripture taken from The Holy Bible, American Standard Version® (ASV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

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Rev. date: 01/12/2023

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Contents

Dedication

Introduction

Part I

Israel Geo-Political and the Making of Foreign Policy

Chapter 1     Israel A Leadership Nation

Chapter 2     The US-Israel Covenant Story Retold for a New Generation of Leaders

Chapter 3     Israel Geo-Political - Understanding What Makes Israel Tick

Chapter 4     Israeli Response and The Making of Foreign Policy

Chapter 5     Intifadas - A Short term Expression While The ICC Long term Goal is Delayed - Find Out Why There Will Never be a Permanent Peace Treaty

Chapter 6     Religious Persecution an Overview - Jews and Christians The Most Persecuted Belief Systems

Chapter 7     The Holocaust - Yom HaShoah - Day of Catastrophe

Part II

Sequel Work to My Signature Book

‘The Many Faces of Judaism’

Chapter 8     Chanukkah A Season of Rededication and Miracles

Chapter 9     The Festival of Purim

Chapter 10   An Overview of Jewish Festivals

Chapter 11   Commentary on the Book of Proverbs by Lemuel Baker, Ph.D

Chapter 12   Essential Daily Prayer Times

Chapter 13   Understanding How ‘The Lord’s Prayer’ Works Today

Dedication

I dedicate this book to my beloved grandmother the late Joyce B. Gould who herself had a great desire for missions, for scripture reading and for learning. Her descendants are fulfilling her dreams that were not completed each descendant gifted with portions of her giftings. I honor my grandmother keeping her name alive and her place in creation history. She has a yad v’ shem a place and a name in creation, in history and most importantly in my life. God bless you grandmother and forevermore. Amen

Introduction

This book is a sequel work to my signature book ‘The Many Faces of Judaism.’ The first seven chapters of this book deals with central causes of the sometimes unpopular relationship between the United States and Israel and Israel and the rest of the world for that matter. The chapters also explain the US-Israel covenant story telling the story for a new generation. Major attention is given to Israeli-Palestinian conflict and where it will end up. Will there ever be peace between Israel and the Palestinians is a question answered in chapter 5 of this book.

The remaining chapters in section part II pick up where my book ‘The Many Faces of Judaism’ left off. My goal as it pertains to part II of this book is to create a sequel work to my signature book ‘The Many Faces of Judaism’ which is an introduction to Judaism while this book addresses intermediate issues and more complex concepts of Jewish Studies especially as it pertains to the nation of Israel, its relation to the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom as well as to the Arabic world. This work address more complex issues of Judaism, some nuances, geo-political issues and foreign policy issues facing Israel.

This book is also designed to help western societies understand Judaism so that adequate foreign policy can be created when addressing Israel as a nation and to help lay a foundation towards effective reporting by syndicated media. Intermediate topics such as Intifadas, the International Criminal Court Strategy, Israel and the making of foreign policy, Israel geo-political and US-Israeli relations are presented.

You will receive a greater understanding of who Israel really is, of Judaism as a belief system and of Israel’s geo-political challenges regarding the rest of the world. Part II of this book is a sequel work to my signature book The Many Faces of Judaism focuses on the spiritual aspects of Judaism and as Judaism pertains to Christianity such as set prayer times that Christianity received from Judaism. The Festivals of Chanukkah and Purim are discussed in more detail building on the foundations given in my previous book for beginners, Judaism for the busy person, The Many Faces of Judaism.

Part I

Israel Geo-Political and the

Making of Foreign Policy

Chapter 1

Israel A Leadership Nation

Israel has begun taking a noticeable role as a world leader which actually was conceived in 2014 as they courageously engaged the Hamas war in the face of ICC and UN Security Council oversight hanging over their head. Israel will take its place as a world leader with more assertion. As you know Israel already leads the world with start up inventions, technology, telecommunications, semi-conductor and solving difficult agricultural and medical challenges. Most importantly Israel has a raizon d’ etre or the purpose that justifies a things existence. Israel was designed to be a leadership nation to the entire world and is still in birth pains with regards to this God ascribed objective.

God has given every people group a purpose in relationship to the entire world to make a unique contribution. The ancient Phoenicians contributed mathematics for example that benefited the entire planet. The Greeks contributed literature that are still beloved writings of antiquity for the entire planet to enjoy. Israel is the only nation and people group given the three-fold objective to receive the law directly from God, secondly to disseminate God’s law to the entire planet and thirdly to bring forth a Messiah. These laws are the only laws that could keep the planet sound and congruent to God’s system and His way of doing things.

The laws I reference are not only the 10-commandments, or the 613 mitzvot but the category of laws known as Noahide Laws the minimal moral obligations required of all humans given to Noah and his children as they exited the ark. See Library of Congress Document HJ RES 104. Here is an excerpt.

Whereas Congress recognizes the historical tradition of ethical values and principles which are the basis of civilized society and upon which our great Nation was founded; Whereas these ethical values and principles have been the bedrock of society from the dawn of civilization, when they were known as the Seven Noahide Laws; Whereas without these ethical values and principles the edifice of civilization stands in serious peril of returning to chaos; Whereas society is profoundly concerned with the recent weakening of these principles that has resulted in crises that beleaguer and threaten the fabric of civilized society;

The Seven Noahide Laws are as follows:

Do not deny God.

Do not blaspheme God.

Do not murder.

Do not engage in incestuous, adulterous or homosexual relationships.

Do not steal.

Do not eat of a live animal (animal protection concept)

Establish courts/legal system to ensure law and obedience.

The rabbinical Talmud or oral law says it this way. "The children of Noah were commanded with seven commandments: laws, and cursing God, idolatry, illicit sexuality, bloodshed, robbery, and eating flesh from a living animal (Sanhedrin 56a;)

Countries that have adopted Noahide Laws have become first world countries with the highest GNP and all countries that have rejected Noahide Laws are classified still today as developing countries.

In the midst of this three-fold purpose God chose Israel to bring forth our Messiah. Only Israel was set aside to bring forth Messiah who would save the entire world. If it weren’t for Judaism there would be no Christianity. The Christian Old Testament is translated verbatim from the Tanak or the Jewish Bible in a different sequence but the books are the same.

Ronald Reagan for example implemented our National Day of Prayer based on Old Testament concepts. You see Israel has been a leader all along but because they are numerically 18 million world wide as a people group they struggle to step into their ascribed role. You see the foolish things will confound the wise. See 1 Corinthians 1:26-28. Israel has been given an understanding regarding their raizon d’ etre that cannot be refuted and will now take their place to lead globally with prudence and excellence for the most part. There are always renegades who deviate. Israel will emulate leadership to the entire world because this is the only viable alternative but unfortunately there is a significant portion of the Israeli electorate who desire a policy of appeasement and this could change the trajectory but cannot negate what is intended for Israel, it is up to them to walk into their destiny. Finally when every alternative is examined on a probability scale everyone will realize that Israel has no other viable alternative but to step into