Beit Yeshua
2007
January to July
Israeli
Folk
Dance
Classes
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PURIM
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Vision
For
Israel
Conference
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PESACH
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SHAVUOT
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Zion
Center
Worship
Arts
Conference
& Dance
Camp
2007 Machol Israeli Folk Dance Classes In November of 2006 our Israeli Folk Dance Class, which had been meeting at THE RIVER Church in Lincolnton, ended when THE RIVER disbanded. We waited to see which door YHVH would open for us next. In January 2007, the door opened for us to meet at Covenant Bible Church in Lincolnton, the same location where we had met from 1999 - 2002. Machol Dance Ministries resumed dance classes on Tuesday nights starting February 13, 2007 in the Covenant Bible Church Family Life Center. We decided to have a 6-weeks class for Beginners from 7:00 to 7:45. Intermediate/Advanced Dancers would meet from 7:45 to 8:30. The ages of dancers ranged from 4 to 70+. It's amazing seeing such a diverse group of about 30 people dancing together, enjoying each other and praising God. Hand positions - Right hand facing up, Left hand facing down. 
We use a Hassidic Hand hold for the dances Zemer Atik and Hora Chadera. Mayim is a Hebrew word that means "water" but also a basic step in Israeli Folk Dance. Exodus 5:1 And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh,
"Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, 'Let my people go,
that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness'." (KJV)(The English word "feast" comes from the Hebrew word chaògag, meaning to move in a circle,
to march in a sacred procession, to observe a festival, to be giddy, to celebrate, to dance, to reel to and fro.)PURIM The 2007 Purim Cast (Left to Right) Attendant: Kirk, Haman: Paul, Zeresh: Susan, Esther: Kate,
King Ahashuerus: Joe, Mordechai: Andy, Wise-woman: Leslie, Vashti: Myrl
When Queen Vashti refused to appear before King Ahashuerus and his nobles, he gave her the "royal boot" and selected Hadassah/Esther as his new queen. King Ahashuerus' right-hand-man, Haman, hated the Jews and made a plan to have all the Jews living in Persia Media killed. He cast the "pur" and the date selected for his evil deed was Adar 13.
Mordechai went to Esther and told her that she must go to King Ahashuerus and plead for her people, the Jews. Esther knew that if the King failed to extend his gold scepter to her it could mean her life. When she came into his court, he extended his scepter to her and offered her half of his kingdom. She only asked that the King and Haman come to a meal she would prepare for them the next day. When Esther revealed Haman's wicked plan for the Jews, the King ordered him hanged on the gallows he had built for Mordechai.
Vision For Israel & The Joseph Storehouse Conference
Vision For Israel and The Joseph Storehouse was established in 1994 and is an international non-profit humanitarian aid center operating in the Judean Hills just outside of Jerusalem in Israel, by its Founding Directors, Barry & Batya Segal. As a multifaceted charity, they supply essential emergency relief to Israel's impoverished individuals and to a broad base of large organizations desperately in need of many important supplies.
They freely provide aid to the poor and needy Jewish and Arab people living in the nation of Israel. Many of these people are struggling as orphans and widows, homeless and handicapped, senior citizens and geriatric patients as well as new immigrants and victims of terrorism and their families.
Through the relief and assistance from Vision For Israel and The Joseph Storehouse, food, clothing, toiletries, kitchen and household items, blankets, towels, linens and toys are some of the supplies they distribute on a weekly basis.Barry & Batya came to Charlotte, NC on March 22 - 24, 2007 for the "Highway to Jerusalem" Conference and to dedicate the opening of their national headquarters in the US, which is located in Pineville, NC. 
(Left) Claren McQueen prays over Barry Segal at the Vision For Israel & Joseph Storehouse dedication.
(Right) Batya prepares to cut the ribbon to the entrance of the building.(Left to Right) Jane & Andy, Paul & Susan, Carolyn (& Curtis, photographing), Lynda & Doug attend the conference and dedication.
The Vision For Israel & Joseph Storehouse Conference took place in the Conference Room of the Heritage International Ministries, formerly Heritage USA/PTL. Barry & Batya Segal and Claren & Nancy McQueen lead the group in Praise & Worship.
We always take advantage of opportunities to dance during Praise & Worship.
Curtis, Paul & Susan, Doug & Lynda lead out ...
... and are joined by Resurrection Dance Ministry and others attending the conference. Romans 15:27 ... for if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews' spiritual blessings,
they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings. (KJV)1 Corinthians 5:7-8 … Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us:
Therefore let us keep the feast … (KJV)We held our Pesach Seder for 2007 at Covenant Bible Church in Lincolnton, NC in their Family Life Center. Our attendance for the 2006 Seder was 70 and we hoped to increase the attendance for the 2007 Seder to 100.
We met the evening before the Seder to set things up. As we had hoped, we had 100 registered to attend. Low and Regular tables had to be set up with tablecloths; Seder plates, wine glasses, festival candles and Haggadahs had to be placed.
The Tables were set up on half of the Family Life Center (Gym). The other half of the gym was left open for some Israeli Folk Dance as we concluded the evening with a time of praise and worship. Some chose to wear Biblical-style costumes. Shaul & Shoshanah, Melba, Doug, Myrl and Becky 
Lynda & Doug, Carolyn & Curtis, Paul & Shoshanah, Janice & Chuck, Myrl & Duke 
It was wonderful seeing so many families come together to celebrate Pesach.
Jew, Gentile, young, old - all gathered together for this appointed time.
As the evening begins, we light the festival candles. Baruch atah Adonai Eloheynu Melech ha'olam,
Asher kidshanu bidevaro u'vishmo anachnu madlikim haneyrot shel yom tov.
Blessed are You, O Lord our God, Ruler of the universe,
Who has set us apart by His Word, and in whose Name we light the festival lights.Matthew 26 : 17 Now the first day of the feast of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus (Yeshua), saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the Passover (Seder)? (KJV)
The Seder plate contained parsley, horseradish, a horseradish root, a lamb bone, an egg and haroseth.
Four cups of wine are poured and drunk during the Pesach Seder. Each cup has a specific meaning.
1. Cup of Sanctification
2. Cup of Plagues
3. Cup of Redemption
4. Cup of PraiseBaruch atah Adonai Eloheynu, Melech ha'olam
Borey pri hagafen.
Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the Universe,
Who created the fruit of the vine.Mattiyahu/Matthew 26:26-29 While they were eating, Yeshua took a piece of matzah, made the b'rakhah (blessing) broke it, gave it to the talmidim (disciples) and said, "Take! Eat! This is my body!" Also he took a cup of wine, made the b'rakhah (blessing), and gave it to them, saying, "All of you, drink from it! For this is my blood, which ratifies the New Covenant, my blood shed on behalf of many, so that they may have their sins forgiven." (The Complete Jewish Bible)
A matzahtash contains three pieces of matzah. See how the matzah is pierced and striped. Isaiah 53:6 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (KJV)
The middle piece is taken out and broken. The blessing is recited.Baruch atah Adonai Eloheynu, Melech ha'olam
Hamotzi lechem min ha'aretz
Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the Universe,
Who brings forth bread from the earthHalf of the broken piece of matzah is wrapped in a white cloth and hidden away.
It will be "redeemed" later if a child has found it.Matthew 27:57-60 As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea,
named Joseph (Yosef), who had himself become a disciple (talmid) of Jesus (Yeshua). Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ (Yeshua’s) body, and Pilate ordered that it be given
to him. Joseph (Yosef) took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it
in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front
of the entrance to the tomb and went away. (NIV)The cup, a symbol of joy, is filled a second time. We remember the great cost at which redemption was purchased. As the 10 plagues are recited three times, we dip our finger into the cup of wine and allow a drop to fall, reducing the fullness of our cup of joy this night.
Blood! Frogs! Lice! Beast! Cattle Disease! Boils! Hail! Locusts! Darkness! Death of the Firstborn!
(Left) Susan & Janice (Right) Chalmers with Bruce & Grayson
Pausing for the meal.
Unleavened bread (matzah) is eaten during the 7 (or 8) days of Pesach.
Beth, with her husband, Brad, and their children Savanna & Alexandria.
Bruce & Becky with their family. 
(Above) It was nice having so many teenagers join their families and friends for the evening.
(Left) Christian Morris, Hawke Kelley and Ben Melnyk. (Right) Kirk, Andy & Sam
Joe (Left) spends some time talking with the Berkowitz family. Bruce & Kathy were joined by their three sons, Grayson, Zachary & Benjamin.
(Left) Andy & Jane with 3 of their children - Mary, Peter and Sam.
(Right) Paul & Susan spent time with their friends Scott & Terry.
Some had been to many Pesach Seders before. For others, this was their first Seder.
Some lived nearby, while others traveled a long distance in order to join us for the Seder.
(Left) More of our teenagers and their moms. (Right) Bill & Nancy joined us again this year. 
Old and new friends from Hope of Israel Congregation in Charlotte, NC joined us.
At the end of the evening, we spent some time in Praise, Worship & Dance.
Jew, Gentile, Men, women, young, old, teenagers and children all joined us in worshipping Yahweh.
Tehillim/Psalms 149:3 Let them praise his name with dancing ("machol"- Hebrew; a round circle dance), make melody to Him with tambourine and lyre, for Yahweh takes delight in his people, he crowns the humble with salvation. (Complete Jewish Bible)
"He Shall Reign Over All the Earth" by Paul Wilbur - Zemer Atik 2 Samuel 6:14 And David danced before the LORD with all his might; (KJV)
(The English word "danced" comes from the Hebrew word øøkÈ - kaòrar,
and means to dance or to whirl.)"Baruch Adonai" by Lamb - Im Hupal Nu
"Baruch Ha Ba B'Shem Adonai" by Paul Wilbur - Mikamocha
(Left) Alexandria, gets out behind the dancers and copies
the adults, teens and older children. Children learn so much from our example.
(Left) Savanna & Allie.
(Right) "Adonai" by Paul Wilbur - Sisu V'Simchu1 Corinthians 5:7-8 ... For our Pesach lamb, the Messiah, has been sacrificed.
So let us celebrate the Seder ... (Complete Jewish Bible)
Leviticus 23:15 And ye shall count unto you from the morrow after the Sabbath, from the day that ye brought the sheaf of the wave-offering; seven Sabbaths shall be complete: Even unto the morrow after the seventh Sabbath shall ye number fifty days; and ye shall offer a new meat-offering unto the Lord. And ye shall proclaim on the selfsame day, that it may be an holy convocation unto you: ye shall do no servile work therein: it shall be a statute for ever in all your dwellings throughout your generations. (KJV)
The Book of Ruth is read during Shavuot. The story tells of her marriage and conversion which took place during the harvest season, from the beginning of the barley harvest to the conclusion of the wheat harvest. Through her marriage to Boaz, Ruth, a gentile, became the great-grandmother of King David, who was born and died on Shavuot. She became the mother of the royal lineage of David. It was also from this lineage that our “Kinsman-Redeemer” came -Yeshua Ha’Mashiach, Yeshua the Messiah.
Rather than read Ruth, we had our second annual Shavuot play. The characters are cast spontaneously on the night of the play, which adds to the fun of the evening.
After the death of their husbands, Naomi (Doris) encourages her daughter-in-law, Ruth, to return to her home and people. Ruth refuses, saying, "Don't urge me to leave you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God, my God. Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me."
Ruth tells Naomi that she will go to the fields of Boaz, a Kinsman-Redeemer, to pick up the leftover grain.
(Left to Right) Naomi (Doris), Ruth (Susan), Boaz (Paul),
Kinsman (Kirk), Field Foreman (Doug)Ruth finds favor in Boaz's eyes and he tells her that he will "redeem" her if a nearer kinsman will not.
The nearer kinsman (left) declines the opportunity to redeem and marry Ruth, giving Boaz the opportunity to do so. After their marriage, Ruth gave birth to Obed. Boaz was the father of Obed, Obed was the father of Jesse, and Jesse was the father of David, who became King over all of Israel.
(Below) Ruth & Boaz see baby Obed for the first time during the play.
2007 Cast
(Left to Right) Director (Curtis), Kinsman (Kirk), Woman from the City (Allison), Naomi (Doris), Orpah (Laura), Ruth (Susan), Field Foreman (Doug), Boaz (Paul), Narrator (Myrl)
It was our privilege to be back at the Zion Center Worship Arts Conference again this year. This was the 11th year for this "Dance Camp" that is sponsored by Resurrection Lutheran Church in Charlotte. Carolyn and I had the opportunity to teach each morning July 23 - 27 in the Israeli Folk Dance technique block.
Monday
Working on the dance "Sulam Yaakov/Jacob's Ladder"
The class was an hour and 25 minutes each day. Classes included those who had no dance experience as well as those who had danced Israeli Folk Dance for years. On Monday we learned "Zemer Atik", "Od Lo Ahavti Dai", "Sulam Yaakov", "Debka Kafrit", "Mikamocha", "Shibolet Basadeh", "Mayim Mayim" and "Bai Ya Meem". It was a "full" morning.
Tuesday
One of our dances for Tuesday was "Chofesh/Freedom"
"Step Right & Left, Hora Right, Step Left & Right, Hora Left, Balance, Balance, Cross Cross,
Hop on Right, Lean back on Left - Right Heel forward"We included Yemenite steps on Tuesday. Dances were more advanced, so we didn't cover as many. We learned "Chofesh", "Hine Ma Tov", "Hora Chadera", "Hora Kendal" and "Sheleg Al Iri".
"Chofesh/Freedom"
"Hine Ma Tov / Behold How Good"
We learned 3 different variations for the second part of "Hine Ma Tov"
"Hora Kendal"
"Hora Kendal" included a hopping-tcherkessiah and a hopping-double-Yemenite
"Sheleg Al Iri / Snow on the Mountain"
Wednesday
We gained a few new dancers Wednesday. Dances for the morning class included "Tsadik Katimar", "Sisu V'Simchu", "Hora Agadatti" and "Debka Mimouna".
"Debka Mimouna"
They caught on easily to the 360 degree clap & turn
I picked up an extra class for eight ladies who were interested in Israeli Folk Dance, but had never danced before. We had a wonderful time as they learned basic & Chassidic hand positions and Israeli Folk Dance vocabulary - mayim, balance, coupe, tcherkessia, yemenite, hora, and so on.
They had never done Israeli Folk Dance before, but they did great and their enthusiasm was contagious!
They learned Mayim/Balance/Skip-Hop, "Zemer Atik" and "Im Hupalnu".Thursday
On Thursday we moved to one of the dance studios at Central Piedmont Community College and gained some students from the Ballet & Modern Tracks. We learned "Od Lo Ahavti Dai", "Sisu V'Simchu", "Shir Ha Shirim" and "Sing & Dance".
We started with the lively fast-stepping dance, "Od Lo Ahavti Dai"
"Tcherkessia, Tcherkessia"
"In 2 3 Clap, Out 2 3 Double-Clap"
"Shir Ha Shirim - Song of Songs"
"Shir Ha Shirim" included Debka steps, pivot-turns and lots of Yemenites
A little "one-on-one" tutoring
"Can you tell me how to do that step again?"
Dancers line up behind me as we worked on Jonathan Settel's "Sing & Dance"
"Walking Right Left Right Left, Tcherkessiah"
Friday
On Friday we continued to work on Jonathan Settel's "Sing & Dance", "Shir Ha Shirim/Song of Songs" and learned to dance to Paul Wilbur's "Kadosh" - a wonderful worship dance.
"Kadosh"
Pretending that we have just lit Shabbat candles, the dance begins.
"Tcherkessia to the center, eyes covered, Right 3-point-turn, Tcherkessia to center, Left Mayim."
"Step Right, Drag Left, Step Right, Drag Left"
Click HERE to continue to 2007, page 2 (August to December)
