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 Daniel Rona was born in Israel and raised in the United States. He and his father joined the LDS church while living in New York. They moved to Salt Lake City. Daniel later served an LDS Mission in Germany. So he is an Israeli, an American, a Mormon and a Jew, and he and his son, Steven, are the only LDS licensed guides in Israel"  Galilee boats |
Daniel Rona's Holy Land Blog This is my personal blog
to help all of you get to
know me better and to let you know what I am doing and
what's important in my life; also to give you some
interesting information about my home, Israel.
You can contact me with comments through email (daniel@israelrona.com).
This blog generally shows the newest entries at
the top and the oldest entries at the bottom. I hope you
enjoy reading it and seeing some of the photographs, and
if you click on
the image, you will see a larger view. Also, you
may click
on the hi-lighted text for a link to more information.
-- Daniel
Rona |
IDENTITY THEFT SHIELD Independent associate ISRAEL REVEALED WEBSITE Information about Israel & travel to the Holy Lands FIRESIDES Daniel's fireside schedules The Ensign Foundation Bringing together Joseph & Judah ARCHIVE INDEX: Passover Meals Green Israel Planting Trees in Israel America Israel League Book of Mormon Lands Safety in Israel My Early Life  Galilee
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March 18, 2010 TIME AND AGAIN Israel time is nine hours ahead of Salt Lake City time. So if you called me at 5:00 pm on a Saturday it would be 1:00 am Sunday morning in Jerusalem. Talk about jet lag! Sometimes my body doesn't know if I should be sleeping or getting up. And the mornings do come earlier here. If you want to see the sun rise on the Galilee, you better be up by 4:00 am. It is early, but seeing the Galilee with the orange glow of sunrise is an inspirational experience you don't want to miss. There is something unexplainable about time and place in Israel. You can't help but feel it as soon as you step off the plane. The air and sun are different here, you sense it everywhere you go. The Holy Land has an ambience unlike any other place in the world. It is my privilege to be part of this landscape and help Latter-day Saints experience the remarkable feelings of the holy land of Israel. |
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March 3, 2010 GALILEE FISHERMEN Driving along the shore of the Sea of Galilee I see today's fishermen throwing nets into the sea. They remind me of the earlier Galilean fisherman, who threw their nets aside, even though they were filled beyond belief. "And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." (Matthew 4:19) Simple men becoming his disciples, learned at his feet. They observed authoritative kindness as He healed a man possessed of many evil spirits, helping him become himself again. While reading that account at Kursi, just below some cliffs where swine might have cast themselves down, still brings me a spirit of awe. The miracles of Capernaum still keep reminding me of his powerful saving grace. I still see Talitha, "curly locks", rise from the dead so that her family can be together again. I can hear him teach that "Families Can be Together Forever." Of Jesus' three year ministry, eighteen events are described in the first year, twenty-seven are described in the second year, and one-hundred-fifty are described in the third year, seventy-five of which happened within the last hundred and twenty hours of his life. These hours in Jerusalem are the most important in eternity. Recalling these events becomes more vivid to me as I see newly unearthed ruins of Jesus time. This helps me reflect on his eternal gift of life. I so appreciate walking in his footsteps again and again and, as more time goes on, discovering more of them! |
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November 11, 2009 CHRISTMAS TIME IN ISRAEL When I'm in the Holy Land around Christmas time, I begin to think about the people who lived here that first Christmas and what their thoughts might have been. I can almost feel the presence of the shepherds and innkeepers when I am near the places where those wonderful events took place. I can almost imagine what my thoughts would have been. What would you have felt and thought? It's easy to speculate about what it would have been like, but would any of us have known enough to open our doors to the Holy Family? I hope so. It is wondrous to contemplate what we would have felt, especially when we stand in those holy places. It is a feeling that will surprise you and lift you. It always does that for me. |
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October 1, 2009 STATISTICS ABOUT ISRAEL Here are some interesting statistics that show how Israel fares with the rest of the world. Israel leads the world in the number of scientists and technicians in the workforce, with 145 per 10,000, as opposed to 85 in the U.S., over 70 in Japan, and less than 60 in Germany. With over 25% of its work force employed in technical professions, Israel places first in this category as well. Israel has the highest ratio of university degrees to the population in the world. Israel has the highest per capita ratio of scientific publications in the world by a large margin, as well as one of the highest per capita rates of patents filed. In proportion to its population, Israel has the largest number of startup companies in the world. In absolute terms, Israel has the largest number of startup companies than any other country in the world, except the. Israel has the highest percentage in the world of home computers per capita. Israel's economy is larger than all of its immediate neighbors combined. And of special note, the cell phone was developed in Israel by Motorola-Israel. Motorola built its largest development center worldwide in Israel. For a little country, Israel does very well. |
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September 15, 2009 WALKING ON WATER At the Sea of Galilee many people often think that with enough faith even they could walk on water. One of my Israeli colleagues teaches people to walk on hot coals. One day he asked if I would like to walk on hot coals. I asked him what purpose would it serve for me to be able to do that. He responded, "Once I've taught you to walk on hot coals, you can do anything you want to in life." But I thought, "I don't want to do what I WANT, I want to do what the LORD WANTS." The idea of walking on hot coals seems to be framed in a resemblance of true faith -- an echo of the truth -- and might draw one away from the true doctrine of doing what the Lord wants us to do and having the true faith to follow Him. An ancient example of this can be seen when the tribe of Dan moved from the foothills of Judea to the luscious and fertile North where the living headwaters of the Jordan River bubble out of the ground. Soon, they began to worship idols instead of God (Judges 18:30-32). Visiting this beautiful area today, you can readily see how it might be easier to worship nature instead of God. The Gods of Baal were replacements, imitations and resemblances for the true God of Israel. Another false echo of the truth. |
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September
1, 2009 JEWISH WORD OF WISDOM I've often been asked about the "Word of Wisdom" and how it applies to people other than Mormons. Actually, the Lord gave the Children of Israel a law of health. It also could be called a "Word of Wisdom." The Jews call it the Kashrut, or being kosher -- the correct, proper or fit way of living, Even today, there are some Jews who will not eat meat because there are no sacrifices, and the meat cannot be prepared in the correct way. Others will only eat meat that is kosher. Down through history Jews have often died as martyrs rather than break the dietary laws of the Kashrut. In our own day, the Jews in the concentration camps of Nazi Germany stubbornly stayed true to the laws of the Kashrut, in spite of cruel Nazi punishment for doing so. The biblical account of Daniel shows his humble dedication to the Lord's principles of proper living. His unswerving obedience to the "Word of Wisdom" or "Kashrut" is an example for many people today who are committed to keeping their health code. |
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August 5, 2009 BOOKSELLERS ARCHAEOLOGY DIG "DISCOVERING TREASURES" was the theme of this years LDS Booksellers Association Convention. And Holy Lands Revealed happily complied with a replica of an archaeological dig hiding "genuine" artifacts to be discovered by guests to the our Holy Lands Revealed booth. However, unlike an authentic archaeology dig in Israel, the guests got to keep what they found. It was great fun as old and young alike dug through the dirt frantically in search of treasures. The Holy Lands Revealed staff made sure everyone found something. In between "digs", I shared my witness that most of our treasures in this life come from a secure identity and knowing who we are. Of course, I firmly believe a visit to the Holy Land gives us an insight to who we are and where we came from. |
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July 29, 2009 MORMON HERITAGE IN ISRAEL I believe that Mormon heritage in Israel begins with Jewish roots and I've dedicated my life to showing this bridge connecting the ancient Holy Land with the New Promised Land. My connection with Mormon heritage tours in Israel is authentic because I am an Israeli, an American, a Mormon and a Jew. I was born in Israel, my residence is in Israel, I participated in the development and history of the Jerusalem Center, and I have been a church leader in Israel, and for more than 30-years, I have been the only licensed LDS guide in Israel. All this gives me a real Mormon heritage perspective in the Holy Land. |
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July 15, 2009 |
 Jerusalem Temple |
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 The Garden Tomb |
June 18, 2009 ANCIENT FOOTSTEPS NOT MODERN As usual, during our tours in Israel we stay away from modern public places such as discos, night cubs or pizza places. Our journey is to follow the ancient footsteps of the Lord and feel the Biblical events. We are blessed. We pray daily as the touring begins and the Lord gives us sweet experiences. It is certain that those who came to Israel last year were blessed to report their experiences to their families and friends. Many quietly whispered their witness that this was the time they needed to be in Israel. Others are awaiting the same experiences. And you know that Israel will be there - for you and for me! Jerusalem is the eternal city and Israel is a gathering place as appointed by the Lord. |
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May 12, 2009 TRADITIONAL JEWISH PRACTICES It is always a pleasure for me to demonstrate and explain traditional Jewish practices. LDS members are often surprised at the similarities with LDS customs and traditions. The Talith has symbolic representations that relate to a lamb and therefore the Savior. It is also the basis for the national Israeli flag. David Wolffsohn, who attended the First Zionist Congress in 1897, tells the story of the birth of the Israeli flag: "At the behest of our leader Herzl, I came to Basle to make preparations for the Zionist Congress… What flag would we hang in the Congress Hall? We have a flag--and it is blue and white. The TALITH with which we wrap ourselves when we pray: that is our symbol. Let us take this Talith from its bag and unroll it before the eyes of Israel and the eyes of all nations. So I ordered a blue and white flag with the Shield of David painted upon it. That is how the national flag, that flew over Congress Hall, came into being.” The Menorah has always fascinated people because of its striking visual image. It is a seven-branched candelabrum that has been a symbol of Judaism for almost 3000 years. It is the emblem of Israel and was used in the ancient Holy Temple of Jerusalem. The menorah in the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem had seven branches. After those Temples were destroyed, rabbis did not want to duplicate anything from the Temple and it became a tradition to use six-branched menoras. However, in modern times, some rabbis have gone back to the seven-branched menoras. Probably the best known of Jewish traditions is the Mezuzah, a small parchment scroll made from the skin of a clean (permitted) animal, which is rolled up inside a case with a small opening in such a way that the word Shaddai (Almighty) is visible through the opening. The Torah commands of these verses that "you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and in your gates." The 12th century rabbinic authority, Maimonides, stresses that this commandment is to be observed purely from love of God, and that the mezuzah is not a good luck charm with power to ward off evil spirits. Many people, however, are accustomed to kiss the mezuzah or to touch it and then kiss the fingers when entering or leaving the house. |
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April 22, 2009 GOOD TO BE BUSY This Friday I’m leaving for Israel to tour a group of 16, and then the following week I’ll be touring 46. After that, about 38 German Saints are making their annual pilgrimage to Israel with me. Their group is called “LDS Books” and they are dedicated to translating the greatest LDS books into German – and they've included our book, “Israel Revealed” in the list. It’s always good to be busy, especially when the work is connected to the Gospel and to the welfare of the people around me. So it appears that things are looking up this summer and I can look forward to helping many people with the gospel and with financial security. |
 The other Rona guide, Steven |
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April 18, 2009 |
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March
21, 2009 GOING HOME TO ISRAEL Traveling to Israel is always like going home no matter where you were born. That's the way it is for me even though I spend much of my time in Utah these days. Marilyn and I have lived in Israel during the past thirty plus years, and raised our children there, but whenever we return it's not a visit because it's home for us. There is always a feeling of excitement as I return to Israel and anticipate walking again in the footsteps of the Messiah. |
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 Lilies of the Field |
March 2, 2009 ISRAEL GREEN I have to laugh when people ask me if Israel is a desert. In many areas of the country it is green and beautiful. So many visitors to the Holy Land are pleasantly impressed that their former perceptions of Israel being "flat, dry and dangerous" are quickly being replaced as they experience the peace, greenery and mountains of Israel. In Biblical times, Jerusalem, as well as most of the land of Israel was filled by thick, green forests of almond, olive and pine trees. But in the course of numerous wars and settlements, much of this lush greenery was destroyed and the soil left to dry out in the summer sun and wash away in the heavy winter rains. Various conquerors even deliberately burned the trees down. From earliest times farmers were forced to terrace the ground and build stone fences along the slopes to hold back the soil. This stone terracing is still in evidence all along Israel's landscape. A deliberate attempt has been made in modern times to replant trees, and now the ancient highways and hillsides are once again flanked by heavily forested areas. A philanthropic organization, the Jewish National Fund, has reclaimed close to a half-million acres by draining swamps, clearing and leveling the land. Jewish settlers, students and tourists have planted close to three-hundred million trees. |
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Marilyn
Rona TREES IN ISRAEL Every time a tree is planted in Israel the following prayer is said: "Thou who buildest Zion and Jerusalem take pleasure in Thy land and bestow upon it of Thy goodness and Thy grace. Give dew for a blessing and cause beneficent rains to fall in their season and her valleys and to water thereon every plant and tree and these saplings which we plant before Thee this day. Make deep their roots and wide their crown that they may blossom forth in grace amongst all the trees in Israel for good and for beauty . . . and strengthen the hands of all our brethren who toil to revive the sacred soil and make fruitful its wastes. Bless, O Lord, their might and may the work of their hands find favor before Thee. Look down from Thy holy habitation from heaven and bless this land that it may flow again with milk and honey." At the time that Orson Hyde journeyed in the Holy Land in 1841 to dedicate the Land, it was a waste land with a barrenness of dire proportions and remained so through the beginning of the 1900's. In Elder Hyde's memorable dedicatory prayer, he petitions the Lord to remove the sterility from the land known in Biblical times as a Land of flowing with Milk and Honey. Since the establishment of Keren Kayemet Le Yisrael in 1901, there has been a caring effort in repairing and restoring Israel's vast, neglected landscapes. To this end, over 200 million trees have been planted, transforming barren, rocky hills into lush, green forests. This project is remarkable amongst forestation efforts worldwide. Trees in Israel have been lovingly planted by people from all corners of the globe to honor loved ones or to commemorate someone dear. Thus, the forests are living legacies populated by billions of trees dedicated to millions of Israel's many friends through out the world. It is a tradition in Israel to plant a tree in memory of a loved one who has passed on. This tradition is magnified if the tree is planted in memory of a fallen soldier, showing a hope that a stripling's life will be restored the same way the Land's life has been replenished. And so, today, the saplings of the land . . . planted with dedicated hands become warriors . . . reclaiming the forsaken fertility of the land and transforming barren, rocky hills into lush, green forests. |
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February
24, 2009 ALL AGES LOVE ISRAEL I really enjoy the wide variety of people who travel with me to Israel every year. It is fun to get to know people of all ages and walks of life who want to experience the Holy Land. We have especially enjoyed the youth who have walked in the footsteps of Jesus with us and who now open their scriptures with new insight and understanding. Many of the families who have traveled with us have experienced the peace and serenity that they had found together while sitting on the Mount of Beatitudes or lingering at the Garden Tomb. It is a learning moment like none other for children of all ages. I often wonder what my life would have been like if I had never been in the Holy Land of Israel. |
 Here I am with a group on the Mount of Beatitudes |
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August
13,
2008 AMERICA ISRAEL FRIENDSHIP LEAGUE It was a privilege to help organize a special conference for The America Israel Friendship League of Utah which was called, "The Light Unto the Nations." The conference was held at the South Towne Expo Center in Sandy, Utah. It was an amazing event with many members of the community supporting it, including Utah's Attorney General, Mark Shurtleff, Rabbi Aron Heir of the Simon Wiesenthal Center in Los Angeles, and Willam Behrer, CEO of the National American-Israel Friendship League. Sam Glaser from Los Angeles entertained us with uplifting and energizing music. Proceeds will fund our Youth and Community Leadership Ambassador Program which sends youth and community leaders on friendship exchanges between Utah and Israel. |
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January 4,
2008 A VILLAGE WITH TWO NAMES There is a village in Israel that has two names: Neve Shalom and Wahat al-Salam. It is a cooperative village of Jews and Palestinian Arabs of Israeli citizenship. The village is situated between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv-Jaffa. Neve Shalom (in Hebrew) or Wahat al-Salam, (in Arabic) and it is home to both Jewish and Arab families. Jews and Muslims live side by side and work together in Neve Shalom's guest house, offices and schools. The children speak both Arabic and Hebrew and go to classes taught by an Arab and Jewish instructors. Students organize activities for Islamic and Jewish holidays, and learn about the history of the land from Israeli and Palestinian viewpoints. This village is an example of the best way for people to overcome prejudice by working together as neighbors and friends. |
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May 7, 2008 FIRESIDES ABOUT ISRAEL I've been giving firesides for many years, and have gotten to know wonderful people as I've traveled all over the country speaking about the Holy Land of Israel. If any of you want to attend one of my firesides you can see the schedule at my website www.israelrevealed.com -- just click on firesides. |
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December 12, 2007 BOOK OF MORMON LANDS Just as Lehi and Nephi left Jerusalem for a new promised land, I try to bring the Holy Land of Israel and the Book of Mormon Holy Land together. My groups sail the “Waters of Mormon,” and read King Benjamin’s address at a perfect Zarahemla setting. We often feel the Lord’s spirit as we relate the Savior’s appearance to the Nephites while sitting at ancient Mayan ruins showing the descending “upside down” God. These images and locations help us all feel the spiritual bond of the Children of Israel as they embrace the Savior in the New Promised Land. It always gives me new insight and understanding as I contemplate the fascinating Jewish/Biblical origins of recently unearthed glyphs, art and culture of Central America. The Book of Mormon Lands really bring Joseph and Judah together. |
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June 2006 SAFETY IN ISRAEL People often ask me about safety in Israel, and I have to say that it is more peaceful and safe on the streets of Israel than most US cities, including Salt Lake. My family has lived in Israel more than thirty years in safety -- it is a great place to raise children. We do not remember a single report of a tourist being harmed in the all the years we have lived in Israel. |
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ABOUT DANIEL RONA
I was born Daniel Denis Rosenthal in 1941 in the British Mandate of Palestine, where my German-Jewish parents had met and married after fleeing the Holocaust. my first five years growing up in Israel profoundly shaped my character. At the age of five, my parents separated, and I moved to New York City with my father, Herbert Rosenthal. Jewish heritage with its traditions and holiday observances were always a part of my identity and childhood upbringing. (my biography is on my website) My father, deeply troubled by his own survival when his parents had perished in Auschwitz, was earnestly seeking answers. He was perplexed that God could allow six million Jews to perish without giving any warning. In a one-time Manhattan synagogue, my father found where an LDS Ward happened to meet. He was impressed by the message of living prophets and the obvious truth he recognized therein. He was also amazed by the Israelite connection of “Joseph and Judah.” He wanted to become a member immediately, but was persuaded to wait until he was fully prepared, understanding that his baptism was a fulfilling step in his Jewish identity. Upon moving to Salt Lake City with my father, I developed a strong sense of gratitude for American freedoms and opportunities, while never diminishing my Jewish individuality. My father changed the family name from Rosenthal to Rona when we became U.S. citizens. |
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