The Voice of Healing Church in Houston, Texas held an event last Monday in conjunction with Boneh Israel and the Israel Guys focusing on the recent efforts to reinstate the Biblical commandment of the Red Heifer.
The event was broadcast and recorded. It was hosted by VOH’s Pastor Michael Petro. Rabbi Itzchak (Tzachi) Mamo, Mo Bareli, and Byron Stinson representing Boneh Israel.
“The one thing we kept hearing, over and over, was that everyone felt so much love at the event,” Pastor Petro told Israel365 News. “Christians and Jews, we were all working towards the same vision with the same hopes which is remarkable since this event could never have taken place ten years ago. The Lord is pulling us together for a common purpose.”
The pastor has always been strangely drawn to learning about the Biblical sacrifices and, in particular, the ritual of the Red Heifer. Pastor Petro emphasized that the ritual has special significance for Christians and is described in the New Testament (Paul 13).
“Paul connects the red heifer to the Messiah,” Pastor Petro said. “He describes Jesus as going outside of the camp and this is a reference to the Red Heifer which was sacrificed outside of the camp. God kept his promise and brought the Jews back to Israel so now, whether you are on the Jewish side or the Christian side, we are clearly in a period of getting ready. The heifers are an essential part of that. The coming together of Jews and Christians is part of that as well.”
Moriel (Mo) Barelli, the representative from Boneh Israel, was inspired by the level of dual-faith cooperation manifested at the event.
“The theme of the event was redemption and how the red heifers play a major role in that,” Mo told Israel365 News. “It amazed me that when it came to redemption and the Third Temple, we all had so much in common. The people we met were connected to Torah and felt strongly that they wanted to be a part of the prophetic things happening in Israel right now. Of course, Christians and Jews have significant differences but it was very easy to focus on the important things we have in common.”
In September, Boneh Israel succeeded in bringing five red calves that were born in Texas to Israel with the intent of raising them to perform the commandment of the Red Heifer. The red heifers are now between 1 ½ and 2 years old. To replicate the ceremony mentioned in the Bible, they need to be at least two years old.
“The heifers will, God willing, be ready by Pesach next year,” Mo said. “All of the elements necessary, the land and the kohanim, are being made ready in the meantime.”
The flight to Israel and preparations cost over $250,000 dollars. Now that they are in Israel, the heifers will need to be raised until they are at least two years old. There are five heifers and the cost to feed them is $10 a day per cow. $50 feeds the entire group of cows for one day.Boneh Israel is currently building a Research and Educational Center in Ancient Shiloh where the heifers will be raised. Visitors will be able to see the Heifers, as well as experience and learn about the commandment of the Red Heifers. The site will also serve as a research center where a team of researchers and Rabbis will explore the possibilities to breed other pure Red Heifers. To learn more about Boneh Israel and its many projects, check out its website and Facebook page.
