The Advocate

(Cyrus restoring the vessels of the temple, by Gustave Dor é) The Cyrus Cylinder is the archaeological evidence supporting ancient Jewish history of our people's return to Israel in 539 BCE following the destruction of the Neo-Babylonian Empire by Cyrus the Great of the Achaemenid Empire. From this event came the terms Shivat Tzion and aliyah . Take note and take care.

( Credit: Alex Levin ) Are Jews indigenous or nah? Honestly, this is a complicated question that divides even Jewish people! However, I like the answer given by Mahrinah von Schlegel, an indigenous advocate belonging to the Tewa people of the Northern Rio Grande Pueblos who is also a Sephardic Jew: "Judaism is a land-based agricultural religion. We have had a spiritual and stewardship relationship with the land of Israel since the beginning of our collective memory. Land relationships and stewardship is a critical foundation for any tribe's indigeneity." You can read more about her views at this Newsweek article . Take note and take care.