AVI BINUR: MERCY GATE בָּרוּךְ הַשֵׁם
Stuart Katz: During World War II, President Manuel L. Quezon and the people of the Philippines did what no other country had the moral or ethical courage to do – they opened their doors to 10,000 German and Austrian Jewish refugees.

Stuart Katz: Over 500 species of coral dot its shores, along with countless caves, lagoons, and teeming marine life – such as over 20,000 different varieties of fish! These remarkable coastlines have earned the Philippines the title of Asia’s diving capital. The country also attracts international bird watchers, as it is home to at least 200 indigenous species and a total of over 600 bird species. Along some islands, dolphin watching is also a frequent pastime. Its mountainsides are filled with dramatic waterfalls and hidden caves, and clouds cling mysteriously to its highest mountain peaks.

Walang ligaya sa lupa na hindi dinilig ng luha.

Filipino Proverb: There is no earthly bliss not watered by tears.

Bnei Lot are of an ancient origin. In the migratory tradition of Ruth begun more than two millennia ago, a remnant of David and Solomon migrated into Maritime Southeast Asia which comprises what is now Brunei, East Timor, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, The Philippines, and Singapore, as well as Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia, with a sizeable minority of Malays migrating back to their tribal allotments in Sephardic Judah, besides Terrestrial and Figurative Jordan.