Some background information on Cyrus shows the respect and honor he has in Jewish History. There are some interesting parallels of his proclamation with that of the proclamation given by the Foreign Minister of England, Sir Arthur James, Earl of Balfour. His declaration called for the return of the Jews to their homeland in 1917.

"Cyrus, king of Persia from 559 to 529 B.C.E., holds a special place in the history of Israel."

"The Jews, having been denied the right to return to their home in Erez Israel, anxiously and hopefully watched the steady advance of the Persian conqueror. Cyrus seized control of Media and then, in 539 B.C.E. conquered Nebuchadnezzar's huge Babylonian empire."

"Cyrus was a humane conqueror. In keeping with his general policy of benevolence toward his subject peoples, he not only granted permission to the Jews to return to their homeland, but he restored to the exiles the sacred vessels belonging to the Temple, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken and placed as trophies of victory in the temple of Bel. With the return of a large group of the exiles, a new chapter in the history of Israel began --- the period of the Second Temple."

"The small community of Jews who had remained in Israel throughout the exile period was bolstered by the influx of a large number of the exiled who were now able to return and, under the leadership of Ezra and Nehemiah, began to rebuild the Temple, repair Jerusalem, and revive a sense of religious and national consciousness."

"The Talmud teaches that the ingathering of the exiled kingdoms will be part of the coming of the Messiah. The great exile to Babylonia in the sixth century B.C.E. was ended by Cyrus the Great of Persia. However, the rabbis did not consider his proclamation and the return at that time to be the Ingathering of the Exiles since it was incomplete. The day of the ingathering, the rabbis write, will be "as great as the day on which heaven and earth were created." (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)

The subject of the ingathering of the Jews rippled through Europe at the beginning of the twentieth century. Schemes were hatched to "get the Jews out" of Europe, maybe they should gather to Uganda!

"In 1903 the Zionist movement was shaken by the introduction of the Uganda Scheme, which proposed that the Jews settle in the East African Protectorate of Uganda rather than the disputed territory of Palestine. Weizmann was among the opponents of this plan, unwilling to agree to Zionism without Zion. By a quirk of fate this adamant stand gained him an introduction to British leader Arthur James Balfour, who was later to play an important role in the establishment of the Jewish state. Balfour had been puzzled by the Zionist rejection of the Uganda plan and asked Weizmann to explain this step. Weizmann then asked Balfour whether, if he were offered Paris he would abandon London. Balfour answered, "No, London is the capital of my country." Weizmann replied, "Jerusalem was the capital of our country when London was a marsh."

Subsequently, the Balfour Declaration, calling for the ingathering of the Jews, brought exhilaration to Jews and other who cherished the biblical prophesies of the gathering of the Children of Israel.

"Lord Balfour, who was a British statesman, first began to take an interest in the Jewish question in 1902--1903, when Theodor Herzl spoke with Joseph Chamberlain, the British colonial secretary and with Lord Lansdowne, the foreign secretary, about a homeland for the Jews. Lord Balfour was prime minister at that time."

"He listened sympathetically to both Theodor Herzl and Chaim Weizmann. The latter met Balfour in 1906, and spoke to him about the need to build a Jewish homeland on the soil of what was then Palestine. Lord Balfour's interest in Zionism grew more intense during World War I, when he became foreign secretary."

"The meetings with Weizmann eventually led to the Balfour Declaration, which he signed in 1917. This was England's declaration of approval that "a national home for the Jewish people" be built in Palestine. In 1925 Balfour accepted an invitation to open the Hebrew University on Mount Scopus in Jerusalem. He made the then difficult journey to Jerusalem at the age of 77, in the company of his niece and her husband, who served as Balfour's private secretary. Another niece, Blanche Dugdale, worked closely with Chaim Weizmann."

"News of Balfour's letter brought joy to Jewish communities throughout the world. Copies of the Declaration were showered from airplanes over Jewish townships in Germany, Austria and Poland, and on the shores of the Black Sea. 200,000 Jews rallied at Odessa, Russia, bearing banners inscribed "Land and Freedom in Erez Israel!" (Their enthusiasm was soon silenced when the Communists came to power in the same year.) The Declaration was compared to the Persian King Cyrus' permission to the exiled Jewish captives in the sixth century B.C.E. to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple."

"Zerubbabel, leader of a group of Jews returning from Babylonian exile in the sixth century B.C.E. to rebuild the Temple in Jerusalem. Zerubbabel (whose name means "scion of Babylon") was a descendant of exiled King Jehoiachin of Judah. He and Joshua, son of Jehozadak the high priest, brought the first group of Jews back to the Holy Land and began the formidable task of reconstructing the Temple. Despite the harassment of neighboring peoples and the depressing barrenness and desolation of Jerusalem, they managed to set up the altar, reinstitute the sacrificial service and celebrate the Feast of Sukkot. In the second year of their return they began laying the foundations of the Temple, but their efforts were soon forced to a halt. Distrustful of the non-Jewish tribes, Zerubbabel refused their offer of help and, in retaliation, these neighboring groups blocked all further construction attempts."

"For years the site remained untouched until finally the prophets Haggai and Zechariah began exhorting the Jews to complete the unfinished task. Once more Zerubbabel and Joshua took up the challenge and this time the Temple was erected."

"Zerubbabel is fondly remembered by the Jews for his accomplishment. The Second Temple is often referred to as the Temple of Zerubbabel and in the Hanukkah hymn Ma'oz Zur, lauding Israel's past redeemers, the "end of Babylon" is associated with Zerubbabel." (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)

The building of the Temple as well as the city walls was met with resistance by some in and outside the Israel community. The Samaritans, who were denied the right to assist in the Temple construction and later worked against it, however, still claim to be part of Israel.

"Samaritans (are) a small religious sect residing in Israel whose members consider themselves to be direct descendants of the Israelite tribes."

"According to Samaritan history, they broke away from the Israelites in the 11th century B.C.E., refusing to accept a change in the location of the religious capital. To this day the Samaritans maintain that Mount Gerizim near Shechem (Nablus, in northern Israel) is the place chosen by God as the center of Israelite worship and not Mount Moriah in Jerusalem. They have therefore continued to live around Shechem and to make pilgrimages to Mount Gerizim."

"The Samaritans refused to accept any of the Jewish religious writings which followed their split with the Israelites. Their religion is therefore based mainly on the Five Books of Moses. Neither the Mishnah nor the Talmud is regarded as valid. But Samaritans adhere strictly to the laws of the Pentateuch and have maintained biblical traditions and rituals for thousands of years. Thus, while the Jews ceased to offer sacrifices after the destruction of the Second Temple, the Samaritans still celebrate the sacrifice of the Paschal lamb on Mount Gerizim each Passover, and all Samaritan families share in the ritual slaughter and feasting. The Samaritans also make pilgrimages to Mount Gerizim on the three pilgrim festivals of Passover, Shavuot and Sukkot, and continue to observe Rosh Ha-Shanah, Yom Kippur and Simhat Torah. They do not celebrate Purim or Hanukkah, however, because these festivals are not mentioned in the Pentateuch and were instituted only after the split between the Samaritans and the Jews."

"As they use a different calendar system, the Jews and Samaritans rarely celebrate their holidays at the same time. Yet there is a distinct similarity between the two groups. The Samaritans also observe the Sabbath on Saturday and also maintain kashrut laws. They even have a bar mitzvah ceremony, but instead of on the boy's 13th birthday, they celebrate upon the completion of his basic religious studies, which can take place any time between the ages of six and ten."

"The Samaritan community is headed by priests who are interpreters of the law and keepers of the secret calendar. Until the 17th century these priests claimed direct descent from Aaron. But the last descendant died in 1624 and the priesthood passed to another family."

"The Samaritan population has remained small due to persecutions and plagues throughout the centuries. By the beginning of the 20th century there were only 150 of them left. With the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 this minute community was split into two centers --- one under Jordanian rule and the other in Israel. But the Six-Day War in 1967 ended the isolation of the two branches and under the protection of the Israel government, their population has grown to about 500 persons." (Encyclopedia Judaica Jr.)

There is an amazing parallel today of "Enemies of the Jews preventing them from building the wall" (or settling their ancient country) nowadays with the ancient days. Even Orthodox Jews maintain that the State of Israel is not legitimate because it was not restored by the Messiah!

A similar matter of dissent and subsequent success is when the State of Israel’s government had approved the building of the "Mormon" center on Mount Scopus where the BYU Study program is currently located. The building was well under way when an Orthodox Jewish group (dedicated to crushing Christian activities) started a twofold campaign. First was discrediting the government (which they did not support anyway) for allowing the BYU facilities to continue. Secondly, striking a chord of antisemitism, they called the center a "missionary activity." (There are three kinds of antisemitism to the Jews, 1) Kill the Jews, 2) Let someone else kill the Jews, and 3) Convert the Jews). This same Orthodox group has attempted to pass a law against proselytizing in Israel and have failed. There is NO Israeli statute prohibiting missionary activity. Let it be known, however, missionary activity is deemed highly insensitive and frankly, antisemitic.

They did manage to pass a law that prohibits any type of bribe or payment to induce Jews to change their religion. (Mormons do not pay people to become members - - - they charge them!) BYU did sign a statement announcing they had no intention of doing missionary activities. President Howard W. Hunter also signed a statement to the same effect with the statement added, ". . . so long as such activity is prohibited by the government of Israel." The real reason Latter-day Saints are not proselytizing in Israel is because it is the Lord’s will.

"And the time cometh that he shall manifest himself unto all nations, both unto the Jews and also unto the Gentiles; and after he has manifested himself unto the Jews and also unto the Gentiles, then he shall manifest himself unto the Gentiles and also unto the Jews, and the last shall be first, and the first shall be last." (1 Nephi 13:42)

Israeli Government Leaders kept their commitment to allow the building. This Orthodox group did not manage to convince the Government to stop the BYU project. No legal precedent was established that might affect the Latter-day Saints or for that manner, any other church.

Likewise, latter-day attempts at undermining the existence of Israel, calling for eliminating Jerusalem as it capital or calling for the annihilation of Jews, will be met with the same response as in older times.

"And conspired all of them together to come and to fight against Jerusalem, and to hinder it. Nevertheless we made our prayer unto our God . . ." Nehemiah 4:8-9

"Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee." (Psalms 122:6)