A phone, a Taxi driver, and Jehovah ....

Being in a hurry to Manila airport I checked out from the great Peninsula hotel and ran to the taxi. After 100 meters of driving, trying to call (as I usually do in taxies), I noticed that my phone is not with me and started to wonder where did I leave it. Its probably in the hotel somewhere…. The taxi driver, noticing my annoyance offered to drive back to the hotel – and that’s what we did . Lucky me, the phone was found easily on the room’s table and I was relieved….

Returning to the taxi I thanked the driver and as usual started to talk on the phone in Hebrew. When I stopped talking for a while, the driver (presented himself as Andy) asked me if I am from Israel? It was quite amazing for me that a taxi driver in the very distant Philippines noticed that so easily… how does he know that this was Hebrew ?
A discussion started in both biblical Hebrew and English(all Filipinos are very good English speakers since the Americans liberated them from the Spanish at the end of last century…) and I was even more amazed of his Hebrew knowledge.

I am a “Jehovah witness” he said. What…? I refused to understand…. “You know, Jehovah = Adonai, the Hebrew word for god…”. I still did not grasp the connection…and I was upset, since I usually consider myself intelligent…
“Jehovah Witnesses is a religion” he continues. “More then 140 thousands of Jehovah witnesses people are in the Philippines. Our history is to be separated from the Judaism whenever Benei Israel crossed Yam Soof. And we also believe in Jesus. Also in Israel you have people of this religion…our sinagogs are called “Heichal Adonai” and its very much like a church”

I recalled something that I read once in an Israeli newspaper. “Edei Adonai” sounded familiar.
He took out a sort of bible, or a “testament”, written in many languages and directed me to the Hebrew section. There, it was written among the rest about Jehovah stating to the Israelites that they are his witnesses for existence. He showed me where is Israel on the map which was part of the book…there I noticed a direction to watchtowe.org . He also let me understood that in his religion – the direction is no wars and calmness, and expressed his wondering why can’t we live in peace in the land of god…

That was too much for me…a god messenger is asking ME such a question?

Lucky me we just arrived to the airport. May be next time I’ll answer him…after all, not any day you encounter an Hebrew speaker in the Philippines who is sure that he is your brother…