World News
Letters to God often find final destination in Jerusalem post office
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JERUSALEM (CNS) -- In the gray, florescent-lit office of the undelivered letters department of the Israel Postal Authority the letters gather. They are the letters people send to God and are addressed in a variety of ways: "God, Israel"; "The Almighty God, Jerusalem"; "Jesus Christ, Jerusalem"; "To Good Jerusalem"; "Angels of Heaven." "People who feel lonely, people in despair send letters to God," said Yitzhak Rabihiya, spokesman for the Israel Postal Authority. "These are very private letters." This is also the place where letters to Santa Claus are sent -- a far cry from his legendary workshop in the North Pole. Most of the letters arrive in waves around Christmas and New Year's and the Jewish holidays of Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur, Rabihiya said. The letters are written by people of all ages, in every language -- including Arabic -- and come from all over the world. They ask for love, health, peace, money, help with studies -- and many ask for forgiveness, said Avi Yaniv, director of the department.
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