Zionism II: Tefilla L'Shlom HaMedina/Prayer for the Welfare of State of Israel

Every Shabbat, many shuls read the Tefilla L'Shlom HaMedina which opens: "Heavenly Father, Israel’s Rock and Redeemer, bless the State of Israel, the first flowering of our redemption.." Please read remarks given by Rabbi Yaakov Bieler about this tefilla:  http://www.kmsynagogue.org/RabbiSpeeches/5764/Geulatainu.html Please respond to the following:

1) Give two reasons why Rabbi Ariel (as cited by Rabbi Bieler) considers our era to be the "pre-Messianic" age.
2) Give two difficulties, according to Rabbi Bieler, of why it is hard to call our current era "pre-Messianic."
3) Give two things, according to Rabbi Bieler, that we can do to jump start the Messianic age.
4) Do you think the modern State of Israel marks the early stirrings of the Messianic era? Why or why not?

Instructions: Answers to Questions 1-3 should be sent to me via e-mail while the answer to Question 4 should be posted on the blog.

Zionism I: Shlomzion HaMalka/Queen Salome Alexandra

In class, we briefly discussed the reign of Hasmonean Queen Salome Alexandra during the second period of Jewish sovereignty. Research this female leader online and post answers to the following questions:

1) Why is Salome Alexandra viewed favorably?
2) What specific meritorious policies did she adopt?
3) Who was her brother?
4) Who were the Pharisees and what was her connection to them?
5) Do you see any similarities between Salome Alexandra and Ezra and Nechemia? If yes, what are they?