Dear Prayer Partners,
We enter this month with sadness at the recent wave of terror attacks in Israel. There is historically an increase in terror as Ramadan approaches, and this year is no exception. But Israelis are resilient, and we will not let this keep us from living our lives! We know that the LORD’s hand covers us, and we pray for better days. We also look forward to celebrating the LORD’s Passover this month. There is always much to be in prayer for, and we ask that you intercede on behalf of Israel and Hope for Israel this coming month.
PLEASE JOIN US IN PRAYING FOR:
- joyful & safe celebrations in Israel and in Jewish communities throughout the world
- peace in Israel during this season as it coincides with Ramadan
- the eyes and hearts of the Jewish people to recognize our ultimate Passover lamb, Messiah Yeshua
The holiest month in the Muslim calendar, Ramadan is a month-long fast that begins sundown April 2nd. While Muslim communities throughout the world use this time to reflect and spend time with their loved ones, many extremists in Israel use it as a time for terror attacks. This year, in the week coming up to Ramadan, over 11 Israelis have been murdered in terror attacks by extremists Muslims. Easter is also coming this month, which is a time of great joy for the various Christian denominations in Israel. Due to the threat of violence in the past, and the pandemic, Easter celebrations at traditional Christian sites might be diminished.
Please pray for:
- a season of peace and quiet in Israel during the month of Ramadan and Easter
- for those observing the holidays this month, for a revelation of Messiah Yeshua and that peace would rule in their hearts.
- for joyful, abundant gatherings for all celebrating
Israeli Government
The government is always facing old and new fronts, whether it be internal or external. The current wave of terror coming from certain Israeli Arab communities is an especially difficult issue to confront.
Please pray for:
- wisdom regarding Israel's security, particularly the pressing Iranian issue, and the terror from within certain Israeli Arab communities
- wisdom in continuing to lead Israel out of the pandemic,
- building more diplomatic ties with Muslim nations in the region,
- establishing an equitable system of checks and balances to keep the government from overreaching,
- lowering the extremely high cost of living in Israel, and getting more families out of poverty.
Israel's Security
Concern continues to grow regarding Iran and its nuclear ambitions. Iranian-backed militia groups that can easily attack Israel from just over the borders of Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza continue to be of concern as well. Iranian-backed Hamas is reportedly re-arming for another round of missile attacks on Israel. Israel also faces security concerns from within, as the recent wave of terror from Israeli Arabs has shown.
Please pray for:
- the Lord's wisdom for Israeli military officials if diplomacy fails and a military attack on Iran becomes necessary,
- preparation for possible conflict with Hamas at any time, and for the protection of civilians in both Israel and Gaza,
- protection over Israel's soldiers who protect God's Land and people every single day,
- revival in the hearts of all Israel's enemies, that they would see they are fighting the God of Israel and come to know Him through Messiah Yeshua
Ukrainian Refugees in Israel
Over 12,600 Ukrainians have fled to Israel. Only 30% of them are eligible for citizenship under Israel’s Law of Return (meaning, at least one grandparent is Jewish). This means around 7,900 Ukrainians are left in Israel as refugees. There are many organizations helping to provide the basic needs of these refugees. Hope for Israel is also partnering with another organization to bring food to some Ukrainian families in the Jerusalem area.
Please pray for:
- effective government policies that will ease the plight of these families and individuals,
- an increased ability for NGOs and non-profits to help struggling Ukrainian families,
- a quick cease-fire with Russia so that those who are not eligible for citizenship can return home to Ukraine
Rain
Israel heavily relies on rainfall for its freshwater supply. That water accumulates in the Sea of Galilee (Kinneret) and is then purified and used for much of the population’s water supply. April is our last month of the rainy season and we are praying that it will be an abundant one!
Please pray for:
- Abundant rain for the remaining season
- Significant replenishment of the Sea of Galilee
- More successful desalination operations throughout the country, so that we can use the water from the Mediterranean for potable water.
HFI Prayer requests:
We continue to prayerfully seek the Lord’s wisdom and guidance to implement a renewed vision for 2022. Please join us in praying for:
Moran had an incredible “Experience Israel Tour” last month; it was an amazing group of people and was such a joy to host them for two weeks in Israel! Thank you for your prayers for that. This month, Moran continues to oversee other ministry activities in the office.
Please pray for:- wisdom regarding all areas of the ministry, that he would receive clear direction in making important decisions
- implementation the vision God laid on his heart for both ministry and family for 2022
- peace, patience, insight, & clarity in his day-to-day responsibilities
- regular time of rest & renewal for him, his wife, and children
- sustainance for studying & writing his weekly Scripture commentaries
Please pray:
- for a blessing over our board members and staff who devote much time and energy to executing our vision for the ministry,
- for protection over their families while they serve,
- for two of our board members who have lost their wives this past year, for comfort and strength
- for wisdom for the board members as they will make decisions that impact the ministry in tangible ways,
- for Bill Katz, our U.S. representative, for health & traveling mercies; for protection over his wife and daughter while he is traveling; for fruitful meetings and speaking engagements
- for God to bring us an Operations Manager in our Jerusalem office to oversee the daily operations of the ministry in Israel
Threefold Vision for Empowering the Future Generation of Believers
Please pray for:- overall cohesion among Moran, Tigist, and the team: Emunah, Ro'i, Sapir, & Anavah
- effective development and training for the staff and volunteers in the various departments
- unity in the hearts of the team as they seek to implement the vision that the Lord has given them
NerYah Youth Group:
- that the youth will continue to truly internalize this year's theme "Truly Set Free" and understand what it means to be free in Messiah
- for a fruitful and enjoyable day trip that the youth will take during the Passover vacation
- for active youth participation beyond the weekly meetings
- for the youth to form deep, meaningful connections with one another this coming year
- that the youth will deepen their personal walk with the Lord and follow after Him no matter what
- for transparency among the youth to share their struggles, doubts, and concerns, and they would not feel they need to "perform" their faith to impress others
- for wisdom for the counselors, as they guide the youth through some difficult things in this season
Believing Soldiers:
- for protection over our soldiers in this tense time
- to hear the soldiers more openly and transparently about their challenges in the military service, and give them a safe place to unload their challenges and receive encouragement,
- to build a deep connection between the soldiers in the group so that they understand they are not alone,
- for the soldiers to be strengthened and encouraged while identifying with the common challenges they all go through,
- for more soldiers to attend the meetings so that they are encouraged & refreshed
- for more team volunteers to work with the believing soldiers
Post-Military & University Students:
- for grace and strength for the students in their academic studies
- for Anavah, our coordinator for the students, for wisdom and focus as she works on developing workshops and lectures that will give the students tools to deal with real life issues that are relevant to them,
- for the students to believe in themselves and in what God has given them, and be a light in their universities,
- for young professionals to influence their workplaces and enter very important places of influence in the country such as organizations, government ministries, and more.
- to hold meetings for targeted populations, such as women / men / married couples so they can open up, support one another, and be encouraged by each other.
We continue to raise funds for our big grocery voucher distribution initiative! This project is so important to be a source of practical support for struggling families in these tough economic times. Please pray for:
- abundant funding to expand this project’s reach to bless more families than ever before
- Sapir, who coordinates this project, for peace, wisdom, focus, and enthusiasm throughout the entire project, beginning to end
- families to be truly blessed by this initiative, and that they would see God’s hand of provision in their lives as a result
Our various media projects - visual, written, or otherwise - not only keep people connected to HFI, but also help educate people about Israel's spiritual and historical significance. In a day and age where many people oppose Israel, we see advocating for both Israel and what the Word of God says about Israel as top priorities. Please pray for:
- wisdom for Elad, Moran, Nate, Lior, & Melissa as they seek to produce innovative and creative material for social media and the website,
- increased engagement with our target audience on various social media platforms
- professional, up-to-date, and aesthetic platforms,
- increased engagement & greater exposure for videos, especially our "Beyond the Headlines" project,
- creating a grassroots movement of Israel advocacy via YouTube, Facebook, and Instagram,
- informative & interesting articles and other original material that will educate our audience and encourage their spiritual development,
- updating our website and messaging in the coming year.
Israel continues to up to all tourists, regardless of vaccination status. This is great news for Israel’s devastated tour industry! One of the main objectives of our tour operation is to cover ministry overhead, so that a higher percentage of donations can go to projects. We recently announced a Cyprus & Greece tour in October 2022 (In the Footsteps of Paul), and the Experience Israel Tour 2023.
Please pray for:- wisdom for Moran as he continues to make challenging decisions regarding the tour operations,
- BJ for wisdom, flexibility, and patience in working with all those involved in rescheduling tours from 2020,
- a strong candidate to fill the position of Tour Coordinator in our Israel office,
- continued provision to sustain the tour operations in 2022, if it is God's will
God has been so faithful in providing for the ministry's operating and project costs! We ask that you pray that He will continue to do so in 2022, and that we will be able to bless more Israelis than ever this coming year!
In His Service,
The Hope for Israel Prayer Team