Dear Prayer Partners,

Shalom and greetings from Jerusalem! This past month has been a month of joy as we welcomed spring in Israel and celebrated Purim. The month of April will also be a month of joy as we celebrate Pesach (Passover). Especially important this month is that we pray for the April 9th elections in Israel (see below).

Rest along the Border with Gaza
On Monday, March 25th at 5:24am, red alert sirens went off in southern & central Israel, sending Israelis scrambling. One family took refuge in a child’s bedroom, which was also their bomb shelter. A rocket hit the roof above their living room. The grandmother sustained burns and shrapnel wounds when she ran out to pull the door to the bomb shelter shut. She sustained moderate injuries from the shrapnel of the blast. The mother of the family and a six-month-old baby were also lightly wounded by shrapnel. The rest of the family, including a 12-year-old girl and a three-year-old boy, suffered shock but were physically unharmed. The family’s dogs were killed in the attack. Israel made a retaliatory strike in which it hit Hamas terrorist targets in response to this act of terrorism. Then there were reports of an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire going into effect by 10pm that evening. By 10:45pm, Hamas had already resumed firing rockets at Israel and some 30 rockets were fired at Israel by 5am Tuesday morning. Thankfully, the weekend "protest" by Palestinians turned out to be smaller than expected, and by Sunday morning, the inclement weather caused the violent protestors to return home. We are grateful for now, that there was no further escalation. Please pray that this quiet will continue, and that this will not be our new "normal", especially since this has been going on for a few years now. Please also pray that as Israel's elections approach, any plans for harm by the enemy will be turned for good, as only our God can do! Please also pray for wisdom for Israel's military leaders in how to handle Hamas with the least loss of life as possible. Lastly, please pray for the physical & emotional healing of the family whose home was hit, and for all those affected by the stress of this conflict. May we know the peace of Messiah in our lives!

Pesach
Passover is among the three major feasts of the Bible alongside Shavuot (the Feast of Weeks) and Sukkot (the Feast of Tabernacles). For us as believers in Yeshua, Passover has the added significance of reminding us that God Himself has provided an atonement for our sins and provided a way for us to draw near to Him. Please pray for protection for all who will be celebrating this Passover, for a revelation of God’s free gift to us, and for provision for those living in harder circumstances. Please also pray for protection over Israel and the Jewish people throughout the world, as we will be observing the Lord’s Passover, that He would protect us from attacks of any kind.

Elections
As the April 9th elections approach in Israel pray that the parties that get elected will address key issues in Israel such as true freedom for all citizens in Israel, regardless of religious affiliation; the rapidly expanding population and the lack of infrastructure to support such growth; severe traffic congestion; approaches to growing the economy in Israel, and supporting the exporting of Israeli products; and legislation that brings light in dark places with regards to things such as prostitution, human trafficking, caring for orphans, widows, Holocaust survivors, veterans, and all others who are currently oppressed or suffering. Lastly, please pray that the Lord will appoint someone who will fear Him, and have a heart for God’s principles. (To learn more about the upcoming elections, read our most recent article here).

Reunification of all of Israel
Pray with us that the Israeli parliament will continue after the elections to pursue Israeli sovereignty over all of Judea and Samaria, especially in accordance to Joel 3:1–3 where God promises judgment to those who divide HIS land. As the elections approach, so too does the unveiling of the US peace plan, and there is some concern that it will call for separation of Judea and Samaria (what some call the West Bank) from Israel. Please pray that as the unveiling of the US peace plan draws near, those involved in drafting the plan will not waste time on any plans for giving up land as this is both unrealistic and not good in general. Please pray with us that a truly wise plan will be proposed that will help all of us to move beyond the conflict of the past century.

Moran & Family
Moran will be traveling to Uganda with his son on a ministry trip to explore the possibility of partnering with an Israeli organization there. They will travel the week before Passover. Moran will also continue to host some tours in Israel, and will also travel to the USA for a long weekend the last week of April. Please continue to pray for Moran for health, wisdom, strength, discernment, and a renewed energy in all that he is overseeing and doing. Please pray for safe travels, both on the roads and in the air, and for protection over him in the various places that he works in the field. Lastly, please pray for his family in his absence, and for peace, health, and safety for them while he is away.

Passover Project — Operation Hesed
Every Passover, the ministry undertakes a large project to feed families in need for the holiday. The families are both believers and non-believers, and this is a special opportunity for us to bless the people of Israel and the Body of Messiah! Please pray for the preparations as it is a large logistical undertaking, and for “T” who is managing the project. Please also pray for God to provide all we need financially to support the project, and that we will be able to increase the number of families we can bless. Lastly, please pray that the hearts of all who receive the gift will be open to receive in the spirit of God’s blessing in which we are giving the gift.

Messiah in the Passover
Our US representative, Bill Katz, is traveling to various places throughout the USA to lead special presentations called “Messiah in the Passover”. This is a compelling presentation that reveals how Messiah Yeshua’s sacrifice was foretold in the ancient Passover meal! Please pray for safe travels, for health during the extensive traveling schedule, for the Lord’s leading as Bill speaks, and for open hearts to receive Bill’s message. If you would like more information, or to possibly join one of these special presentations, please email us at info@hope4israel.org.

HFI Board
Please pray for protection over all of HFI’s board members and their families. Pray that the Lord would shield them from illness and spiritual warfare.

NerYah Youth Group
Please keep each and every one of the youth in your prayers that they will find NerYah to be a place of encouraging fellowship and guidance through the challenges they face as youth in Israeli society. Please pray for us as we seek to find a replacement for our female youth leader as our current one is leaving to study full-time in September. Please also continue to pray for our new male youth leader, “Z”, and for more male volunteers to work with the youth.

Soldiers’ Group
We are still praying for more volunteers to work with our soldiers’ group. Please continue to pray for the soldiers both that they will excel and that they will be strengthened by God to continue strong in the faith in spite of the many challenges they face. Pray that God will use them powerfully also to encourage those around them as they experience a level of discipline that they have never before encountered. Please also pray for God’s protection over them as they serve in a place where war is always a possibility.

University Students
Hope for Israel is working with a number of college students who were once with us in NerYah and a part of our Soldiers’ Group. Please pray that all of the students with whom we’re working will continue to develop successful learning strategies and that we will be successful in helping as the need arises throughout the school year. Please also pray for them to be strong in their walk as they are immersed in a system that can be hostile to their faith. Please also pray for them as they begin the spring semester this month after a six-week hiatus.

Foundations of the Faith Book
Please continue to pray that every copy of this discipleship resource will have a personal impact on those who read it and draw many into an increasingly deeper relationship with God! Please pray for a wider distribution of the book, that it will reach many people and that they will be strengthened and challenged. We now have the book printed in Hebrew, English, Russian, & Spanish.

“Israel Beyond the Headlines” Video Project
We began this special project last year to celebrate the miracle of Israel’s 70th year of independence (click here to check it out). This is a video project where we produce short videos highlighting a different aspect of Israeli innovation that is making a difference in the world. This project is a means of Israel advocacy, which is an important part of our call as the Body of Messiah throughout the world. But of course, this is also a threat to the enemy and we have experienced some warfare in this area. Please pray for us as we continue to produce powerful & effective videos, and for all involved in this project: Lior, Moran, Nate, Elad & Melissa. Please pray for His protection over us all and for the truth about Israel to reach to the ends of the earth!

Tours
Please continue to join us in praying for all our tours to be a blessing both to those who join and a blessing to the work of Hope for Israel. We host multiple tours each year (click here to learn more). These tours generate income for the ministry, which goes to cover our overhead, thus allowing a higher percentage of donations to go to our projects. Please also pray that our Israel-Greece tour will fill up soon with people who are ready to grow in their understanding of Scripture and the lands in which it all began. Please pray for those joining us on these tours to be blessed and to grow in their walk with the Lord. Pray also for Moran and those leading the tours with him for peace and wisdom, and for unity among the leadership team of the tours.

Thank you for joining us in prayer for these things! May the Lord bless you.

In His Service,
The Hope for Israel Prayer Team