Dear Prayer Partners,

We are entering the month of December full of thanks for the blessing of rain in the past few weeks in many places across Israel, some places receiving large amounts of rain. Thank you for your prayers - please continue to pray for an abundant rainy season. We are also entering December with some sadness, as this past month along the border with Gaza was especially bad for southern Israel residents.

Hanukkah
Beginning the evening of Sunday, December 2nd and continuing until the evening of Monday, December 10th, Jews all over the world will be celebrating Hanukkah, “the Feast of Dedication”. There are a couple of excellent things to be praying for Israel during the Hanukkah season. First, this “Feast of Dedication” is so called because of the rededication of the Temple after it was defiled by Greek idol worship between 168BC and 164BC. For this reason, this is a time to pray that this will be a time for Jews all over the world to get rid of the things that distract from worship of the one true God and to rededicate their lives to Him. Second, this feast commemorates a time when Israel attained its independence from foreign rulers and freedom to worship the one true God on the Temple Mount. Since 1948, Israel has had political autonomy and independence to be a free nation, but still international interest groups seek to hold Israel back from true freedom. Also, although Israel is a free nation, the Temple Mount is not free. To this day, it is not permitted to worship the God of Israel on the Temple Mount. Pray that this will change. Pray for freedom to worship the God of Israel on the Temple Mount, and pray for freedom for Israel from international interest groups that are coming against it. One of the most recent attacks against Israel came in the form of a BDS effort that resulted in Airbnb stopping its listing of Israeli homes in the Judea and Samaria region of Israel. Not only are such moves ineffective in addressing the conflicts in the region, but they also actually fuel them and encourage more hatred towards Israel. Please pray that Airbnb will see their error, and correct it.

Confronting Hamas
This past month, about 500 rockets were fired at Israel from Gaza in a matter of about 40 hours in the most destructive escalation with Hamas since the last Gaza War in 2014. Since this escalation, a cease-fire has been signed that was so unsettling for the Israel’s Minister of Defense in light of Hamas’ terrorism, that he resigned. Since the signing of the cease-fire, there has been a relative calm, but many are concerned that this is just Hamas’ way of building up its arsenal once more. Please pray that Israel will be effective in addressing all terrorist threats along its borders. There are families that have remained living along the border for years because of promises that the attacks would come to an end. Please pray for those who live along Israel’s southern border for comfort and reprieve from the attacks.

Elections
With the resignation of Israel’s Minister of Defense and the upcoming 2019 elections for prime minister of Israel as well as parliamentary elections, there is a great deal of speculation in the media and from members of parliament regarding how the upcoming months will look. Many are certain that the political scene will shift significantly in Israel in the coming year. There is a great deal that is hanging by a thread at this point in time. Israel has enjoyed unprecedented favor with the current American administration, but the upcoming elections in Israel may impact the nature of this relationship moving forward. Please pray that even now, God will raise up righteous leaders to stand for His Will for Israel and to implement realistic policies in Israel that will only improve security and international relations moving forward.

Moran & Family
Moran is back in Israel after a long six weeks of traveling both inside and outside of the country. He will spend the month of December in the office, while also joining some groups in Israel to teach. Melissa and the kids are happy to have him back home! Please continue to pray for health, wisdom, and some quality family time for them all this month. Please also pray for Moran as he continues to lead the ministry, with all the exciting opportunities & challenges that come with it!

Operation Restoration
This month, we are undertaking a project in which we will help southern Israel residents to receive some much-needed care in their time of need in light of the barrage of rockets that shook their communities this past month (to learn more, click here). Please be praying for this project and for those we will be reaching out to that all will be blessed and be empowered to work through the pain and trauma of the ongoing terrorist attacks coming out of the Gaza strip.

HFI Board
Please pray for wisdom for our board members as we begin to implement decisions made during Moran’s recent visit to the US. Please pray for protection over them and their families, that the Lord would shield them from illness and spiritual warfare.

HFI Staff
Please continue to pray for the various challenges our staff are facing, including Joanna, our Business manager who underwent surgery this past month to remove some tumors in her stomach. Also, we are still looking for two people to hire in our media and tour department. Please pray that the Lord will continue to guide us to the right people, and that as we await them to join the HFI team, God will continue to equip them to do the job well once they begin.

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 also continue to pray 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.

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 Soldier’s 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.

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. Please also continue to pray that the current project to publish the book in Spanish will be blessed and bring forth a fruitful harvest among our Spanish-speaking brethren.

“Israel Beyond the Headlines” Video Project
We began this special project in January in honor 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, & 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 join us in praying for each and every one of our tours to be a blessing both to those who join and a blessing to the work of Hope for Israel! We host three tours per year: Experience Israel Tour, Israel-Greece Tour, & the Pastors’ Solidarity Tour (www.hope4israel.org/tours). 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.

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

In His Service,
The Hope for Israel Prayer Team