Dear Prayer Partners,
We welcome the holiday of Purim in March! While not one of God’s appointed feasts, this special holiday that is based on the Book of Esther has become known as the “children’s holiday”, where children dress up in festive costumes to commemorate the bravery of Queen Esther in ancient Persia. This is a very joyful time for children throughout the country, and we could all use some joy right now. With Russia’s recent invasion of Ukraine, we are all feeling the added stress of uncertainty in the world. Israel has sent a team of doctors to Ukraine to help treat the wounded, as well as humanitarian aid to help those who have been displaced by the war. Israel is also preparing for an immigration wave of Ukrainian Jews due to the conflict. There are concerns in Israel that Russia will extend its aspirations for dominance in the Middle East, as we already see happening in Syria. We are keeping a watchful eye on the situation, knowing that Yeshua promised that wars and rumors of wars would be rampant in the last days.
PLEASE JOIN US IN PRAYING FOR:
Please pray for:
- joyful & safe celebrations in Israel and in Jewish communities throughout the world
- courage for all followers of Messiah to step up and advocate for the Jewish people, and be a strong voice against anti-Semitism
- the eyes and hearts of those who hate the Jewish people to be miraculously opened and softened to God’s plan for the world through the Jewish people
Israeli Government
The government is always facing old and new fronts, whether it be internal or external.
Please pray for:
- wisdom regarding Israel's security, particularly the pressing Iranian issue, and Russian support for Syria’s military
- 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 is growing about Russian interference in Middle Eastern affairs, especially in Syria and Iran. Iran continues to be Israel's most pressing threat. 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. One of the greatest causes for concern right now is the contentious issue of the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in East Jerusalem. 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,
- wisdom for Israeli military officials regarding Russian aspirations for control in the Middle East
- 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
Israeli Economics
More families continue to fall under the poverty line, especially with rising inflation and low, unsustainable wages. Families really feel the sharp increase in food prices, and the government has stepped in to curb rising food prices. Please pray for:
- effective government policies that will ease the high cost of living for Israeli families,
- viable solutions for increasing salaries to meet the high cost of living,
- an increased ability for NGOs and non-profits to help struggling families,
- a strong economic recovery for Israel, especially in the tourism sector, and for those who seek work, to find jobs
- the government to effectively deal with monopolies in Israel, and foster more economic competition to drive down prices in all sectors of the economy
Coronavirus in Israel
Israel's 5th wave is receding, as the number of daily infections lowers. As of March 1, Israel will get rid of its Green Pass system, which allows certain privileges to vaccinated and recovered people. Israel will also open its borders to travelers regardless of vaccination status! Like in many countries throughout the world, Israelis are emotionally and mentally exhausted from the rounds of lockdowns and uncertainty in our day-to-day lives. We are hopeful that the coming months will give us some relief from the virus, but if history has taught us anything, we should be cautiously optimistic.
Please pray for:
- healing for all currently infected,
- renewal for all the doctors, nurses, and healthcare adminstrators who have worked tirelessly to treat Israel's COVID patients,
- more effective treatments of COVID in 2022, and that Israel will avoid any further lockdowns
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. While Israel has had some significant winter storms, including snow at the end of January, the level of the Kinneret has not risen nearly as much as is needed by this time of year.
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:
This month, Moran is excited to host the first “Experience Israel Tour” since 2020! It has been a long road getting to this point, and we are so grateful for God’s constant strength to persevere and not give up on bringing tours to Israel. Moran continues to also oversee other ministry activities this month. 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
- clear guidance regarding his travel schedule in 2022
- 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 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 this month as he travels to Baton Rouge, Wichita Falls, and Montana; 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 to oversee the daily operations of the ministry in Israel
Please pray for:
- overall cohesion among Moran, Tigist, and the team: Emunah, Ro'i, Sapir, & Anavah
- effective development and training this coming year 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 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:
- 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 as students begin the second academic semester this month
- 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.
Operation Hesed Project
We begin fundraising for our big grocery voucher distribution initiative this month! 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
HFI Media Projects
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.
Tours
Israel is opening 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 are very excited to host our first tour this month, the Experience Israel Study Tour! We also 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
Ministry Finances
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