Shalom and greetings from Jerusalem! We’re opening this month with elections after a rainy month in Israel, a major confrontation with terrorists in Gaza, and the scare of the Corona Virus. Thank God for his provision of so much rain during this rainy season in Israel and his protection from terrorist attacks and from an outbreak of the Corona Virus in Israel. We are looking forward to celebrating Purim, where we remember God’s historical provision for the Jewish people as recorded in the book of Esther the evening of March 9^th until the evening of March 10^th. Another exciting thing about this month is that we are kicking it off with our Experience Israel Tour, in which we are celebrating our 20^th anniversary as a ministry! This month will be quite eventful to say the least.

Elections
On March 2^nd, for the third time in a single year, an historic first for Israel, we are headed to elections in Israel. The outcome of these elections is expected to be yet another political deadlock. Netanyahu is facing charges for corruption (on March 17^th) and is expected to pursue immunity from the charges without facing trial if his party can win in the elections and form a successful coalition. Those challenging Netanyahu’s leadership in the elections are seeking, among other things: to find more effective security solutions for the border with Gaza, to see Netanyahu go to trial and demonstrate his innocence there without getting immunity, and to form a government that doesn’t cater to extremists on either side of the political spectrum. As Israelis go to the polls this month, pray with us that we will see a surprising God-honoring coalition form within the Knesset (Israel’s parliament) at last. Please also pray for a higher than expected voter turnout!

Water Quality and Abundance
First and foremost, pray with us for the continued blessing of abundant rainfall. We’ve had an especially wet rainy season this year and we’re praying for continued abundance as the rainy season comes to a close in Israel. Pray also for God-inspired solutions to challenges in maintaining quality drinking water in Israel. Prayfor policy makers in Israel who have the power to allocate resources to addressing these issues before they get out of control. As we are blessed with more rain, pray also for the water quality in Israel’s lakes, rivers and aquifers. Pray also for Israel’s tourist industry to continue to flourish as innovative solutions to big problems continue to shape the landscape of Israel for the better. (Click here to learn a bit more about the unique challenges with regards to water quality in Israel).

Purim
During this month’s Purim celebrations, Jews in Israel and throughout the world remember a time when anti-Semitism led to a near genocide of the Jews around 2,500 years ago (as recorded in the book of Esther). As with Sukkot (the Feast of Tabernacles), Purim is a time when the people of Israel commit to rejoicing regardless of present circumstances. Pray that during this feast, the Jewish people and all who celebrate Purim in solidarity with the Jewish people will be able to forget, for a time, those things that may normally weigh heavily on their heart and instead rejoice in God’s faithfulness throughout the generations. Please also pray for the same courage that Esther had, for all of us to stand for God’s truth and not compromise on His promises for Israel (especially for all of Israel’s salvation!). (click here to learn a little bit more about Purim).

Gaza Border
Towards the end of this past month, over 80 rockets were fired at Israel from Gaza in less than 24 hours. One rocket even hit a children’s playground in a southern Israel town. By the grace of God and thanks to the effectiveness of the Iron Dome, there were no injuries, but the people of southern Israel are no less traumatized by the continual terrorist attacks on their communities. Please pray with us for those living in southern Israel that they would receive healing and hope. Pray also that as Israelis go to the polls for the third time in a single year, something might shift in the Knesset that would lead to real change in the security situation in the south and not just talk.

Corona Virus
Israel has had a very low number of Corona virus cases, in large part because the Ministry of Interior has been very hawkish about who can enter the country, coupled with required self-quarantines of Israelis who have traveled to other countries with Corona virus outbreaks. However, because Israel's economy is very dependent on tourism, there is some concern that closing the border to more tourists will have a very negative impact on all areas of Israel's economy. There are reports that Israeli scientists are entering the human-testing phase of a vaccine against the virus. This is yet another way that Israel is blessing the nations! Please pray for continued protection over Israelis' health and for all who visit Israel. Please also pray for a successful vaccine!

Moran & Family
Moran will be away for much of March and we ask for prayer for: safe travels on the road and in the air; health, especially; good sleep while he travels; wisdom in his teachings; time for rest in between the busyness! He will be hosting our annual Experience Israel tour and will be traveling around Israel during that time. He will then be traveling with his son for a long weekend; please pray for protection over them both while they travel and especially for protection from illness. Please also pray for Moran as he continues to face making significant decisions for the ministry and the tour operations on a daily basis.

HFI Board
Please pray for wisdom for our board members as they are facing new direction for 2020 and have important decisions to make. Please pray for protection over all of HFI’s board members and their families, that the Lord would shield them from illness and spiritual warfare. Please also pray for healing for several of the board members’ spouses from various diseases and for strength during these difficult health challenges.

HFI Staff
Please pray for our staff as we continue through our season of change and restructuring within the ministry. Please pray for grace and patience for us all as we navigate this new season! Please also keep our staff and their families covered in prayer, especially for strength & health in this winter season.

Ministry Finances
We receive many requests throughout the year, and we ask for prayer that God will continue to bless the ministry's finances so that we can bless as many people as possible. Please also pray that we will continue to receive financial blessing in order for us to continue with our current projects that have such an impact on the people of Israel!

NerYah Youth Group
Please pray with us that each and every NerYah message and time of worship will be impactful for the youth. Please pray that each one of the youth will find NerYah to be a place of encouraging fellowship and guidance through the challenges they face as young believers in Israeli society. Please continue to pray for Zechariah and Efrat as they continue to grow in their position as youth leaders. Please pray for our volunteer leaders who lovingly devote their time and energy each week to mentoring the youth and serving them in their weekly meetings. Please also continue to pray for more male volunteers to join the group.

Soldiers’ Group
Join us in praying for our soldiers’ group and for the gatherings to be a time of strengthening for the soldiers. Pray also for those soldiers who can’t make it to the gatherings due to their obligations to the military. Please pray that they will excel and that they will be strengthened by God to remain strong in the faith despite 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 the possibility of war is always on the horizon. Lastly, please pray for our new outreach to lone soldiers (soldiers from other countries who voluntarily come to serve in the IDF, away from their families & any support system); please pray that we can reach & bless many lone soldiers and be a significant source of support for them.  

Student Scholarships & Mentoring Program
As part of the third phase of the threefold vision for the next generation in Israel, we have been granting significant scholarships to young Israeli believers studying in colleges & universities. This project has grown tremendously over the past few years, and we are now granting scholarships to over 27 students! Not only do we provide financial help to these young believers, but we also mentor them, and conduct numerous workshops throughout the year to help them with improving study habits, taking care of themselves during exam period, and stress management techniques, among other things. Please also pray for those who choose to come alongside them to contribute to their academic and personal success, as we desire to see the next generation of Israeli believers truly making a difference in Israel!

Spring Newsletter
We are in the writing process of our upcoming newsletter! Be on the lookout for it in your mailbox, or on our website. Please pray for God's covering over all who are involved in producing this newsletter: Moran, Mike, Melissa, Debbie, & Patty. Please also pray that the entire process will go smoothly, from writing, editing, designing the layout, printing, and finally, to sending out. Please also pray that this newsletter will bear good fruit!

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 currently have the book printed in Hebrew, English, Russian, & Spanish.

“Israel Beyond the Headlines” Video Project
We launched this special project exactly two years ago to celebrate the miracle of Israel’s 70^th year of independence (click here to check it out). We produce short videos highlighting Israeli organizations & innovations that are 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, & Sapir. Please pray for His protection over us all and that He will bless our efforts to advocate for Israel, the apple of His eye.

Tours
We are excited about our 20^th anniversary Experience Israel Tour, which takes place the first two weeks of March! 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 (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 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