Pray with us!

Dear Prayer Partners,

April was a challenging month for us in Israel. The unrest at the Temple Mount and East Jerusalem brought a great deal of tension to the entire country. Numerous terror attacks left 14 Israelis dead and many families mourning the senseless loss of their loved ones. The constant threat of violence and unrest was stressful for us all, and we look forward to a calmer month ahead. 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:

Yom Ha Zikaron & Yom Ha’Atzmaut

Yom Ha Zikaron (Memorial Day) begins on May 3^rd at sundown. Israelis will remember those who have been killed in war and terror attacks. The recent wave of terror adds more families experiencing the pain of losing sons, daughters, wives, husbands, mothers, and fathers in such a senseless way. Memorial Day is always a deeply sorrowful time in Israel, as war and terror have brought much grief to so many families. The following day, Israelis will celebrate Israel’s 74th Independence Day (Yom Ha’Atzmaut). We honor the lives of those who have defended Israel over the decades so that we may celebrate a free Jewish State. Please pray for:

comfort for all who mourn the loss of loved ones from terror and war
peaceful ceremonies on Memorial Day
joyful celebrations on Independence Day

Jerusalem Tensions

It’s been a tough time for Israeli-Palestinian relations, especially in Jerusalem. The rioters at the Damascus Gate in East Jerusalem and at the Al Aqsa Mosque attacked Israeli police with rocks and fireworks throughout April, which coincided with Ramadan. Tensions among civilians has also been high. Please pray for:

calm between all people in Israel, Jews and Arabs alike
wisdom for Israeli officials in restoring calm to Jerusalem
advances in security cooperation & peace negotiations with the Palestinians

Israeli Government

The government faces instability, as one of the Knesset Members from PM Naftali Bennett’s party resigned, leaving a one-person majority in the coalition. If one more MK resigns, Israel would face new elections. This is a time when the Israeli government needs to be unified, especially considering the internal and external challenges the country faces. Please pray for:

wisdom regarding Israel's security, particularly the pressing Iranian issue, and the terror from within certain Israeli Arab communities
a unified Knesset (parliament)
practical ways to help Israelis to recover from 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 very high 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. Iranian-backed Hamas is reportedly re-arming for another round of rockets attacks on Israel, which could come at any moment. Israel also faces security concerns from within. 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

Israel has welcomed over 15,000 Ukrainian refugees. Less than half of them are eligible for citizenship under Israel’s Law of Return (meaning, at least one grandparent is Jewish). This means thousands of 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 coming alongside a Ukrainian family in the Jerusalem area to help them get established with appliances, furniture, and other immediate needs. 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

HFI Prayer requests:

We are praying for these things for HFI:

Moran

Moran had a busy April hosting some tour groups. Unfortunately, he got infected with COVID, but we are grateful it was a very light case. He is much better, but still struggling with some exhaustion and challenges concentrating. 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
a full recovery from COVID and for good health
health, rest, and renewal for him, his wife, and children
sustainance for studying & writing his weekly Scripture commentaries

HFI Board Members & Staff

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
the LORD to already be working in the hearts of those who would volunteer for next year’s program

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 the youth as they struggle with fear from the current tensions in Jerusalem
for the youth to form deep, meaningful connections with one another
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 a miraculous healing for the father of one of the believing soldiers, and strength for their family as they endure this difficult time

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.
for a fruitful meeting of the students this month, that they will be blessed and encouraged as a result
the planning of campus visits that our coordinators make to encourage and equip the students

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 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. Please pray for:

wisdom for Moran as he continues to make challenging decisions regarding the tour operations,
BJ for wisdom, flexibility, and patience as she handles the complex coordination of these tours from the USA
a strong candidate to assist BJ in the USA
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
for the Cyprus-Greece Tour in October and the Experience Israel Tour in March 2023 to fill up

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