Dear Prayer Partners,

Shalom and Greetings from Jerusalem! We are entering the final month of summer, which tends to be a challenging one for parents in Israel, as the summer camps are finished and child care options for working parents are slim to non-existent. Most parents are able to take the last two weeks of August as vacation, but for those who cannot, they must rely on family or friends to take care of the children. Please pray that these families in this tough situation will find viable solutions for their childcare needs. Please also pray for the Israelis that travel in August, for safe travels and protection from anyone who might seek to harm them. Please also pray that Israel’s summer season will continue to be peaceful, especially as Hamas tends to attack in the summer months. Lastly, please pray for families as they prepare to send their children back to school on September 1.

Please join us in interceding on behalf of Israel for:

Unrest within Israeli Government: There is deep division between the various parties of the Israeli government, especially between Netanyahu’s party, Likud, and Jewish Home, which is led by MK Naftali Bennett. The bickering taking place between these parties is shameful and is causing a serious partisan divide within the Knesset. PM Netanyahu is accused of clamping down on freedom of speech, with Opposition leader Herzog going so far as to accuse him of “trying to be the Israeli Fidel Castro.” There is speculation that Israel may face new elections in the fall. Please keep Israel in your prayers, for the Lord to heal the deep divide within our government. Please also pray that Israel’s leaders will seek the country’s best interest over their own, and to remember they are serving the people of Israel. Lastly, please pray that the Lord will raise up a godly leader for Israel, who fears and loves Him above all else.

Hamas in Gaza: Israeli’s military intelligence has ascertained that Hamas continues to build underground tunnels aimed at carrying out attacks against Israel; they build approximately 10 km per month of tunnels, getting closer and closer to Israel. There are several purposes for the tunnels; one is smuggling in major goods and people in and out of Egypt, but another is to penetrate into Israeli territory. We remember well that these tunnels were used in the war with Gaza in 2014 to sneak Hamas fighters into southern Israel to attack, kill and/or kidnap soldiers and residents of nearby Israeli homes. Since that time, Hamas has continued to spend millions of dollars to build and develop this underground system (instead of building an infrastructure for its citizens), causing concern for a future war. PM Netanyahu says that the relatively calm period of the past two years is due to Israel’s tough policy to respond to any disturbance of calm. Please pray for wisdom and insight for the Israeli and Egyptian intelligence that are both working to prevent any terrorist activity from coming from the Gaza Strip through these tunnels. Please pray for protection and God’s watchful covering over Israel, especially residents living nearby in southern Israel.

Palestinians Reject “Peace”…Again: Instead of agreeing to continue talks with Israel, the PA President Mahoud Abbas is seeking to take Britain to court over the 1917 Balfour Declaration, in which the UK laid down support for a Jewish homeland in then-British Palestine. This silly proposition is not only a threat to the security of Israel, but also to British citizens who are now becoming targets for terror.  In addition, the Palestinian leadership is harshly criticizing Israel for what they call the “Israelization of Jerusalem” since the Ministry of Education refuses to teach Palestinian curriculum to Arab students in East Jerusalem. The curriculum praises terrorists and considers all of Israel disputed territory, which must be “won back” to the Arabs. Please pray for the Lord’s wisdom for Israel’s leaders as they confront such blatant lies and damaging propaganda. Please also pray that individuals within the Palestinian territories will search the truth for themselves, and seek to understand the need for Arabs and Jews to live cooperatively with each other.

Temple Mount: Tension continues to brew surrounding the Temple Mount. Muslims continue to riot from the site, and Jewish visitors are still prohibited from going to the Temple Mount to pray. Problems between the Jewish community that seek to pray at their holy site and the Muslim community that forbids it, was one of the initial causes for the wave of terror that began back in September. We pray for God’s hand of protection and divine intervention at this sacred and significant site. There is clearly a battle in the physical and the spiritual over this location and we pray for the light of Messiah to shine even brighter in these Last Days.

Security Situation in Israel: The nation continues to be on heightened alerts for terror attacks. Just in the last week of July, six pipe bombs were discovered in a car crossing from the Samaria region (“West Bank”) towards central Israel. The driver was an Arab Israeli citizen, which is quite alarming, as we have witnessed a sharp rise in attacks by Arab Israelis. A Palestinian Arab taxi driver was arrested when parts of an M16 weapon were found in his cab near a Jewish settlement in the Judea & Samaria region. And knife attacks are thwarted almost daily! Please pray for God’s protection over Israel from her enemies both surrounding and from within. Please continue to pray for the protection of our soldiers and security forces, as well as peace for the people of Israel, that His strong hand would be around us all. “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say to the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” (Psalm 91:1-2) 

Following are some ministry requests for Hope for Israel:

Moran – Please keep Moran and his family in your prayers as they are in the States for a six-week summer ministry trip; please pray that they will have wisdom and strength to complete the remaining two weeks of the trip before returning home to Israel. Please pray for wisdom for Moran on the road, especially as he juggles a very busy speaking schedule while continuing to manage the ministry. Please also pray for the family’s physical health, and for stamina for Moran to be able to carry out all of the tasks and responsibilities in front of him.

HFI Board – Please continue to pray for God’s hand to cover each and every important decision that the Board faces. Please ask for provisions and protection from any attacks that the Enemy would try to make on the health and well being of the members of the Board and their families.           

HFI Staff – We are still short-staffed at the moment, and are all doing our best to keep up with the workload. We are still looking to hire a replacement for Tara who had a baby, and for someone to take the administrative load of the tours. Please pray for the Lord’s provision for these two positions. Please keep the rest of our staff in your prayers continuously for both their work and personal lives. Please pray for guidance, vision and unity in the work place. Pray that God would divinely work in the tasks that each one carries out on a daily basis. Also cover their families in your prayers for health, strength, and wisdom in every area of their lives.

NerYah Youth Group – Please pray for the group as they are hosting numerous summer activities for the youth! Please pray that the youth will continue to seek the Lord in the summer break, and be refreshed for the school year ahead.

NerYah Leaders—Please continue to pray that the Lord will bring us a full-time male leader as David will go down to part-time as he begins a program of study in the fall. We also are in need of a coordinator for the soldiers’ outreach. We are grateful that He brought back Bat El to lead the girls of the group! Pray that God would open up doors of communication between the leaders and the youth, allowing them to open up their hearts and lives towards one another in order to receive the help and guidance they may need. We ask for renewed motivation and that God would strengthen the staff and volunteers of NerYah in wisdom, unity, patience, love, faith and perseverance.

Believing Soldiers’ Outreach –Please intercede with us on behalf of all of the believing soldiers across the country for grace, strength and wisdom. Pray there will be good, soft soil in their hearts ready to receive God, even if it is only for few minutes a day. We also pray for the current and new volunteers who give of themselves to love and serve the soldiers throughout their 2-3 years in the army. We would appreciate prayer for wisdom, patience and love in the relationship between the soldiers and the volunteers working with them. Please pray for soft hearts for the leaders and the ability to speak and to answer the many questions that the soldiers are dealing with them. Please pray that God would place it on the hearts of more people to become volunteers in this coming season.

Experience Israel Tour –We ask for your prayers as we have begun preparing for next year’s Experience Israel Tour (February 25-March 12, 2017). Please pray for wisdom as our team builds next year’s itinerary in hopes of creating a unique and special experience for all of those the Lord will lead to come be a part.

Pastors’ Solidarity Tour – Please pray for our next Pastors’ Solidarity Tour (February 6-13, 2017) that brings leaders of congregations on a condensed tour of Israel. Not only is this a life-changing tour for the pastors and their wives, but also allows them to get a glimpse of what it would be like to bring a tour of their own. Please pray that the Lord will bring those He would desire on the tour, and that it will be a fruitful time of ministry for them.

Tour Department – One of the ways that Hope for Israel is able to supplement the ministry’s income is by organizing and leading tours to Israel.  The tours also carry a strong ministry component, as tour participants often have opportunities to bless Israel via tangible acts of service.  As the situation in Israel continues to heat up, it is more important than ever for followers of Messiah to show their support by physically coming to Israel.  Please continue to pray that the LORD will bless this aspect of the ministry and that He would bring more and more people to witness His love on these tours. 

Lastly, please continue to pray for the salvation of Israel & the Jewish people throughout the world; we long for the day when all Israel will recognize her Messiah and receive Him… “For if their rejection [of Yeshua] is the reconciliation of the world, what will their acceptance be but life from the dead?” Romans 11:15

In His Service,
The Hope for Israel Prayer Team