Shalom and greetings from Jerusalem! This past month has been a special month as much of Israel has been observing the High Holy Days. Visitors from all over the world joined us in Israel for the feasts and parts of Israel that are normally quiet saw a great deal of activity as visitors to Israel and Israelis alike explored the land during their time off work. The High Holy Days are always a season to make new acquaintances as people break out of their usual daily routine and encounter new faces and situations. Pray with us that the seeds of truth planted during this break from routine will grow in the hearts of Israelis as they return to work and school.

Please join us in interceding on behalf of Israel for:

Harvest
This past month and the first few weeks of November are a fruitful harvest time for Israel, especially with regards to the olive harvest. This is a time of watching and waiting to see how olive prices will fare as olive yields compete with olive imports for a place in Israel’s olive industry. Over importing leads to lower prices, but under importing can also hurt the olive industry’s efforts to meet demand for olives both in Israel and abroad. Pray that this delicate balance will be maintained and that the olive industry (both agricultural workers and businesses) will flourish as the harvest continues.

Water
The dry season is coming to an end in Israel and now is the time of the year when we find out if the forecast for another dry winter is really correct. Pray with us that this year will see unexpected rainfall and that the drought of these past three years will come to an end and see restoration of Israel’s water resources. Also, please continue to pray with us concerning the Red Sea to Dead Sea Canal project. After many years of legal and scientific dilemmas, we are drawing nearer to the canal’s anticipated construction beginning in 2018. Pray that God will continue to guide policy makers and researchers as they consider available options for managing water supplies in the region.

Higher Education
During the last days of October, Israel’s universities began the ’16–’17 school year after the end of the High Holy Days. Pray that Israel’s universities will be a place where the truth is freely discussed and where lies are dispelled. Pray that Israeli believers studying both in Israel and abroad will be a light in the world of academia as they pursue excellence in their field of study. Pray that this will be a fruitful year for university research as students join their professors in looking for solutions to complex issues facing the world today. Pray also that, as we see in the book of Daniel, God will raise up the next generation in wisdom to help the world’s leaders to understand God’s heart and plan as it relates to current affairs.

Natural Gas
It’s no secret that Israel has been blessed with the discovery and increasing utilization of natural gas reserves. On September 26th of this year, Israel signed a $10 billion deal with Jordan’s National Electric Power Company. Israel has agreed to supply Jordan with 45 billion cubic meters of gas over a period of 15 years beginning in 2019. This means that Israel will be Jordan’s largest supplier of natural gas in the near future. Such cooperation between these two nations is no small matter in light of the recent UNESCO resolution and the resistance to this deal expressed by anti-Israel organizations last month within Jordan including the Jordanian BDS movement among others. Pray that God will continue to bless Israel with increasing supplies of natural gas and that the anti-Israel agenda in Jordan will have no power over the natural gas deal between these two nations. Pray that God will bless the companies handling the supply of Israeli natural gas and that they will act righteously as they handle this gift from God.

UNESCO
There has been no shortage of media coverage concerning the UNESCO deal that was adopted by UNESCO in recent weeks (despite the express dissent of Irina Bokova, leader of UNESCO). This agreement was also approved in the World Heritage Committee in the final week of October. Please join us in praying that the deception of this document will be revealed for what it is. One major deception within this document is that it refers to the Temple Mount and the Western Wall almost exclusively by Muslim names without mention of their connection to Jewish and Christian history. Another major deception within this resolution is that it falsely presents Muslim sites as endangered because of Israeli activities. This couldn’t be further from the truth as Israel has and does present the full known history of Israel (both from before and since Islam) while this resolution clearly demonstrates Islamic interests in only preserving Islamic history. Pray that God will continue to equip Israel with a knowledge of the truth concerning this land. Pray that the recent UNESCO resolution will have no place in the international arena and that there will be a shift within UNESCO that will prevent such resolutions from being passed in the future.

Following are some ministry requests for Hope for Israel:

Moran
November is a busy month for Moran, as he will be traveling to the states. As always, Moran would appreciate prayers for his family. Pray for Moran also as he prepares for upcoming teachings. Please also pray for the board meeting this month in which they will be discussing a number of important subjects for HFI including the budget and plans for this next year. Upon returning to Israel, Moran has two different tour groups in a row that he will be leading. Pray for strength and endurance during his travels and upon his return.

HFI Board
Please continue to pray for God’s guidance concerning the decisions facing the HFI Board. Pray with us that God would continue to provide for each and every need. Pray that God will protect the Board and its members from all attacks of the Enemy against their health, their families or the work they are doing for the kingdom of God.

HFI Staff
Please pray for David, one of the key leaders in our outreaches, as he begins to study law at the university level. David has been faithful to pray for and take a leadership role in a number of outreaches these past few years as well as personally discipling Israeli youth and young adults. He will continue to work with us during his studies. Pray that he is effective in this new phase of his life and that he will receive the necessary support during this transitional time.

NerYah Youth Group
We’re in the process of putting together a tentative plan for materials and activities that we will use this year to engage the youth at NerYah. Pray that we will work wisely with the youth. We thank God for the youth that have joined us so far and for the ways in which we’ve witnessed them growing and going deep in the Scriptures as they draw near to Yeshua. We’d appreciate prayer as we seek to direct them in the way of truth. Adolescence is a time when young people become painfully aware of the things that aren’t right in their homes, school, and even among their believing and unbelieving friends. We’d appreciate if you could pray that God would reveal himself and strengthen every member of our youth group to face the challenges in their lives with the help of the Holy Spirit. Pray also for the parents of our youth, for strengthening of marriages and for availability to support & encourage their children in their schoolwork. Pray that the youth would be successful in school while standing against the deceptions that are prevalent among youth today. Pray that the youth will walk with Yeshua this year by the power of the Spirit as a witness among unbelievers. Pray for life and freedom from every unclean spirit and addiction. There are also youth in NerYah who’ve not yet given their lives to God and don’t yet know him. Please pray for the salvation of those in the youth group who have yet to receive Yeshua in their life.

NerYah Leaders
Pray for wisdom and flexibility as we begin equipping NerYah’s leaders for this next year with the youth group. Pray that our leaders will be effective and engaging during their time with the youth and that they will prayerfully consider the materials and activities that they will use in the course of this next year. Please continue also to pray that we will have more men to help us with the NerYah youth (as we have already been blessed with a number of women leaders).

Believing Soldiers’ Outreach
Please join us in praying for more people to join us in helping with the Believing Soldiers’ Outreach. Pray that we will connect effectively with the soldiers and be a safe place for them during this time in their life where doubt and loneliness seek to undermine their faith. Pray that they will receive an understanding and confidence in their identity as “more than conquerors” (Romans 8:37) through God who loves them. Pray also for those who have completed their military service and are transitioning into academic endeavors and new occupations. Pray that this year will be a year of reassurance and guidance from the Lord. Many Israelis finish their military service without a clear sense of what comes next in life. Pray with us for clear direction from the Lord concerning the path that the Father is setting before them.

Fall Newsletter
Join us in praying for effective communication between staff as we do research and develop materials for our upcoming newsletter. Pray that the content of the newsletter will truly reflect the heart of Messiah. Pray that this newsletter will communicate the truth in a manner that is both wise as a serpent and yet gentle as a dove. Please pray for effectiveness in the writing, editing, designing, printing, and shipping of our upcoming newsletter.

Foundations of the Faith Book
Please continue to pray for the preparation of our translated book. Please also continue to pray that the Hebrew translation will have a great impact on new believers in Israel.

Experience Israel Tour
Please pray with us as we continue to fill spaces for our next Experience Israel Tour (February 25th–March 12th, 2017). Please pray that God will begin even now to work in the hearts of those who are joining us to prepare them for a revelation of His heart in this land. Pray that God will provide for every need as arrangements are made for the trip.

Pastors’ Solidarity Tour
Please pray that the remaining spots will be filled for our next Pastors’ Solidarity Tour (February 6–13, 2017) that brings leaders of congregations on a condensed tour of Israel. Having a full tour is the way we ensure that our guests enjoy the tour for the best price. We know that God is going to use this tour to give pastors and spouses a fresh view of the Scriptures while helping them to understand what members of their congregation could glean from a visit to the Holy Land. Please pray that the Lord will minister to the hearts of those who come on this tour, renewing their strength during their time with us.

Tour Department
An effective way for Hope for Israel to sustain the work we do is by offering tours to help believers get a deeper understanding of God’s heart for this land. The tours give participants an opportunity to bless not only Hope for Israel but also the people of Israel through tangible acts of service. By welcoming people to Israel we’ve had the opportunity to show believers the realities of life in Israel today that are often misconstrued in the media. Please continue to pray that God will provide abundantly for every aspect of these tours, bringing more and more people to witness His love and to be a light in the land of Israel’s inheritance.

In His Service,
The Hope for Israel Prayer Team