Shalom and greetings from Jerusalem! After a summer of fun for the kids, students in grades 1–12 have returned to school at the start of this month. We’re now only a month away from another time of High Holy Days in Israel. Now three months since the last Jewish holiday (Shavuot), we’re moving full swing into new projects and plenty of gatherings with friends and family. This past month has witnessed quite a bit of political activity in the world in general and in the Middle East and Israel in particular. Join us in praying for the Lord to establish righteous leaders in key places and that those leaders who are already in power will be moved to act according to God’s Will.

Please join us in interceding on behalf of Israel for:

Reconciliation of Israel with Messiah
Today, the majority of Israel still does not recognize Yeshua as the Messiah. Please continue praying with us that God will shine His light through those Israelis who do believe in His name. Please pray that God will visit the people of Israel in dreams and visions and reveal the Son of God as the Messiah of Israel. Pray that the veil will be removed from the eyes of this people and that a powerful shift will take place in this nation until we will say with one voice, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lᴏʀᴅ.”

Protection and comfort
Hamas has been allowing terrorist cells to fire rockets into Israel from Gaza while claiming no responsibility for the attacks. Since the end of the war with Hamas in the summer of 2014, the Lord has blessed us with a state of relative rest from rockets and missiles and yet there are still rockets being fired from Gaza that are hitting locations such as the one that hit a kindergarten (July 1st, 2016) and dozens of others since the war. The most recent rocket (August 21st, 2016), landed in between two Israeli homes. In spite of where some of these rockets have landed, the strong hand of the Lord has kept them from inflicting injuries on the non-military sites in which they have landed. In addition to the terrorist activities of Hamas in Gaza this month, Israel also uncovered and shut down a large operation in Judea and Samaria that was manufacturing illegal guns. Please pray for the Lord’s protection over the people of Israel from terrorists seeking their destruction. Pray that weapons will be kept out of the hands of the enemy.

A revelation of truth amidst deception
As a policy, Israel always responds to terrorism by targeting military targets in the region from which the terrorist activity is initiated. With the recent rocket fire from Gaza, Israel successfully attacked a number of military sites in Gaza suspected of having a connection with the terrorists who fired the rocket that most recently landed between two Israeli homes. The anti-Israel media has used Israel’s firm response to the rocket fire as an opportunity to once again present Israel’s military in a bad light. Pray that the Lord will guide and correct the Israeli military as necessary and that the military will successfully hit the correct targets to foil the schemes of the enemy. Pray that Gazan civilians will have the courage to stay away from military sites and stand up against wicked leaders and that no civilians, Israeli or Gazan, will be hurt in times of conflict. Pray that the deception of the media will be uncovered and that the truth will be revealed.

A blessing in the midst of the earth
This month a number of tragedies hit various places on earth and Israelis have stepped up to the plate, ready to help those in need. In Italy, nearly 300 people were killed in an earthquake that hit central Italy during that last week of August. A number of Israelis went to aid in the search for those still missing amidst the rubble and to offer trauma care to survivors. Rambam Medical Center in northern Israel has continued its work with Syrian Refugees in need of medical assistance—this month a young girl who was cured of a blood disease while in their care was able to go back to her family in time for her first day of 1st grade! Also during the flooding in Louisiana (in which over 60,000 homes were affected), a team of Israelis arrived in time to assist flood victims in recovering from the flood. The Lord is using Israel as a blessing in the midst of the earth. Pray that Israel will continue to grow in her ability to reach out to those in need in spite of the challenges that Israel herself is and has been experiencing. Pray that the attacks of the enemy against Israel will not hamper the good works that God is ready to release in and through her.

Elections in Judea and Samaria
In a little over a month (October 8th), the Arab leaders in Judea and Samaria have agreed to hold an election. A few months ago, members of Hamas and a number of other terrorist groups expressed that they would participate in the elections and offer candidates from their organizations. There is currently a lot of support for Hamas leaders among young adults in the region, while the current governmental leaders in the region have claimed to be trying to discourage such support for a terrorist organization. In the course of this past month, Israel successfully apprehended a number of terrorists in the region affiliated with Hamas as well as Hezbolla. There’s some concern that the arrest of these individuals will be used by Hamas supporters to present Hamas as the innocent underdog in these elections. Pray that these elections will result in the selection of peacemakers who desire an end to the bloodshed and war. Pray for divine intervention in the hearts of the voters to stand behind those leaders who will stand behind Israel and work towards a reconciliation of the region to the rest of Israel.

Demand for olives in Israel
The harvest season is approaching for olives in Israel. Olive yields in Israel are higher than ever thanks to monumental breakthroughs in research in recent years as well as the blessing of God over this land. Along with the increasing yields, however, comes increasing demands: The Agriculture Ministry recently estimated that this year’s olive crop will come in 6,000 to 9,000 tons short of demand. Israel’s olive industry is currently using around 17,000 tons of olives. There are two problems with the high demand in the olive industry in Israel: whenever demand exceeds supply of olives, companies import olives in order to meet their production goals; if too many olives are imported in anticipation of the year’s demands, olive growers in Israel will get paid less for their crop and struggle to maintain their olive groves. Pray that God will continue to bless Israel with a fruitful harvest, especially the olive crop as its season draws near. Pray that He will set His wisdom in the minds of those in the olive industry who are now deciding how many olives to import in the coming months.

Following are some ministry requests for Hope for Israel:

Moran
Moran and his family have made it back to Israel safely and joyfully from their six-week summer ministry trip. He’s back into the swing of things with a number of big decisions to pray through and act on. He’s back in the office writing as the Lord leads. He’s also preparing for two more trips in September. Prayer for wisdom, strength and health will be much appreciated as he juggles all of these responsibilities at HFI. Please also keep Moran’s family in your prayers as the kids head back to school.

HFI Board
The HFI Board has been faithful to stand with us for well over a decade! They do a great deal to support Moran and the staff of HFI, standing with us in prayer for the big decisions being made at HFI. Pray that Messiah will continue to bless them as they give of their resources, wisdom and prayers to be a blessing to many.

HFI Staff
This month we are happy to announce that we’ve hired Nate in Tara’s place. So far he’s expressed again and again how overjoyed he is to be a part of our team. He couldn’t have joined us at a better time. Pray with us that he will excel in his work here. Also pray with us as we consider who will be the right person to oversee the administrative load of tours. Please also pray for Tiggist S. who is on bed rest during her remaining pregnancy (with twins!), as well as Tiggist B. who replaced her and just underwent surgery to remove her appendix. Please pray for the Lord’s hedge of protection over all our staff and their families.

Discipleship Book
HFI and Pdut Ministries have partnered together to write, edit, and publish a discipleship training book called “The Foundations of the Faith”, which is written from an entirely Messianic Jewish perspective, in Hebrew, for Jewish believers in Yeshua. We have received the first batch of published books, and are now in preparations for distribution. Please pray for the Lord’s covering over this entire project, and that it will be a great tool for strengthening the Israeli believers in Messiah, as well as teaching the younger generation the roots of their faith. Please also pray that His Spirit will guide us in the process of translating to and editing in English and possibly Russian.

NerYah Youth Group
Pray that the youth would grow to be proactive leaders, ready to pour back into the youth group. Pray that God would fill them with confidence that He cares for them even more than they can grasp and that they can trust Him with anything.

NerYah Leaders
Pray that in God’s timing He would provide us with more people to help with the youth.

Believing Solders’ Outreach
We would appreciate it if you’d join us in praying for the staff of our soldiers outreach to be filled with the wisdom, inspiration, and guidance of the Holy Spirit as we serve the soldiers. Keep our soldiers in your prayers as they go through a variety of challenges during their military service. Being in the company of primarily non-believers 24/7 presents believing soldiers with a number of difficulties and challenges that they may not have known in their childhood. The loneliness is at times overwhelming and gives room for questions and doubts that seem to have no solution. Please pray that the soldiers will be encouraged and strengthened with an inner peace and an assurance of the love of God in their hearts. We’d appreciate prayer for wisdom and creativity as we encourage the soldiers to engage in a deeper relationship with the body of Messiah during this season of their lives.

Experience Israel Tour
We ask for your prayers as we have finished preparing for next year’s Experience Israel Tour (February 25-March 12, 2017). Our itinerary is set for the tour and we are confident that God is going to bless each and every participant. Please pray everyone who will join us on the tour will not only have a unique and special experience here in Israel but will also be blessed these next few months as they prepare to come. Pray that their hearts will be softened in the upcoming months for the seed of the Word of God.

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 minister to the hearts of those who come on this tour and renew their strength during their time with us.

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 media continues to spread lies about Israel, it is more important than ever that followers of Messiah come and see Israel for themselves. Please continue to pray that Abba will provide abundantly for every aspect of these tours, bringing more and more people to witness His love and be a light in the land of Israel’s inheritance.

In His Service,
The Hope for Israel Prayer Team