Shalom! Greetings in the new calendar year from Jerusalem!

Did you know that Israel requires mandatory military service for Israelis after high school? But did you also know that every year, hundreds of young men and women from around the world volunteer to serve in the IDF? These incredible young people leave their families, friends, faith communities, and all that is familiar to serve alongside Israeli soldiers in order to protect Israel and her people.

Many of these “lone soldiers”, as they're called in Israel, believe in the divine destiny of Israel and understand God’s purpose for Israel in His kingdom; this is a huge inspiration particularly for many young believers who volunteer in the IDF. We recognized a huge need to minister to these exceptional young people, especially considering that they often experience loneliness and isolation as a result of a lack of community. 

To that end, we are expanding our soldiers’ outreach to specifically minister to the unique needs of lone soldiers. We are blessed to have Judi heading up this incredible effort, especially as she herself served as a lone soldier in the IDF.  I'd like to share with you her vision for this project: 

Three and a half years ago, during the holiday of Passover, I received a surprise, hand-delivered package from “Hope for Israel.”  At that time, I had just drafted into the Israeli Defense Forces as a ‘lone soldier,’ meaning that I didn’t have any family in the country or even much of a support system. With great excitement, I opened the holiday gift to discover snacks, candies, and gift cards that brought a huge smile to my face. I soon learned that Hope for Israel not only sent packages, but that they also wanted to be an integral support and source of godly encouragement during my time in the army. After finishing my service, I joined the team at Hope for Israel, with intentions to continue expanding the incredible work with Lone Soldiers that was started years before me. I’m truly grateful that this organization came along side me and now I have the opportunity to bless others the way I was blessed.

YOU are part of this important work! Thank you for partnering with us and entrusting your offering to HFI as we seek to bless our lone soldiers. May the Lord continue to strengthen this partnership, and may you know His abundant blessing in your lives!

Gratefully yours,
        Moran Rosenblit
        Founder & Executive Director
        Hope for Israel
        Jerusalem