We at ONE FOR ISRAEL want to say a huge thank you for all your prayers and support during this dark time, and share some of what your generosity and prayers have accomplished. It’s been two brutal years of war, death, and hatred, but the kindness of people like you has brought so much help and healing.
Thanks to you, evacuated families left with nothing have been helped and are now slowly returning to their homes, soldiers have been encouraged and given helpful equipment in their long periods on duty, the elderly have received care packages and Israel’s story has been told in a world that has turned the truth upside down. More than that, your gifts have enabled us to make sure Yeshua’s message of life and hope has reached both Jews and Arabs across the whole region, meeting the desperate needs of people searching for truth and meaning.
Helping those in need
Many gave to support our relief efforts during the war, bringing much needed aid such as food and basic necessities to thousands of Israelis who were evacuated from their homes. We have also provided three ambulances in the memory of fallen believers, thanks to the generosity of our partners, and contributed towards memorials and ongoing provision in memory of peacemakers killed on October 7, 2023.
Last week a group who came on one of our ONE FOR ISRAEL tours met some of the aid recipients for themselves, and helped to hand out care packages at a home for the elderly.
Whether it’s an 80-year-old woman who desperately needs a wheelchair, displaced communities who need help coordinating big moves, or a single mum who just needs a hug, your gifts have enabled us to serve the people of Israel is many different ways, meeting all kinds of needs.
Orit Kashtan, who has been heading up the team to coordinate aid distribution explains that many of those we are serving have lost everything, including loved ones, and are deeply traumatized. Having trained to work with those with PTSD, Orit was perfectly placed to coordinate aid, and many have come to see ONE FOR ISRAEL as a blessing, a connection.
“God really used us,” Orit confirms. That includes all of you who have been partnering with us in prayer and practical means.
Producing worship music that proclaims peace
Worship music sung in both Hebrew and Arabic together has made a massive impact, both here and around the world. These songs and videos have been made possible thanks to our partners — this is yet another way in which donations to ONE FOR ISRAEL have helped reach millions around the world. We are particularly happy to report that they have had a massive impact here in Israel. A large number of the 3/4 million subscribers to our Hebrew language YouTube channel first subscribed after coming across these music videos.
There is power in music, there is power in praise, and the sight of Jews and Arabs worshiping God together has a great impact – both for those who love the Lord and on those who don’t know Him yet. What a testimony of the peace that comes through Yeshua! So thank you for helping to make these music videos possible.
Sharing the Good News
Our primary mandate is sharing the Gospel among Israelis, reaching both Jews and Arabs in the region and also beyond. We have noticed a massive increase in interest in the Gospel since the war began, and we’re not the only ones. Even secular research has verified that a huge number of Israelis are turning to God as a result of the war.
As Executive Director of the Bible Society in Israel, Victor Kalisher, told Joel Rosenberg on TBN:
“Definitely there are people that are drawn to the word of God because of the situation. We see many more people that are much more open than ever before.”
“They are open to talk about Jesus,” he continued. “ They’re open to talk about the faith, they are much more open than before. Today, they are asking themselves, many of them, why did the war happen? They are looking into things that has to do with our unity, as a society, and they are going back to their roots.”
“The Bible is definitely the thing that unites us more than anything else. It should, but it hasn’t always. It hasn’t, because many people do not consider themselves as people that believe in the Bible,” said Kalisher. “ But now, because of all that has happened, they are asking questions.”
They certainly are asking questions, and our team are inundated with requests from seekers, wanting to know more about Yeshua. Thanks to the donations we receive, we are able to employ more people to respond to seekers, helping them along their faith journey as they explore the deep questions that have come up during the war.
Every single week more new people are contacting us, and three people put their trust in Yeshua this last week.
Serving our soldiers as they serve our country
IDF service is mandatory in Israel, but many have had to go far beyond the call of duty, serving for many months at a time over these last two years. The events of October 7 caught Israel unawares, and quickly the largest draft in Israel’s history mobilized 360,000 reservists into action. Many soon found themselves serving in extremely challenging situations in the cold and rain with no phones allowed or comfortable places to sleep. Thanks to generous gifts from our partners, we were able to provide essentials from mattresses and sleeping bags to socks, mugs, and watches. These gifts meant more than practical help and comfort, but signaled to our soldiers that they were loved and appreciated, also by people overseas. “It’s unbelievable how much it made them happy,” says Orit. “It shows that we’re thankful, we haven’t forgotten them.”
Now that the ceasefire has enabled many to return at last to their families, our soldiers ministry recently hosted a large brunch for believing soldiers, both Jewish and Arab, who believe in Yeshua. We had some new believers at the event who were delighted to find themselves among 120 believing soldiers, just like them! Events like these where we can provide encouragement, blessing the soldiers with physical and spiritual food and giving gifts of pocket-sized Bibles, are all thanks to the generosity of people like you.
The power of prayer
At every turn, we have sent out calls to pray and many of you have joined us. We want to say a huge thank you for interceding for Israel and the whole region throughout this crisis, with all kinds of prayers and requests.
Most recently we highlighted the need to urgently pray that the hostages may be released, focusing on the example of Rom Brazlovski. The entire nation of Israel was jubilant to see the living hostages finally free, and as the stories are slowly coming out about what they endured, our relief that they are home intensifies all the more.
We are all overjoyed to see Rom back in Israel after enduring the hell of the Hamas terror tunnels, and want to thank you for all your intercession for him and for all the hostages.
Even before that, the divine protection throughout the war has been absolutely astonishing. God has been hearing and answering prayers in miraculous ways. A friend in the IDF estimated that 1.1 million Israelis should have been killed in the first massive barrage of missiles fired from Iran, if they had all hit their targets. However, NOT ONE Israeli was killed thanks to multiple miracles. To all those who have been praying for Israel – THANK YOU!
Declaring the truth about Israel and countering the hate
With millions following us on social media, ONE FOR ISRAEL has been in pole position to reach a huge audience with the truth about Israel in a sea of lies and antisemitism. Thanks to your support, and to all those who are liking, sharing, and commenting on our content, we are reaching many people who might not otherwise hear Israel’s side of the story.
These are critical times in history as God is working out His purposes, and thanks to our partners we are able to help people perceive what God is doing here in the Middle East. We can tell stories you will never hear on the news!
In short, God is doing amazing things through ONE FOR ISRAEL but we couldn’t do it without your help. There’s always so much to thank God for, and this Thanksgiving we give thanks to God for YOU!
Picture by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash
