Israeli Southern Reservists Called Up For Dril

Archive photo: Surprise exercise on southern border (Photo: Barel Efraim)

Since February, there have been five rockets that have fallen in Israel, sent from Gaza.  Code Red sirens have been sounded and all the rockets have fallen in unpopulated areas.  Despite this, Israel has called up its Southern Command reservists for a surprise drill.  The reservists will practice operational procedures in preparation for more aggressive activity from Gaza.  Under terms and conditions from the end of Operation Protective Edge, the war with Hamas in 2014, there are to be no rockets fired at Israel.  The Israeli Air Force has gone in and retaliated after these five rockets were fired from Gaza.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4937494,00.html

Please pray for Israel’s soldiers, serving on many volatile fronts.

 

The Sea of Galilee Low Water Levels

Kinneret (Sea of Galilee)Mendy Hechtman/ Flash90

This is the first time in the past decade that at the end of winter, the Sea of Galilee has measured below both red lines.  The red lines help indicate drought conditions and urgent drought conditions.  Usually the water levels are above the lower red line after a wet winter and snow run off from Mt Hermon.  This is the fourth year in a row that the Water Authority has ordered an almost complete stop of drawing water from the Sea of Galilee.  Some water stations have experienced a decrease in water such has not been seen since the 1920s.  The drought will worsen during the summer months when Israel does not usually get rain from March/April until October/November.

http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/226919

Please pray for one final rain before the dry summer months and a great snow water run-off from Mt Hermon into the Sea of Galilee.

 

Israel Soared at the World Baseball Classic

(Photo: AP)

At the World Baseball Classic, Israel (ranked 41^st in the world), surprised everyone by winning its first three games against South Korea (ranked third in the world), Taiwan (ranked fourth) and Netherlands (ranked ninth) and advanced to the second round before being defeated.  The team was made up of mainly major and minor league Jewish American players.  It was the final country to qualify for the tournament, but it was an unexpectedly successful run for its first appearance at the World Baseball Classic. When the national anthem played, the Israeli team took off their caps and underneath, everyone was wearing a kippah or yalmulke. Baseball is not a popular sport in Israel and is mainly played by North American Israelis.

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4933255,00.html 

 

China and Israel Discuss Partnerships

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang holds a welcome ceremony for visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before their talks in Beijing, capital of China, March 20, 2017. (Xinhua/Pang Xinglei)

Prime Minister Netanyahu recently paid an official visit to China, at Premier Li’s invitation, to talk about their countries’ relations. He wanted to increase China’s cooperation with Israel in the areas of basic science, modern agriculture, clean energy and biomedicine. Israel appreciates China’s constructive role in the Middle East Peace Process. Israel is looking forward to accelerated negotiations for bi-lateral free trade agreements.

http://america.cgtn.com/2017/03/21/china-israel-agree-to-advance-innovation-cooperation

Please pray for healthy trade deals and innovation between these two countries.

 

Joined Forces to Combat PTSD

An IDF soldier (photo credit:IDF SPOKESPERSON’S UNIT)

Israel and the United States have joined forces to combat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in their militaries. While the USA has a vast unit for helping those through the disorder, Israel does not have a specific unit to deal with its veterans but provides services to those who need mental health treatments and to injured soldiers and their families. Israel developed a computerized psychological training technique which seemed to reduce the risk to combat soldiers with PTSD by 70%. The technique trains participants to better pay attention to potential threats in their surroundings and to better prepare the soldiers for battle. It’s been found that soldiers who do not correctly process their surroundings and threats are more likely to develop PTSD.

http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Politics-And-Diplomacy/Israel-and-the-US-to-collaborate-on-PTSD-treatment-programs-485008

Please pray for soldiers who are struggling with mental issues after facing harsh battlefield conditions.

 

Passover in Israel

Please pray for Chosen People Ministries’ Israeli workers as they prepare for the busy Passover season. In Israel, Passover is a much loved and anticipated holiday full of cleaning, cooking, friendly invitations and sitting down to eat the Seder together. The whole week is set apart and reserved to give thanks to God for all His faithfulness. It’s a wonderful time to share about Jesus the Messiah and his perfect sacrifice for us. Please pray that many open conversations around the dinner table, in the street, in the grocery stores happen through our faithful workers in Israel.

 

 

A Historic Deal Signed Between Israel And The United States

 

A new historic military aid package was signed between Israel and the United States in the amount of $38 billion dollars, lasting 10 years. This military deal is the largest ever given from the United States to another country. It was said that as long as Israel has existed, the United States has been Israel’s greatest friend and partner. The deal is significantly higher than past deals and will allow Israel to continue to defend itself and be a strategic Middle Eastern alley for the United States. This deal will allow Israel to continue its superior missile defense system as well as security research and development. 

 

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4854962,00.html

 

Please pray for this important strategic alliance between Israel and the United States.  

 

Israeli School Year Started

Over 2.2 million children started school September 1st all over Israel. Over 159,000 children started first grade, whereas 123,000 just graduated. The new school year will see improved English education as well as math, science and a smaller classroom size. There was a time when there were 40 children in a classroom, but now regulations require just 32. 

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4849021,00.html

Please pray for the safety and wellbeing of Israel’s school children as they learn and grow to be the next leaders in industry, science and technology. 

 

A Water Deal for Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority

A deal has just been signed for an ambitious water-sharing project that has been in the works for 10 years between Jordan, Israel and the Palestinian Authority. A canal will be built between the Red Sea near the Israeli city of Eilat and the Jordanian town of Aqaba. Water from the Red Sea will go to a desalination plant in Jordan and then 30 million cubic meters of water will be transferred to Israel and to the Palestinian Authority. The saline by-product will be brought by canal to the Dead Sea, where water levels are sinking rapidly. This extra salty water will help keep the Dead Sea from reaching crucial lower levels. At the current pace, the Dead Sea could dry out by 2050.

http://www.timesofisrael.com/israel-to-transfer-30m-cubic-meters-of-water-to-palestinians/

Please pray for friendly deals like this to keep emerging between these Middle Eastern neighbors.

 

Israel Air Force Pilots Train Under “Red Flag”

Israeli Air Force pilots participated in the United States-led “Red Flag” advanced combat training exercise in Nevada with a couple of other countries. Israel has been involved in this important military partnership and training for a number of years. It simulates combat missions with coalition forces by intercepting other aircraft, attacking targets, rescuing pilots, intelligence gathering, cyber attacks, all the while under the threat of ground to air missiles. Since Israel’s air space is very small, this sort of vast exercise is valuable for Israeli pilots.   

http://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/1.739754

Please pray for Israel’s pilots, navy, intelligence, combat and army forces.

 

Gaza Barrier to Protect Israeli Citizens

The Israeli Defense Forces have begun to work on an above ground barrier to circle Gaza, but more importantly, the barrier will go underground as well. This underground barrier will prevent Hamas-led attack tunnels from burrowing from inside Gaza to civilian towns in Israel. These tunnels have been planned to cause death and destruction for Israelis. The project will cost two billion shekels.  

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4851494,00.html

Please pray for the safety of the citizens of the Israeli towns close to Gaza.

 

Gearing Up for the High Holidays

Please keep Chose People Ministries in Israel in your prayers as we gear up for a very busy season of the Jewish High Holidays. We will host many holiday dinners and events as well as kids camps, special food packages for the needy and exciting renovations happening in the recently rented Tel Aviv Messianic Center. Israel will practically close down for all of October and we wait in anticipation for Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur and Sukkot. The whole country takes on a special atmosphere while pomegranates, round challah bread and apples and honey are offered to everyone!

Searching for the Sacred Site

by Dr. Randall Price

 

Almost on a daily basis the Israeli news reports incidents of violence on the Temple Mount. Islamic groups such as the “Women in Black” monitor the site to confront Jewish visitors with shouts of “Allah is the greatest!”. This tension has grown from the “Temple denial” doctrine that says a Jewish Temple never existed in Jerusalem and that the Jews have no right to the Temple Mount. This point of view that is expounded almost universally throughout the Arab world is of recent origin: it was developed within the political echelon of the Palestinian Authority in connection with the first Intifada in 1987. Although, it had its roots in the Islamic reaction to Israel’s return to control over the Temple Mount in the 1967 Six Day War.

Adding to the problem is an ignorance of facts among both Jews and non-Jews who accept that a Jewish Temple once existed, but believe that the Jews abandoned the site after its destruction and forgot the original location. For this reason, they think the Jewish people developed other worship centres on the Mount of Olives or at the Western Wall.

To the contrary, the Jewish people have maintained an unbroken, 2,000-year-long connection with the Temple Mount. F.M. Loewenberg, Professor Emeritus at Bar-Ilan University, has stated, “The facts do not support either of these claims. The destruction of the Second Temple in the year 70 C.E. did not spell the end of Jewish activities on the Temple Mount. For many centuries, Jews continued their attachment to the site by maintaining a physical presence on the mountain. And when they were prevented from doing so, they prayed three times a day for the speedy renewal of the sacrificial service in a restored temple.” In his Middle East Quarterly journal article, “Did Jews Abandon the Temple Mount,” he traces the Jewish connection to the Temple Mount through time, revealing that not only was a Jewish presence maintained at the site, but from time to time, as foreign rulers permitted access, the Jewish communities in Israel, joined by others from the Diaspora, attempted to rebuild the Temple on its site or to establish regular services there.

In doing so, they understood the location of the Temple was a site providentially preserved by Roman and Muslim rulers in Jerusalem. Both the Roman and Muslim rulers built structures on the site with the intention of superseding the Jewish Temple. Roman Christian rulers during the Byzantine period identified the site and covered it with refuse in order to demonstrate their belief in the divine rejection of the Jews. While most of the ancient city of Jerusalem is today covered by modern buildings, the open 35-acre platform on Mount Moriah remains, surrounded by its original Herodian walls.

These facts completely dispel popular theories that the Temple was located anywhere but on the modern Temple Mount. However, while the location of the Temple Mount is indisputable, the exact location of the Temple on the Temple Mount has long been debated. Three main locations have been put forth by archaeologists and scholars: the northern view, the southern view, and the central view. All of these locations are near to one another on the present Temple Mount, but they differ based on where these experts place the Holy of Holies, the sacred room at the rear of the Temple that housed the Ark of the Covenant. The northern view places this site at a small Muslim cupola known as the “Dome of the Tablets” situated 330 feet from the Dome of the Rock. Here, the leading proponent of this view, the late Dr. Asher Kaufmann, argued the Temple stood at an angle facing the Eastern Gate (presumably the modern Golden Gate). He believed that this placement was directly opposite the site on the Mount of Olives where the Red Heifer ceremony had taken place. Opponents of this view contend that a placement of the Temple in this area is impossible because during the time of the First Temple and the first phase of the Second Temple the Betzaida Valley cut through this area. According to the historian Strabo, this valley was later filled in by Pompey during his conquest of Jerusalem in 63 B.C. Building in this location would have required structural supports to prevent the Temple from falling into the deep ravine. However, no historical sources mention any such supports.

The southern view places the Holy of Holies at the site of the present Al-Kas fountain where Muslims ritually wash before entering the Al-Aqsa Mosque for prayers. This site was championed by Tel Aviv architect Tuvia Sagiv who argued that the Islamic Dome of the Rock and earlier structures revealed by an infrared survey were in fact remains of a pagan high place. This included the Western Wall (Kotel) which he said was related to the pagan structures above.

However, archaeological work at the Western Wall has now shown that it was not built by Herod the Great, but by his successors, and therefore could not have existed in a previous pagan period. In addition, construction work by the Islamic Waqf in 2006 near the Dome of the Rock revealed the remains of a wall with 8th century B.C. pottery (some pieces related to the oil industry). From this it has been deduced that this wall may have been part of the House of Oil located in the Women’s Court in the First Temple. If this is so, it argues for the building of the Temple in the central rather than the southern location.

The majority of Israeli and foreign archaeologists agree that the central location (the site of the Dome of the Rock) is the best location for the ancient Temples. Dr. Leen Ritmeyer, who served as an archaeological architect during the excavations at the foot of the Temple Mount from 1968-1977, defended this location in his doctoral dissertation for Manchester University as well as in his book The Quest(Carta, Jerusalem). Support for this view also comes from the large number of cisterns situated beneath this area and from the archaeological work conducted at the southwestern and southern walls of the Temple Mount.

In the final analysis, the evidence from both history and archaeology is conclusive for the Jewish Temples having existed on the Temple Mount. For this reason, the Temple Mount will remain contested and violence will continue to escalate until God’s prophetic plan for this place comes to its future fulfillment.

Israel at the Olympics

Israel sent 47 athletes to the Olympics in Rio. They will compete in sports like judo, wrestling, taekwondo, triple jump, swimming and rhythmic gymnastics. Israel did not win a medal at the London Olympics but hopes to bring home some medals from Rio. Two days before the start of the Olympics, the International Olympics Committee officially honored the 11 Israeli athletes murdered at the Munich Olympics in 1972. UPDATE: Israel has won a bronze medal in judo.  

Please pray for safety for all attending the Rio Olympics amidst worldwide terror threats.

Israel’s Air Force One

Prime Minister Netanyahu will be getting his own Air Force One, instead of flying chartered El Al airplanes. This presidential plane will be outfitted with secure communications systems and defense features at a cost of 270 million shekels ($70 million dollars). Previously, Israeli heads of state flew Israel’s national carrier, El Al, but the planes are now outdated and have a high fuel consumption.

Please pray for Prime Minister Netanyahu, as he travels around, establishing Israel’s business, politics, military, and friendship around the world. 

Hamas Steals Charity Money 

According to Shin Bet, Israel’s secret service organization, Hamas has been siphoning close to seven million dollars from charity donations given by World Vision over the past ten years. The Gaza director of World Vision, who has admitted to being a Hamas fighter, has funneled 60% of its budget to Hamas militants. The money was intended to build hospitals, schools, help in agriculture and fishing and to help those children and young families with psychological problems as well as rebuilding their homes and lives.  

Please pray for due process to take place in the trial regarding the taking of this charity money and using it for war.  

Prime Minister Netanyahu Makes Condolence Call 

Recently, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ brother died while being treated for cancer in an Israeli hospital. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu called Abbas to share his condolences, and no matters of politics were discussed. The two men have not spoken for some time, as the Middle East peace process is stalled at the moment.

Please pray for trust and conversations to be re-established between these two important men.  

Express Train to the Galilee 

A much-needed train from Tiberius to Tel Aviv is slated to take seven years to build, adding tunnels and bridges across the Jezreel and Sharon Valleys. This express train will take an hour to connect the Galilee with the high tech and business opportunities of Tel Aviv and make the Galilee a more attractive place to live. Currently, Israel is doing extensive transportation projects to widen the highway to Jerusalem, build a light rail system in Tel Aviv and neighboring cities, and upgrade its trains and tracks. 

Please pray for safety for the workers and patience for the civilians as road works cause lots of traffic.

Renovations Underway at Chosen People Ministries New Center in Tel Aviv

Recently, ministry space was rented in the greater Tel Aviv area after a long search and contract negotiations (most landlords refuse to rent to believers in Israel).  Through this space, we hope to have special community helps programs for families, children and young adults, as well as Bible studies, music and café nights and special seeker-sensitive discussions for those who have ordered Isaiah 53 Explained in Hebrew. Please pray for the quick outfitting of our space and establishing these classes.  

 

Aliyah Day Added to Israel’s Holiday Calendar

Israel is adding another holiday to its calendar – Aliyah Day – to commemorate those who have immigrated to Israel. It is not easy to uproot life and family from a familiar homeland and move to Israel where the language, style of life and weather is different. Aliyah Day is a way to give back to those who have moved to Israel to show the world that this is the Jewish homeland and a place to consider living and pioneering.

Please pray for safety and protection for Jewish people who live in regions and neighborhoods of antisemitism and fear.

 

Salt Levels in Sea Of Galilee on the Rise

Salt levels in the Sea of Galilee (the Kinneret) are on the rise as a result of another winter of low precipitation. Without new water flowing into the Sea of Galilee, underwater, and nearby salt water springs flow in and disturb the levels of “sweet water.” As a result, farmers may soon not be able to use the sea water to water crops, and it may damage its ability to be used for drinking water. The Sea of Galilee has shrunk from 480 million cubic meters in the 1970s to 320 million cubic meters of water today.

Please pray for the Sea of Galilee, a very important and necessary body of water in Israel with much biblical and modern significance to so many people.

 

Israelis Win Gold Medal

Israeli rhythmic gymnasts won the European Gold medal on their home court – the championship took place in Israel. This group of gymnasts is the most decorated in Israeli history. They will fly to Brazil to take part in this summer’s Olympic games and are a hoping for more medals.

Please pray for all the Israeli athletes traveling to Brazil, for safety and protection as they compete.

 

Terminally Ill Israeli Kids Fly To See Soccer Games

Russian-Israeli billionaire Roman Abramovich has helped sick children attend international soccer games in the past, and this time, 55 Israeli children and their caregivers have flown to France to see three soccer matches at the 2016 Eurocup. The charity that organized this is run by volunteers and Abramovich donated the money. Many of the kids have not seen an international soccer game and probably will not live long enough to see another major competition.

Please pray for these children, their families, and their doctors who care for them, that cures and solutions can be found to fight their illnesses.

 

Commemorating the Hostage Crisis of 1976 in Entebbe, Uganda

Four decades after the surprise, daring Israeli rescue mission by elite Israeli forces in Entebbe Uganda, Prime Minister Netanyahu and a large security detail have come to commemorate the mission in special ceremonies with the Uganda government. Over 100 Israeli hostages were freed while Netanyahu’s brother, Yonatan, was shot as his unit stormed the airplane. The raid made international headlines and embarrassed then-dictator, Idi Amin, who had taken power by force. Benjamin Netanyahu will continue to three other African countries – Kenya, Rwanda, and Ethiopia.

Please pray for continued good relations with Israel and African countries.

 

Short-Term Missions Teams Serve with Chosen People Ministries in Israel

So far this summer, we have had quite a few short-term missions teams come and serve with us in Israel. They have helped in our food distribution centers as well as packaging food parcels for the poor and needy. They have been involved in special events for Holocaust survivors where they shared many stories from the Word. There was even a special night of pampering for single mothers. Would you like to bring your church or school group to serve with us? Please contact opportunities@chosenpeople.com for more information or visit our website for more information. We await your friendly smiles and desire to share your testimonies!

Please continue to pray for all the summer outreaches going on in Israel and around the world.

 

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Netanyahu Visits Site of Attack In Tel Aviv
Prime Minister Netanyahu visited the restaurant where the horrific terrorist attacks took place. It was at the Sarona Market in Tel Aviv where gunmen opened fire on diners, killing four and wounding 16. He said we must mourn and return to life. The village where the attackers were from has been in lockdown, work permits have been revoked, and entry permits to Israel for 80,000 Palestinians were frozen during the Ramadan season. The United Nations Security Council voted unanimously to condemn the attack of terrorism and wanted those responsible for being brought to justice. This is the first official statement of condemnation of terrorism from the Council since the current wave of violence started eight months ago. 

Read more.

Please pray for the families and friends mourning the loss of their loved ones and for the victims recovering in the hospitals.
 
Israeli Unemployment Down
Israel’s unemployment rates dropped to their lowest in 30 years at 4.9%.  Unemployment has been dropping since 2004 when it was 11% during the Second Intifada. More full-time work has become available and part-time jobs have decreased. Israel’s unemployment rates match the United States current percentages. 

Read more.

Praise God that more jobs are available for Israeli workers.
 
Ben Gurion Airport One of the Safest In The World
Ben Gurion Airport has been deemed one of the safest airports in the world. It has many layers of security, most of which the 16 million passengers who pass through the airport don’t see. It screens every cargo and passenger airline, pilot, crew and passenger before it enters into Israeli airspace. It is a relatively small airport, 20% the size of Heathrow in London and 15% the size of Atlanta’s airport. Regardless, because of the growing concern for airport safety, Israel is hosting 40 countries for a security demonstration in the coming weeks. 

Read more.

Please pray for the airport’s continued safety and security of passengers flying in and out.
 
Hezbollah Tunnel Digging In The North
Along with Israel’s northern border, Hezbollah is claiming to be preparing for its next conflict with Israel. It has been 16 years since Israel withdrew from southern Lebanon during its long conflict.  Hezbollah now claims that it is learning from their counterparts in the south, Hamas, and are digging tunnels. These tunnels have a vast electric system, enough food for weeks and even a ventilation system to prevent moisture from damaging equipment. Hezbollah has a large supply of rockets, which they have used in the past on Israeli civilians in the north.

Read more.

Please pray that Israel can stop the tunnel digging and the preparations for war on Israel’s northern borders where many civilians live.

Ministry in Tel Aviv
Please pray for our ministries and staff in Tel Aviv.  We are praying to expand our work and ministry by planting a congregation and starting Bible studies and seminars, both practical and spiritually motivated.  We are excited by the response of those who want the Isaiah 53 Explained book, most people ordering online from our Hebrew website.  These people need to follow up and prayer, as they consider who the Messiah is. Through our ministries in Tel Aviv, we hope that these contacts can be invited for more discussion. Please pray for our workers, who do not live far from this last terrorist attack in Sarona.

 
 

Increase in Tourism and Israeli Travel 

During the recent Passover holiday in Israel, over 1.1 million travelers passed through Ben Gurion Airport, both Israelis and tourists. This is a marked increase of 13% from last year. The top destinations for Israelis were Italy, France, the Greek Islands and the United States. The busiest airline was Turkish Airlines but only for quick layovers in transit to other destinations. Although it might be the cheapest way to travel, Israelis have been warned not to stay in Turkey because of threats towards Israeli tourists.   

Read more.

Please pray for continued safety for Israelis traveling abroad and for the tight security at Ben Gurion Airport. 

Israel Will Never Leave the Golan

Prime Minister Netanyahu recently declared that the Golan Heights would forever remain under Israel’s sovereign control. In a recent visit to Moscow, Russian Prime Minister Putin and Netanyahu discussed the Golan Heights and Netanyahu explained that it was crucial for Israel’s security for it to remain in Israeli hands. Syrian fighting has brought Hezbollah close to Israel’s borders with heavy weaponry and Israel does not want another war with Hezbollah, who fired hundreds of rockets on Israeli civilians a few years ago. Part of the Golan Heights is shared with Syria, a close neighbor to Israel. Often, because of Syria’s civil war, stray mortars or airplanes have entered Israeli space. 

Read more.

Please pray for Israeli’s safety along its border shared with Syria.  

Holocaust Survivors Living in Poverty Receive Budget Surplus

A new study recently published showed that 45,000 Holocaust survivors live in poverty and are worried about their finances. They are also lonely and in poor health. On May 5, Israel remembered the six million Jews that were killed in the Holocaust by observing a moment of silence throughout the country. Cars, buses, businesses, schools and people came to a stop for a minute while listening to the sirens blasting. There are 190,000 Holocaust survivors in Israel, of whom two-thirds are women. The average age is 80 and 13% are over 90 years old.  In addition, 13% of them die each year. As a result of this recent study, the Knesset Finance Committee transferred one million shekels from a 2015 budget surplus to help these dear Holocaust survivors.    

Read more.

Read more.

Please pray for these dear Holocaust survivors to be healthy and happy with a sound mind and heart.

Israelis Fly to Canada to Help with Forest Fire

An Israeli-based non-profit and non-governmental organization has sent volunteers to provide primarily psycho-social interventions in order to deal with the needs and responses of the evacuees who are staying in temporary shelters. Mostly, the volunteers are sent to developing countries and this will be the first time they are sent to Canada. Israel is a leader in dealing with helping people through stressful relief situations; and once the fire is put out, they will send in other teams to help clean up the debris.   

Read more.

Please pray for this fire to be put out and the devastation to be cleaned up fast so peoples’ lives can be put back in order.

Israel Celebrates 68 Years!

As Israel celebrates its 68^th modern birthday, its population has grown by 2.2% in the last year to 8.5 million. Over 195,000 babies were born and 36,000 people made Aliyah (Jews immigrating from another country to live in Israel). The Jewish population is 74.8% and the Arab population is 20.8%. In 1948, Israel’s population was 806,000 and its only city of 100,000 people was Tel Aviv/Jaffa. Now Israel has 14 cities of more than 100,000. Israel is a leader in the world among high-tech innovation and medical advances and research. Israelis celebrated Independence Day with BBQs, picnics, hikes, fireworks and airshows. It was a joyous day throughout the country!  

Read more.

Praise God for 68 years of the rebirth of Israel!

Israelis Vote on “Most Israeli” Fruit and Vegetable

Over Independence Day, a poll was conducted to find which fruit and vegetable was the most “Israeli.” The citizens voted the tomato the most Israeli and that they like to eat it diced in a salad. The “Israeli Salad” is made up of cucumber, tomatoes and onions with olive oil, salt, pepper, lemon juice and a sprinkle of vinegar. The citrus fruit was voted the most “Israeli fruit.”  Israelis are known to consume lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. The tomato is excellent in anti-oxidants, lycopene and alpha and beta carotene. The citrus is an excellent source of vitamin C. This might contribute to Israeli’s high level of fitness and general good health. 

Read more.

Please pray for the farmers and farmland to remain healthy and able to bear fruit.

Serving the Holocaust Survivors

Right before Holocaust Remembrance Day, a group of Chinese Christians who were visiting the country stopped their touring and helped Chosen People Ministries to unload a food delivery truck, package food parcels and get them ready to be handed out to Holocaust survivors. Chosen People Ministries in Israel has a vibrant work among this dear population of people. Many of them are poor and this extra supply of food is helpful to their finances. They were happy to receive the food parcels, especially from visitors who had traveled so far!

Attack Tunnels Need to be Dismantled

Although Israeli Defense Forces Chief of Staff, Gen. Eisenkot has said that there will be no pre-emptive attack against Gaza and its tunnel building, he has said that it is top priority to dismantle. During Operation Protective Edge, a year and a half ago, many solid, long tunnels were found and destroyed. These tunnels led into Israel and the intent was to hurt and kill civilians. There are hundreds of engineers near the Gaza border using advanced technology to find and destroy these attack tunnels.

Read more here…

Please pray that these attack tunnels are found and that the people of Gaza would stop using their precious supplies for evil but rather to rebuild their infrastructure.

 

New Israeli Device to See Through Fog

Israel has developed a drone that can see through fog, even up to 12 miles away. Most systems lose their targets through fog but this drone can be used on land and sea and has day/night cameras, radar and infra-red. Israel developed this since so many attacks happen in the early morning when fog is thick. The device can even zero in on “distortion vapors” that occur on hot days. It is sensitive enough to pick up the difference between humans and animals.

Read more here…

Please pray for more technology to be developed to help guard the Land and its people.

 

Skiing Near Syria

The Golan Heights is a highly strategic area which is kept under strict surveillance straddling Israel and Syria. It is 7,200 feet above sea level and receives lots of snow in the winter. It is an excellent place for skiing and snow fun, in a country known more for its deserts and beaches. On one side, Israelis are skiing and on the other, a war rages, with Damascus only 25 miles away. Often the slopes have to be evacuated because of a misguided shell from the neighboring war. Israeli soldiers are everywhere, keeping watch with binoculars and snow mobiles; the border is just meters away.

Read more here…

Please pray for the war in Syria, right on Israel’s doorstep.

 

Olmert Admits Wrongdoing

Former Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, has admitted after years of court proceedings that he is guilty of obstruction of justice. The case involved bribery, taking state funds and allowing property development while in office. He will serve 19 months in prison and pay a large fine. He was recorded by the State witness trying to persuade her not to testify against him, but to lie under oath. He is the first former head of government in Israel to go to prison.

Read more here…

Please pray for our leaders, that they would be trustworthy, above reproach and wise in their dealings.

 

Stop-and-Frisk Law Passed

Under reasonable suspicion, police are now able to stop someone and frisk them, searching their body and belongings. This is in response to the large number of stabbing attacks and attempts all over the country by people seeking to kill and injure Israelis. The Knesset passed the law under controversy, as it might discriminate against Arabs, Ethiopians and other dark-skinned Jews, but many agreed it will allow the police to more effectively carry out their duties protecting civilians.

Read more here…

Please pray for those seeking to do harm, to be stopped and convinced that violence is not the way to peace.

 

Blogger’s Censorship

Thirty bloggers and webmasters received orders from the Israeli Defense Forces Communications Department to submit content and articles for censorship before publishing. Many thinking it was a joke found out that because of perilous content being published about the Defense Forces, future weapon acquisition, military subject matter and anti-Israel writings, they now have to seek approval. Israel can severely limit their publishing or ask server providers from other countries to erase their content. It is said that this is in Israel’s best interest.

Read more here…

Please pray for safety and security in cyber world and how far ill-intended remarks about Israel can reach.

 

Chosen People Ministries Hosts Special Evening for Single Mothers

Just recently we had a special event with single mothers, a night of special food, fun and spending time with each other. A short message was given and we pray that they mothers left refreshed and uplifted with the good food and a good word! Ironically, it fell on Valentine’s Day, but special Chinese food was cooked to celebrate Chinese New Year!