Category: English

The World and the nation of Israel

We believers are not surprised at what is taking place both in the land of Israel and the world.  The countries of the world are in great turmoil, wars and rumours of wars abound, natural disasters, pandemics and earthquakes. HE allows them all; to warn both the world and wake up believers to prepare for the coming days. Prepare the lamps, trim the wicks and prepare the oil spiritually and practically….have emergency lights ready!

Psalm 96:13 “…..for He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his faithfulness.”

The rise of anti-Semitism all over the world tells us it’s a spiritual war as Jews all around the world are experiencing daily. We pray it will lead us stand strong with the people of Israel and reject it whenever it raises its ugly head.

The situation in Israel today

Israel continues to struggle for its existence.  This has been ongoing for thousands of years. Since the establishment of the state in 1948 and its declaration of independence there has been a battle. As believers we know this struggle will continue until the end of days as stated in the scriptures. The hatred of the God of Israel is at the basis of this struggle and we are witnessing what Isaiah so rightly states:-

“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter” Isaiah 5:20

The battles in and around the Land are significant and God’s way of clearing house! Both righteous and unrighteous are being tested and as Jeremiah points out a day is coming like no other….

“Oh great is that day like no other, and the time of trouble is for Jacob, yet he will be saved out of it” Jeremiah 30:7 (also read Jeremiah 30; 17-22).

Do we believers, know deep in our being that these words will be fulfilled?  So what should our response be in an upside down world against God and His land?  Our Abba in the heavens is looking at men’s hearts….their thoughts and actions. He looks and asks… as in Genesis 3:9…….”Where are you?” The one who listen to his voice and does what he says is what distinguishes those who truly follow God. May we be found to be listening and doing His will daily.

As you know in Israel today there are over 100,000 people evacuated from their homes. This is unprecedented, never happened in Israel before this war. However this is not reported in MSM and really no one cares about these ‘homeless’ people.

We in SABRA know that you care. SABRA has been blessed with so many friends, lovers of the God of Israel and His word. Your prayers, unity in love, giving and reaching out to help is so appreciated.

I recently returned from touring Europe in which I witnessed objection to the state of Israel and to God’s word about Israel. However, I also experienced good and unity with those who stand with Israel because of the God of Israel.

We here in SABRA bless all of you who are faithful in prayer and helping.

In the words of the Creator may his word be fulfilled and His good treasure, the fullness of blessings be upon you all; your relatives and loved ones. Gen 12:3

SABRA in other countries

Generally:

In several countries, friends full of faith have come together; those who want to be partners in action in different ways. Praying for Israel, for the work and helping in it, because Sabra is very busy during these challenging times.

We are convinced that prayer is the basis and the root of the spiritual and practical connection in all the affairs on this world. Prayer brings unity and goodness; “unity” is the root of success in building the bridge between Christians and Jews; a bridge of prayer, love and mercy.

SABRA team in the Netherlands

The Netherlands team continue to work steadily and productively increasing the unity between Christians and Jews.

Martin and his wife Josephine, humble and loving couple, where chosen as co-ordinators and SABRA representatives in the Netherlands.

During May 2024 – SABRA Holland is setting up a Pavilion at a multi-participant REVIVAL conference Called ( come closer)from 17 till 20 May Wallibi Holland in Biddinghuizen. Details will be updated by Martin. We hope to meet you there.

SABRA team in Finland

New believers are joining SABRA to help continue the work, encouraging and praying together. Our co-ordinator/representative, a  sister of strong faith, Ruth Heino, keeps SABRA members in Finland informed about what is happening in Israel and about our work here in the Land.

From 19-21 July ‘24 we will be part of  a seminar in Kauhava. After that there  will be several meetings throughout Finland, probably also another seminar 26.-27.07. in the Eastern Finland which Sister Ruth will inform you of in due course.

SABRA team in Germany

While visiting Germany in March ’24, I met many friends, believers who love and trust in the God of Israel; they love singing and being part of Gods work. While I was travelling in Germany, others where organising and forming a new SABRA Team there; after discussion and prayer Sister Annette and her husband Brunhard decided to be SABRA representatives. May the Lord give wisdom and strength; health and favour to this new team in Germany.

SABRA team in India

Our friends in India are committed and lovers of God’s word; supportive of Israel and SABRA’s work.

The representative is a kind-hearted Pastor called Chandra Shekar and together with a brother of faith – Shiva Kumar Botta spend time praying and giving support the people of Israel.  We meet on Zoom almost every week sharing God’s word together.

SABRA team in Indonesia

We have friends and a representative, Sister Kristin (married and has a son) located in West Papua, Indonesia and Jakarta. They love Israel and are enthusiastic to be partners in prayer and action; building bridges between Christians and Jews. Kristin and a small group came to SABRA last year, during the Feast of Tabernacles, just before the war. She also organises Zoom meetings on Fridays when we study and pray for their country – Papua and Indonesia. May He give them strength and wisdom in all they do.

SABRA team in Brazil

We have wonderful enthusiastic friends in Brazil.  Pastor Marco and his wife Nina pray regularly with their congregation for Israel, SABRA and the needy that we help. They are building bridges between the people of Israel and Christian believers in Brazil. They are assisted by Pastor Roy Barbosa and his wife, teaching from the scriptures that his congregation needs to love Israel. May they continue steadfastly, adding other members to their team.

SABRA team in UK

This year we have had some changes to the SABRA team in the UK.

Members from different parts of the UK including Family Belz, Caleb in Scotland; Pastor John and Vicky Shanley from Kent and Brother Keith, who is now overseeing the financial issues for SABRA UK, are all committed to assisting SABRA.  There are many other friends who have been with SABRA from the beginning….they include Pastor Steve Shepherd and his wife Sister Liz who are faithful servants in following God’s word.

We pray for all the teams. May our Creator impart his Truth, Wisdom and Strength to each and everyone.

May the blessings of the Most High be upon you, family and community.

From the House of Good Deeds, in the land of Zion and the city of Jerusalem.

Your brother in faith

Mordechai ben Yaakovigh

HighHH

The holiday of Purim is based on the Biblical book of Esther, and the miracle that happened for the Jews who were forced into exile.

Esther’s Hebrew name was Hadassah. She was an orphan adopted by her uncle, a Jew from the tribe of Benjamin who had been taken from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar (Est. 2:6-7). Esther, through no choice of her own, ascended to royalty and became the wife of the Persian King Ahasuerus (Heb: Ahashverosh).

Although it seemed like her physical beauty was the reason, we soon learn that the LORD of all the earth, the GOD of the Jews, was the Instigator. Mordechai informed her that she had been placed in this position in order to change the fate and future of the Jewish people (Est. 4:14). He commanded Esther to go to Ahasuerus and plead with him to revoke the genocidal decree he had allowed his vizier Haman to make.

That obligation rested heavily on the young girl, who knew the obstacles better than her uncle did.

The entire empire of Persia was ruled with an ironclad list of laws. They were all made by one man, the king (or anyone who was given permission to speak for him). Ahasuerus was accustomed to using this absolute power to gratify extreme whims. He had a standing law forbidding anyone to even approach him unless they were summoned, with a death penalty for violators (Est. 4:11). He had already banished his first queen for refusing to obey his drunken command to show off her beauty for his guests (Est. 1:10-21); apparently it was the public embarrassment that provoked him. How could Esther then disobey him in a public setting without punishment? And even if she did manage to approach him and stay alive, once a law was authorized by the king’s signet ring, it could not be changed (Est. 1:19). Last but not least, the evil initiator of that murderous plan, Haman, was still a personal favourite of the king (Est. 5:11).

Esther’s royalty did not affect her humility. She knew that her faith needed reinforcement in order to face possible death. She also knew that she needed wisdom beyond her own for a subtle approach to the problem, as well as power beyond her own to make her plans work. She appealed to the One who had placed her in this position for this hour of need.

Esther’s resolve to plead for her people, or die in the attempt, came with a command of her own: the Jews of the city were told to fast and pray with her for three days (Est. 4:16).

There are many miracles recorded in the Scriptures, some obvious and some partly hidden. Many have commented on the peculiar fact that the book of Esther never mentions GOD at all.

There are attempts to rectify this by finding Him disguised in references to “the king” which don’t mention Ahasuerus (Est. 5:1-8), and/or by splicing together the Holy Name from the Hebrew text by letter-hopping through one of those verses. But in the plain Scriptural account, the agreement of all the Jews to “fast and pray” is the closest we get to any explicit mention of His presence.

Yet the hints of GOD’s involvement are everywhere! His hand is evident in the chain of events, even before the Jews knew of the threat to their lives. “It will also come to pass that before they call, I will answer; while they are still speaking, I will listen.” (Isa. 65:24)

The great inversion that enabled the Jews to kill their would-be killers, known in the Hebrew Purim expression, “v’nahafoch hu” (Est. 9:1 – “it turned out to the contrary”), was preceded by several smaller inversions. Mordechai saved the life of Ahasuerus, and the deed was officially recorded for the king, before Haman acquired his grudge against Mordechai and sought revenge by killing all the Jews (Est. 2:21–3:6). Ahasuerus was reminded that Mordechai deserved a reward for this, just at the moment when Haman arrived with his request to hang the hero (Est. 6:1-11). That in turn forced a role reversal that even Haman’s family saw as prophetic (v. 13). We can assume that this was overheard by Esther’s eunuchs (v. 14) and was relayed to her – all in order to give her the sign that it was time to close the trap on Haman.

In fact, we can speculate that GOD had targeted Haman from the beginning, for His own reasons. He was descended from the royal line of Amalek, against whom GOD had declared His own continuing war (Exod. 17:16). King Saul had disobeyed GOD by sparing Agag (1 Sam. 15:8-9). Samuel executed Agag, but not before he had fathered more children, which in time produced Haman “the Agagite” (Est. 3:1). Since Saul was the son of Kish from Benjamin (1 Sam. 9:3), it was fitting to allow Mordechai “the son of Kish, a Benjamite” (Est. 2:5) to undo the sin.

So, the LORD planted Mordechai at the king’s gate, in order to keep in touch with his niece who was now in the palace. The LORD created friction with Haman’s right to expect bows at the king’s gate – “for so the king had commanded” (Est. 3:2), knowing that Mordechai would refuse because of his Jewish faith. The LORD made sure that Haman heard of it (v. 4), and that he was provoked to rage at the sight (v. 5). And then He caused Ahasuerus to give Haman free reign to show himself “the enemy of the Jews” (v. 10).

The trap was already set behind the scenes by an unseen Hand.

 The people of faith had to make difficult decisions to overcome fear and intimidation, and to play the role set for them. But GOD’s unseen Hand upheld them too. “Do not be afraid of sudden danger, nor of trouble from the wicked when it comes. For the LORD will be your confidence, and will keep your foot from being caught.” (Prov. 3:25-26)

In modern times, we tend to see few obvious miracles, where GOD’s action is as plain as day and cannot be denied. We long to see a “splitting of the sea” that causes the LORD’s enemies to “tremble” at His power (Exod. 15:14). Instead, we live in a kind of spiritual night, where many of His works are hidden or hard to distinguish as such. They seem (almost) natural; people call them “remarkable coincidences” or “lucky breaks”. Believers in GOD recognize His involvement, while sceptics only admit to something extraordinary, putting their “faith” in a future explanation that won’t require the Creator.

Advice for this situation is found in the verse: “It is good to give thanks to the LORD, and to sing praises to Your name, Most High; to declare Your goodness in the morning and Your faithfulness by night.” (Ps. 92:1-2) When the LORD’s goodness is disguised by human circumstances, as they were in the book of Esther, we do well to point out His faithfulness behind the seemingly natural “good fortune” – and celebrate what we see.

We can also ask the Holy One to intervene with those with us whose lack of faith is blinding them to His activity: “Then Elisha prayed and said, ‘LORD, please, open his eyes so that he may see.’ And the LORD opened the servant’s eyes, and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” (2 Kings 6:17)

Both strategies will strengthen our faith together as a congregation of the LORD’s people. We must grow beyond spiritual infancy, where we cry for the loving Hand hovering over our cradle until we feel relief, and yet we cannot look up to see our Father’s face or hear His voice.

When we are faced with threats from enemies who seem to hold all the power, we can respond with the faith of Esther and Mordechai. They may have even used these words from the Prophet: “Devise a plan, but it will fail. State a proposal, but it will not stand, for GOD is with us.” (Isa. 8:10)

We the children of GOD have a firm promise from our Father: “You who have been carried by Me from birth and have been carried from the womb: Even to your old age I will be the same, and even to your graying years I will carry you! I have done it, and I will bear you; and I will carry you and I will save you.” (Isa. 46:3-4)

That promise is primarily for “the house of Jacob, and all the remnant of the house of Israel” (v.  3). Although the people of Israel have fallen repeatedly into sin, and have abandoned the LORD, He Himself will never abandon them. “For the LORD will not abandon His people on account of His great name, because the LORD has been pleased to make you a people for Himself.” (1 Sam. 12:22)

His program for the Jewish people continues according to His plan. And yes, there are disguised miracles in our days that remind us of Purim.

Consider the reborn nation of Israel, which has thrived in spite of repeated attempts to snuff it out, or strangle its economy, or slander its reputation. Most of the world denies anything miraculous about this. They proclaim that it’s a political achievement, a coincidence of history, a result of Israel’s military skill, or the product of “Jewish brainpower”. When these fail to completely explain the outcome (think about the Six-Day War), they fall back on “luck” as an explanation.

But those are mumblings of the wilfully blind. Long ago, we were told: “The Glory of Israel will not lie nor change His mind; for He is not a man, that He would change His mind.” (1 Sam. 15:29)

Someday, there will be no more doubts or disbelief, for “the LORD will rise” in His glory over the earth (Isa. 60:1-3). May it come speedily, in our days! Until then, let’s celebrate all the Purim-style miracles, as we declare “His faithfulness in the night” (Ps. 92:2).

Be blessed by the Most High from Zion and Jerusalem and from the house of good deeds, Sabra house

          Today there has been an escalation in the bombardment coming from Lebanon. Hezbollah’s shelling from Lebanon has increased on civilian and military camps. This  is not new thing for us; we have been living with these bombings and shelling for more than 120 days.

          Sadly though today there is one woman killed and eight wounded, some of them very seriously, in the area of the town of Tzafat (Tzafat is not that close to the Lebanese border) – Hezbollah is now using long-range, very accurate missiles made in Iran.

          The hard fighting is yet to come; it’s on a different level to the fighting in Gaza (although the fighting in Gaza is also getting harder and harder to avoid harming children, women and innocent civilians).

          This war in the north is a strategic religious war led by Iran. For it is Iran that directs Hezbollah, Hamas and the “Houthi” forces in Yemen.

          This war is not only against Jews, but also against Christians, worldwide.

We citizens of Israel have been asked to prepare ourselves for a few days without electricity, and therefore we must prepare batteries and flashlights, water bottles, non-electric heaters, dry food and cash (perhaps the banks and all computer equipment will be affected).

          For us, this means that the war is becoming more and more serious and that we have to make extra preparations to be ready.

          After praying, we at Sabra, decided to increase the aid to the northern border areas, but also to prepare to help the settlements away from the border.

          We who have faith in the God of Israel are not in despair, nor do our hands fall. “We are not afraid”, for the Creator who promises will do His work. We are moving through a process of refining into the future and the verse “… Alas! For that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob’s trouble, but he shall be saved out of it  …” (Jeremiah 30:7), will be fulfilled,

          We in Sabra know through our wonderful experience of Him that the Lord of the world speaks to every believer. Our brothers and sisters in faith around the world are and will continue to pray for us, to encourage us and to support us. We, the Sabra team, will continue praying and blessing them: “Blessed are you, O Lord, who promises and keeps; bless those who love and cheer for Israel, as you promised Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”

(Genesis 12:3), “…I will bless those who bless you, and him who curses you I will curse; and all the families of the earth shall bless themselves by you.” I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you, all  of the earth shall be blessed.” ““Together we will win”!

May the blessing of the Most High be upon you, your family and your congregation.

From the home of good deeds, and the land of Zion and the city of Jerusalem

Your brother in faith

Mordechai ben Yaakov

“Trust in the LORD and do good. Live in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” (Ps. 37:3-4)

To my beloved brothers and friends:

These days the people of Israel are continuing to fight for their very existence. In a rare show of unity, the enemies of the Jewish people are attacking from all sides – Hezbollah from the north, Hamas and Islamic Jihad from the south and east (Gaza, Judea and Samaria), the Houthis from the Red Sea, the Iranian proxies in South Africa from the European court, and antisemites from around the world online.

All this, while Israel’s brave soldiers are risking their own lives and safety in a nearly impossible double mission. They must eliminate the jihadi murderers without hurting innocent bystanders, even while the murderers dress as civilians and hide among the innocent; and they must rescue more than 100 Israeli hostages who are hidden away in an underground booby-trapped labyrinth (and who may not even be alive after 100 days of sadistic abuse and lack of needed medicines).

Israel’s accusers couldn’t care less about these dilemmas, which no other nation has ever faced. Most critics carefully avoid even mentioning them. Not least is the International Red Cross, whose job it is to visit war captives worldwide. That well-funded humanitarian organization hasn’t done the minimum required of it under international law, which is to use international pressure to gain access to the Israeli hostages.

Instead, the international community is using its pressure to insist that Israel unilaterally end its defensive war – which would be nothing less than surrendering to an enemy that has openly proclaimed a goal of genocide. Forgotten are the Hamas-produced videos advertising their slaughter, rape, abuse and dismemberment of Israelis, including children (while their parents were forced to watch!). The vows of Hamas to repeat the Oct. 7 massacre “again and again, until Israel is eliminated,” are not considered grounds for a charge of genocide, but rather a legitimate demand to be upheld by the global community as part of “the two-state solution.”

The victims of genocide now have to defend themselves from the charge of “genocide” in the so-called International Court of Justice, where the perpetrators are allowed to pose as the victims. The ironies are many:

• The accusation was based on the law that was created because of the Holocaust, but that law is being used to protect the would-be engineers of a second Holocaust.
• The Court’s interim decision on Jan. 26 was that Israel “must prevent genocide and do more to help civilians in Gaza,” after Israel had presented documentation that its track record on both counts is already better than any other country in history.
• The ICJ’s decision to even take the “genocide in Gaza” case seriously was a politically expedient cop-out that will forever be a stain on its reputation. The nations that either supported it or passively went along with it will answer to the Judge of all the earth.

Meanwhile, the UN agency mandated to care for Palestinians in Gaza, UNRWA, is in hot water. Over the years, UNRWA was repeatedly caught cooperating with Hamas and its genocidal project against Israel. Now Israel has identified at least a dozen UNRWA employees who actively participated in the Oct. 7 massacre and kidnapping. The leadership immediately fired nine of them, while denying any wrongdoing. Now the agency is posing as another “victim” of Israeli actions, because furious donor countries have frozen their UNRWA funding.

Add to this the revelation by Israeli intelligence that 80% of Gazan men, women and children – regarded as neutral victims in the conflict – were discovered to be actively involved in Hamas, as fighters or in support roles (from scouts and couriers to spies and decoys). In nearly every Gazan home, school, playground, mosque, and health clinic, IDF soldiers have found weapons, ammunition, explosives and rockets – even under children’s beds! (Where is outcry for how this endangers the children of Gaza?)

The secret is out. The billions donated for humanitarian aid and tourism development went to Hamas, who built a giant military base. The IDF mapped 450 miles of well-equipped tunnels at multiple levels; some tunnels are big enough to drive trucks through them. More than 5000 tunnel exits open into homes, hospitals, mosques, schools and open fields – including inside Israel. This network, which also includes missile factories, hostage cells and military command bunkers, is now known to be bigger than the London underground system. The video evidence has been published repeatedly by major news outlets.

And yet none of that is accepted by the world as vindication of Israel’s decision to fight until the Hamas power base is totally eliminated.

What a vivid fulfillment of the Psalm:

“Do not be far from me, for trouble is near. For there is no one to help. Many bulls have surrounded me; strong bulls of Bashan have encircled me. They open their mouths wide at me, as a ravening and roaring lion…. You lay me in the dust of death. For dogs have surrounded me; a band of evildoers has encompassed me….” (Ps. 22:12-16)

This attack has been going on in one form or another for the last 150 years in the Land of Zion, and for thousands of years in the Diaspora. From the very birth of Israel as a nation coming out of Egypt until today, there have always been rulers like the Pharaoh “who did not know Joseph” (Exod. 1:8) – who have refused to acknowledge the good that their nations have received from the Jewish people – and from the GOD of Israel. It’s incredible that Hamas leaders and their families have shown no gratitude at all for receiving top-quality medical treatment in Israeli hospitals.

Amalek was the first nation to declare war on the Israelites. Their specialty was to launch sneak attacks on the vulnerable; they “attacked among you all the stragglers at your rear when you were tired and weary.” For this cruelty, and because the Amalekites “did not fear GOD,” the LORD declared His own war against them, and commanded His people to blot out their name and memory (Exod. 17:14-16, Deut. 25:17-19).

The Amalekites continued to harass the Israelites who settled in the Land – not to regain territory, but to join with Israel’s other enemies to “destroy the produce of the earth” and “leave no sustenance” for Israel (Judges 6:3-5). GOD’s command to eradicate the tribe of Amalek was carried out in King Saul’s day (1 Sam. 15), but not completely. Saul’s reluctance to execute their king, Agag, might have been from a desire to make peace, or to show mercy. But that decision not only cost Saul the kingdom, it also allowed a future Amalekite descendant, Haman the Agagite, to once again plot an unprovoked genocidal attack on the Jewish people (Esther 3). We thus learn that the Amalekites’ murderous hatred of GOD’s chosen people was passed down spiritually for centuries, regardless of culture or circumstances.

That spirit found a home in the 20th century with the Nazis, who erased one third of the Jewish people without provocation.

Now we see the same spirit driving Iran and its partner Hamas. Israel’s war with Hamas is not like Israel’s other wars for survival. Hamas has no interest in peace; they used their peace agreements to lull Israel into a false sense of security, while they secretly planned and armed for war. Hamas is only interested in destroying Israel, as a tribute to the god of Islam.

 In short, this is a religious war – and not just against the state of Israel.

Like Amalek, who had no reason to attack the Israelites in the desert, or the Jews in Persia, Hamas has no reason to declare in their Charter that the Jews worldwide are their enemy (showing that their grievance is not political or territorial). And like the Amalekites, who abused the vulnerable even in their own camp (1 Sam. 30:13), Hamas shows no mercy to the sick, poor or elderly in Gaza. Some Gazans have been seen on camera cursing Hamas for destroying their lives. Because Hamas has no fear of GOD or moral limits, they can expect the same Divine hostility that Amalek received.

Yet merely the comment by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, that the Hamas abusers should share the fate of the ancient Amalekite abusers, was used by South Africa as evidence of “genocidal intent” against the residents of Gaza in particular, and against the Palestinians in general. On the contrary, we might say that Netanyahu repeated King Saul’s mistake by showing mercy to Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. It was Netanyahu who released him from serving a life sentence in Israeli prison in 2011, and Sinwar repaid that kindness by planning and directing the Oct. 7 massacre.

All those who love the GOD of Israel must pray for Israel’s leaders, who need wisdom beyond human ability in these times.

UPDATE ON SABRA ACTIVITIES

In challenging times, we usually find out who our real friends are.

You are truly brothers and sisters who care for the people of Israel. You are wonderful in your encouragement, strengthening our hands by praying for Israel, the Sabra staff and the recipients of our help; and by your generosity in giving financial support. Many of you have sent us wonderfully encouraging emails and text messages. Some of you have asked about the welfare of those who receive help from Sabra Fund.

There are even people participating with us who we don’t know at all.

We recognize the power of this prayer and encouragement. We ask you to tell your family and friends about our efforts, so that the circle of support can expand and the prayers can keep growing.

As for those who are asking about us personally, we are praying for you as well, blessing those who are blessing us.

We continue to help the Holocaust survivors among us. We are still working to improve the environments of disadvantaged schools, where children need extra support to have the same learning opportunities as other kids. This includes a boarding school for girls, and another boarding school.

Added to these is the aid we are giving to families displaced from their homes in the north, due to the missiles fired by Hezbollah. Their situation is not easy, to say the least. Here are two examples:

The “N” family has two young children, aged 2 years and 2 months. Their situation is extremely challenging. The father is fighting in the IDF, and the mother cannot work. They struggle to buy enough disposable diapers; the mother has confessed that she changes her babies only twice a day to stretch their supply. As a result, the children are suffering from diaper rash. The family’s ability to buy baby food is also limited. Sabra is helping with this, as well as supplying clothing for the heavy winter weather (as you parents know, small children can need several changes of clothing a day).

A family of Ukrainian refugees – a mother, son and daughter – have been in Israel for two years now. The daughter is 19 and decided to enlist in the IDF, even though Israel does not call up non-citizens. She simply wanted to serve, and she fought for it until they accepted her. The IDF is giving some financial help to this soldier, but not enough for the family to live on. Sabra is helping this wonderful family, and they wanted us to thank you who are donating and praying for them. They feel the hand of the King of kings through your help.

This is why you should keep praying and sending your encouraging words; they make a difference! Never forget that you are equal partners with us in this work, wherever you live. Your love, prayers and deeds of mercy are the three concepts that form Sabra’s vision.

May the blessings of the Most High be upon you, your family and your congregation.

From the land of Zion and the city of Jerusalem,

From the House of good deeds  -Sabra House

Your brother in faith,

My dear and beloved friends,

Many will ask where the festival of Tu B’Shvat (the 15th of Shevat) came from. Over the years I came to realize that many of my friends around the world don’t understand the real meaning of this “strange” holiday.

Tu B’Shvat is suited especially for the Land of Israel, the home promised to the people of Israel. It’s not a “holiday for trees” or a time to bow down to trees (GOD forbid). It’s indirectly connected to the Torah.

When planting trees in the Promised Land, the people of Israel were commanded to not harvest their fruit for the first three years (Lev. 19:23). The reason is explained there: “…so that its yield may increase for you.” (v. 25) Botanists have confirmed that this practice makes the trees stronger and more fruitful. Thus, Tu B’Shvat serves the practical purpose of marking the best day for planting saplings, making it easier to count full years for each tree so that we can keep the Torah commandment.

But there is so much more to learn from this focus on trees.

Trees are a symbol and a reminder of the promise made by the Creator to “plant” the people of Israel in the Land, so that their roots would spread down into the holy ground. Again, people can misunderstand; the ground is not holy in itself – any more than the people are intrinsically holy. The promises of the Holy One make the Land holy, and our actions which show our faith in those promises make us holy.

GOD first connected the people to the Land by calling Abraham: “Go from your country…
to the land which I will show you, and I will make you into a great nation.” (Gen. 12:1-2) It was next to a landmark oak tree – Elon Moreh – that the LORD first appeared to him and promised, “To your descendants I will give this land.” (v. 6-7) After Abraham made a peace covenant with the nearby Philistines, he planted another tree at Beersheba and “called on the name of the LORD” (Gen. 21:33).

The promise to plant Abraham’s descendants in that same Land began to materialize at the splitting of the Reed Sea. It’s interesting that this great event appears in the Torah portion for the Shabbat that follows Tu B’Shvat. The Song of the Sea (Exod. 15), which all the people sang after their miraculous deliverance from bondage, was inspired by the Holy Spirit. And in verse 17 is the declaration that the LORD will bring the people to the Land “and plant them in the mountain of Your inheritance.”

Looking closely at this prophecy reveals the “fruit” that would result from GOD’s planting: the LORD would make His dwelling place in His holy mountain, build a holy sanctuary with His own hands, and “reign forever and ever” from there.

When the people of Israel were exiled from the Land, both Land and people became desolate. The Land stopped producing its fruit, and it would only regain its fertility when the LORD brought them back from exile (Ezek. 36:8). Likewise, the people were to come alive again when the LORD reconnected them with their Land (Ezek. 37:14).

The planting imagery repeats often in the Scriptures. The Psalms remember how GOD “planted” the people of Israel and caused them to “possess the land” (Ps. 44:2-3). King David was promised that in his days the people would have rest from their enemies, “and I will establish a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, so that they may live in their own place and not be disturbed again.” (2 Sam. 7:10) Even when the Babylonians came and destroyed Jerusalem, GOD told those who were left to not be afraid: “If you will indeed stay in this land, then I will build you up and not tear you down, and I will plant you and not uproot you.” (Jer. 42:10) Jeremiah also comforted the exiles forcibly taken to Babylon with GOD’s promise to eventually “bring them back to this land; and I will build them up and not overthrow them, and I will plant them and not uproot them.” (Jer. 24:6)

These promises are relevant for our day as well. The prophet Amos saw far ahead to the second exile “among all nations,” after which the LORD would return Israel to the Land to both plant in it and be planted in it: “I will also restore the fortunes of My people Israel, and they will rebuild the desolated cities and live in them. They will also plant vineyards and drink their wine, and make gardens and eat their fruit. I will also plant them on their land, and they will not be uprooted again from their land which I have given them.” (Amos 9:14-15)

Those who plant their families in the Land are promised that they will pass the blessings to their children: “They will build houses and inhabit them; they will also plant vineyards and eat their fruit…. They will not labor in vain, or give birth to children for disaster; for they are the descendants of those blessed by the LORD, and their descendants with them.” (Isa. 65:21-23)

The Creator Himself loves the Land of Israel: It is “a land for which the LORD your GOD cares; the eyes of the LORD your GOD are continually on it, from the beginning even to the end of the year.” (Deut. 11:12) Whenever He remembers His Covenant with the forefathers, He also remembers the Land (Lev. 26:42).

From all these Scriptures, we learn how important it is for the Jewish people to live in the Land of Israel and to eat its fruit. The Torah explicitly commands us to thank Him for both at the same time: “When you have eaten and are satisfied, you shall bless the LORD your GOD for the good land which He has given you.” (Deut. 8:10) Experiencing this gift with our senses makes it easy and natural to bless Him – almost as if eating the fruit of the Land supplies a special praise “vitamin” to our souls.

When we personally plant trees in our garden, we learn a lot about patience, dedication, and faithful care. It takes several years for a young tree to sink its roots deep enough to withstand dry spells or high winds. Until then, it needs special attention so that it doesn’t dry out or fall over. Fruit trees can take even longer before they start to produce good-quality fruit; and they must be watered, fertilized, and pruned properly in order to resist pests and diseases.

This hints at our own part in being spiritually planted by the LORD. It requires patience, faithfulness, and discipline to produce the fruit of righteousness. The one who delights in the Creator’s good laws “will be like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers.” (Ps. 1:3) But the one who trusts in himself or in other people “will be like a bush in the desert, and will not see when prosperity comes, but will live in stony wastes in the wilderness, a land of salt that is not inhabited.” (Jer. 17:6)

In the Final Redemption, GOD’s holy people will be like sturdy trees thriving on His Land: “For you will have the LORD as an everlasting light, and the days of your mourning will be over. Then all your people will be righteous; they will possess the land forever, the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, that I may be glorified.” (Isa. 60:20-21)

The people of Israel were exiled because of their sin, but their roots remained embedded in the Land. GOD compared their condition to “a terebinth or an oak whose stump remains when it is cut down.” (Isa. 6:13) Both of these trees (elah and elon, respectively) are natural to Israel and can live for hundreds of years. They are very hard to kill; as long as their roots are left intact, cutting them down will make them grow back taller than ever. In the days of the Messiah, we will experience the same longevity: ” For as the lifetime of a tree, so will be the days of My people, and My chosen ones will fully enjoy the work of their hands.” (Isa. 65:22)

Thus, when we bless the Creator for the beauty, fragrance, strength, and fruit of Israel’s trees, we look forward to “the days to come” when “Jacob will take root, Israel will blossom and sprout, and they will fill the whole world with fruit.” (Isa. 27:6) “On that day the Branch of the LORD will be beautiful and glorious, and the fruit of the earth will be the pride and the beauty of the survivors of Israel. And it will come about that the one who is left in Zion and remains behind in Jerusalem will be called holy — everyone who is recorded for life in Jerusalem.” (Isa. 4:2)

This “Branch” is agreed by the sages to be the Messiah, Son of David: “Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch from his roots will bear fruit. The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him…. Then on that day the nations will resort to the root of Jesse, who will stand as a signal flag for the peoples; and his resting place will be glorious.” (Isa. 11:1-2, 10)

From this, we know that all believers in the LORD from the nations are entitled (and even required!) to rejoice with the people of Israel over the fruit of this good Land, where one day we will gather together on GOD’s holy mountain.

May we encourage one another to grow deeper in our faith as individuals and communities, so that we can see our GOD do wonders on our behalf.

Be blessed by the Most High from the land of Zion and Jerusalem!

From the “house of good deeds” – Sabra House,

“For as is the share of the one who goes down into the battle, so shall be the share of the one who stays by the baggage; they shall share alike.” (1 Sam. 30:24)

In this verse, David (already anointed as king) taught an important rule to the believers in the GOD of Israel. In every struggle, battle or life challenge, each person has his or her own task and mission. What does that mean for us today? One person is fighting the battle; another is praying from some point on the earth, which can be near or far. A third person is providing practical support, and a fourth is providing the funds for that support. Whatever our task, we are to carry it out with a willing and whole heart, joyfully taking part in a network that brings its own blessings from Heaven.

This is how a community-wide body functions under the leadership of the Creator. You, as lovers of the GOD of Israel who are connected with the people of Israel, are praying and encouraging, helping and funding, while we fight the physical and spiritual battles here. That makes you full partners in this important network which is so relevant for the End of Days.

During this time, all of us in Israel and abroad hear of the difficult sacrifices being made on the battle front. We see photos of the soldiers who are fighting with dedication, and we understand that they are carrying out a holy mission to defend the people of Israel and the Promised Land with their bodies and souls. We pray for their safety from our places around the world, providing help and support to those serving at the front. We hear about the wounded soldiers, and we pray for their recovery. For those who have fallen in battle, we try to comfort and support their families in prayers and deeds.

Many of the believers are both praying and lending a hand. One focus is providing help and support to ease the suffering of the residents in the areas bordering Lebanon, Gaza, and the Golan. A total of around 130,000 people have been dislocated, 60,000 of them from the north. They were sent to temporary accommodations scattered around the rest of the country.

The people in these areas have been evacuated from their homes for their own safety, and their towns are currently in a declared military zone. But despite the danger, some have stayed behind for different reasons, refusing to leave their homes. One such town is Kiryat Shmona, near the Lebanese border.

While the Sabra Fund was distributing humanitarian aid in Tiberias, the IDF officers who were working with us asked us to participate in similar efforts to help those remaining in Kiryat Shmona. The day that we set out to visit the town, it happened to be a world-famous holiday, dear to many of our Christian friends: December 25.

Here in Israel, it was a mild and beautiful sunny day. But while still on the way, we were forced to change our plan, due to continual shelling from across the Lebanese border. Kiryat Shmona was shut down, with no one able to enter or leave.

Instead, we began our aid efforts in a small town in the upper Galilee region around 30 km south of Kiryat Shmona, called Hatzor Haglilit. Here, forces from the Home Front Command were conducting defensive drills. They were practicing their response to different situations that might occur during a battle or a bombing. We spent a whole day with these officers and their troops, which allowed us to see a bit of what can theoretically take place during a war crisis.  

For me as an IDF veteran who knows army life, it was impressive to see the complex preparations undertaken by this military branch. Everything was coordinated between the units, the rescue teams (in case of collapsed buildings), and the different medical personnel. They practiced the police action of sealing and encircling the area, the placement of emergency medical caregivers in safe zones – and in parallel, securing the town’s industrial area, which includes factories that use toxic materials like ammonia and chlorine.

All this was just a rehearsal. I imagined what a real situation might look like, and the added pressures if terrorists were part of the mix. (There’s a separate IDF unit for that.)

I and my friends silently thanked the Creator that we have such a dedicated and faithful army, with the foresight to prepare for such scenarios. Although the Home Front soldiers aren’t commandos storming an enemy stronghold, they were risking their lives every moment they were here, within missile range. We sat watching these men and women of all ranks working together with compassionate hearts to care for the distressed residents of the Galilee, putting their own lives and families on hold in order to serve their fellow-Israelis.

By the way, these same people have brought emergency help to other nations after disasters like earthquakes – even in countries that are less than friendly to Israel, like Turkey. In times of peace, they serve as on-call reservists in every region of Israel.

After the drill ended, we were given special permits to enter Kiryat Shmona, along with protective gear. Then we made our way to that northern town. But before leaving, the Sabra Fund provided a light meal for some of the soldiers in Hatzor Haglilit.

We arrived to a ghost town, with almost no signs of life. The stores of Kiryat Shmona were all closed, and all the homes were dark, making it hard to know whether they were inhabited or not. We went straight to the office of the town’s military commander.

We found an energetic and compassionate officer, who saw to the smallest details. With him was a female officer who looked older than the average soldier. She spent entire days running back and forth among the homes of the few who remained in town, checking on them and taking care of their needs. Incidentally, this was not really the job of the IDF. But if asked, they would say, “They’re our family… we feel responsible for one another.”

From the commander we received an outline of the situation. Some of these figures which I present to you now are not even public information:

• The town numbers 25,000 residents. Around 3000 of them have remained – mostly elderly and disabled. Some of them are families with children; a total of 36 children of varying ages are here.
• Since the beginning of the war, the town has been hit by 167 rockets and 5 bomb-carrying UAVs (unmanned drones), in addition to the daily sniping and shelling that regularly take place every day.
• To date, 30 buildings have been destroyed or burned, both residences and businesses.
• During the 80 days of war, an undisclosed number of local people were wounded and killed, not counting the soldiers living in Kiryat Shmona who were killed in battles on the borders.
• Many of the streets in the area have been damaged by IDF tanks and heavy equipment moving into position around the region. The entire battle zone is on the Israeli side of the border, so Israeli infrastructure is paying a heavy price.

Even this description doesn’t cover the wide range of tasks these Israeli soldiers are called to undertake.

From the moment the government decided to evacuate citizens from various areas, it fell to the IDF to get the residents onto buses. This alone was no easy task, since it included a detailed register of all citizens and what city was going to receive them – with everything having to be done as quickly as possible to minimize the risk to their safety.

After arranging the evacuations, the IDF began to care for those who stayed behind. Soldiers serving in Kiryat Shmona visit each resident once a week to reassure and encourage them (in Russian, Amharic, or other languages as needed). They bring required medicines from the pharmacies, or hot food for those who can’t care for themselves, or help solve a host of other individual problems. There are also pets to look after, which can involve everything from bringing dog or cat food to calling a vet for treatment.

These same soldiers of the Home Front Command in Kiryat Shmona also look after needs of the evacuated families who are relocated to the center of the country. They make sure that the refugees have winter clothing (remember that they left in early October, when the weather was still warm). If abandoned homes or businesses are hit by missiles, the owners are notified and provided with help. In some cases, homeowners left so quickly that they afterwards realized they had forgotten to lock their doors; the soldiers have the locks changed, and then they send the new keys to the owners’ temporary address.

The commander told us how the Home Front Command in different locations organized an impromptu kindergarten for the families with small children. These families are now asking for toys and other things for the “new” educational environment, which needs to continue for an unknown period of time.

These problems may seem marginal to us, but to the uprooted families, it’s a great relief to have someone resolve them. They know the Home Front Command will find the time to take care of these worries.

Still, as time goes on, the strain is increasing. The families who are living in hotels around the country might be thought to be enjoying a long vacation. But in reality, an entire family trying to live daily life in a single room is quite difficult. They often need encouragement and guidance on how to release the built-up tension. But what they really need, and long for, is to be able to return to their homes and live normal lives.

All the residents are tired of being homeless. But they are refusing to return home, where they had to endure the tension of constant emergency sirens, and the danger of being injured or killed by the explosions that followed. They have lived for too long with an unlivable situation.

The enemies of Israel have been tormenting the Israeli civilians for years. Like Hamas did along the Gaza border, Hezbollah terrorists are sitting so close along the Lebanese border that they can almost be touched. They’ve been shooting at Israelis whenever they could get away with it. Like Hamas, they’ve dug sophisticated tunnels under the border in efforts to carry out their plan to invade Israel.

After Hamas managed to carry out the same plan across the Gaza border, the residents of the north understand that they could be faced with the same disaster, only more difficult. Neither they nor anyone else in Israel believe the international politicians would stop a Hezbollah invasion. As it is, the world leaders are already calling for “an immediate ceasefire” before Hamas is fully dismantled, insisting that “quiet will bring quiet” with their guaranteed support (conveniently forgetting that no one prevented Hamas from violating previous ceasefires). The same world leaders also guaranteed that they would keep Hezbollah away from Israel’s northern border; yet the UN Peacekeeping Observers not only failed in this mission, they sat and “observed” while Hezbollah tunneled their way into Israeli territory.

Israelis are united in the conviction that no written ceasefire agreement will be enforced by those who are pushing for it. Protests have begun in the north, demanding that the IDF not stop until all the terrorist threats are eliminated, in the same way that the Nazis were eliminated from Europe; and demanding that our enemies submit to re-education, in the same way that the Japanese were re-educated to reject the racial hatred they had been taught from childhood.

Israelis everywhere are ready and willing to defend ourselves from those who hate us – by ourselves if necessary. At the same time, there is a noticeable trend of Israel’s citizens turning to the GOD of their fathers and drawing hope from the roots of their faith.

By the end of our tour of Kiryat Shmona, we at Sabra Fund realized that the Creator had shown us where we can participate in this endeavor.

Your prayers are very important to us at this time, so that we can be an effective part of this important network. Always remember that this is no ordinary war: it’s a spiritual struggle between those who love death and those who love the LORD of life. We need to rise up in faith, like David, and proclaim His faithfulness to the watching world, “so that all the earth may know that there is a GOD in Israel, and that this entire assembly may know that the LORD does not save by sword or by spear; for the battle is the LORD’s, and He will hand you over to us!” (1 Sam. 17:46-47)

May the blessings of the Most High be upon you, your family and your congregation.

From the land of Zion and the city of Jerusalem,

Your brother in faith

While writing an Update about the Lebanon border, I received new details on what is happening on the northern border.

Until today (Dec. 21, 2023), there have been fairly heavy explosions all the time, and Israel has returned fire directly to the sources of the shelling, with a mission of not escalating the fighting.

By way of background, it should be emphasized that Hezbollah is not a ragtag group of terrorist fighters; they are a professional terrorist army using precision missiles and other high-quality weaponry supplied by Iran. They have years of experience in shedding innocent blood and terrorizing civilians both in Israel and Lebanon. They are also responsible for the murder of tens of thousands of civilians in Syria. Hezbollah forces are entrenched in the mountainous region just beyond Israel’s northern border, with a network of tunnels that are better protected than those built by Hamas in Gaza.

In addition, Hezbollah has been joined by Hamas, which sent fighters to attack Israeli civilians and homes from Lebanese soil. Together they use the terrorist tactic of hiding among civilians. Their tunnels and missiles are deliberately placed in and under Lebanese villages.

For this reason, Israel has been trying to avoid hitting the civilian population in Lebanon, so that the conflict will not intensify. But as of today, the shooting from Lebanon has sharply increased anyway.

Since this afternoon, it has been almost impossible to even use many of the roads both in the Galilee and on the Golan Heights. The evil terrorists are firing missiles at any point of light they can spot in the nighttime darkness. They also have access to Iranian-made drones, which they are using to drop explosives on Israeli towns.

The USA and France are trying to defuse the violence on the Lebanese side. According to an agreement formalized between Lebanon and Israel years ago, after the Lebanon War, Hezbollah was required to evacuate to the other side of the Litany River (20 km / 12 miles north of the Israeli border). Being the lawless group that it is, Hezbollah disregarded that order, and the Lebanese government was powerless to enforce it. So were the so-called peacekeeping forces of UNIFIL, which are ignored by Hezbollah.

Israel has no illusions that any international efforts will succeed. Hezbollah takes orders only from Iran, just like Hamas in Gaza, and the Houthi rebels in Yemen.

The Houthis are a new enemy. Although they were never interested in the Palestinian cause, they are threatening to send thousands of their soldiers to fight against Israel in “solidarity with Gaza”. For now, however, they are content to “only” fire Iranian-made missiles – sometimes towards Eilat (a distance of 2000 km / 1240 miles), but mostly at commercial ships trying to pass Yemen on their way to the Suez Canal. It’s noteworthy that they aren’t just attacking ships destined for Israel, but also any Western vessel headed for Europe or North America. The Houthis are carrying out Iran’s goal to disrupt the global economy, using Israel’s war as the pretext.

The situation for Israelis was already stressful as it was. Besides the 120,000 Israelis evacuated from the south near Gaza, there are 60,000 northern residents, including children, women and the elderly, who were forced to leave their homes and scatter to various cities and towns across Israel. The children of course have had their education disrupted, and despite attempts to organize classes for them, they are robbed of the sense of stability that children need.

Because of the missile attacks, most northern farmers are unable to tend their fields, orchards, vineyards, and greenhouses. Those farms that have livestock (cows, sheep, chickens, and more) are in worse shape. One of the most urgent needs has been to gather eggs every day from the laying hens. Yesterday evening, I was approached with a request to find volunteers for this task.

The agricultural laborers, most of whom are foreigners who came to Israel for the economic opportunities, understandably don’t want to work in these areas. The Israeli youth, who would have been willing to volunteer on the farms, have largely been called up for IDF duty. Thus, some of the farmers have refused to leave, preferring to risk death or injury in order to keep things going. And quite a few have been injured by the explosions while trying to work.

Yet with all the suffering caused by the displacement, the residents of the North are determined not to return to their homes until Hezbollah is eliminated. They know full well that otherwise, the horrific massacre of October 7 that took place on the Gaza border could someday happen to them.

Judea-Samaria

And what of Israel’s ancient and modern heartland? Even before October 7, there were increasing security problems in Judea, Samaria, and Jerusalem. Since that awful day, the situation in the central region has become more complex. Since many of the Israeli men have been sent to fight on the northern and southern fronts, the defense of the communities in Judea and Samaria for the last two months has fallen to the women (who are also caring for their children alone) and the men who are too old to be drafted. The IDF has raided known Hamas centers like Jenin, arresting the leaders in an effort to prevent another battle front from forming. But Hamas is strongly supported by the Palestinian civilians, with Mahmoud Abbas openly declaring Hamas to be an essential partner of the Palestinian Authority. Accordingly, Israeli soldiers are conducting drills in Judea-Samaria, modeled after the October 7 attacks.

Worldwide Antisemitism

The anti-Semitic hatred in the world is steadily increasing, be it in the self-important universities or the “refined” circles of influence. It’s discouraging and shocking, given that this ugly attitude is taking over many intellectuals and blinding them with hate. Many of the believers in the Creator are falling for rumors that many of these haters are changing their minds and becoming lovers of the GOD of Israel; this is a deliberate deception. The believers must unite and stand firm against the evil.

In short, the picture is worrying in every direction. But – GOD!! We are likely approaching the End of Days, and it remains to be seen how He will respond to “all My wicked neighbors who do harm to the inheritance with which I have endowed My people Israel.” (Jer. 12:14) He has promised to punish and humiliate those “who appropriated My land for themselves as a possession with wholehearted joy and with contempt of soul, in order to make its pastureland plunder.” (Ezek. 36:5) If this is part of “the time of Jacob’s distress,” then the LORD of all the earth will save Israel from it (Jer. 30:7).

Every believer who knows the Word of GOD recognizes these promises that were given to the people of Israel. Every believer needs to convince another believing friend to stand by Israel’s side in prayer and practical support.

That help, which is so important right now, requires giving with the hands and with the heart. Let us learn from what Judah said to Joseph, which proved that the brothers had changed: “For your servant accepted responsibility for the boy [Benjamin]…” (Gen. 44:32) The Hebrew word meant that he “became a guarantee” for his youngest brother. The Creator is watching all of us who believe in Him – hoping to see not just unity, but personal responsibility.

This is a time to stand together with the Sabra Fund on behalf of Israel. Please join the circle of support, and help to enlarge it.

May the blessings of the Most High be upon you, your family, and your congregation.

From the land of Zion and the city of Jerusalem, Your brother in faith,

I assume that nearly all my readers are familiar with the holiday of Hanukkah, the Festival of Light.

It’s a celebration of light winning over darkness, the revival of light on the holy lampstand in “the house of the GOD of Jacob” (Isa. 2:3), fueled by pure olive oil. Those who were faithfully cleansing the Temple, out of love for the GOD of Israel, had to hunt for lamp oil that was not defiled by the idolaters. They stubbornly kept looking, until they came to a neglected corner where one small jar had survived. Maybe someone had deliberately hid it there, when the Greek soldiers weren’t looking.

Did these Jews falter when they realized that the jar was only enough for one day? Or did they expect the miracle that eventually occurred, with the oil lasting until new holy oil could be prepared? That process took eight days, which is why we light the hanukkiah (the Hanukkah lampstand) for eight days.

Jewish custom explicitly forbids using the Hanukkah lights for any utilitarian purpose; they are “only to look at.” Thus, it is a beloved tradition that when the small candles of Hanukkah are lit, we take a break from our busy activities, and we sit for a few minutes… just to admire them. Let’s try to understand why that’s so worthwhile.

As we know, the lights are to remind us of the Menorah in the Temple. That seven-branched golden lampstand in turn was to remind us of the eternal Light that will appear when the Holy One redeems Jerusalem: “The light of the sun will be seven times brighter, like the light of seven days, on the day the LORD binds up the fracture of His people.” (Isa. 30:26) The Light of that one “day” will shine like “seven days” of ordinary light. This is the kind of Light that effortlessly banishes both physical and spiritual Darkness: “Your ears will hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ whenever you turn to the right or to the left.” (v. 21)

Most families place the hanukkiah in a window, so that others can also enjoy them. We see the room reflect the glow of the candlelight, and we dream with our eyes open. We watch the tiny flames dance and flicker, as they speak to us about “those days at this season.” Impossible victories over an invincible enemy. Courageous rebellion against an attempt to uproot our Jewish faith from the earth… one of many attempts from Abraham’s time until today. The lessons passed down from Abraham about the faithfulness of our GOD, and the need to sometimes push back against the denials in order to again prove His faithfulness.

The flickering lights on our hanukkiah tell us of that one small source of light, hidden in a dark corner of the ruined Temple, waiting for someone with enough faith to seek and find it. To pick it up and use it, even though it wasn’t enough. To expect the Creator to create a miracle, supplying whatever was needed to carry out His will.

I’m reminded of the story told to me by the principal of a school in Afula that Sabra Fund supports. A Jewish family in Germany during Hitler’s rise to power looked out a window of their home as Hanukkah arrived – and found themselves staring at a huge Nazi flag flapping across the street. They expressed their defiance by setting their hanukkiah in THAT window, so that their Nazi neighbors could see it. That small “jar” of pure faith belonged to the family of the principal’s wife; they now live in Israel.

The dancing lights on our hanukkiah tell us, in gentle whispers, a sweet secret: They are a ness. That Hebrew word means “a miracle,” but also “a banner raised on a pole” as a signal to gather others around it. Our faith in the Creator is that kind of ness – a small light raised high, to invite others to gather around the great Light. “Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! LORD, they walk in the light of Your face.” (Ps. 89:15) When we walk in His Light, miracles can and do happen. Dreams seen with eyes of faith come true. Ruins are repaired, the defilement left by the enemy is cleansed, extinguished flames are rekindled.

The wavering lights on our hanukkiah declare that the arrogant, mighty Greek empire, which assimilated many other peoples and cultures, almost succeeded in swallowing up the Jews as well – except for a handful of believers in the LORD of heaven and earth, who refused to cooperate. Their small candles could not be put out. And as crazy as it sounds, those small candles expelled the darkness of Greek paganism from the land of our fathers.

But they knew why they had won the war: “‘Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the LORD of armies.” (Zech. 4:6)

The steadily burning lights on our hanukkiah tell us that through the many centuries when our people saw conquest and persecution, exile and assimilation… when a few candles of faith stayed lit, but many more went out… our GOD did not abandon us.

He never forgot His promises to bring us back and plant us in our own land. And sure enough, here we are.

The return of the exiles to Israel has always been a matter of faith expressed by a few. It started with the willingness of a handful of pioneers to reclaim the ruins of the Promised Land. But Israel is not like any other country. The “oil” used to regather the holy people of GOD could not be just nationalistic ambition. It needed to be pure and undefiled, with declared faith in the GOD of Israel.

As the saying goes, represented by the letters on the dreidel (sevivon, the traditional Hanukkah spinner): “A great miracle happened there.”

Despite the Zionist leadership in 1948 being strongly secular, a small “jar” of that pure faith was miraculously found and used. Israel’s Declaration of Independence ended with these words: “PLACING OUR TRUST IN THE ‘ROCK OF ISRAEL,’ WE AFFIX OUR SIGNATURES TO THIS PROCLAMATION.”

The rebirth of Israel was declared by the Jewish sages to be “the beginning of the Redemption” promised in the holy Scriptures. That one small “jar” of faith from 1948 could never be enough to last until the full Redemption comes. Yet somehow, it HAS lasted – for 75 years and counting! Regathered Israel stands as a bright, glowing ness, capturing the attention of the world.

But that light is not our own:

“Arise, shine; for your light has come – the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. For behold, darkness will cover the earth, and deep darkness the peoples; but the LORD will rise upon you, and His glory will appear upon you. Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising.” (Isa. 60:1-3) 

The winking lights on our hanukkiah invite us to share their hope. “Come, house of Jacob, and let’s walk in the light of the LORD.” (Isa. 2:5) We renew our trust in the Rock of Israel (Isa. 30:29) as we sing the traditional holiday song: “Maoz Tzur Yeshuati…” (Refuge, Strong Rock, my Salvation…).

Our children gaze at the Hanukkah lights with shining eyes, just as we did when we were their age. Yes, my child – dream of miracles, and trust that great Light to perform them. One day He will come and shine like a beacon over Jerusalem, becoming the Ness to draw all nations to Himself (Isa. 2:3).

Now we can understand why we are not permitted to use the candles of the hanukkiah as “working” lights. Think of what we would be missing!

Likewise, if you light a hanukkiah during this holiday, take some time to sit and just look at it. Go ahead and dream. Be blessed by the Most High from Zion and Jerusalem,

On this Festival of Light – come and look for your jar of pure oil!

The holiday of Light is about the miracles that happened to the Jewish people at Hanukkah:

• The miracle of a few faithful believers in the Creator winning great victories over armies of “modern activists” (the “woke” generation of that era).
• The miracle of regaining control of the holy House of the LORD, and successfully cleansing it from the awful defilement and idols that the pagans had brought into it.
• The miracle of finding a jar of pure oil, buried under the trash, but still sealed and fit for use in the Holy Place.
• The miracle of that small jar, only enough for one day, somehow being able to light the holy Temple Menorah for eight days.

Our human spirits were created like lamps, to carry His Light: “The spirit of a person is the lamp of the LORD, searching all the innermost parts of his being.” (Prov. 20:27) In order for us to give out light, we too must find a jar of pure olive oil – a measure of faith. It begins with seeking for the Source of Light and faith.” For the fountain of life is with You; in Your Light we see light.” (Ps. 36:9)

Maybe we are only small lamps with tiny lights, but we’ve all seen how even one small light can push back darkness, making a pitch-black room less oppressive and easier to navigate. When lots of small lights come together, the effect is not only a bigger, stronger light, but a more hopeful and beautiful atmosphere. It’s the same with one person who has faith in the Creator – or a roomful of such people. Their surroundings take on that glow of cheerful confidence in GOD’s love and power, and people around them begin to ask: “Where do you get such hope and joy?”

That’s our opportunity to say to them: You can have it too, if you are willing to go to the Source.

“And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” (Jer. 29:13)

Is your spirit dark, like an unlit lamp? Come to the Maker and Giver of Light. Let Him cleanse your spirit and make you fit for His holy presence. Search for that beginning measure of faith to start your small lamp. (He’s left one small, unspoiled jar for you to find, hidden somewhere nearby.) Break it open, pour it into your spirit. Dare to believe the Creator’s promise to give you “a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the cloak of praise instead of a disheartened [literally, “darkened”] spirit.” (Isa. 61:3)

How long will your one jar of oil last? You may be surprised. The same miracles that happened at Hanukkah can happen to us also, anywhere, anytime. That’s because the GOD of Hanukkah is the same, everywhere and always.

May this Hanukkah bring you the miracle of finding that small jar of pure oil, so that you can kindle a steady, beautiful flame of faith in the LORD of heaven and earth. May you bring Light and Hope to all those around you. And may you have the privilege of sending them also to the Source, to search for their own jar.

Be blessed by the Most High from Zion and Jerusalem,

21.11.23

So we brace ourselves and say to ourselves, as Yoav said to his brother Abishai: “…be strong and strong for our people and for the cities of our God, and God will do what is good in His sight…” (1 Chronicles 1:19:13).

We are already about fifty days into this difficult war, in which our best sons are being killed and wounded every day. Our soldiers have high morale, they know very well their mission to protect the people of Israel and the land of Israel; they are the modern-day “Maccabees”. The soldiers repeatedly emphasize that they will not allow the events of the Holocaust to happen again. At that time, the Jews did not have a state; today, God willing, they do. Their slogan is “Am Yisrael Hai” – the nation of Israel is a life, “the Creator of the world has promised, he will also fulfil”.

In the Gaza Strip, the army is waging a slow war, destroying terrorist tunnels when the branches of these tunnels are under the hospitals, and the hospitals themselves are hiding in the wards, where the terrorists disguised as medical staff are hiding rockets, weapons and ammunition under the beds.

This is not only happening in hospitals. It is also happening in children’s schools, kindergartens, associations, mosques and so on.

At the same time, you can see soldiers giving bread, water, fruit, vegetables and tinned food to children and families. They are encouraging them to move to the southern Gaza Strip to avoid harm.

In the north, Hezbollah shows no sensitivity towards the citizens of Lebanon. It fires into Israel, forcing Israeli citizens to evacuate to the center of the country, including Afula itself.

A few days ago, one soldier was killed and five wounded in the north. They belong to the same unit that we supported, helped and are still helping with clothes and other things.

Another small corner where, in addition to the physical help, we have opened a small window for our soldiers and citizens. Recently, one of the women, Liat, the wife of a soldier in the Gaza area, called me and thanked us for the help and the provision of tents in which she believed the soldiers would rest. (Winter has come, the rain and cold are already here). I told her where the donations were coming from and she replied to me that it had never occurred to her that there are Christians who love Israel. Liat said that she had seen and read in the media about the demonstrations against Israel, and that she had always thought they were political or wanted to Christianize the Jews.

I explained to her that the motive of the evangelical Christian is to believe in the God of Israel and His Word, and to believe that it’s necessary to love and strengthen the people of Israel because it’s the will of the Lord of all the earth. At the end of the conversation, Liat asked me to say to you, my brothers and sisters who believe in God: “Tell them to continue praying for us, for our soldiers, soldiers’ wives, all the people of Israel, this is another small seed we sowed among the people of Israel.

Contrary to those who demonstrate against Israel, we also see those who believe in the God of Israel standing with Israel, praying, giving and supporting Israel.

Here and there you can see leaders such as the Chancellor of Germany standing by Israel, the Presidents of the Czech Republic and Hungary supporting Israel’s right to defend itself. And just recently the President of Argentina was elected, a self-confessed lover of Israel.

Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.                                                Psalm 34:8

May the blessing of the Most High be upon you, your family and your congregation.

From the home of good deeds, and the land of Zion and the city of Jerusalem

Your brother in faith

Mordechai ben Yaakov