Category: English

23-11-2023 Afula Israel

There are the soldiers fighting to protect the Jewish people and the Promised Land, where the Creator of the world returned the people to the homeland promised to their ancestors and descendants.

But behind these beloved fighters, there are other soldiers, the soldiers of the God of Israel. They are called the armies of God. They are the faithful servants of the Lord who pray and give of themselves, whether in support, giving and encouragement for the right action, the support of God’s plan.

We are together hand in hand, heart to heart, partners in this war, our God sees what is done and how he protects, helps and blesses the soldiers and those soldiers on the walls of prayer and support.

Let those who remain with their provisions receive as much as those who go into battle. All shall have a share alike.

We believe that together with you, and with your help, we shall help by day and by night.

Here is an example, one of the nights about a week ago, there was a phone call to me in the night (after midnight): “Sorry, Moti, but it’s raining, and very cold can you help us with tents, thermal clothes, sleeping bags, socks, hats and coats?

I have to admit that not only I was not annoyed, but I was happy that they dared to call and ask me. Because the officer who looks after his soldiers knows that we will do everything possible to help them. I do not make any promises, and I always say that I will try, we are going to pray that we will be able to help.

I and the Sabra team are proud and thank God for giving us the privilege to be in contact with you, brothers and sisters like you who have chosen to be part of the divine plan, part of the Lord’s armies throughout the land, with love, prayer and contribution.

Me and the team are telling the soldiers and the citizens that the help that they are receiving from us, is coming from believers who love Israel, who know and recognize the truth and what is right.

The soldiers and citizens ask me to convey to you their gratitude from the bottom of their heart. They ask me to convey their love to you, and they ask for your prayers.

Once again, with sublime faith in the Most High God, I write to you, my beloved friends. Because giving is not easy and I remember well Paul’s words (2 Corinthians chapter 8 verse 3),” For to their power, I bear record, yea, and beyond their power they were willing of themselves.”

We feel your hearts, love and prayers. Every encouraging e-mail, every donation from the heart is the key to the work of the Creator. That is why it is so important to have an increase in the number of friends of faith who will be our partners in prayer and action.

With every e-mail from the database that we send out and update on what is being done in the war and the activities of Sabra, we pray and bless the recipients of the updates.

The help to the citizens who have been evacuated from their area of residence in the north near the border with Lebanon and also from the Gaza area is going very necessary and we are helping them with clothes, coats, toiletries and other things. In the coming period, we are also going to start to detail how to help the Citizens.

We will soon be celebrating the festival of Chanukkah, the festival of light, the festival of the victory of light over darkness, the victory of those who love the Lord of all the earth over the idolatrous ones that seek to destroy the people of Israel and God’s purpose.

We will be celebrating both at the Sabra House, a house of good deeds, to mark the holiday of Hanukkah with the lighting of the candles, with prayers and songs, with donuts (sufkaniyot) and a delicious meal. Participants will be Holocaust survivors, children from the school who helping us to pack parcels for soldiers, soldiers and civilians in evacuation.

 If it is in your heart, you can Send donations to:

By PayPal:

Click on the link below in the email  or at our website www.sabraholyland.org

Bank account Israel:

Account nr:474-134647, Sabra foundation, IBAN IL39-0204-7400-0000-0134-647

SWIFT code: MIZBILITXXX

Send a check: Sabra Foundation: P.O. Box 7644, Afula 1871060, ISRAEL

I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High 

Psalm 7:17.

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

From the land of Zion and the city of Jerusalem

Your brother in faith

Mordechai ben Yaakov

10-11-2023 Afula- Israel

To my brothers and sisters in the faith, who are partners in the holy work in these difficult times.

Your prayers, to God, through the prayer that you say to the Creator of the world; we, who believe in You, with full agreement in all of Your promises, in all of Your decisions and in all of Your actions. You who promised the people of eternity – the people of Israel – that the Promised Land would belong to Israel forever. And just as You promised that whoever blesses Your people will be blessed. You have opened our eyes to see the truth and to believe in that truth. You have made us part of the promise, the plan, the inheritance, and you have bound us together as brothers (Ephesians 2:12- 13; 3:6).

Together we help the children who have been displaced from the settlements that suffer from the bombardments and who, as a result, have to leave their homes and move to other areas.

The evacuated children, who left their places with almost nothing, together we helped with clothing, (shoes, clothes, toiletries, games, reading books, sweets and more).

Helping the girls from the boarding school located at the Gaza border who were transferred as a group (43 girls) to the remote areas.

The girls need clothes, toiletries, study materials and distance learning equipment (laptops, etc.), and one urgent and very important need – they need emotional and spiritual support. (We’ve already updated and asked for them separately).

To stand firmly with the soldiers who are giving their lives for the people of Israel, for the fulfillment and preservation of God’s promise to our ancestors, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. (We must not see this war as a war between two nations, but as God’s war against the children of Satan).

The same soldier in the draft and a soldier in the reserve who left his home, his little children and his wife, some of whom were pregnant and some of whom even gave birth while the husband is fighting and cannot be at his wife’s side during such an emotional time.

together we are praying for them, we are encouraging them, we are strengthening them.

 We are also supporting and helping them as much as we can to meet some of their needs such as: providing socks, bricks and other details that they cannot

Wash during battle, but only change. And if it’s a cold night, we’ll provide the Neck gaiter, gloves, warm hat. The good tents we provide to the soldiers, so that during the rest between battles they could be protected from sun, dust, cold and rain.

The warm and delicious food that we travel to different places and collect from the houses, that many women prepare with a lot of love (sometimes our team prepares it).

 Regarding this food (in which you are also involved in the fuel for the cars and other kind of food that we buy from your donation), this food, these delicious meals, makes the soldiers happy. it is just as we bring a sacrifice to the Lord, incense to God, our God… a smell of fragrance:

“…that they may offer acceptable sacrifices to the God of heaven and pray for the life of the King and His sons (Ezra 6:10).

It’s not just about the food. Imagine the feeling of the soldier in the field, far from his family, not in a hotel or in minimal comfort, bringing something from home the heart with a lot of prayers, the smells and tastes. The clothes, the tent in which he is protected from the wind, the sun and the rain.

The tactical headlamp, the other little things that are going to help in everyday life.

You are partnering in all this!

Your donations helps and make true the saying of all those who love G-d and the people of Israel:

“…Israel we are with you, you are not alone; AM ISRAEL CHAI… (the nation of Israel lives)”.

These are beautiful sentences and words to say, and it is also very important to pray. But besides all this, you also do things. You contribute and sometimes more than you can, as it is written (2 Corinthians 8:3-5). That’s exactly what the team and I feel.

In previous updates I have mentioned the importance of expanding the circle of friends who are praying and supporting the people of Israel with us. Talk to your families, churches, home groups, in the shop or at the barbershop.

Every prayer, every contribution is the key and so important at this time. It is the same as a sacrifice and a fragrance to the Lord of the whole earth. We allow you to give our address and email: [email protected]

He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might He increase strength…”                                             Isaiah 40:29

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

From the house of good deeds, the house of Sabra.

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

Mordechai ben Yaakov

The people of Israel have been fighting for over a month. In Israel, we receive many questions about why the war continues so long, especially since the army tells us it will continue for many months.

Every morning we wake up to listen the news of the events that took place during the night in the border areas (the north, Lebanon and Syria, Gaza and Judea and Samaria). The news is vague and not very detailed, because we don’t want to give information to the enemy, and that’s a good thing. Every morning we hear of more soldiers wounded and killed.

The war continues because the IDF is careful not to harm the civilians in Gaza. The war is very complex because Satan’s soldiers use civilians as human shields, they don’t protect their own citizens’ lives and even shoot them when they try to leave the battle zones. The IDF soldiers protect them from Hamas-ISIS.

We have to keep in mind that the battle is not just a battle! Fighting for Israel’s survival! Just like the fighting in the year 1948.

Let us mention the goals of the war:

1. To return the kidnapped (they are not legally captured).

2. To crush Hamas – ISIS, both militarily and governmentally.

The IDF concentration is in the northern area of the Gaza Strip, which is Gaza City itself. I suppose that you know very well that the Gaza Strip is built from the city above and below the surface of the earth, and that it is networked with tunnels and is full of traps.

What is being revealed these days to the brave Israeli soldiers who are giving their lives so that ISRAELI children in the Lebanon-Gaza border area will no longer have to run day and night to security rooms and can sleep safely in their beds.

Every day there are soldiers who are being killed, but at the same time they are not afraid because the God of Israel is strengthening their spirit, and we will pray for them, we will support them and we will help them.

The military forces are encircling the Gaza Strip and leaving exit openings for the citizens of the Gaza Strip to go south, where they are entering with humanitarian aid: food, water, medical equipment, and on the Egyptian side there are even field hospitals to receive the wounded.

Asking about the hospitals in Gaza; the hospitals above ground and underground are held by the Hamas-ISIS forces, which are located there and even in the various departments there are war rooms, and from there their commanders direct the fighting.

According to international law, if a hospital or civilian facility like schools, kindergartens, children’s departments, etc. is used by the military, it becomes a military facility and can be destroyed.

After a month since that terrible day of Oct 7, terrible atrocities are still being uncovered, the same war crimes committed by the soldiers of the devil and many of the citizens of Gaza, including teenagers and women who worked in these settlements and knew the places well to the point of knowing the rooms and the locals.

The evidence of the rape and murder of the victims in front of their children, the murder of babies. There still are being searched for missing body parts and corpses.

It turns out that journalists from the foreign press have also been complicit in the actions of Hamas – ISIS. Proof from photos and testimonies that they knew in advance what they were going to read and were prepared with these Hamas – ISIS soldiers.

The truth is: CNN fired this journalist because there would be no charges.

Today we are hearing more and more from a lot of countries around the world that are putting pressure on Israel to have a humanitarian cease-fire. These countries have no mention whatsoever of the Israeli abductees, who are babies, children, young women and old women. These countries are only talking about the civilian population in the Gaza Strip. They are trying to lure Israel into releasing some of its citizens (about fifteen of them) who have another nationality in addition to the Israeli one. It is clear to everyone that this cease-fire is for the reorganization of Hamas-ISIS, for the continuation of the fighting. The Israeli government has decided for the time being that a temporary ceasefire will be granted only after the release of all the hostages.

The problem of the fuel:

It is true that Israel is refusing to allow the entry of fuel into the Gaza Strip, especially for the tunnels. The tunnels, which are used only by the soldiers of Satan, have to be ventilated; it is not possible to stay in the tunnels without ventilation, and the ventilation is activated by large engines that consume fuel. Without fuel, these Satanic soldiers must spend days and nights on the ground, meeting IDF soldiers.

North, the Lebanese and Syrian borders:

Hezbollah agreed and promised Hamas to participate in fighting to conquer the Land of Israel. Today, in the north, the firing of rockets and missiles, including the firing of anti-tank missiles, is very disturbing and is causing the deaths of civilians and soldiers there as well. It is true that most of those who live there have been evacuated, but there are still those who have stayed put. It’s an unbearable situation. But the Hezbollah has not yet entered into the height of the fighting, the reason for this is not yet clear. Maybe it is because they see what is happening in Gaza, maybe it is what will happen in Lebanon, or maybe they are afraid that the United States will attack them.

Southern Yemen: There is a disturbing firing out of Yemen of long-range missiles produced by Iran.

Worldwide: Waves of anti-Semitism are increasing in almost all countries, openly in mass demonstrations in the centers of large cities. Not only demonstrations and shouting, but also murders; in the USA, two murders of Jews. In Brazil, Hezbollah attempts to make attacks against Jews. Jews are warned to remove all Jewish clothing (kippah, tzitzit, etc.).

We want to thank all of you around the world for praying for us. We still need you to continue to pray and encourage us!

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God: I will strengthen thee; Yes, I will help thee; Yes, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness.                                                                                                                               Isaiah 41:10.

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

From the land of Zion and the city of Jerusalem

Your brother in faith

11-11-2023 Afula-Israel

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Faith. Many of you who are lovers of the God of Israel, the people of Israel and the land of Israel.

These days when each one of us praying for Israel, encourages, supports and lends a helping hand to the soldiers who risk their lives every moment; for the kidnapped and for the Jewish people living in Zion.

Sometimes it is the desire to take a short break and to get a little bit of refreshment from this pressure.

This happened to us Friday morning, November 10, 23.

When we were invited to the school for the 2nd grade party where Sabra helps and supports the school, you as friends of Sabra who are part of this activity throughout the year (we have not stopped supporting).

What can these little children learn? a little bit of math? Yes; a little reading? Yes; also, a bit of drawing. But in the school where you and I are involved, these children learn also something more important.

Especially in this “modern” time, when in schools almost everywhere in the world, in the “modern” world, prayers are banned, and maybe even the mention of the Creator of the sky and the earth, and this also is happening into the secular schools in our country.

Now, in the difficult time Israelis facing, in this cruel war; before our eyes we see with our spiritual eyes the beginning of the “end of times”, we are the believers who pray and ask for the Messiah to come as soon as possible. In this school the focus is on faith, in (daily) prayer, learning the “mitzvah” of helping each other (in a real daily way), reading God’s Word, the holy book of books.

Today the second class received the first book of the Bible, Genesis (for children).

During this celebration, the children learned when to read from this book (including a schedule, so important to teach the child how to divide the day). Learn about the holiness of the Word of God and how to keep it holy.

Also, what the Torah is, how it was created, and how the Torah book is written (with a feather, as in the old days, with special ink, and precision in writing the letters.)

The girls learn how to bake challah and especially the matter of “Hafrashat challah” (separating the bread as contribution), the prayer before starting the work and then kneading the dough as a special challah (bread) for Shabbat (creating the letter “shin”’ ש’ which symbolizes the concept of “El Shadi”.

While these little girls were praying with their eyes closed together with their mothers, some of the mothers are not religious and not traditional mothers, and suddenly the girls and the mothers broke down in tears of excitement, and so did all of us. We all had a sense of the Holy Spirit, a sense of the holiness of that place.

You will ask me and my Sabra colleagues why we tell you these things.

What I want to tell you is that you, my brothers and sisters, are partners in this event. Many of you who donate for the children and the schools, we bought the first part of the Bible.

This is the first book of your Bible, the story of creation, the flood, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, until the descent into Egypt. To every boy and girl, you have given this special gift.

I’m so happy and proud that we have true friends like you, friends whose hearts are with us and with these kids, with the holy work that we do together.

We are one body, Jews and Christians, saying to the Creator of the world. The King of Kings: “… give us our share in your word, we want to be partners in giving your word to your children, to lift them up especially in this time…”.

We, Sabra’s team and I pray: that the Creator of the world will give each of you, your families and all those around you who want your best from His good treasure.

“…Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old, he will not depart from it…”                                                  Proverbs 22:6

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

From the land of Zion and the city of Jerusalem

Your brother in faith

Mordechai ben Yaakov.

Over the past three years, we have occasionally updated you regarding Sabra’s efforts to help and support these wonderful girls who were taken from their homes and placed in one of the Boarding Schools on the Gaza Border.

Their daily routine has been studies and activities at the boarding school, along with occasional runs to the security rooms during the day and night due to rocket fire and rocket bombs.

On October 7-10-23, the same Sabbath day when those Satanic soldiers, Hamas – ISIS, broke in.  those Satanic people entered all the settlements around but in one settlement they did not enter and so in the boarding school, a tremendous miracle. in some reason, they tried and failed, these precious girls were not harmed.

The girls were immediately evacuated as one group, and from time to time they are moved from place to another. It is clear to all of us that the emotional and psychological condition of the girls is not the best it must be. The girls had to leave a second home and were turned away from the home for the second time, and the only thing that could help them was to keep them together as a group so that one could support the other. That’s the reason for the transitions from place to place.

With almost nothing to take with them, the girls left their permanent place in a hurry.

Talking with the director of the Home, I was struck by a picture that does not allow us to remain indifferent.

The God of Israel makes it more and more clear to us in the period we are in, we are in the ‘end of the times’, we are responsible for the process of self-preparation, individually and as a community for what is to come. according the Bible, Preparing the heart and soul, preparing our bodies, getting closer to the God of Israel and the people of Israel.

As time passes and the war deepens, more and more are discovered of the atrocities that the soldiers of Satan the Hamas – ISIS, committed in the settlements on the border of Gaza.

The director of the boarding school was in touch with me and wrote me an urgent request for a donation for needs for at least the next four months, such as

– Clothing.

– Toiletries.

– Ongoing emotional support over time.

The total cost of the above is 50.000,00 NIS, that is 12,000.00 Euros, 13,000.00 $. And all of this is for the benefit of these wonderful girls.

We will all be praying to get this amount so that we can make it a little easier for them.

It is absolutely clear to me and to our friends that you, my brothers and sisters, are doing your best and really helping with all your heart to help and support the soldiers and civilians.  I’m sure that some of you helping other organizations too.

One of the things I will ask you to pray how to widen the circle and share with family members, friends and the churches where you pray, so that we can expand the circle of those who pray and help in this holy work; and may the Lord do what is good in His sight…”, (2 Samuel 11:12). In order to help the dear girls, children and soldiers as well, we give our heart, soul and open hand.

“…Be strong and courage’s! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For The Lord your God is with you wherever you go…”

Joshua 1: 9

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

From the House of Good Deeds, the House of Sabra, and the Land of Zion and the City of Jerusalem.

Your brother in faith

Mordechai ben Yaakov

We started packing some of the equipment into bags and even delivered them to some army units. Some of us are going to start packing on Sunday with volunteers, young children from the schools we help during the year.  Holocaust survivors, those wonderful men and women, who experience so much already in their life, wanted to come to help. with tears in their eyes, asking us to do something, to help the soldiers who are in combat.

And according to their words, if those soldiers had been there when we were children, those Jew-haters would not have succeeded in murdering us and our family. We are doing this for a better future for our grandchildren and great-grandchildren. It is true that today it is difficult for us to stand on our feet, but we will continue to help from where we are, we will help and pray for each case that the recipient soldier and his friends will return safely.

When we approached the school principals and asked for their help in packing the details of the equipment, they were very excited and immediately expressed their agreement. They said that the teachers and children really want to help and are excited at the thought of helping and being partners in this effort.

The soldiers responded after Shabbat.

One group of soldiers wrote

“…Thank you so much for the warm and delicious meals. And thank you for the clothes you gave us, they make us feel warm…”.

A second group of soldiers wrote to us:

“… Thank you, Sabra, for all that you are doing for us. Thank you for the food and the clothes. Thank you for the tactical equipment we need.

The food has given us a little bit of a feeling of being at home…”.

There was a third group who wrote to us:

“…To all Israel-loving friends worldwide, you are truly dear friends who love Jews and Israel.

For your generosity and kindness, we thank you from the bottom of our heart. From Moti, we understood that what drives you to connect with and love the people of Israel is the strength of your faith in the God of Israel and your belief in His Word.

When we had dinner together, we had the feeling of being at home around the dinner table. we don’t have enough words to express this feeling. And we don’t have enough words to thank you for giving.

It is through giving that we feel the strength and the love that we receive from the true lovers of Israel,

It is through you that we understand that there are also friends who love Israel, who love the God of Israel and who believe in His Word.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts and souls!

We the soldiers of the platoon loves you…”.

 We could see near the platoon the buses ready to go with our solders to the front.

“…How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!”                                             Psalm 133:1

We will continue to purchase and prepare additional kits and items for the winter and the coming days for the soldiers and civilians near the border with your prayers and support.

“the nation Israel Lives” – “AM ISRAEL HAI”

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

From the land of Zion and the city of Jerusalem

Your brother in faith

Mordechai ben Yaakov

Shalom and blessings my dear brothers and sisters.

The war is in full swing, between the battles there are several hours when the soldiers need to rest, sometimes during the day and sometimes at night.

In order to rest, the solders must get out of the battle zone and sleep a little. Right now, they are under a shed that doesn’t really protect them from rain, and from heat and cold. (See photo).

This platoon needs 25 tents, where about 3 soldiers will stay in each tent with their equipment (and the equipment is a lot).

Soon it will rain, at least for those few hours we will give them the opportunity to rest day or night.

The price of such a tent is:

– 193.00 Euros.

– 167.00 pounds.

– 207.00 $.

We will do our best and provide them with a little corner to rest.

One more request: Please pray for the soldiers

“…May He who blessed our ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, bless the members of Israeli’s Defense Forces and its security services who stand guard over our land and the cities of our God from the Lebanese border to the Gaza. As its written: It is the Lord your God who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies, to deliver you …” Amen!!!

(Deut. 20: 4)

Your prayers are very important to us.

“…Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor…” Proverbs 22:9

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

From the land of Zion and the city of Jerusalem

Your brother in faith Mordechai ben Yaakov.

31-10-2023 Afula-Israel

“…but you will open your hand wide to him, and you will certainly give him enough for his need, for what he wants…”

(Deuteronomy 15:8).

We do not neglect those who we help daily, but as a result of this brutal war that has suddenly hit us, citizens and soldiers in the northern border area turn to us.

A few days ago, the army contacted us with a request for help with a clothing package for soldiers with the following specifications

1. One pair of socks for soldiers.

2. One pair of warm wool hats.

3. Gloves 1 pair.

4. Neck Gaiter, unit 1.

5. Underwear – 2 pairs.

6. Sports shirt with short sleeves.

7. Carrying case made of plastic 1.

We are required to purchase these items from suppliers known to the Army as they must meet Army standards.

The cost of these items will be $35.7 or 33.5 Euros for each soldier. Also, a military jacket for one soldier (military standard), at a cost of $40.50, 38.00 euros per unit.

We hope and pray we can help those brave soldiers, who put their live at risk for their nation. (God’s chosen nation) We are to deliver about 3,500.00 kits to the soldiers.

The items will go to Sabra House and our volunteers (among them Holocaust survivors), who are very much in favor of this effort, and after make the backs for each soldier, it will go to the unit in the army.

Beyond that, we were asked if we could urgently donate mobile security rooms for civilians and soldiers. A modest cost (depending on size and standard) of about $13,000.00 – $15,000.00.

“…The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge; My savior, You save me from violence. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies…”  2 Samuel 22:2-4.

If you would like to donate:

By PayPal.

Click on the link below in the email or at our website sabraholyland.org

Bank account Israel: Account nr: 474-134647

Sabra foundation

IBAN nr of the account

IL39-0204-7400-0000-0134-647

Swift code: MIZBILITXXX    

Send a check

Sabra foundation

P.O Box 7644

Afula 1871060

Israel

May the blessing 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

Mordechai ben Yaakov

A picture of the situation Israel is in at this time:

The war has become multi-arena.

– The war in Gaza continues with rocket fire on the settlements. The Israeli army fires back at the terrorist forces and their camps. This is not easy, since the same camps and bases are located between the residential houses and in the tunnels under the residential houses.

• In Judea and Samaria, Hamas forces began to act against the civilian settlements and against the soldiers.

• On the Lebanese border along the entire length of the border today there are rockets and artillery firing at the residents throughout the day, and along the border about 79 km (50 miles). There are a large number of small and medium sized settlements along the border.

– There are preparations for fighting from the Syrian side along the entire length of the border, and there is an expectation of the beginning of an attack from the Syrian side. As far as Israel is concerned, defensive preparations for the army and settlements are required.

• Threats began from the Yemeni side, these forces belonging to Iran, to fire rockets.

– Iraq, the Iraqi government is in close cooperation with Iran. There are threats of the sending of troops and the firing of missiles.

– In Israel itself, in the cities, citizens began to organize themselves to defend the settlements in case various citizens from inside the country began to attack Jews (such cases occurred in the not too distant past).

The people of Israel are fighting for their existence, this war will probably be fought for a long time, a cruel and not easy war, with quite a few casualties to be expected.

This war is a continuation of the 1948 war. For 75 years there have been different wars. This time it is different, this time the enemy is trying to eliminate the existence of the people of Israel.

At the same time, the people of Israel are united. We will not give up. We will not give up because the God of Israel, the God of Abraham and Jacob is with us and among us.

For all the believers who love the God of Israel, His plan and the people of Israel: This time you will also be tested. We are often in trials to test the strength of our faith. In this way, we can even strengthen our faith. The belivers  brothers and sisters all over the world are obliged to pray for the people of Israel, and those who are able to lend a hand and can contribute and be a partner and united with the divine plan and with the God of Israel against the enemy. We must always remember: This war is not only against Israel alone, but against the God of Israel Himself, as it is written (Psalm 83:1-5).

Come and unite with us! We are beginning to deliver and distribute your letters of encouragement as I wrote in the previous updates.

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

From the land of Zion and the city of Jerusalem Your brother in faith Mordechai ben Yaakov

My dear friends, during this turbulent war, instead of encouragement, there are believers who are judging, some even blaming Israel.

So a few words to shed some light on the situation according to the Bible.

The nation of Israel is not the most righteous in the world, nor is it the best of the nations, but it is not the worst either. (Isaiah 43:21) The nation of Israel is simply the nation that the Creator made for Himself.

The relationship between the Creator and the nation of Israel is that of a father to his children; he will discipline, he will punish, and he will do it all in the process of love. But He will keep His promise and return His people to their land and watch over them as an eagle watches over its chicks (Deuteronomy 32:11). We can see this in all the wars of Israel.

The impression seems to be that this war between the Jews and the Arabs is like the war in Europe between Russia and the Ukraine, or like the different wars in different places in the world.

This is a different kind of war! The enemy is fighting against the God of Israel, against the divine plan for the people of Israel, against the Bible (Psalm 83:1-5). The enemy’s desire is the destruction of the people of Israel and the taking of their land.

Let me share with you a personal story. One of my personal friends, a pastor of a church in a city in America, I asked him on his birthday a year ago what gift he wanted from Israel for his birthday. His request was a Jewish prayer book (sidur), he wanted to understand the Jewish prayers in depth and what is the rationale? From time to time he would ask me a question by e-mail about this or that prayer and the reasons behind it.

3 days ago, he sent me a wonderful and encouraging e-mail, and I have decided to share it with all of you:

Usually on the last day of Sukkot, the people of Israel begin to pray for rain. (It is well known that nothing happens in the land of Israel without prayer).

The prayer goes like this (thousands of years ago):

“…He will cause the wind to return and blow and the rain to come upon us…”

Two words in this prayer are double meaning. One RUACH is both Wind and SPIRIT, and the other is GESHEM, meaning RAIN and a second meaning material BLESSINGS.

And notice how the same prayer, especially in those difficult and terrible days, keeps changing the two words, as follows

“HE MAKES THE SPIRIT RETURN AND BLOW, AND THE BLESSINGS FALL UPON US.

These days when we are really under attack from the south as well as from the north. When many citizens, old people, children and soldiers are being attacked by the forces of evil.

The occasional shelling and alarms stop normal life and you have to go into a sheltered space.

Finally, some encouraging themes:

– Just today, Thursday 10/19/23, twenty-two new immigrants arrived from the USA. These immigrants from the U.S. arrived in spite of the war, they had the option to postpone their arrival in Israel, but they insisted, and not only that, they want to be part of the war effort. We wish them a warm welcome and may God bless them and may our Heavenly Father protect them.

– Many of our friends around the world are sending us wonderful, encouraging emails and almost all of them are asking “How can we help you?” many dear friends and brothers are donating and wanting to be part of the Holy Work to help now.

As we announced in the last update, we are going to publish some of the letters of encouragement that you have sent.

We here at Sabra pray that the God of Israel will bless each and every one of you. May the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob fulfill His promise to each and every one of you for your encouragement and desire for UNITY (Genesis 12:3).

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

From the Land of Zion and the City of Jerusalem Your brother in faith Mordechai ben Yaakov