Since 2001, the Sabra Fund has been building bridges of understanding, hope and love, between Israel and the nations, Jews and Christians, old and young.
Sabra staff, volunteers, and donors have bonded together with Israeli municipality workers and government representatives to share with those who are in need of material, emotional, and spiritual resources.
With the help of the God of Israel, our Fund distributes food and other necessities, provides practical assistance for new immigrants and Holocaust survivors, teaches Christians and Jewish people about the Jewish roots of our common faith, and offers personal encouragement to all.
How the Sabra Fund was born
Mordechai Ben Yakov, the founder of Sabra Fund, was born in Israel in 1950 to an Orthodox Jewish family. Although he grew up as a sabra (native-born Israeli), the shadow of the Holocaust left its mark on him.
His grandmother was a survivor of Auschwitz, and his grandfather had survived the Bergen-Belsen camp. They were taken away by the Nazis while Mordechai’s mother, still a little girl, was attacked by a Christian neighbor as a “killer of our God.” The girl survived, and at a later age she tried to get into Israel, but the British caught her and sent her to the detention camp on Cyprus. There she met and married Mordechai’s father. Eventually, the family reunited and arrived in the newborn state of Israel.
Like all Israeli citizens, Mordechai joined the IDF after high school. He made military service his career for next 20 years. Then he was invited to be the principal of a boarding school, and after a few years in that position, the Jewish Agency (the organization in charge of immigration) asked Mordechai ben Yakov to be the head of its branch in eastern Russia.
So, in 1996 he went off to Russia, without a clear understanding of his mission… and with a Russian vocabulary of only four words! He decided to give the assignment a shot for one year, and then return to Israel. But after some months of prayer and study of the Scriptures, the Creator deepened Mordechai’s understanding of why he was there. Slowly, a vision took shape for the lifework that Hashem had for him, which brought together Mordechai’s past, present, and future. That work eventually became known as the Sabra Fund.
Christians and Jewish people share a common faith in the God of Israel, and their concepts of Prayer, Love and Mercy are based on the same Scriptures. This makes it natural – and important – to build bridges between the communities. If we want the Lord of the earth to be among us, we need to consider the other side as true brothers, not just in words, but also in action.
“Do two people walk together unless they have agreed to meet?”
(Amos 3:3)
Our God has promised to bring the Jewish people back to the Promised Land. That movement, now over 100 years old, is still far from finished. We know that our God will fulfill every promise, and it’s a privilege to be participants with Him. But in this matter, He has reserved a special partnership role for those who are not Jewish.
“He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; he will assemble the scattered people of Judah from the four quarters of the earth.” (Isaiah 11:12)
The Jewish people who are returning to Israel have often been deprived of a knowledge of who they are, and what they have inherited from their forefathers. Likewise, the Christians who love the God of Israel are often ignorant of the rich roots of their faith. To restore both groups to their full yet distinct identities is a holy and rewarding task.
“And many peoples will come and say, ‘Come, let’s go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; so that He may teach us about His ways, and that we may walk in His paths.’ For the Law will go out from Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem…. Come, house of Jacob, and let’s walk in the light of the LORD.” (Isaiah 2:3, 5)
Humanitarian aid is desperately needed to help the vulnerable Israelis. The needy among us range from the elderly who are sick and disabled, to the orphans and schoolchildren who can’t afford school supplies. The children living in poverty need extra help in education, health, and social activities. Then there are the lonely Holocaust survivors, who have no one to join them in celebrating birthdays or national holidays. All of these provide opportunities to show mercy.
“Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do it.”
(Proverbs 3:27)
Christians and Jewish people share a common faith in the God of Israel, and their concepts of Prayer, Love and Mercy are based on the same Scriptures. This makes it natural – and important – to build bridges between the communities. If we want the Lord of the earth to be among us, we need to consider the other side as true brothers, not just in words, but also in action.
“Do two people walk together unless they have agreed to meet?”
(Amos 3:3)
Our God has promised to bring the Jewish people back to the Promised Land. That movement, now over 100 years old, is still far from finished. We know that our God will fulfill every promise, and it’s a privilege to be participants with Him. But in this matter, He has reserved a special partnership role for those who are not Jewish.
“He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; he will assemble the scattered people of Judah from the four quarters of the earth.” (Isaiah 11:12)
The Jewish people who are returning to Israel have often been deprived of a knowledge of who they are, and what they have inherited from their forefathers. Likewise, the Christians who love the God of Israel are often ignorant of the rich roots of their faith. To restore both groups to their full yet distinct identities is a holy and rewarding task.
“And many peoples will come and say, ‘Come, let’s go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob; so that He may teach us about His ways, and that we may walk in His paths.’ For the Law will go out from Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem…. Come, house of Jacob, and let’s walk in the light of the LORD.” (Isaiah 2:3, 5)
Humanitarian aid is desperately needed to help the vulnerable Israelis. The needy among us range from the elderly who are sick and disabled, to the orphans and schoolchildren who can’t afford school supplies. The children living in poverty need extra help in education, health, and social activities. Then there are the lonely Holocaust survivors, who have no one to join them in celebrating birthdays or national holidays. All of these provide opportunities to show mercy.
“Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do it.”
(Proverbs 3:27)
The gifts of our friends make the work of the Sabra Fund possible.
No amount is too small – they all add up!
Sabra’s newsletters will provide you with insights on the weekly Torah portion, the Jewish holidays,
and other topics of interest to people who believe the holy Scriptures are the words of the Creator.
Tel: +972 46491014
Mobile: +972 54 2815728
Address: P.O.Box 7644,
Afula 1871060, Israel
Email: [email protected]
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