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Loving the Orphans and Widows

A Season of Hope

“Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble…” James 1:27

At around dawn last October 7, alarms blared across Sderot as the city was invaded by Hamas terrorists from nearby Gaza. As chaos engulfed the town, local policeman Eli* and his fellow officers confronted dozens of militiamen, stopping their advance. Their quick response and courage saved hundreds of Israeli lives. Nevertheless, Eli was tragically killed, leaving behind a wife and children. In total, at least 70 security personnel and civilians died in the battle for Sderot.

With Eli’s death, his wife and children faced unimaginable grief. The family also was stuck in a home in need of major repairs. The roof leaked, the electrical system was unsafe, and the kitchen and bathroom were run down. Eli had been working on renovations before the attack, but now would never finish the work.

Click below to read more about this story of hope amidst heartbreak.

Springtime in Israel

“For lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; The time of singing has come, And the voice of the turtledove Is heard in our land.” Song of Songs 2:11-12

Spring in Israel is underway! Wildflowers which once caused Jesus to exclaim about their beauty are appearing, including within the devasted southern communities. Several ICEJ staff went to the area of the Nova Festival recently as an act of solidarity. There amongst the carpets of red anemones was a sense of profound sadness amidst the beauty and the promise of new life. As winter, the season of the latter rains, draws to a close, daily prayers for rain which began after Sukkot will continue until Passover. Recent heavy rain flooded the ancient cistern at Tel Megiddo for only the third time in the last 32 years and more importantly raised the Lake of Galilee’s water level by 15 centimeters in 36 hours.

May these seasonal symbols of new life bring hope and a lifting of spirits even as the battle continues within the Land of Israel, and within world opinion. We invite you to join the battle! Click the button to see our regular prayer gatherings.