Live prayer blog: prayer points for Israel

Together with Ruth we can say to Israel: “Your people will be my people and your God my God.”

Because of the coronacrisis, you will find the most up-to-date prayer points for Israel, for Christians for Israel and for the Jewish community worldwide on this page. Will you pray with us?

>> this page is updated regularly.

Monday 20 April

• “When Israel came out of Egypt, Jacob from a people of foreign tongue, Judah became God’s sanctuary, Israel his dominion.” Psalm 114:1-2. In Psalm 114 we read about the astonishing exodus of the people of Israel from Egypt. Last week, the Jewish people commemorated this special event during Passover. Give thanks that there were no attacks during Passover. Pray for all Israelis who felt lonely during Passover because they could not see their family.
• In Israel several factories have started to produce washable face masks. Their protective capability is similar to that of single-use paper surgical masks. Since Israel and the world suffers from a global shortage, this cost-effective is very welcome. Give thanks for this development.
• Things have gotten really quiet in Jerusalem, and you can hear the birds sing again. On the one hand, this is a peaceful image. On the other hand, there is the reality of many people, who are currently unable to work and are in dire need of money. Pray for all those affected. 

Friday 17 April

• The Fatah movement, headed by Abbas, claims that the “Israeli occupation” is the reason for the spread of the coronavirus in ‘occupied Jerusalem’. Pray that these lies will be exposed.
• There are signs of hope! Amid the coronavirus pandemic, Gaza medics have been trained by Israeli teams in techniques to treat patients infected with the coronavirus.

Thursday 16 April

• This morning Israel lifted the nationwide closure to battle the spread of the coronavirus. This closure was imposed because of Passover, a time people usually spend with their family. The Israeli government will consider a limited reduction of restrictions in the coming days. Pray for protection of those with crucial professions, and that the reduction of restrictions does not lead to a further spread of the coronavirus.

Wednesday 15 April

• The President of Israel gave Prime Minister Netanyahu and Benny Gantz until midnight to reach an agreement on unity government. Politically Israel is very divided. Pray that an agreement will be reached on a unity government that could help Israel tackle the coronacrisis. 
• The Sea of Galilee rose to its highest level in three decades! The Sea of Galilee is the largest freshwater lake in Israel. Because of severe in recent years this is really important. Give thanks for this great blessing from Psalm 65. “You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly. The streams of God are filled with water to provide the people with grain, for so you have ordained it.” (verse 9)

#ICYMI – WATCH: Some incredible news! For the first time in almost 30 years, the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) in northern #Israel is overflowing. pic.twitter.com/2NKue22R7Z

— StandWithUs (@StandWithUs) April 13, 2020

Tuesday 14 April

• Sadly, one of the female residents of Aleh has passed away from the coronavirus. Earlier on, the situation in Aleh Gedera looked promising with seven residents recovering from the virus and several others already having been discharged from the hospital. Regrettably, matters have worsened in the last couple of days. Twenty-seven residents and ten staff members are currently infected. All the others departments of Aleh (Jerusalem, Bnei Berak & Negev) have, thank God, been able to keep the virus out. Please pray for deliverance from this crisis situation in Aleh. Please also pray for comfort for the deceased girl’s family.
• Holocaust survivors and poor senior citizens are being cared for in 57 Amigour shelters spread all over Israel. Please pray for this group of vulnerable people, who now have to live in strict quarantine.
• Adversity in Israel does usually not come alone. Unrest is often accompanied by attacks. Give thanks that, despite the intense corona measures, there have been no attacks in Israel up till now.

Monday 13 April

• On Easter, Jerusalem was deserted. A stark contrast to previous years, when many Christians commemorated the resurrection of Jesus. Please pray and give thanks from Psalm 65:2: “You who answer prayer, to you all people will come”.
• The founder of the boycott movement against Israel, Omar Bargouti, announced in a statement that if Israel succeeds in developing a vaccine against the coronavirus, one is allowed to use it. Please pray that the hypocrisy and enmity towards Israel will break.
• During Passover, two synagogues in the United States were defaced with swastikas and antisemitic slurs. Please pray from Isaiah 40:1 for comfort for the Jewish people. Pray for a safe and peaceful continuation of Passover.

Thursday 9 April

• Although an agreement had finally been reached on a new government in Israel after three elections, coalition talks have stranded. Pray that, especially in this time of crisis, interests of the political parties may be overlooked and that Israeli politicians may walk in God’s ways knowingly or unknowingly.
• Give thanks that through the support of many committed Christians we were able to distribute thousands of Passover packets in Israel. Large families and elderly people can really use it at this time.
• There is an alarming rise in unemployment in Israel. A month ago 4% of the working population was unemployed, however under the influence of the corona crisis this has risen to 25%. Pray for persons affected and their families, that they take refuge with the God of Israel (Psalm 91).

Wednesday 8 April

• • Tonight, Israel celebrates the beginning of Passover with its traditional Seder meal. Please pray that people living alone may know and feel God’s love and closeness.
  • Thank the Heavenly Father for being faithful to His Word. The following song, Vehi She’amda, performed by musicians from the Netherlands and Israel, is about the centuries of persecution, but how God is faithful and redeems right through all the suffering:

Tuesday 7 April

• Prime Minister Netanyahu announced a total lockdown for Israel, which commenced at 4 am today. Everybody has to celebrate the Seder night at home. Take a look at Isaiah 26:20: “Go, my people, enter your rooms and shut the doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until His wrath has passed by.” The whole chapter is beautiful and reminds us of Easter. Thank God that He is in control. He will not let it get out of hand!
• Yesterday, we received news from volunteers at Hineni Jerusalem. They are preparing the last food aid boxes before the start of Passover. There is great chaos at the municipality of Jerusalem; the coordination of the help requests is not running smoothly. Please pray for a good collaboration between the departments, so everyone that needs help can be helped.

Monday 6 April

• A point of thanks from the Ukraine: despite the large shortages, all our food orders for the vulnerable Jewish elderly have been delivered by the wholesalers! That is special. The wholesale headquarters in Kiev examined our organisation and gave us a ‘green light’, because we are an aid agency. Give thanks the Lord for this encouraging news. Give thanks, too, that we keep receiving donations for our emergency campaign ‘Meals on Wheels’ in the Ukraine, for the Jewish elderly and families living in extreme poverty. Help is, and for the coming period of time will be, desperately needed.
• Last Friday, we received a phone call from Rabbi Mendel from Mariupol (in Eastern Ukraine). He informed us that Vladimir, a Holocaust survivor, recently passed away. He leaves his wife Alla (95) behind. They had been married for 68 years. Rabbi Mendel told us that Alla was very sad and would really appreciate a phone call. Of course, it is hard to talk with someone who only speaks Russian. Therefore, we were able to make a video call together with Rabbi Mendel and he could translate for Alla. We were able to tell her, on behalf of you, that we are thinking of and praying for her. Give thanks for the possibility of personal contact by means of video, and that in this way we can bring encouragement and comfort where we cannot physically come. Also pray for comfort in this difficult time for Alla.
• Hineni’s soup kitchen continues preparing meals for the poor in Jerusalem. This work does not go by unnoticed, because Moshe Lion, the mayor of Jerusalem, came by to give a hand for a day! Give thanks for Hineni’s special work, and please pray especially for Benjamin Philip.
• Give thanks that Israel is taking considerable steps in the development of a vaccine against corona. In this way, the country is a blessing to the world!
• Pray and give thanks from Psalm 46:1-2 “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear.”

Friday 3 April

• The Palestinian terrorist group Hamas are taking advantage of the corona crisis to threaten Israel. If there will be a shortage of breathing equipment for coronavirus patients in Gaza, “six million Zionists will not be able to breathe”, says Yahya Sinwar, the leader of Hamas. Please pray for Israel from Psalm 64 that the enemy will not harm them! And give thanks for the beautiful promise in Psalm 64:10: “The righteous will rejoice in the LORD and take refuge in Him; all the upright in heart will glory in Him!”
• Prime Minister Netanyahu and various other Israeli leaders combatting the coronavirus have to be quarantined again because they had come into contact with the contaminated Minister for Health Yaakov Litzman. Please pray for good health for the leaders of Israel.
• The Passover feast will commence on Wednesday evening. The Jewish people then think back to God’s redemption from their slavery in Egypt. Most Jews in Israel will celebrate this in their own homes. Please pray for a peaceful Passover feast and for joy in the homes.
• Christians for Israel assists in the handing out of Passover packets for the poorest, through various projects in Israel. Please pray for sufficient means to finance the packets.

Thursday 2 April

• Unemployment in Israel is rising dramatically. Last month, the unemployment rate was 300.000. Due to the corona crisis, it has now already increased to over one million unemployed people. Many organisations that are dependent on donations are forced to lay off people because they receive fewer donations. We received a message from Itamar Marcus of the Palestinian Media Watch (who are dependent on gifts) that they unfortunately had to lay off a quarter of their staff due to financial problems. Please pray for outcome in this crisis which is getting bigger and bigger.
• A point of thanks! The children of Aleh that were infected with the coronavirus are doing much better. They are recovering and will be tested in a few days to see if they are genuinely healed. Please pray for a full recovery of these children.
• Volunteers are distributing aid packages to the Bnei Menashe (the new Jewish immigrants from India). Thanks to your support we have been able to help them. We received this beautiful passage from Israel in gratitude for our support. Give thanks with us from Proverbs 22:9: “The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor.”
• The water levels in the Lake of Tiberias are still rising. If it goes on like this, the lake will soon flood, which is a blessing for the land! Give thanks for the abundant rainfall of last winter in Israel.

Wednesday 1 April

• As the coronavirus is spreading, antisemitism is also increasing. The strangest accusations are made against Jews and against Israel. Jews would have created the virus, Israel would want to become rich through a vaccine, at the expense of human lives. Let us humble ourselves because of the deceitful antisemitism that keeps resurfacing.
• Amidst this deadly virus, new life still continues in Israel. So many young mothers are in joyful expectation, but feel anxious about giving birth in hospital. This is the last place that you want to be in, but have to be in… (in Israel, everybody gives birth in hospital). What a challenge and joy that we can pray for all these young mothers in this situation.
• We pray for much Shalom for you in this restless time. Psalm 134:3: “May the LORD bless you from Zion, He Who is the Maker of heaven and earth.”

Tuesday 31 March

• Four hotels in Jerusalem open their doors to house people due to the coronavirus. Two hotels are intended to house people who are suspected of having the coronavirus, and two hotels for the housing of families who cannot live at home for various reasons. Give thanks for the creativity and the help that the residents of Jerusalem can give to each other in this way.
• Last weekend, this extensive article appeared in the Times of Israel (the biggest English-language news website of Israel) about our ‘Meals on wheels’ campaign for emergency aid for the Jewish elderly in the Ukraine. That is a good example of ‘Comfort, comfort My people!’ Please pray for the work of Koen and his team in the Ukraine.
• Unfortunately, thirteen children in ALEH have already been contaminated with the coronavirus. In the circumstances, they are doing reasonably well. Nine of them do not have any symptoms or only mild flu symptoms. Three children show more symptoms but do, for the time being, not have to be put on life support. Please keep praying for this group of vulnerable children with multiple disabilities. Pray for the nursing staff of ALEH, too, who do such beautiful and life-saving work!

Monday 30 March

• We received the following lovely message from Israel: “both young and old are intensely enjoying your tulips. Now that people can only get outside for half an hour in this time of corona, the tulips are an ‘outing’. Precious what a few tulips can do. The tulips are blossoming lavishly and for a long time this year because of the rain and God’s grace.” Thank God for the comfort that these tulips from the Netherlands bring to Israel every year.
• In Jeremiah 31:5 it says that there will be vineyards again on the hills of Samaria. This hadn’t been the case for two thousand years, until the twentieth century. Thank our Heavenly Father that He fulfilled this wonderful promise in our days!
• Israeli doctors are training their Palestinian colleagues to combat the coronavirus. A sign of hope! Please pray that there will be lasting peace in Israel.

Saturday 28 March

• It seems like soon there will finally be a unity government in Israel. Give thanks that the deadlock in which Israeli politics was caught up is coming to an end.
• Today, the second Shabbat in complete quarantine in Israel takes place. The country stands completely still. Please pray to God that He will use the silence to reveal His glory. Thank our Heavenly Father for His faithfulness to His people.

Friday 27 March

• Please pray for our team in the Ukraine. Last week they started delivering ‘Meals on Wheels’ to the Jewish elderly in the Ukraine. Now, three thousand meals are delivered to homes in more than twenty-five places. Please pray for sufficient finances and for good health.
• Last Tuesday, seventy-two Jews from Ethiopia arrived in Israel! It is expected that another two hundred olim (Jews that emigrate to Israel) will arrive before Passover. All the new immigrants are quarantined as soon as they arrive in Israel. Thank God that the return of the Jewish people still continues!
• The work of Hineni still continues. About four hundred meals are prepared daily for the poorest in Jerusalem. Many Christians in Jerusalem are helping Benjamin Philip with the purchasing, preparation and distribution of the meals. Please pray for a sufficient stock at the shops in order to be able to keep making the meals. Pray for wisdom and health for the team of Hineni.