Hope for Israel Ministries

05/06/2026

Shabbat Shalom from the beautiful Kibbutz Nir David.

Nestled beside some of the clearest natural springs in Israel, this peaceful kibbutz is surrounded by flowing waters, palm trees, and the beauty of the Jordan Valley.

05/06/2026

The IDF has released the name of one soldier who fell in action: Captain Eitan Shmuel Lamberg, 21 years old.
We stand with the family of the fallen and remember this hero of Israel.
May her memory be a blessing.

Photo credit: IDF

04/06/2026

"For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart." Hebrews 4:12

Last year I wrote that I often find myself connecting the truth of God's Word to the reality we are living in today, especially here in Israel. His Word is alive. It is not something that only belongs to the past; it speaks into our lives right now with clarity and power.

As I reflect on the events taking place in Israel and around the world, I believe this week's portion is an excellent reminder regarding the question of whom we trust. In Numbers 13 we read:

Then the LORD spoke to Moses saying, 'Send out for yourself men so that they may tour the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the sons of Israel; you shall send a man from each of their fathers' tribes, every one a leader among them.'" Numbers 13:1–2

God had already given the children of Israel the inheritance of the land. Their only task was to see it, trust Him, and obey. But the word "see" is key here. What we see, and how we see it, shapes what we choose to believe and how we respond.

Ten of the twelve men saw the giants, the strong cities, and the challenges, and they allowed their fear to take over. They looked at the situation through human eyes and leaned on their own understanding rather than on God's promises. They responded from the flesh rather than from faith. What they saw caused them to forget who God is and what He had already done for them.

We may be tempted to judge them, but let us be honest. How many times have we seen God move in our own lives? How many times has He provided, protected, and shown His faithfulness, and yet we still fall into fear the moment a new challenge arises?

I could not read this portion without thinking of the giants we are facing today in Israel. Who are those giants? Who stands against us today with the goal of wiping us off the map?

We are in a war not only with Hamas and Hezbollah, but also with Iran, a modern-day giant. It is a regime that many nations are afraid to confront. But what if we, the people of Israel, become afraid of what we see? What if we allow fear and emotion to dictate our actions?

Another reality that we have to face is the question of whom we trust. Do we trust in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who entrusted this land to us and has promised:

But you, Israel, My servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, descendant of Abraham My friend, you whom I have taken from the ends of the earth, and called from its remotest parts and said to you, 'You are My servant, I have chosen you and not rejected you. Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.' Isaiah 41:8–10

Faith does not mean ignoring reality or refusing to recognize genuine dangers. Caleb and Joshua saw the same giants everyone else saw. The difference was that they viewed those giants through the lens of God's promises rather than viewing God's promises through the lens of the giants.

Looking back, we realize that the battle in Numbers 13 was never really about giants. The giants were simply the test. The real question was whether the people would trust God. All twelve men saw the same land. All twelve men saw the same giants. All twelve men saw the same fortified cities. The difference was not what they saw. The difference was whom they trusted.

The same is true today. Every generation faces its own giants. For some it is war. For others it is uncertainty, opposition, fear, or pressure from the world around them. The challenge may look different, but the question remains the same. Will we trust what we see, or will we trust the God who sees far beyond what we can see?

In the days of Moses, the people had to have the faith to inherit the Land. Today, we must have the faith to continue living in the inheritance God has given us. It is the same God, but the challenge looks different. We are not standing on the edge of the promise. We are living inside of it, and we are surrounded.

But the God who brought us this far has not changed. He is still the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

In the Haftarah portion, we meet Rahab. When Joshua sends two men to tour the land, they encounter a woman who was not part of Israel's covenant people. She had not seen God's miracles with her own eyes, but she had heard of them, and she believed.

She tells the spies:

I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have despaired because of you. For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites... When we heard these reports, our hearts melted... for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth below." Joshua 2:9–11

Rahab had not personally witnessed these miracles, but what she heard stirred her to faith. More importantly, her actions were connected to what she believed. She did not simply acknowledge that the God of Israel was real. She acted on that belief.

In many ways, Rahab faced the very same test that the twelve men who were sent years earlier had faced. They saw the giants and had to decide whether they would trust God. Rahab heard about the God of Israel and had to make the same choice. Would she trust what she had heard, or would she trust the walls of Jericho and the strength of her own city? The twelve men were tested by what they saw. Rahab was tested by what she believed. The test was different, but the question was the same: whom would they trust?

Rahab did not wait to see who would win before choosing a side. She acted while the walls of Jericho were still standing. She risked her life to hide the spies because she believed what she had heard about the God of Israel. That is real faith - faith that takes courage; faith that moves. And because of that bold step, she was not only spared, she was grafted in. Rahab became part of the people of Israel. She became part of the very lineage of the Messiah.

This week's portion is not just about what happened back then. It is about how we choose to respond now. Are we going to be like the ten who let fear control the narrative, or like Caleb and Joshua, who trusted God's Word no matter what they saw?

Will we respond like Rahab, with courage and action?

And here I want to speak especially to those living among the nations.

If you believe in the God of Israel, and if you say you love the people of Israel, then let your faith be like Rahab's. Let it move you to action. Let it be expressed not only in words, but also in costly obedience. Will you stand with Israel even when it is unpopular? Will you stand when it costs you friendships, opportunities, resources, or even your own safety?

Rahab chose to stand with the people of Israel when it was dangerous to do so. She did not wait for safety. She acted in faith, and in doing so, she secured a future for herself and her family.

Will you do the same? Will you translate your faith into action, even when it means risking everything? And do you believe, as Rahab surely did, that God is faithful to reward those who stand with His people?

I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. Genesis 12:3

Let this Parashah stir us, wherever we live, to walk by faith and not by sight. Let us stand. Let us speak. Let us act. Because now, more than ever, it matters.

Shabbat Shalom,

Moran

03/06/2026

Israel's Quiet Heroes

On April 29, 2024, one of my nephews who lives in northern Israel wrote:

"Do Not Forget Them
Do not forget them.
The quiet heroes on the front lines.
The fruit growers and poultry farmers.
The pioneers of industry and technology.
The teachers and kindergarten educators.
And the self-employed whose livelihoods were taken from them.
Do not forget the elderly.
And the sick, whose souls were uprooted from their homes.
Do not forget the hearts that stopped beating.
The homes that were torn apart.
The lives that were shattered by pain and sorrow.
One day it will happen.
The war will end, and together we will prevail.
And only then will we be able to ask:
Do not forget them.
The quiet heroes of the civilian front."
Neta

When he wrote those words, he never imagined they would still be so relevant today.

There is a price to this ongoing war that was forced upon us in Israel on October 7, 2023. It is a war we did not start, but in many ways it is a war for Israel's survival against those who openly seek the destruction of the Jewish state.

That was and still is the goal of Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and the current Iranian regime, whose leaders have repeatedly called for Israel's destruction.

During the past months, a ceasefire was imposed despite many unresolved security concerns. The same reality continues today. While many around the world speak of calm and de-escalation, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and their allies continue rebuilding their capabilities in Gaza. Iran continues rebuilding its capabilities, and the same is true for Hezbollah in Lebanon.

At the same time, another burden has been placed on the shoulders of ordinary Israelis. These periods of so-called calm often mean something very different for the people living here. They mean continued uncertainty. They mean exhaustion. They mean the realization that this long war is not truly over.

For many Israelis, the war is measured not only by military operations and headlines, but by daily decisions. Parents in northern Israel wake up each morning wondering whether schools will remain open that day and whether their children will once again face another disrupted routine. Parents leave for work knowing that at any moment a rocket attack, an explosive UAV, or a siren may interrupt their day and force them to make split-second decisions for their own safety and the safety of their families. Business owners wonder whether there will be enough customers to keep their doors open for another month. Farmers continue planting fields near the border while listening for alerts and watching the skies. These are not exceptional stories. They have become part of everyday life for countless Israelis.

For families like my own in northern Israel, the struggle continues every day. Parents continue fighting the daily battle of simply getting up in the morning and sending their children to an education system that changes constantly according to the security situation.

They continue trying to earn a living while knowing that at any moment a rocket, an explosive UAV, or a siren may interrupt their day. Businesses that were already struggling continue fighting for survival. Families continue facing reduced income while the cost of living continues to rise. Above all, more families continue joining the circle of the grieving because a son, daughter, husband, wife, mother, or father has been killed in this war.

Meanwhile, ordinary Israelis continue carrying the burden of a war that has now stretched on for years. While Israeli leaders and world leaders debate, argue, pressure, negotiate, and make decisions, it is often the families, business owners, teachers, farmers, and soldiers who bear the daily cost.

Let me be clear. I am against war. I am tired of war. Like many Israelis, I carry scars and fresh wounds as a result of these wars. I long for the day when our children can grow up without sirens, shelters, and fear. However, peace cannot be built by ignoring evil. In order for this ongoing and senseless reality to end, evil must be confronted. The desire for peace is noble, but peace that allows those committed to violence to rebuild and prepare for the next attack is not a path toward lasting security.

Many in Israel are tired. Parents are tired. Teachers are tired. Farmers are tired. Business owners are tired. Soldiers and their families are tired.

My prayer is that the people of Israel will find strength in the words of the prophet Isaiah:

"But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles. They shall run and not grow weary. They shall walk and not faint." (Isaiah 40:31)

As I think about the words one of my nephews wrote back in April 2024, I realize they remain just as relevant today as they were then.

Let us not forget the families who continue living between sirens and uncertainty. Let us not forget the teachers who continue showing up day after day for their students. Let us not forget the farmers who continue planting and harvesting despite the dangers around them. Let us not forget the business owners who fight to keep their doors open and provide for their families. Let us not forget the parents who work tirelessly to give their children a sense of stability and normal life in the midst of uncertainty.

Let us not forget the wounded, the grieving, and the displaced. Let us not forget those whose lives have been forever changed by this war and whose burdens often remain unseen by the rest of the world.

These are the quiet heroes of Israel's civilian front.

One day this war will end. When it does, may we remember not only the battles that were fought, but also the men, women, and children who carried the burden of those battles every single day.

Moran

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02/06/2026

Join Moran and Hope for Israel on the Israel Solidarity Tour.

Experience Israel in a deeply personal way, meet families and communities who are rebuilding their lives.

Through shared stories, reflection, and meaningful engagement, you’ll come to understand both the trials and the hope that define this moment in Israel’s history.

02/06/2026

Critical thinking matters now more than ever.
Before choosing sides or repeating narratives, we should be willing to ask questions, examine evidence, and seek the full story.

02/06/2026

The IDF has released the name of one soldier who fell in action: Captain Ori Yosef Silvester, 30 years old.

We stand with the family of the fallen and remember this hero of Israel.
May her memory be a blessing.

Photo credit: IDF

01/06/2026

Summer arrives, yet the season feels delicate under the weight of tension and unpredictability.

Families hope for rest, children look forward to play, and yet uncertainty lingers.

Stand with Hope for Israel in prayer for protection, peace, and courage through these fragile summer days.

April does not arrive quietly this year. On the first of the month, families across Israel will gather for Seder night, retelling the story of redemption. Yet it unfolds under war, as missile fire from Iran, alongside ongoing attacks from Lebanon and now even Yemen, reaches across the country and si...

01/06/2026

The IDF has released the name of one soldier who fell in action: Staff Sergeant Adam Tzarfati, 20 years old.

We stand with the family of the fallen and remember this hero of Israel.
May her memory be a blessing.

Photo credit: IDF

31/05/2026

A Question of Credibility

Recently, I had the privilege of taking a tour group through the beautiful land of Greece. As we arrived in Athens, one of the first things that caught my attention was a large piece of graffiti that simply read, "Free Palestine."

As our journey continued, I noticed more and more similar messages. Some appeared on walls. Others appeared on stickers and signs. One of the most disturbing images I saw was a piece of graffiti that equated the Star of David with a sw****ka.

Before I continue, let me say something very important. The Greek people we met throughout our journey were wonderful. Everywhere we went, we were welcomed warmly. People showed us kindness, hospitality, and genuine friendship. As an Israeli, I felt that warmth personally, and I am grateful for it.

Yet as I continued to see these messages painted on walls and displayed throughout the city, I found myself thinking about something much bigger. If all a person hears is one side of a story, if all they see are slogans, headlines, propaganda, and carefully crafted narratives, without ever taking the time to examine the facts, it is not difficult to understand how people can be misled.

The challenge is that slogans are easy, while truth often requires effort. Truth requires people to ask questions. It requires people to examine evidence. It requires people to be willing to look beyond the loudest voices and search for what is actually true.

As I reflected on this, my thoughts turned to the United Nations. The United Nations was established after World War II with a noble purpose. It was meant to promote peace, encourage cooperation between nations, defend human dignity, and stand for justice in a broken world.

Yet over the years, many people have increasingly questioned whether the organization still fulfills that role. One of the most valuable things any institution possesses is credibility. The moment people begin to believe that decisions are driven by politics rather than principles, by pressure rather than facts, or by agendas rather than truth, that credibility begins to erode.

This week, the United Nations added Israeli security bodies to a blacklist dealing with conflict-related sexual violence, placing them alongside organizations such as Hamas, ISIS, Al-Qaeda, and other terrorist groups.

This is not merely another report that will disappear into a filing cabinet. Such lists carry significant diplomatic weight. They influence public perception, shape international discussions, affect cooperation between nations, and can even contribute to future legal, political, and economic consequences. When an organization such as the United Nations places entities on such a list, it sends a message to the world.

What makes this decision particularly troubling is not simply the inclusion of Israel on the list. It is what many see as part of a much larger pattern. For years, critics have questioned the disproportionate focus that various UN bodies place on Israel.

For example, year after year, the United Nations General Assembly passes more resolutions condemning Israel than it does against many of the world's worst human rights offenders combined. Countries where ethnic minorities are persecuted, political opponents disappear, freedoms are crushed, and civilians suffer under brutal regimes often receive far less attention. Whether one agrees with every policy of Israel or not, this imbalance has caused many observers to question whether Israel is being judged by the same standards applied to other nations.

Resolution after resolution, report after report, and condemnation after condemnation have caused many to wonder whether the world's only Jewish state is being measured by a different standard than other nations.

This latest decision will only deepen those concerns. The question is not whether allegations should be investigated. Every credible allegation should be examined seriously and honestly. Justice requires that.

The question is whether an institution established to promote justice is applying the same standards consistently. When nations that commit some of the world's worst human rights abuses receive limited attention while Israel repeatedly finds itself at the center of international condemnation, people naturally begin to ask difficult questions.

When terrorist organizations and democratic nations increasingly appear side by side in reports, resolutions, and blacklists, people ought to wonder whether important moral distinctions are being lost.

The United Nations was established to pursue peace, justice, and human dignity. Yet every decision that appears politically motivated rather than fact-driven weakens the trust that gives such institutions their influence.

This is why this matters. This discussion is about far more than a single report. It is about whether international institutions still have the courage to pursue truth consistently, even when doing so is unpopular. It is also about whether they are willing to apply the same standards to all nations rather than reserving special scrutiny for some while overlooking others.

The accusations themselves are manipulated and are not based on facts. When testimony from terrorists who committed many of these very acts, as documented on October 7, is given greater weight than verified facts, documented evidence, and the responses provided by Israel, something is deeply wrong.

Justice cannot exist without truth. When truth becomes secondary to politics, narratives, or predetermined conclusions, institutions that were created to defend justice begin to lose the credibility upon which they depend.

The graffiti I saw throughout Greece reminded me how easy it is for slogans to spread. The challenge is that truth is rarely found in slogans. Truth requires people to ask questions, examine facts, and refuse to accept claims simply because they are repeated often enough.

We live in a world filled with many voices, competing narratives, and constant attempts to shape public opinion. That reality places a responsibility on each of us to seek truth carefully, examine the facts honestly, and refuse to allow slogans to replace reality.

Moran

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