Good things are happening in Israel

There’s always something happening in Israel. We keep hearing about Iran’s nuclear threat to
Israel. The highly biased Goldstone Report on the Gaza conflict is on the news these days. In
addition in the recent weeks there have been Muslim riots at the Temple Mount. However, in my
opinion, something far more significant is going on in the land of the Bible. God is at work in a
wonderful way. For a long time we have heard that Israelis are closed to the gospel and that
Jewish mission is more challenging than any other mission except, maybe, mission to Muslims. This
remains true but, after years of much sowing, prayer and hard work, it seems that a crack is
opening in Jewish resistance to the gospel!

Evangelistic Campaign
In our July-August prayer news you read about the national evangelistic outreach to Russianspeaking
Israelis. The HaGefen offices became the central call centre for the campaign and over
1,400 people requested the book, The Power to Change!

In October a similar evangelistic campaign took place, this time directed towards Hebrewspeakers.
HaGefen was responsible not only for producing a Hebrew version of The Power to
Change but also for coordinating the campaign in cooperation with churches from three large
cities. Beginning at the Feast of Tabernacles, advertisements for the book appeared on buses and
billboards, and on the Internet. During the first week of the campaign, we received 845 phone
calls, and 422 people – fifty percent of those who called – ordered the book!

The Power to Change is a colourfully illustrated book that presents the gospel and features
testimonies of various Israelis, including David’s. The first part of the book focuses on life and its
realities in Israel today and goes on to deal with the prophecies about the Messiah in the Hebrew
Scriptures. Finally, quoting verses from the New Testament, the book identifies Yeshua as the
Messiah. To our surprise many of the callers were young and some were Orthodox.

The Gospel to all people

To the old
God is opening the hearts of Israelis to the gospel. And not just ordinary people. During Sukkot,
His Name is Yeshua (the Hebrew version of Moshe Rosen’s Y’shua: the Jewish Way to say
Jesus) which was published by HaGefen last year, was presented as a gift to Israel’s president,
Mr. Shimon Peres. He is in now 86 years old!

In the last two years HaGefen has published close to 90,000 copies of various evangelistic
books. Please pray that the Lord will open the hearts of those who have received these books
(including The Power to Change and His Name is Yeshua) and those who will receive them
in the future. Pray also for our president and other officials who are in desperate need of the
gospel.

But also to the young
In Summer one of our staff, Christina, who is also a member of Grace & Truth congregation,
helped in the summer youth camps. Part of her time was paid by HaGefen in order to help
support this vital ministry. Here are excerpts from what she wrote following the youth camp.
My decision to be a counselor at camp came from my desire to support these kids in
their daily struggles, to encourage them, perhaps help them avoid the mistakes and the
compromises I had fallen into at their age. My desire was really to contribute. Once
I was home again, I understood that there is no greater joy, nothing that thrills the
heart more, than seeing these same kids going home bubbling over with enthusiasm:
not for the fun, challenging hikes they went on, not the bicycle trip or the night trip
or the worship on the mountain top at sunrise, no! Their enthusiasm was for the
lessons and the teaching they had received. It was really encouraging to find that
instead of the usual, superficial chat on Facebook, someone had posted a synopsis of
the teaching under the title: “The compromises of today are the standards of tomorrow”.
I thank God and pray that all that the youth have learned, every step they have taken
closer to God, will reap fruit in their lives without compromise. It is a real privilege to
play a miniscule part in God’s wonderful plan in the lives of these girls and boys.
 

Deputation
As you receive this email David is in Hong Kong. He has been invited to speak in various churches and seminaries and also to deliver two papers in the first Jewish Mission convention in Hong Kong. Due to the death of his brother, he had to cancel the trip to Taiwan. Please pray for these meetings, that they would be fruitful and raise
the awareness for the priority of Jewish mission.
 

Home Front
Many of you have been praying for David’s brother, as he struggled with a malignant brain
tumor. For the last eight months he was in and out of hospitals. This has been a very hard
and challenging time for the family. We know that life and death is in the hand of God, and
yet death is never an easy thing. On October 15, after much struggle and suffering he passed
away. Obviously this has been a very painful and tearful time for all his family.
 

Challenges
As we face some financial challenges, we hope that you will prayerfully consider supporting our
work as you plan your next year’s budget.

Praise God for:

• So many who have heard the Gospel in the last few months.
• That our sales and publishing services have increased by some 300%
• The door of opportunity that he has opened for the gospel in Israel

Pray for:

• Those who have received our books, that the Lord will use them to bring people to himself.
• The young people in the churches in Israel, that they will be equipped to lead in the coming years.
• Our financial needs