In the last quarter of 2021, we invited you to join us in celebrating the Overcomers of Israel. We shared with you stories of great resilience, but also of great needs and how to meet them. Together, we put our hands and resources together, to bless those that faced great obstacles and needed our help.
Today, we want to celebrate what God did in Israel in 2021.
2021 has been a tough year for many, and most of us were looking forward to stepping into 2022 (however cautiously). But we are here to share with you some beautiful reminders from 2021 that our God is faithful and good!
The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the One who became flesh to give us hope, is all-powerful and loving. Below are just a few examples of what He did for His people Israel through the ministries in the land.
Celebrate with us these victories of 2021!
1. A pro-life organization opens a home for pregnant women with nowhere to stay.
In 2021, FIRM Ministry Partner Be’ad Chaim opened a home for pregnant women who have nowhere to go and need assistance.
Initially, the organization had their eyes on a 3-bedroom place. But due to a complicated bureaucratic process, it didn’t work out. Miraculously, they then found a 4-bedrooom place for just $150 more AND fully furnished!
God had His hand over this process all along. Two expectant mothers have already moved into the apartment, and there is room for two more.
2. A leadership training program equips women lead other women in the Body.
One for Israel saw a need in the Body of Messiah in Israel and started a new groundbreaking initiative to facilitate growth. They are offering a Women in Leadership training program for Jewish and Arabic women in Israel.
The ministry is investing in women leaders to mentor other women and prayerfully focus on evangelizing, discipling, and counseling others. The hope is for this to become a movement of women grounded in Biblical truth. Who at the same time are affirmed, strengthened, and equipped for ministry.
The goal is to shift the general paradigm from a few women carrying the load to a community of women. And for them to be seen and heard, and are equipped to serve God’s people.
3. A publishing house invests in an app to bring the Bible closer to every Israeli.
We celebrate 2021 also with another ministry partner in Israel, HaGefen Publishing. This past year they released a new app called HaEdut – the Testimony. This invaluable tool allows readers to follow a modern Hebrew translation of the Old Testament with parallel English.
The average Israeli of today finds the text of the Old Testament difficult to understand as the grammar, style, and vocabulary of Hebrew has changed drastically. Even Jewish believers in Yeshua have limited knowledge and understanding of the Scriptures written in Ancient Hebrew.
The goal of HaGefen is to help young children, youth, new immigrants and other Israelis be able to read and comprehend the Word of God. The HaEdut Mobile App is now available and still developing!
4. Coastal congregations in Israel are multiplying as restrictions ease.
A congregation in Ashdod called Beit Hallel has long dreamt of planting new congregations in Israel. One of the places they had on their heart was the coastal city of Ashkelon.
Ashkelon is a small city on the southern coast of the Mediterranean, not too far from Gaza. It has often been targeted with rocket fire from the Strip. However, its resilience and biblical promises have made it fertile soil for the gospel, said Israel Pochtar, pastor of Beit Hallel.
Planning was well underway when the restrictions of 2020 made gatherings practically impossible. Nevertheless, pastor Eitan Manpel faithfully invested in home groups and prayer chains. Finally, in 2021, the Ashkelon congregation relaunched the weekly Shabbat services! Today, we celebrate this turning point of 2021 with them.
5. A church in Nazareth is sharing the Word of God with their neighbors through a gift.
The Nazareth-based ministry of Home of Jesus the King is very creative in reaching out to the neighbors in their city. In the last quarter of 2021, the church community has been giving out calendars for the upcoming year. Each month includes the message of the Gospel.
The response has been wonderful – with gratitude, the people hang the calendars up in their homes and offices. Contact details on the back allow people to reach Home of Jesus the King with any questions or prayer requests they may have.
They became tools to bring the Word of God into the homes and businesses of Christians, but also Muslims, Druze and even the Jewish people.
6. A new home for women set free from prostitution and poverty opens in Tel Aviv.
This past year, Jews for Jesus in Tel Aviv opened a safe house for women who want to be set free from the chains of addiction, prostitution and poverty. What a powerful and worthy reason to celebrate 2021!
Tel Aviv is one of the most expensive cities in the world, so it took some time to find the right place. Then, it needed some renovations and investment to furnish it and prepare for tenants. It took a good few months to finalize, but the home was finally opened in the Fall!
A dedicated team looks after the apartment and the women who are welcomed there. The new tenants relearn how to look after themselves and lead new lives. They can also talk to the team, ask questions. Many hear the Gospel for the first time in their lives.
7. Jerusalem-based ministry expands in order to assist in legal and social issues.
Peles means to level, and the ministry of Christ Church (CMJ) started the Peles program under their Mercy Fund to “level the road” for those who face difficulties accessing assistance available to them.
The ministry provides free legal and social advice to people needing preliminary assistance in family law, labor law, children and youth rights, and social security law. They offer guidance to Jews and Arabs, in Hebrew and Arabic, ensuring all have access to justice and the legal system.
In 2021, they saw much success in dealing with cases in immigration, providing safety to abuse victims and assisting single-parent homes. We cheer them on in their quest for mercy and justice in the land of Israel.
8. A messianic ministry prepares a safe haven for orphaned children in Israel.
In 2020, we told you about a great need in Israel. Care for at-risk children became more urgent than ever. With lengthy lockdowns, online education and various restrictions, children in impoverished or abusive homes struggled.
HaTikva Project had a dream to create an emergency shelter home that would be a safe landing spot for children in crisis. They took up the cause of the orphan and bought a home to turn into a loving shelter for abandoned and hurting children.
Last year, HaTikva Project renovated the home and prepared it for children in need. It is their first emergency shelter for at-risk children!
9. A new – and bigger – location encourages a house of prayer to dream big.
The House of Prayer and Exploits in Nazareth was in great need of a new property as their activities grew. Even during the pandemic! Rania Sayegh, the founder of HOPE, was praying for the right opportunity to come along.
Already in January of 2021 a good opportunity presented itself. It seemed like a smart choice, but Rania felt that God had something even bigger in store. This was a journey of great faith and devoted prayer, but she knew our God knows no bounds.
Finally, a breakthrough came. Rania was introduced to a recently renovated property that included not only a larger meeting hall, but also a coffee shop with a sitting area. It was a miraculous answer to prayer! The new House of Prayer was just dedicated in the end of last November.
10. A chronological Bible in Hebrew is the first of its kind!
Maoz Israel teamed up with the Bible Society in Israel, and the ministries partnered together to develop “Brit Olam”. It is the first ever Hebrew chronological Bible, completed after three and a half years of work.
This is a real game-changer in terms of resources available in Hebrew for the study of Scriptures. It’s written in chronological order, breaking down the canonical order of the books, and putting each event in its place.
The book has no traditional chapters and verses and can be read as a continuous book. For significant time gaps in the biblical narrative, there are articles that bridge the gap. Additionally, difficult words are explained through the system of footnotes.
And there is so much more to celebrate from 2021!
We celebrate everything God did in Israel in 2021, and we invite you to be a part of His story in 2022. At FIRM, we are continuously amazed by our ministry partners, and we love sharing with you what is happening in Israel.
Join the Tribe today to show continuous support for ministries in Israel!
Articles Related to Celebrating What God Did in 2021
Estimated reading time: 7 minutes