We are so grateful for everyone who partnered with FIRM and supported Israel in 2023. If you followed along, prayed, and supported our work, thank you for joining us on our mission to see every person in Israel transformed by the love of Jesus.
I know over the last few months you’ve been hearing a lot from us about the war that broke out after the vicious attack by Hamas on innocent Israelis on October 7th.
But today, we want to look back at the entire year. Because we want to get a full picture of what God did for and through His people in 2023.
Grateful for the Pioneers Before Us
We cannot think of 2023 in Israel without celebrating our co-founders the chairman of our board, dr. Wayne and Ann Hilsden. In the beginning of the year, we got to celebrate 40 years of their ministry here, in Israel.
We are very aware and grateful that everything we are doing, and everything you are a part of too, is built on the shoulders of these legends. We celebrate them, their hard work, their investments and obedience to the Lord that bear fruit across the whole country.
Soul Care Retreat for Leaders in Israel
At the beginning of the year, we felt we needed to show our appreciation to the dedicated and hardworking ministry leaders in Israel. That is why we hosted FIRM’s first Soul Care Retreat. We invited 12 couples from our local partners, and this was just a start.
We took these local leaders away for a time of refreshment, but also encouragement, inspiration, and instruction on how to lead healthier lives.
As we walk out our purpose as an organization, we want to continue investing even more into the local leaders. We want to be there for them as they make a difference in Israel.
At the Soul Care Retreat, the 12 couples were able to rest and get rejuvenated. We believe a restful time that is high in quality, especially with the Lord and one another, will result in fewer burnouts or depression cases in the future.
Striving for Excellence as One Body
The Excellence Forum FIRM hosted in May of 2023 felt like a natural continuation of our soul care efforts. This time though a group of over 200 leaders joined us for this special event. Pastors, ministry directors and other frontrunners from all over Israel joined us for one day of training and practical workshops.
We met on the coast of Israel, where we held some practical forums and sessions on how to better lead our organizations and ministries. Together, we can increase our capacity while avoiding taking on too much as individuals.
The vision of the Excellence Forum extended to the Roundtable events we have continued to host in 2023. You may remember we began organizing these roundtables already in the year prior. We want to better understand the next generation of Israelis to serve them better.
FIRM has a heart for collaboration, and thanks to the roundtable events we can take practical steps towards unity, cooperation and mutual support. We talk about new discipleship resources and more modern ways to reach young people in Israel with the Gospel.
Were You on One of Our Tours to Israel in 2023?
In 2023, FIRM had the privilege to host over 20 tours to Israel! It was such a joy to welcome many of you in Israel once again, after years of closed borders and rigorous restrictions.
We reactivated our Jerusalem Encounter tours, which we weren’t able to host since 2019. We are so grateful for all the Christians who decided to come to Israel in the past year. Spending the ten days with so many of you, walking the land, learning, exploring, but also praying and worshiping together was unforgettable.
In the fall, despite many more plans for Israel tours, we had to pivot because of the war. Nevertheless, in December we hosted yet another tour – and this one was truly special. The Hope & Healing trip focused less on visiting interesting sites, and more on volunteering and encouraging the people of Israel.
Over 40 of you showed up at very short notice, to serve and show love to a hurting nation. We are so proud of your courage, your unwavering spirit and extreme faith that brought you to Israel at a difficult time like this. You were the hands and feet of Jesus here on the ground.
The Outbreak of War
The horrendous war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza broke our hearts. From many emails, messages and comments we received, we know it broke yours, too. At a time like this, both FIRM and our local partners were determined to find ways to help and share hope.
Practically all our operations shifted in October. We were no longer planning events but turned our attention to providing humanitarian aid. We decided to put our scheduled content on hold. Instead, we shared with you current updates, opportunities for involvement and first-hand reports on where your donations were going.
Thank you for standing with the people of Israel at this dark hour! We have seen incredible collaboration on the ground between the ministries we serve in Israel. But we have also seen volunteers show up in places we did not expect, and we have even collaborated with government officials to bring aid where it was needed most.
We saw our country go from being extremely divided, especially considering recent political struggles in Israel, to being a nation of unity and compassion with an extraordinary sense of comradeship.
Light in the Darkness
Since the beginning of October, we saw over $10 million pour into our emergency crisis fund. 100% of those donations has gone to help hurting families and individuals that have been affected by the war.
We have been able to magnify our impact and we couldn’t have done that without the generosity of Christians worldwide. So many of our local partners said they don’t mind setting aside their names and company logos, just to reach more people with assistance and encouragement.
We have seen tens of thousands (if not hundreds of thousands) of people impacted in tangible ways through the radical generosity of followers of Jesus. Around 1,500 of Israelis displaced by the war found shelter at 7 different locations.
Together, FIRM with local and international partners provided 70,000 hot meals to people in distress. Our partners delivered 25,000 grocery boxes to the needy through 10 ministry hubs. And together, we sponsored 2,000 bullet proof vests that save lives daily.
Thank You for Being There for the People of Israel
We understand that it is hard to look back at the entirety of 2023, because the recent months have cast a dark shadow on what has been happening in Israel. But we wanted to show you how much God has done and what you were part of throughout the year. And for that, we say thank you.
The year 2023 will never be forgotten by Israelis. But we hope and pray that aside from the tragedy and the pain that they experienced, they will also remember the love that they were surrounded with. It is our prayer that they will know how much the Body of Believers has prayed for them and served them.
And most of all, we hope that they will recognize how their God was with them and cared for them every step of this difficult walk. Thank you for playing a part in expressing the love of Jesus to His brothers and sisters in this land.
All Israel Will Be Saved: Free PDF Download
The New Testament says that all Israel will be saved. How is that possible and what certainty do we have that it will come to pass?
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