
Israel Commemorates Holocaust Remembrance Day
There are an estimated 211,300 Holocaust survivors living in the world today. According to current projections, by 2040, there will only be 20,000 left. In Israel, there are 110,100 Holocaust survivors. Last week, during Israel’s Holocaust Remembrance Day, the nation took time to remember the horrors of the past with the reminder never to forget. As time is running out to hear their first-hand accounts, it will become more difficult to teach about the lessons of the Holocaust to coming generations. “Now is the time to hear first-hand testimonies from survivors. Invite them to speak in our classrooms, places of worship and institutions,” said Gideon Taylor, president of the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany. “It is critical, not only for our youth but for people of all generations, to hear and learn directly from Holocaust survivors. This report is a stark reminder that our time is almost up.
Please pray for these dear people to have love, help, and dignity in their final years, as they suffered so much in their early years.
Injured Eight-Year-Old Girl Leaves Hospital after Year of Treatment
Last year, Iran launched an unprecedented aerial assault on Israel with ballistic missiles, drones, and rockets. The only major injury was then-seven-year-old Amina Al Hassuni, a Bedouin girl living near Arad. In the early morning hours, shrapnel fell through her roof while she was sleeping and caused severe head injuries. She was in a medically induced coma for six weeks and underwent many surgeries. After a year, she is being released from rehabilitation and will live in a specially equipped apartment in Arad. Her father says she is alert and talking freely, but her left hand is non-functional and she has limited movement in her left leg. Her siblings are also suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
Please pray for Amina’s continued rehabilitation and recovery as well as for her siblings’ peace.
Israel Prepares to Observe Memorial Day, Independence Day
This week, Israel will observe Memorial Day for fallen soldiers and civilian victims of terror attacks, including the 316 soldiers who died this past year protecting the nation as well as 79 civilians who were murdered by terrorists. Since the beginning of the Swords of Iron War, 934 civilians have been murdered. Records going back to 1860 until the present show 25,417 soldiers have been killed in service to their country.
Starting Tuesday night at 8:00 p.m., a siren will sound for one minute across the country to begin the national day of remembrance. Many cities will hold ceremonies, with the main ceremony taking place at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. The next day, at 11:00 a.m., another one-minute siren will sound as families gather at military cemeteries and memorial sites. As the sun sets and Memorial Day comes to an end, Israel will start celebrating its seventy-seventh year of independence. The following day, many will gather for picnics and barbecues.
Please pray for Israel during these days of solemn memorial for those who have died protecting the land, and the rejoicing that follows for seventy-seven years Jewish people have been able to live freely in the land.
Chosen People Ministries—Israel Staff Serves Holocaust Survivors
Chosen People Ministries—Israel continues to serve Holocaust survivors in Israel daily. Our team visits them at home, assists with shopping and medical appointments, provides financial support, and ensures the survivors can live out their days with dignity. Our staff also organizes meetings, concerts, excursions, and retreats to help them feel less isolated. Most importantly, our ministry shares the message of the living God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and takes every opportunity to present the plan of salvation through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. As a result, dozens have discovered the Lord as their Savior, resulting in transformed lives and a sense of community.
In recent years, many have passed away, but we find comfort in knowing we will meet them in heaven. Our staff held a memorial meeting with a group of Holocaust survivors in Jerusalem, followed by gatherings in the cities of Sderot and Ofakim. Together, they will remember this terrible tragedy and honor the millions who perished, while also thanking the Lord for those who survived. They will bow in prayer for the nation of Israel, asking the Lord that horrors like this never happen again, and for Israel’s soldiers who risk their lives daily.
Thank you for praying for their salvation as our staff continues to proclaim the good news with them. Please pray for continued gatherings that uplift them and provide much needed fellowship, necessary supplies, and nutritious food. Please pray their days are filled with much purpose and dignity.