In the ancient city of Hippos (now known as Sussita) near the Sea of Galilee, a treasure trove of gold coins was discovered at an archaeological dig with a metal detector. As the signal was beeping, a large stone was moved, and the coins fell from the earth. All in all, there were 97 gold Byzantine coins and dozens of fragments of gold earrings with inlaid pearl, semi-precious stones, and glass. The coins date from the reign of Emperor Justin I (518-527 CE) until the early reign of Emperor Heraclius (610–613 CE).
Hippos was a strategic city for early Christianity. In Byzantine times, it had seven active churches. As Hippos has a staggering 1000 years of cultural and religious history, this recent discovery sheds light on both the Christian and non-Christian ancient worlds. “This is one of the largest hoards from the Byzantine period discovered on dry land in Israel, and its uniqueness lies in the combination of jewelry and gold coins from the reigns of different emperors,” said Dr. Michael Eisenberg, expedition co-director of the Zinman Institute of Archaeology and the Department of Archaeology at the University of Haifa.
Praise God for this archeological discovery that helps us piece together the early believers’ lives.
For the first time in many months, rain fell on Israel’s northern towns. Rain is often expected during or after the Jewish high holidays, but this single-day downpour broke the September rainfall record set in 1932. About five inches of rain fell in the northern town of Nahariya, as well as large amounts in the Golan Heights and Galilee regions. Since there was so much run off, drains could not sustain the deluge and flooding occurred. Then, the ground was so dry and parched that the sudden amounts of rain were not absorbed, so the runoff water ended up in the sea. Parts of central Israel and Jerusalem received a little rain, too. The rain was met with joy and rejuvenation in anticipation of the growth of fields and flowers that will come with the changing seasons after the hot summer months.
Please pray for abundant rain—a physical and spiritual gift from the Lord for the land and His people.
After two years of physically and psychologically intense conflict, a recent study highlighted significant shifts in university students’ attitude toward religion and spirituality. The Hebrew University study focused on how trauma and anxiety can drive people toward significant faith changes. Between 2023 and 2025—over the course of the current war between Israel and Hamas—researchers Yaakov Greenwald, Professor Mario Mikulincer, and Professor Ariel Knafo-Noam surveyed more than 1,200 Jewish-Israeli university students. In response to the study, it was found that one in four university students became more religious, and one in three said they became more spiritual.
Those who came from religious families tended to deepen their faith more. Meanwhile, those from a secular background tended to identify more with an increased feeling of spirituality instead of adopting formal religion. The results of this study demonstrated how young adults’ beliefs changed during the war. The direct experiences many felt—serving in reserve or active duty, battle injuries, death of loved ones, alertness to rocket and ballistic missile attacks, etc.—pushed many closer to God. The researchers said, “The more directly individuals are touched by war, the more likely they are to re-examine and reshape their belief systems.”
Please pray for young adults who are grappling with difficult questions, anxieties, and challenges because of these two years of sustained conflict. Please pray that as they seek out spiritual answers, they would find Jesus the Messiah who loves them and suffered on the cross to forgive their sins and give them life eternal!
Our staff in Israel is witnessing how the war is driving young people toward faith and spirituality—many of them have had deep conversations with our staff, are interested in attending our events, and/or want to study the Bible! Since the war started on October 7, 2023, we have seen a significant switch to serious study, increased prayer, and desire to ask deep questions. Our LaOmek website (Hebrew for “Going Deeper”) saw an increase in people browsing the site and reading the articles of hope, testimonies of faith, and verses pointing to the Messiah. Dozens of people downloaded the Book of Psalms in modern Hebrew, which is providing comfort for many across the country. Hostages who returned from Gaza said that the Psalms were a comfort to them as they sat in the dark tunnels. Even the dear Holocaust survivors we minister to have noted a stronger desire to pray to God and read the Bible. It seems that age is no hindrance to the Spirit moving among the people in hard times!
Please pray our team in Israel can continue to study and pray with people, listen to their hurts, and comfort those who worry or struggle. Please pray that many turn to the Lord as His light is shining bright in the darkness!
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Yom Kippur: The Day of Atonement