With all that’s going on in our world, we are seeing an openness to the Good News among Jewish people unlike anything in recent times. I can think of no better time for you to take your support to the next level and give each month to provide real help and the eternal hope that only comes from knowing our Messiah.

Because of all of the challenges caused by the coronavirus, our Shalom Partners are more vital than ever as we continue to make adjustments to how we do ministry to meet urgent needs and share the Gospel with the Jewish people of Israel.

For people like you and me who care deeply about God’s people, this is a huge opportunity to take action!

Together, in the name of Jesus the Messiah, we can provide real HELP and eternal HOPE to the Jewish people.

When you give an automated gift each month, you’ll make an even greater difference for Jewish people in Israel and Africa who are fighting to survive against poverty and even persecution in some places. You’ll help meet both critical spiritual and physical needs.

Shalom Partners provide practical help, including medical and dental care, eye care and access to clean water. But most important, you are giving Jewish people the opportunity to hear about their Messiah, Jesus!

Won’t you take your place among our Shalom Partners today?

As a Shalom Partner, you’ll provide consistent support that allows our ministry to meet needs without interruption, even in times of uncertainty like we are experiencing now.

Joining Shalom Partners also has important benefits for you. You’ll receive:

• Our Jewish Voice digital magazine, where you can read about current events in light of the Scriptures
• Our weekly Middle East Update email which will keep you in the know about developments in Israel and throughout this region – and how they may affect you.
• The Insider’s Report, which is special, “insider” information that I only share with our most valued partners.
• Free access to select digital books for convenient online reading on your own Shalom Partner portal

nd, if you sign up to give automatically every month by using your checking account or credit/debit card, we would like to send you our Jewish Voice Tote to say thank you. It’s durable, lightweight and a great way to show your commitment and love for the Jewish people in your day- to-day life.

But the greatest benefit you’ll enjoy, I believe, is knowing the eternal impact you’ll make in the hearts of Jewish people who are open to the Good News.

Become a Shalom Partner today and help bring us one step closer to the day when, by God’s grace, all Israel will be saved!

“You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD himself, is the Rock eternal.”
Isaiah 26:3-4 (NIV)

Thank you for your partnership. No matter what is happening in our world, it is such a blessing to have faithful friends standing with us in support of Israel and her people.

This week, I’m sharing Scripture focused on the importance of placing our trust in the Lord. Trusting Him is the only answer to having true peace – or as Isaiah states it – perfect peace.

I hope you will pray this both for yourself and for the Jewish people. That they will put their trust in the only source of perfect peace, the Messiah Jesus.

In the news, Iran has been busy, leading to airstrikes by the U.S. and Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also is speaking out about Iran and the nuclear deal.

There is good news regarding initial signs of cooperation between Israel and a few other countries in the Middle East to better deal with the threat of Iran. Also, the first-ever ambassador from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) visited Jerusalem.

In addition, on Monday, the government voted to reopen grades 7-10 and move forward with easing coronavirus restriction starting Sunday – this includes the reopening of restaurants and cafes and allowing larger gatherings.

Here are this week’s news updates for you to read and pray over.

Netanyahu Says Iran Was Behind Blast That Hit Israeli-Owned Ship

On Monday, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Iran was behind the explosion that hit an Israeli-owned cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman last week.

“This is indeed an action by Iran, it is clear,” Netanyahu said.

In response to a question about whether Israel would respond to the attack on the ship, Netanyahu said that Iran “is Israel’s biggest enemy and we are striking them across the region.”

The prime minister added that Israel has told the U.S. that Jerusalem will not allow Tehran to have nuclear weapons, no matter what the terms are of any potential multinational deal, The Times of Israel reported.

“The Iranians will not have nuclear weapons, with or without an agreement. I said that to my friend [U.S. President Joe] Biden as well,” Netanyahu said.

Israel Reportedly Strikes Iranian Targets in Response to Attack on Ship

Late Sunday, Israel reportedly bombed Iranian targets in Syria. This led to speculation that the airstrikes were in response to the attack on the Israeli-owned ship the Gulf of Oman last Thursday.

No official government or military statement was made by Israel, according to The Jerusalem Post.

The Syrian army said an Israeli airstrike targeted parts of southern Damascus. Regional intelligence sources say the strikes targeted Iran-linked assets.

U.S. Carries Out Airstrikes on Iran-Backed Militias in Syria

Last Friday, U.S. airstrikes against militias backed by Iran in Syria killed at least one fighter and wounded several others. U.S. officials said this was a calibrated response to rocket attacks against American personnel in Iraq, part of an increase in anti-U.S. attacks in Iraq.

The attacks were intentionally limited in scope to show that President Biden will act tough but wants to avoid a major regional escalation, according to U.S. officials.

The airstrikes targeted militia sites on the Syrian side of the Iraqi-Syrian border where groups backed by Iran control an important crossing for weapons, personnel and goods, The Jerusalem Post reported.

Prime Minister Speaks Out Regarding Iran and Nuclear Deal

Last Thursday, Prime Minister Netanyahu said he told U.S. President Joe Biden he will do whatever it takes to prevent a nuclear-armed Iran, regardless of whether the U.S. reenters the nuclear deal with the Islamic Republic.

“I told him, with or without an agreement, my obligation as the prime minister of Israel, as the prime minister of the Jewish state, is to prevent a recurrence of the terrible things that have been done to our people,” Netanyahu said in an interview with Israel’s Channel 13, The Times of Israel reported.

“There is a regime whose flagship goal is to destroy us. I will do everything I can, everything in my power, to prevent it from attaining nuclear weapons,” he said.

Netanyahu rejected the premise that the existing nuclear deal, which Iran has violated repeatedly, would be better than no agreement at all.

“An agreement with a state like that? How many times do we need to learn from history? Agreements are made. But if you rely solely on agreements, that’s a mistake,” he said.

When asked if he relies on Biden when it comes to the Iran nuclear deal, Netanyahu responded: “I rely on myself, on ourselves.”

Israel, Saudi Arabia, U.A.E., Bahrain in Talks About Defense Alliance Against Iran

With the goal of expanding cooperation in facing its common enemies, Israel, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain held discussions, an Israeli official with knowledge on the matter said on Monday.

All four countries are American allies, and all view a nuclear Iran as a significant threat. They have also been watching to see what the Biden administration will do regarding the 2015 nuclear deal.

The remarks about the four countries having talks came after an article by World Jewish Congress President Ron Lauder in Arab News called for a “NATO of the Middle East,” The Jerusalem Post reported.

“Facing the accelerating threat of a malevolent Iran and the weakness of a coronavirus-hit world, the path toward self-reliance seems also to be the only path forward,” Lauder wrote. “Israelis and Arabs should seize the opportunity to work together to save the Middle East from the looming catastrophe of extremism and nuclearization.”

Israel Officially Receives First-Ever U.A.E. Ambassador

On Monday, Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin formally received the first-ever ambassador to Israel from the UAE, Mohamed Mahmoud Al Khajah. This comes after the historic deal to normalize ties between the two countries in 2020.

The UAE was the first country to agree to establish full diplomatic relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords, a pact brokered by former U.S. President Donald Trump. Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan have also joined the Abraham Accords.

Mysterious Oil Spill Closes Large Portion of Israel’s Coastline and Halts Seafood Sales

Last Wednesday, Israel’s Health Ministry issued a decree banning the sale of all seafood caught off Israel's Mediterranean coast. The country is still assessing the damage of the previous week’s massive oil spill.

Because of the spill, approximately 100 miles of Israel’s 120-mile coastline was covered in thick black tar. Local plants and wildlife have been severely damaged. It is believed that hundreds of sea turtles, crabs, fish, whales and seagulls have died in the spill.

Local and international authorities are searching, but the tanker responsible for the spill has yet to be identified. Thousands of volunteers and portions of the Israeli military have been helping with recovery efforts, but it’s expected to take several months.

The impact on Israel's struggling tourism, hospitality and seafood industries will be huge, especially as the country continues to ease the lockdown and travel restrictions.

Let Us Pray Together

Please pray with me for:

• Wisdom for both Israel and the U.S. in dealing with Iran
• Expansion of cooperation among Israel, Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain to form a defense alliance
• Protection for Israelis as the government further eases COVID-related restrictions beginning Sunday
• Coronavirus infection rates to keep trending down in Israel
• A speedy resolution to the oil spill and reduced environmental damage
• Jewish people to recognize Yeshua (Jesus) as their Messiah

Passover is a time of miracles, movement and freedom. It’s a season that asks us to look ahead.

Will you look ahead with me for just a few minutes? I want to share how Passover influences the way we think about our purpose.

This pandemic has been a turning point for many of us, and Jewish Voice is no exception. Prayerfully, we have spent this time planning and preparing for a new season of global outreach.

Many groups speak of blessing and helping the Jewish people and provide for the physical needs of Jewish people around the world, but we know of no blessing – no greater gift – than to share the Good News of the Messiah with the Jewish people.

This is why we exist as a ministry – to transform lives and see all Israel saved.

And you help make this possible!

Three times in Paul’s letter to the Romans, Paul describes God’s salvation, judgment and vindication as coming to the Jew first, and then to the Gentile.

That’s why we’ve packed stadiums around the world with “Hear, O Israel!” music and dance festivals, which have exposed more than 610,000 people to the Gospel in the last 20 years. By God’s grace, tens of thousands of Jewish people have come to faith in their Messiah as a result of these efforts.

We want to reach even more Jewish people with both hope and healing – but we need your help.

The purpose of the entire Law is expressed in one important phrase: Tikkun olam, “to repair or heal the world.” For Jewish Believers, this central message is only amplified by Jesus: May God’s Kingdom come to us, and may His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Yeshua (Jesus) offers eternal life, but He also heals this life and this world by entering it and bringing hope and justice.

With Passover’s emphasis on new beginnings, Jewish Voice is planning a new season of outreach.

Our Medical Outreach program has been incredibly successful in reaching the “Lost Tribes of Israel” in remote locations with important medical care. These “Lost Tribes” are descendants of the Twelve Tribes of Israel (Jacob) who have been scattered to remote corners of the world. They have retained their Jewish customs and traditions amidst poverty and persecution. All without knowing that their Messiah has come!

In the last 20 years, our medical volunteers have helped over 573,000 Jewish people and their neighbors in intense poverty with life-saving medical treatment in Ethiopia, Zimbabwe and India. We’ve provided everything from simple checkups to setting broken bones and pulling teeth. We’ve also established eye clinics and provided dental care for Holocaust survivors in Israel.

Thanks to compassionate friends like you who stand with us, every year we have been able to help more and more Jewish people in need.

Even with the coronavirus pandemic impacting 2020, we saw more than 100,000 patients in the last two years at our Medical Outreaches. The rapid changes happening worldwide have caused us to seek the Lord for new, more targeted, strategies even beyond our medical work.

This year, we want to reach even more Jewish people through this ministry – not just because it’s healing the world by healing human bodies, but because our various outreach activities have so effectively healed human souls with the message of the Messiah.

Meeting real needs for the “least of these” is so important. But showing the love of Jesus to the least-reached is even more vital.

It is customary on high holidays like Passover to give tzedakah, or almsgiving. Christians often translate this word in the Bible to be “righteousness,” but it has a nuanced meaning more like “just mercy” and can include anything from almsgiving, to volunteering, to advocating for the poor.

It’s putting our money where our mouth is.

This Passover, I humbly ask for your tzedakah.

I’m asking for the most generous gift you can give to help us bring healing to Jewish people all over the world, knowing that your gift will meet the urgent needs of the vulnerable and introduce Jewish people to their Messiah.

If you want to connect with the Jewish roots of your faith in a deeper way, I would love to send you our Messianic Passover Haggadah when you give a gift of any amount. This is a step-by-step guide for hosting your own Messianic Passover Seder – the feast that celebrates Passover. You can invite your Jewish friends and neighbors to celebrate with you and have the opportunity to share how Jesus is our Passover Lamb.

If you already have a Haggadah, consider getting another one for your guests. During the Seder celebration, each person usually has their own copy.

If you give $30 or more, we’ll also include our book, The Spring Feasts and Purim. You’ll learn the history and prophetic significance of each biblical feast and the meaning for Believers today.

And if you are able to give $160 or more, we’ll send you our Passover Seder Kit. It contains everything you need to host your own Messianic Seder, including candle holders, Seder plate and cup, matzah tosh, a DVD titled Yeshua’s Final Passover filmed in Jerusalem plus the Haggadah “order of service” guide. You’ll also receive The Spring Feasts and Purim Book.

We would be honored if you would pray with us and for us. Pray for our international outreach teams, who are going to the ends of the earth. Pray that we would continue to reach Jewish people scattered around the world.

Again, on behalf of Jewish Voice, I thank you for supporting Israel and the Jewish people.

“These days should be remembered and observed in every generation by every family, and in every province and in every city. And these days of Purim should never fail to be celebrated by the Jews – nor should the memory of these days die out among their descendants.”

Esther 9:28 (NIV)

Happy Purim!

Let’s rejoice together as we recall how God rescued His People and provided for and protected them in Esther’s day, throughout history and still today. And let’s celebrate how He has ultimately extended His grace and power to redeem us eternally in our Messiah Jesus. The greatest blessing is found in our relationship with our Lord and Savior!

As my family celebrates Purim, we remember all of our blessings – and that includes you! We celebrate all God has done and thank Him for how He provides for the ministry of Jewish Voice through you and your partnership. Your commitment to stand with Israel and the Jewish people means so much!

This past week, COVID-19 news out of Israel continues to be good news – the country is seeing its lowest infection rate since early January. The vaccine is also showing strong results in preventing deaths from the virus. And the government has eased even more lockdown restrictions. Most definitely many reasons to rejoice as we continue to pray for Israel and the Jewish people.

Unfortunately, not all of the news is good. Iran is back at it, boasting about their ability to increase uranium enrichment and produce nuclear weapons. Meanwhile, President Biden has said he is willing to reengage with Iran regarding the nuclear deal.

Here are this week’s news updates for you to read and pray over.

Vaccine Prevents 98.9% of COVID-19 Deaths According to Israel Health Ministry Data

The coronavirus vaccines are “dramatically” effective – preventing death caused by COVID-19 at a rate of 98.9%. That’s what the latest data from Israel’s Health Ministry shows.

“The vaccine dramatically reduces serious illness and death, and you can see this influence in our morbidity statistics,” said Health Ministry Director-General Chezy Levy.

According to the data released by the ministry, the vaccine is also 99.2% protective against serious illness, reduces morbidity by 95.8% and decreases the chance of hospitalization by 98.9%.

This data represents Israelis who have received both doses of the vaccine – 14 days after their second dose – versus people who have not received any vaccine, The Times of Israel reported.

To date, 4,250,643 have received at least one dose, while 2,881,825 have received both shots out of the country’s population of about 9 million. Around 3 million Israelis are not currently eligible to be vaccinated, including those younger than 16 and people who have recovered from COVID-19.

“Thanks to Israel’s strong health system that has allowed us to vaccinate an unprecedented wide percentage of the population, and our epidemiological tracking facilities, we are the first country in the world that can show the effect of the vaccine in the real clinical world,” said Levy.

Israeli Government Launches “Green Pass” for People Who Have Been Vaccinated

Last Thursday, Israel’s Health Ministry launched the “Green Pass” certificate. It enables those who have been vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19 to take part in various activities that others cannot. The Green Pass is QR code secured.

The ministry warned that there will be serious legal penalties for anyone who falsifies the passes.

On Sunday stores, gyms, hotels and other venues were allowed to open in a major easing of lockdown measures meant to slow the spread of COVID-19.

Street-front shops, malls, markets, museums and libraries will be open to all Israelis. But only those who have been vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19 will be able to use gyms and pools, attend sporting and culture events and stay at hotels.

To be allowed to open, relevant businesses must scan people for the pass and only accept those carrying it.

In addition, the government will now allow outdoor gatherings of up to 20 people and indoor gatherings of up to 10, according to The Times of Israel.

Also, for schools, grades 5-6 and 11-12 were allowed to resume in-person classes in low-infection cities or medium-infection cities with high rates of vaccination. Kindergartens and grades 1-4 have previously opened in cities designated as low-infection “green” and “yellow” in the government’s color-coding system for morbidity rates. Grades 7-10 around the country are expected to continue remote learning for at least another two weeks.

Israel to Vaccinate 100,000 Palestinian Workers

Last Friday the Palestinian Authority Health Ministry announced it had struck a deal with the Israeli Health Ministry to vaccinate 100,000 Palestinians who work in Israel, The Jerusalem Post reported.

The agreement was announced after a meeting between senior officials from both country’s health ministries to evaluate the COVID-19 situation in the West Bank.

The Palestinians and Israelis have also agreed to continue cooperation to limit the spread of new strains of the coronavirus, according to the Palestinian Authority.

Biden Says U.S. Ready to Reengage with Iran on Nuclear Deal

Addressing the Munich Security Conference last Friday, U.S. President Joe Biden indicated he is ready to reengage with Iran on the 2015 nuclear accord. The Trump administration abandoned the deal in 2018 and since that time Iran has been breaching the agreement.

“We’re prepared to reengage in negotiations with the P5+1 on Iran’s nuclear program,” Biden said, The Times of Israel reported. The P5+1 countries are the six world powers that negotiated the deal with Iran — the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany.

“We must also address Iran’s destabilizing activities across the Middle East, and we’re going to work in close cooperation with our European and other partners as we proceed,” Biden said.

Iran has demanded that the U.S. lift sanctions before it returns to talks. It has also rejected discussing other issues, such as its regional activities.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Says Country Could Increase Uranium Enrichment to 60%

On Monday, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei says the Islamic Republic could increase its uranium enrichment to 60 percent, according to Iranian media reports.

The country is currently enriching uranium to 20%. That is just a technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%, The Times of Israel reported.

Khamenei said no country, including Israel, could prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

The supreme leader also says Iran must make good on its pledge to end international inspections at its nuclear facilities. Months ago, the country’s conservative-dominated parliament passed a law stipulating that if the U.S. does not lift sanctions by this Sunday, Iran will suspend some International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) inspections.

Let Us Pray Together

Please pray with me for:

• A joyous Purim celebration for all – focusing on the victory God has given us and His protection and provision
• Protection for Israelis as lockdown restrictions are eased even more, especially during Purim gatherings
• Coronavirus infection rates to keep trending down in Israel
• Wisdom for all involved regarding Iran, especially President Biden and his administration
• Jewish people to recognize Yeshua (Jesus) as their Messiah, the God who provides for them and protects them

It’s almost Purim, which celebrates the Jewish people’s rescue from the evil plot of Haman, an anti-Christ figure. Key to this biblical account is Esther, a young Jewish woman who became queen of Persia. In a time of crisis, her relative Mordecai persuaded Esther to stand before the King on behalf of her people. Can you quote Mordecai’s famous exhortation to her? He told her, “For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14).

Are we hearing God’s call to us – to stand in prayer for such a time as this? In this current season, it seems certain that world events are colliding with prophetic timelines in ways that take our breath away and send us to our knees. Anti-Semitism is again on the rise, and Jewish people not only need protection in that regard but they also urgently need the good news of salvation through Yeshua (Jesus). Like Esther, we are being called to take our place on their behalf in just such times as these.

What can we take from the book of Esther as inspiration for prayer points? Here are a few.

Let’s pray for:

• Jewish people to know the urgency of the hour and seek salvation, finding it through Messiah Jesus
• Governmental and other leaders to not be persuaded into legislation that has consequences they don’t fully understand and which are against God’s Chosen People
• Us to be like Mordecai, a watchman on behalf of the Jewish People – not only advocating but also praying for them and sharing Jesus
• Each of us as Jewish and Gentile Believers to take our authority as intercessors before the King of Kings and make our requests known to Him in agreement with His word that says, “all Israel shall be saved” (Romans 11:26)
• God’s Spirit to enable us, through intercession, to discern and intercept the enemy’s schemes against Israel and the Jewish people
• Us to count the personal cost like Esther, stepping out in faith to pray and see Jewish people come to know Yeshua as Messiah and Savior
• Jewish Voice to evade the enemy’s plots and receive strategies from the Lord to reach Jewish people

By the way, as you read this, our Medical Outreach to Ethiopia will be almost complete. Outreaches like this are one of the ways we are putting our faith into action to reach out and see Jewish people accept Jesus – for such a time as this. Please step into your authority as those who stand before the King of Kings, and pray rear guard prayers for this Outreach with us.

Let’s Pray:

Lord, we ask for Your protection over all the Outreach participants traveling home, for the Ethiopian community and brand new Believers. Please help congregational leaders from outside the area as they do follow-up work to see a new congregation established in the region. And Lord, please pour out fresh courage and passion upon all of us to see Jewish people around the world come to know You in greater numbers than ever before. May we take our stand together in action and prayer on their behalf – for such a time as this. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.

Passover is one of the most important holidays on the Jewish calendar. It’s often called a watershed in Jewish history.

What’s a watershed?

A watershed is a point of dramatic change dividing something into clear “before” and “after” identities. A watershed event or moment alters a subject’s trajectory. Whereas it may have continued on one path, a watershed sets it on another, reshaping and perhaps redefining it.

Before Passover, the nation of Israel was enslaved to Pharaoh. The Jewish people had been in bondage to Egypt for 400 years. Nothing but the same miserable servitude lay ahead of them – but for God’s intervention. He heard their cries and saw their suffering. He called Moses to go before Pharaoh and demand he release the Jewish people (Exodus 3:7–10).

“Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior,
who daily bears our burdens.
Our God is a God who saves;
from the Sovereign LORD comes escape from death.”
Psalm 68:19-20 (NIV)

As we move closer to Purim, I hope you know how much I treasure you and your partnership. It is critical that we, as Believers in Jesus, stand with Israel and the Jewish people and I’m so thankful that you do!

Purim is about celebrating God’s deliverance of the Jewish people from destruction. Throughout history, from Haman of ancient Persia to Herod, and from Hitler to Hamas, the enemy has attempted to annihilate the Jewish people. But God has faithfully delivered and sustained His people time and time again. As it says in Psalm 68, “Our God is a God who saves!”

I encourage you to celebrate Purim next week (February 25-26). Read the book of Esther and consider the many ways God has rescued the Jewish people and also how He has saved you – and then rejoice and tell others!

I have very good news to report this week concerning COVID-19 in Israel. The lockdown is easing considerably, and more than 25% of Israelis have received both vaccine doses. Two drugs from Israel are also showing promising results in treating the virus.

You’ll also read about Ethiopian-Jewish immigrants making aliyah to Israel even in the midst of challenging circumstances.

Thank you for staying up to date on what is happening in Israel and the Middle East, and for your love for Israel and the Jewish people.

Stores, Gyms, Hotels and More Set to Open in Israel on Sunday

On Monday, Israel’s cabinet ministers approved the reopening of stores, gyms, hotels and other venues on Sunday, February 21. The coronavirus cabinet also gave the okay for synagogues and other houses of worship to reopen Friday with attendance limited to 10 people indoors and 20 outdoors.

Street-front shops, malls, markets, museums and libraries will be open to all Israelis. Only people who have been vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19 will be allowed to use gyms, enter sporting and culture events, hotels and swimming pools.

Purim Gatherings Worrisome Because of Last Year

Concern has been expressed by health officials that festive gatherings will spark another wave of COVID-19 infections. Last year’s Purim is believed to have been a major contributor to Israel’s first wave of infections, according to The Times of Israel.

The coronavirus cabinet said no to festivities and other gatherings over Purim this coming weekend and is restricting attendance at holiday meals to immediate family members.

More Than 25% of Israel’s Population Has Received Both Doses of Vaccine

Nearly 4 million Israelis have received at least one dose of the vaccine and 2.5 million - more than a quarter of the population - have received both doses. However, reluctance among Israelis below the age of 50 to get the injections, including among teaching staff, has been noticeable.

Pfizer Vaccine Effectiveness at 93% in Israel

Only 544 people of the half a million who have been vaccinated with both does of the Pfizer vaccine in Israel have subsequently been diagnosed with the coronavirus – that is 0.1%. Four cases were severe. Zero people have died.

That puts the effectiveness rate at 93%, Maccabi Healthcare Services announced last Thursday and The Times of Israel reported. Those vaccinated were compared to a “diverse” control group of unvaccinated members.

It is believed that full protection against COVID-19 for people who have been vaccinated kicks in a week after the second shot.

“This data unequivocally proves that the vaccine is very effective, and we have no doubt that it has saved the lives of many Israelis,” said senior Maccabi official Dr. Miri Mizrahi Reuveni after the new data release.

Reuveni said that among those who have been vaccinated and become infected, the vast majority have experienced the coronavirus lightly.

Has Israel Found the Cure for the Coronavirus?

Even with vaccines being rolled out, drugs to treat the worst coronavirus symptoms are still desperately needed around the world.

Clinical trials for two drugs developed in Israel are showing great promise: EXO-CD24 and Allocetra, reported ISRAEL21c, an American online magazine focused on technological and scientific advances by researchers in Israel.

EXO-CD24

In a Phase I clinical trial for EXO-CD24, an experimental inhaled medication developed at Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center, all 30 moderate-to-severe cases were cured. EXO-CD24 specifically targets the “cytokine storm” responsible for serious breathing issues in COVID patients.

“To date, the preparation has been tried with great success on 30 severe patients, in 29 of whom the medical condition improved within two to three days and most of them were discharged home within three to five days. The 30th patient also recovered but after a longer time,” the hospital reports.

Allocetra

Last week, Enlivex Therapeutics reported positive results from a multi-center Phase II clinical trial of its experimental COVID-19 immunotherapy drug Allocetra in severe and critical COVID-19 patients.

In October, five COVID-19 intensive care patients were discharged from Hadassah University Medical Center in Jerusalem after treatment with Allocetra.

Nine severe and seven critical COVID-19 patients were treated with Allocetra in the Phase II clinical trial. Fourteen of them recovered and were discharged from the hospital after an average of 5.3 days.

Altogether, 19 out of 21 Phase II and Phase Ib Allocetra trial patients recovered and were discharged from the hospital after an average of 5.6 days. Most of the patients in both studies had pre-existing risk factors, including male gender, obesity and hypertension.

“The Phase II patients who have been discharged from the hospital are currently healthy. We believe that these compelling results have demonstrated the safety and efficacy of Allocetra in these complicated patients…” said Professor Vernon van Heerden, head of the General Intensive Care Unit at Hadassah and lead investigator of both clinical trials.

Despite Airport Closure, Ethiopian-Jewish Immigrants Make Aliyah to Israel

Last Friday, more than 300 Ethiopian-Jewish immigrants flew into Israel on a chartered flight sponsored by the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ). They were able to make aliyah – the immigration of dispersed Jewish people to Israel – despite Ben-Gurion Airport being closed and the borders sealed off to lower coronavirus infections.

The new immigrants had to show negative coronavirus tests before boarding the flight and are now in quarantine in Israel for two weeks, The Jerusalem Post reported.

“This is a difficult time for everyone, but we are so grateful that these Ethiopian immigrants were granted special permission to make the journey home to Israel last night,” said ICEJ President Dr. Jurgen Buhler. “They have endured very tough conditions in Gondar and were expecting to come to Israel any day now, only to see their hopes dashed by the recent airport closure.”

ICEJ has sponsored flights for more than 2,700 Ethiopian Jews to date. About 7,500 members of the Jewish community still remain in Ethiopia. Israel has made arrangements to bring over the next couple of years all Ethiopian Jews who wish to come to Israel and have the right and means to do so.

Let Us Pray Together

Please pray with me for:

• The easing of Israel’s nationwide lockdown to have a positive effect on the people and the economy while keeping down the virus infection rate
• Wisdom for Israel’s leaders regarding the opening of schools
• Continued success for new treatments and vaccines to fight the coronavirus
• More Ethiopian-Jewish immigrants to be able to make aliyah to Israel
• Continued success in rolling out coronavirus vaccines in Israel and around the world, especially among the younger generation
• Jewish people to recognize Yeshua (Jesus) as their Messiah, the God who saves