Currently, the Lord is opening eyes throughout the body of Messiah about the importance and priority of reaching the Jewish people with the Good News of their Messiah, Yeshua (Jesus). This has always been the heart of our mission and vision at Jewish Voice.

On the heels of Shavuot and Pentecost, which were both celebrated this past weekend, we’re stirred to put out a fresh call to prayer for a great harvest of salvations among the Jewish people around the world. 

Shavuot was originally a harvest festival and also marks the giving of the Torah, which helped unify the 12 Tribes. Pentecost is the Greek word signifying Shavuot, and it identifies the giving of the Holy Spirit as early Believers gathered in unity, praying and waiting upon the Lord. 

May Believers everywhere intercede in unity during this generation, filled with hope and passionate devotion to the Lord as we call on Him for all Israel to be saved.

Here are some of the things we’re praying for:

• The Lord of the harvest to send workers into the harvest field, including those He’ll call to partner with Jewish Voice – Matthew 9:37–38
• Jewish Believers to embrace their calling as a blessing to the Nations by sharing Yeshua – Galatians 3:8
• The Word of the Lord to “run swiftly” wherever Jewish Voice goes, introducing many to the Living Word, Jesus – 2 Thessalonians 3:1
• A greater anointing of signs and wonders to accompany the preaching of the Word so that many believe – Mark 16:20
• Jewish people to hear the truth about Jesus, repent and receive Him – Acts 2:36–39
• Believers around the world to hear the Lord’s call to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and become watchmen in prayer for the Jewish people everywhere – Psalm 122:6, Isaiah 62:6–7

It is a privilege to pray with you and watch what the Lord will do in response to our prayers – Spirit-led, Scripture-based prayers that He enables us to pray!

Let’s Pray

Lord, thank You that You watch over Your Word to perform it. As we pray Your promises, may You, Lord of the harvest, continue to bring those alongside Jewish Voice who will go, give, and pray to see many thousands of Jewish people come to Yeshua. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and with the people of Judah” . . . “This is the covenant I will make with the people of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.”

— Jeremiah 31:31, 33

Shalom, my friend!

Thank you for your love and compassion for the Jewish people – in Israel, in Ukraine and around the world.

As we prepare our hearts to celebrate Shavuot (June 4 – 6), I’m reminded that

Shavuot joins two amazing gifts from God.

The Lord gave us “bread” when He gave us the Torah, His instruction. It nourishes us with His words and is infused with His life. When He gave us His Spirit to live inside us, He gave us the “breath” of new life and placed His Law in our hearts in fulfillment of what He said He would do.

I pray you’ll receive afresh God’s incredible gifts to you – that He will open your eyes and touch your heart with the reality of His promises to you and for you.

And as you celebrate Shavuot, and God’s gifts to you, please also join us in praying for God’s strength, protection, love and blessing to be upon His people, wherever they are around the world. And that He will draw them to Himself through the Good News of Yeshua (Jesus), the Messiah – His greatest gift of all.

Thank you again for your partnership.

SENIOR IRANIAN MILITARY OFFICIAL’S ASSASSINATION WAS A PREEMPTIVE INTERVENTION

Late last week, Col. Hassan Sayyad Khodayar was shot dead in his car outside his home in Tehran by two unknown assailants on motorcycles. Ironically, Khodayar was one of the senior commanders of Unit 840 of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), a unit known for launching attempted assassinations.

According to YnetNews, Iran’s Unit 840 is responsible for executing violence against Israelis and Israeli institutions – either as “avenge killings” or to preemptively remove threats against Tehran.

Khodayar's preferred method to exact revenge was clandestine assassinations that couldn't be traced back to the Iranian regime. But YnetNews reports that the Iranian intelligence and IRGC have often made things difficult for Tehran in the international arena by carrying out sloppily executed attacks.

According to YnetNews, these failed assassination efforts have damaged not only Iran’s image – at home and abroad – but also the country’s international economic ties.

In recent years Khodayar developed a new method of operations, recruiting and hiring foreign assassins to carry out the deadly missions.

While no official word has been released, the assassination of Khodayar is attributed to Mossad operatives – Israel’s Secret Service Agency. YnetNews indicates that Khodayar’s elimination was a move to prevent wide-scale harm from happening as a result of a successful execution of one of his attack plans.

RUSSIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS THE WEST HAS DECLARED “TOTAL WAR” ON RUSSIA 

Late last week, Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, accused Western countries of waging a “total war” on Russia and its people and culture as Moscow pushes on with its military operation in Ukraine.

“The West has declared war on us, on the whole Russian world. The culture of canceling Russia and everything connected with our country is already reaching the point of absurdity,” Lavrov is reported to have said.

The Times of Israel reports that Western capitals slapped Moscow with unprecedented sanctions after Russian President Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine on February 24.

And in the Foreign Minister’s remarks last week, according to The Times of Israel, he also said Washington “and its satellites are doubling, tripling, quadrupling their efforts to contain our country.”

“In many Western countries, everyday Russophobia has become of an unprecedented nature,” Foreign Minister Lavrov continued. “And, to our great regret, is encouraged by government circles in a number of countries.”

SECURITY BOLSTERED FOR ISRAEL’S FLAG MARCH

The annual flag march, in which Israelis enter the highly symbolic Damascus Gate and walk through the Muslim Quarter to the Western Wall waving the Israeli national flag, takes place around sunset on what Israel calls Jerusalem Day, the celebration of the capture and annexation of East Jerusalem in the 1967 War.

Prior to the march this past weekend, Israel’s Prime Minister Naftali Bennett received a comprehensive security briefing on preparations by Israel Police.

According to The Jerusalem Post, the government's decision to allow the march to go through stoked fears that it could lead to renewed violence between Israeli forces securing it and Palestinian rioters.

Israeli security forces were put on high alert ahead of the march, according to The Jerusalem Post, with additional mobile shelters deployed to cities in the South and an increase in police presence in Jerusalem and other mixed Jewish-Arab cities.

According to initial reports, around 75,000 people participated in the march – record-breaking numbers of people along the different routes throughout the city.

This year’s flag march came at a particularly tense time, after two months of terrorist attacks in Israel. Israeli police said they arrested more than 60 people suspected of disorderly conduct or assaulting police officers and that five officers had been injured.

LET US PRAY TOGETHER

Please pray with me for:

• God to bring peace and safety to the situation in Ukraine, protecting the lives that could potentially be at risk
• God to move in the hearts of world leaders and give them the wisdom to address the global threat of a nuclear Iran
• God’s protection to be upon His people in Israel, who are constantly facing threats and violence from surrounding enemies
• Peace in the hearts and minds of the people of Israel and their enemies
• Jewish people to recognize Yeshua (Jesus) as their Messiah

As you receive this, our Medical Outreach to Gambela, Ethiopia, is winding down. We want to cover it in prayer as it ends and realize that, in some ways, things are only beginning. Please join us in praying for the important process of follow-up and discipleship. It is exciting to think about these newly planted “Gospel seeds” now having a chance to grow and multiply. Please pray for:

• The ability to see as many patients as possible on the last day and that the Lord will continue to touch and heal even after we are gone
• Safe travels home for all who participated and served in this Outreach
• The local leader and congregation who are following up with interested people and new Believers – this is their first time participating in a Jewish Voice Outreach and follow-up work
• Divine appointments with every individual, family and group that they contact resulting in more salvations
• Area congregations to be ready, willing, and able to receive new Believers into their faith communities with hearty welcomes and brotherly love
• Those who are still searching or wondering about the salvation message they heard and saw demonstrated at the Outreach – that they will come to faith in Yeshua (Jesus)
• Protection from the enemy for each new Believer and that they would engage in community and discipleship with other Believers and share the Good News with others

Let’s Pray

Lord, Thank You for the many people in Gambela who have had an opportunity to receive medical care and prayer and hear the Good News of Yeshua! May the numbers of those who gladly receive Him continue to grow, as happened in the book of Acts. Thank You for all You have done there and will continue to do to draw men, women, and children to Yourself. In Jesus’ name, AMEN. 

Join us this summer for Moving Forward – 55 Days of Prayer 

“I will bless those who bless Israel.” 
Genesis 12:3

Shalom, my friend!

Thank you for your love and compassion for the Jewish people – in Israel, Ukraine and around the world.

I’m so grateful that you are willing to stand with God’s Chosen People and their neighbors through your ongoing prayers and financial support. And I pray you’ll experience a special outpouring of God’s blessing on you for your faithfulness for His people. 

Please join us in praying for God’s strength, protection, love and blessing to be upon His people, wherever they are around the world. And that He draws them to Himself through the Good News of Yeshua (Jesus), the Messiah.

Thank you again for your special partnership.

GANTZ: PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION INDICATES AL JAZEERA JOURNALIST WASN’T KILLED BY IDF FIRE

Late last week, Al Jazeera correspondent Shireen Abu Akleh was shot and killed while covering an Israeli counter-terror raid in Jenin. The Qatar-based news outlet attributed her killing to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF).

According to the Jewish News Syndicate, Israel’s Defense Minister, Benny Gantz, responded to the tragic death by saying that preliminary findings from the military’s investigation into the shooting indicates that Akleh was not killed by Israeli forces.

Addressing the Knesset, Defense Minister Gantz also said that “we have seen footage of indiscriminate shooting by Palestinian terrorists, which is likely to have hit the journalist.” However, he emphasized that the investigation into the tragic event was ongoing.

In an official statement, according to Jewish News Syndicate, Defense Minister Gantz said, “I would like to express my sorrow at the loss of journalist Shireen Abu Akleh. The State of Israel values the protection of human life above all, as well as freedom of press. IDF troops would never intentionally harm members of the press, and any attempt to imply otherwise is baseless.”

Gantz also expressed his support for “our defense forces and to all the units that work solely to maintain our security and to reflect the truth,” adding, “We will communicate our findings in a clear and transparent manner to our American friends, as well as to the Palestinian Authority.”

RUSSIAN-UKRAINE WAR: NEARLY 100 CHILDREN KILLED IN APRIL ALONE 

The Jerusalem Post reports, quoting findings from international nonprofit UNICEF, that nearly 100 children were killed in Ukraine in April alone as a result of the Russian invasion of the country.

UNICEF Deputy Executive Director Omar Abdi said, “We believe the actual figures to be considerably higher.”

The Ukrainian armed forces announced late last week that Russia has been shelling the northwestern Ukrainian district of Chernihiv. A Ukrainian media outlet reported that schools, office buildings and homes were damaged, and there are casualties. The extent of the death toll is still being determined by rescuers and medics currently on the scene.

Russian news agencies confirmed that its forces hit two ammunition depots in the Chernihiv region of Ukraine.

According to The Jerusalem Post, the U.N. Human Rights Council passed a resolution by a strong majority late last week that will set up an investigation into allegations of rights abuses by Russian troops in parts of Ukraine formerly under their control.

U.N. Human Rights Chief, Michelle Bachelet, said that a thousand bodies had been recovered in the area of the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, in recent weeks, adding that many of the violations it is verifying since the Russian invasion may amount to war crimes.

“The scale of unlawful killings, including indicia of summary executions in areas to the north of Kiev, is shocking,” Bachelet told the Geneva-based Human Rights Council. Bachelet also stated that casualties in the city of Mariupol are “in the thousands.”

HAMAS APPEALS TO RUSSIA FOR SUPPORT IN CONFRONTATION WITH ISRAEL

According to Al-Monitor, a Hamas delegation recently visited Moscow at a time when relations between Russia and Israel are taking a more tense turn due to Israel’s position in the Russia-Ukraine war.

Al-Monitor reports that relations between Moscow and Tel Aviv turned sour after the latter condemned the Russian attack on Ukraine and considered it a “flagrant violation of the international order.”

In addition, Al-Monitor reports that Israeli President Isaac Herzog demanded that Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov apologize for statements he made regarding the Jewishness of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his connection to Nazism, and for Lavrov’s remarks that “Hitler had Jewish blood.”

A leading source in Hamas who was among the visiting delegation to Moscow told Al-Monitor, on condition of anonymity, that this visit was “unique and exceptional” in terms of the delegation’s members and the topics discussed with Russian officials.

The source explained that the delegation met with Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov and others in the Russian Federation Council and Senate, with discussions touching on the Israeli attacks on Christian and Islamic holy sites in Jerusalem.

LET US PRAY TOGETHER

Please pray with me for:

• God to bring peace and safety to the situation in Ukraine, protecting the lives that could potentially be at risk
• God to move in the hearts of world leaders and give them the wisdom to address the global threat of a nuclear Iran
• God’s protection to be upon His people in Israel, who are constantly facing threats and violence from surrounding enemies
• Peace in the hearts and minds of the people of Israel and their enemies
• Jewish people to recognize Yeshua (Jesus) as their Messiah

We are taking the Good News to a small city in Ethiopia. It will be our first Outreach there, although there are already 10 Messianic congregations in the region.

We have been praying to break ground in new areas, as we did in Chivi, Zimbabwe, a few months ago. This can be challenging work! However, with your prayers and the Holy Spirit’s help we look forward to what the Lord will do as we enter another new area, this time in Ethiopia. We need your prayers covering this Outreach in a region that desperately needs the ministry of Yeshua (Jesus), the Prince of Peace.

Please pray with us, starting now, for this Ethiopia Medical Outreach taking place May 19–29. You can help cover these dates in prayer by signing up on our Jewish Voice 24-7 Prayer Watch schedule and by using these daily prayer points. Please pray for:

Wednesday, May 11–Wednesday, May 18 | Proverbs 16:3

• The buildings we’re using to be fully prepared for our medical equipment and teams
• The Lord to go before us and prepare the spiritual atmosphere
• The hearts of the people in this new area to be prepared to receive Yeshua
• Any opposition or forces of oppression to flee in Yeshua’s name

Thursday, May 19 | Psalm 121:7-8

• Safe travels for in-country and international team members
• Protection of all kinds and good health now and throughout the Outreach, including timely negative COVID-19 test results
• Spiritual and physical preparedness for the rigors of breaking new ground through Outreach

Friday, May 20 | Ephesians 4:1-4

• Unity to develop and grow among team members all through the week
• A sweet time of fellowship and rest during the Erev Shabbat dinner tonight
• The Lord to speak to each one regarding how He desires to use them during the Outreach
• A protective covering from the Lord over each team member and their families back home

Saturday, May 21 | Isaiah 49:10

• Good weather in this season and location, mild temperatures and no rainstorms throughout the week
• Smooth orientations for the Clinic and medical professionals and all participants to be fully prepared
• The Counseling and Prayer volunteers to be well trained and spiritually ready to minister
• The protective presence of the Lord and His angel armies to push back forces of darkness and release the Kingdom of light

Sunday, May 22 | Deuteronomy 10:21

• Special protection for patients who may be coming from across the border for treatment at this Clinic
• Healing from the Lord for the many who come to be treated, even as they travel and stand in line
• Miracles, signs, wonders and salvations to begin today as the Clinic opens
• A new era of God’s shalom to be established among the various tribes in the region

Monday, May 23 | Matthew 10:20

• The good reports we’ve heard about this area’s openness to the Gospel to prove true, with the Word going forth boldly and many receiving Yeshua
• Powerful worship and prayer times each morning that glorify the Lord, strengthen the team and see God’s kingdom come in answer to prayer
• The Living Waters team to be anointed and effective each day as they go out and share about clean water and the Living Water, Yeshua

Tuesday, May 24 | James 5:16

• The Ethiopian pastor, a mighty man of God, who will be heading up the prayer tent and serving as trip chaplain
• Many people to receive ministry in the prayer tent, leading to salvation, healing, and deliverance
• A new unity among the local Messianic congregations as they work together

Wednesday, May 25 | Romans 1:16

• A fresh revelation that deeply impacts the Gentile Believers in the region regarding God’s heart and plans for the Jewish people
• Many Jewish people to come to believe in Yeshua
• Locally hired workers to see how wonderful the Lord is and be saved

Thursday, May 26 | 1 Corinthians 14:40

• The ability to see and minister to the maximum number of patients on this last half-day of the Outreach
• Order, favor, safety and shalom in closing and packing up the Clinic
• Safe travels to the capital city once the Clinic closes

Friday, May 27 | Matthew 25:23

• Each participant to hear the Lord say, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”
• A blessed time of testimony and fellowship around Erev Shabbat dinner
• The spiritual seeds that were sown to continue bearing fruit for eternity

Saturday, May 28 | Acts 9:31

• Safe travels and smooth transitions home, including negative COVID-19 tests and luggage arriving with travelers
• Local Messianic Believers and congregations to be encouraged and multiplied as a result of the Outreach
• Effective follow-up among all who were interested in learning more about Jesus and that the number of people who come to know Him multiplies
• The region to be marked by the presence and power of God, with testimonies of His goodness that will bear more fruit long after our team members have left

Let’s Pray

Lord, we long for the Jewish people in this region to learn of the love of Jesus, to be drawn to Him and receive salvation. We pray for salvation for their neighbors as well. In this area that needs You so much, we pray for Your Spirit to move and to make Yeshua known. Help us be Your hands of love and give us Your words of life to speak. We believe You truly have good news for this location. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.

“The LORD gives strength to His people;
the LORD blesses His people with peace.” 
Psalm 29:11 (NIV)

Shalom, my friend & Happy Israel Independence Day!

Today, as we celebrate Yom HaAtzmaut with joy and festivities, my attention is turned towards the words of the Psalmist who acknowledges the reality of God strengthening His people – and blessing them with peace. 

With the war continuing in Ukraine, and the ongoing tragic loss of life – more than ever we need a supernatural measure of strength and peace.

Maybe you’re facing an overwhelming challenge in your own life.

I pray over you now that God will pour out upon your heart and mind the strength and peace to overcome.

And I also ask that you join me and everyone at Jewish Voice as we pray for God’s strength over His people, in Ukraine and around the world — and His blessing of peace.

Thank you for your special partnership.

RUSSIAN OFFENSIVE IN EASTERN UKRAINE INTENSIFYING 

The Times of Israel reported late last week that Ukrainian officials stated the Russian offensive in Eastern Ukraine has picked up momentum, with several towns coming under intense attack as Moscow’s forces attempt to surround Ukrainian troops.

According to The Times of Israel, the General Staff of Ukraine’s military says Russian forces were “exerting intense fire” in several places as they pushed on with the second phase of their invasion.

Reports indicate that the fighting intensified after Russia suddenly cut off natural gas to two NATO nations last week, in what was seen as a bid to punish and divide the West over its support for Ukraine ahead of the potentially pivotal battle in the eastern industrial region of the Donbas.

The most intensive action, according to The Times of Israel, is around Donetsk and close to Kharkiv, which lies outside the Donbas but is seen as key to Russia’s apparent bid to encircle Ukrainian troops there.

FORMER RUSSIAN BANK EXECUTIVE JOINS UKRAINIAN DEFENSES IN KIEV

The Jerusalem Post reports that Igor Volobuev, Vice President of Gazprom Bank, the third-largest bank in Russia, fled Russia to join the Kiev territorial defense forces.

According to a recent interview, Volobuev, who left on March 3 – just one week after Russia began its invasion of Ukraine – said that he couldn’t stay in Russia.

“The Russians were killing my father, my acquaintances and close friends. My father lived in a cold basement for a month. People I had known since childhood told me they were ashamed of me,” said Volobuev, who worked at Gazprom for 16 years before holding Gazprom Bank’s top position for six years.

According to The Jerusalem Post, the former bank executive went on to say that the way the Russian President is acting is a crime.

International sanctions were imposed on Gazprom Bank – among several Russian banks hit with unprecedented sanctions – the day after Russia began its assault on Ukraine.

According to other media outlets and reports, including The Moscow Times, other top executives and officials known to have left Russia during the war include Sberbank's first deputy chairman of the board Lev Khasis, presidential envoy Anatoly Chubais, and Aeroflot deputy CEO Andrei Panov.

U.N. SECRETARY-GENERAL CLAIMS SECURITY COUNCIL FAILED TO HALT RUSSIA’S WAR AGAINST UKRAINE

U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres visited towns outside the capital of Kiev late last week to review evidence of mass killings of civilians that were found after Russia’s retreat from the area.

According to The Jerusalem Post, Guterres told reporters during his visit, “The Security Council failed to do everything in its power to prevent and end this war. This is a source of great disappointment, frustration and anger.”

Russia is one of five nations that have permanent seats on the 15-member U.N. Security Council (UNSC) – having veto power. The Jerusalem Post reports that Russia has used its veto power to block any UNSC action against it on the war in Ukraine, thereby underscoring the need for UNSC reform.

When asked about reform, Guterres replied: “I have not the power to reform the Security Council. I have no illusions about the possibility to do it immediately, but I will do everything I can through making the U.N. as effective as possible in situations like these to at least compensate for a failure that I cannot solve. And you can be sure about [our] total commitment to support Ukrainian people in this difficulty and to our permanent voice asking for the end of this war.”

According to Guterres, the U.N. has provided aid to 3.4 million people inside Ukraine and hopes to increase that number to 8.7 million by the end of August. There are some estimates that indicate some 25 million people could need assistance by the end of the year.  

LET US PRAY TOGETHER

Please pray with me for:

• God to bring peace and safety to the situation in Ukraine, protecting the lives that could potentially be at risk
• God to move in the hearts of world leaders and give them the wisdom to address the global threat of a nuclear Iran
• God’s protection to be upon His people in Israel, who are constantly facing threats and violence from surrounding enemies
• Peace in the hearts and minds of the people of Israel and their enemies
• Jewish people to recognize Yeshua (Jesus) as their Messiah

This year, the month of May holds three important Israeli civil holidays:

May 4 - 5: Yom HaZikaron – Israel’s Memorial Day

May 5  -6: Yom HaAtzmaut – Israel’s Independence Day

May 28 - 29: Yom Yerushalayim – Jerusalem Day

Yom HaZikaron – Israel’s Memorial Day

Israel declared her independence on May 14, 1948. Immediately, surrounding Arab nations and Palestinians waged war, confident they would defeat the newly reborn State of Israel. So, before Israel celebrates her independence, she honors those who lost their lives fighting to defend and preserve Israel’s freedom. 

Yom HaZikaron is a solemn day of remembrance that begins with a one-minute siren at 8:00 p.m. on the Hebrew date of Iyar 4. A national ceremony follows at the Western Wall in Jerusalem. At 11:00 a.m. the next morning (remember that a Jewish day begins and ends at sunset, so for Israel, it’s still Iyar 4), a second siren sounds for two minutes. It’s a signal to stand in silence, remembering those who paid for freedom with their lives.

Television and radio stations broadcast programming honoring the fallen. Some include a scrolling list of names, highlighting the fact that each one represents a valuable life with their own story.

At 1:00 p.m., a national service honors the victims of terrorist attacks. In the evening, a torch-lighting ceremony closes the day. Flags that have flown at half-mast all day are raised, and the celebration of Israel’s Independence Day begins.

Yom HaAtzmaut – Israel’s Independence Day

Fireworks light up the night sky on Yom HaAtzmaut, and the nationally prestigious Israel Prize is bestowed on selected individuals with outstanding accomplishments in various fields. The lifetime achievement award goes to someone who has made an exceptional contribution to the nation.

In addition to official ceremonies and religious services, Yom HaAtzmaut is a day filled with fun and recreation. All over Israel, people attend concerts, festivals, picnics, and barbeques, go hiking, to the beach and enjoy themselves in celebration of the country’s independence.

Yom Yerushalayim – Jerusalem Day

Jerusalem Day marks the anniversary of a united Jerusalem coming back into Israeli hands at the end of the Six-Day War in June 1967.  Until then, Jerusalem was divided between Israel and Jordan.

Tensions had been high in the region since Israel became a nation-state in 1948. In the first four months of 1967, Israeli farmers in northeastern Israel endured 63 attacks from Syrians on the Golan Heights above them. Then, Russia spread lies to Egypt that Israel was preparing to attack and wipe out Damascus, the Syrian capital. Egypt, being Syria’s ally, amassed troops at Israel’s borders. Other Arab nations staged hundreds of thousands of soldiers at Israel’s borders.

Despite messages of peace from Israel, the surrounding Arab nations would not stand down. Instead, they fanned the flames of impending war. Israel feared the loss of thousands of Israeli lives and determined their only recourse was to pre-emptively strike a disabling blow to the Egyptian Air Force. War was official.

Israel pled with Jordan to stay out of it, but Jordan attacked, hoping to gain complete control of Jerusalem. After six days of fierce fighting, Israel gained control over all of Jerusalem as well as the critical Golan Heights. After more than 2,000 years, Israel’s capital was once again intact and in her hands.

Today, Jerusalem Day is marked by civil ceremonies, prayers, concerts and other festivities.

As we consider Scripture’s command to pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6), this month provides a fitting opportunity to engage with the Lord over the safety of His people, the State of Israel, and the salvation of Jewish people everywhere.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

Shalom, my friend.

God is in control . . . and thankfully we can cling to His promises and trust that He has a plan, though we may not see it or even understand it.

I pray you cling to this promise – as you navigate your own challenges and circumstances.

Thank you for your partnership in this ministry. Please remember Jewish Voice in your prayers this week – praying for God’s continual protection for our partners on the ground in Ukraine, in Israel and around the world. And for the salvation of the Jewish people.

ISRAEL TO PROVIDE KIEV WITH PROTECTIVE GEAR FOR RESCUE AND EMERGENCY ORGANIZATIONS

The Jerusalem Post reported late last week that Israel’s Defense Minister, Benny Gantz, spoke with his Ukrainian counterpart, Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov, and has agreed to provide protective gear such as helmets and vests.

The request from Kiev comes eight weeks after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Following the agreement, Israel’s Defense Ministry released the following statement:

“This is part of Israel’s extensive effort to provide humanitarian aid, which includes the establishment of a field hospital, the absorption of refugees and immigrants, the provision of food and medical assistance, and more.”

According to The Jerusalem Post, Israel has been trying to strike a balance between Russia and Ukraine. Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is said to have declined in February to sell weapons after he was asked by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

As part of Israel’s aid to the embattled country, Jerusalem has set up a field hospital in Lviv and has donated several armored ambulances via the Magen David Adom rescue services.

Saying that he appreciates Israel’s efforts to bring an end to the war, Ukraine’s Defense Minister Korniychuk told Israeli reporters that the war “for us is genocide, not unlike your situation in the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Unfortunately, we are dealing with a much stronger adversary and many more casualties, so thank you for your mediation attempts.”

PUTIN CLAIMS MARIUPOL “LIBERATED” AFTER AN ALMOST 2-MONTH SIEGE

According to YnetNews, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed victory in the biggest battle of the Ukraine war late last week, declaring the port of Mariupol “liberated,” despite hundreds of defenders still holding out inside a giant steelworks plant.

In a televised meeting with his Defense Minister, Sergei Shoigu, inside the Kremlin, Putin is reported to have said that there was no need for a final confrontation with the last defenders who were boxed in after surviving nearly two months of Russia's siege.

“I consider the proposed storming of the industrial zone unnecessary,” Putin said. “I order you to cancel it. There's no need to climb into these catacombs and crawl underground through these industrial facilities. Block off this industrial area so that not even a fly can get through.”

According to YnetNews, Russia’s Defense Ministry estimates that 2,000 Ukrainian fighters remained inside the plant. Putin called on them to lay down their weapons and surrender, saying Russia would treat them with respect.

Putin’s “declaration of victory” lets him claim his first big prize since his forces were driven out of northern Ukraine last month after failing to capture the capital, Kiev.

YnetNews reports that Ukraine officials estimate that tens of thousands of civilians have died in Mariupol. It says some have been buried in mass graves, others removed from the streets by Russian forces using mobile cremation trucks to incinerate bodies. The United Nations and Red Cross say the civilian toll is still unknowable but is at least in the thousands.

The intensified Russian campaign to seize large swathes of eastern Ukraine has further diminished the prospects of stop-start peace talks producing any rapid agreement to end the war.

UKRAINE RECEIVES WARPLANES FROM UNIDENTIFIED SOURCE

The Times of Israel reported late last week that Ukraine received fighter jets to help resist the Russian invasion, as Moscow intensified its offensive in the east.

According to the Pentagon, as reported by The Times of Israel, Ukraine recently received fighter planes and parts to bolster its air force. But the Pentagon declined to specify the number of aircraft and their origin.

Kiev has asked its Western partners, according to The Times of Israel, to provide MiG-29s, which its pilots already know how to fly, and a handful of Eastern European countries have. The fresh weapons for Kiev would also push to increase “Moscow’s international isolation.”

The request came because of Russia’s renewed push to gain control of Donbas and the besieged southern port of Mariupol — both would allow Moscow to create a southern corridor to the Crimean Peninsula that it annexed in 2014, depriving Ukraine of much of its coastline.

LET US PRAY TOGETHER

Please pray with me for:

• God to bring peace and safety to the situation in Ukraine, protecting the lives that could potentially be at risk
• God to move in the hearts of world leaders and give wisdom to address the global threat of a nuclear Iran
• God’s protection to be upon His people in Israel, who are constantly facing threats and violence from surrounding enemies
• Peace in the hearts and minds of the people of Israel and their enemies
• Jewish people to recognize Yeshua (Jesus) as their Messiah