“For sin’s payment is death, but God’s gracious gift is eternal life in Messiah Yeshua our Lord.”
Romans 6:23 (TLV)
Thank you for your love for Israel and your desire to stay informed and partner with our ministry to the Jewish people, both through prayer and financial support. You are a great blessing to me, to Jewish Voice and to the Jewish people!
We are just a little over a week away from Passover, one of the most widely celebrated Jewish holidays. In these days leading up to Passover, I encourage you to read Exodus chapter 12 to further dig into what we commemorate during this celebration. And to also understand how God gave us a picture at Passover of what was to come when Yeshua (Jesus) shed His blood to save us from our sin and give us eternal life. Our risen Messiah is the greatest reason to celebrate!
This week, we also have news worthy of celebrating – from no increase in coronavirus cases due to Purim gatherings to the possibility that Israel will allow larger groups to gather to celebrate Passover. The country is also opening up the airport to flights from all over the world.
In addition, Kosovo opened its embassy to Israel – in Jerusalem rather than Tel Aviv. They are only the third country to take this bold step in support of the Jewish State.
But the country is still facing challenges this week. Terror groups have threatened Israel in response to the deaths of three fishermen from Gaza. Hamas believes their deaths are due to an Israeli drone that exploded when it was being removed from their fishing nets. Israel has denied any involvement.
As we get our hearts and minds ready for Passover over this next week, I hope you will both rejoice with me and pray with me for Israel and the Jewish people.
Israeli officials are starting to sigh with relief. It’s more than two weeks after Purim and the dreaded spike in the COVID-19 infection rate has not occurred despite numerous illegal gatherings during the celebration, The Jerusalem Post reported.
In fact, numbers in Israel continue to decline in new coronavirus cases, active cases and serious cases. The numbers released on Sunday showed active cases dropping below 30,000 for the first time since September, according to The Times of Israel.
Considering the country’s successful vaccination campaign, the positive trend is not surprising. More than five million people have received at least one vaccine dose and four million have both doses.
On Sunday, Israel’s Channel 12 reported that the Health Ministry is preparing to end rules requiring Israelis to wear face masks while outdoors.
The end of outdoor mask-wearing could happen as soon as April, according to the report, following the continued drop in COVID-19 morbidity rates in Israel, The Times of Israel reported.
Health Ministry Director-General Chezy Levy declined to respond regarding the mask mandate report. But he said that it’s possible the current limits on private gatherings (20 people indoors and 50 people outdoors) could be expanded – perhaps even before the start of Passover.
This year the holiday begins the evening of Saturday, March 27.
“We have two more weeks; it’s possible we’ll change the restrictions for the better ahead of the evening of the Seder; we may allow more people to be together,” Levy said. “I can’t make promises, but I very much hope so. It’s up to us.”
On Tuesday, Israel began allowing flights from all destinations in the world. This change is expected to encourage the return of Israelis from abroad who want to vote in the upcoming March 23 elections.
The limit of 3,000 passengers entering the country per day will remain, and the Health Ministry retains the authority to cancel a specific flight if it is believed to endanger public health, according to The Jerusalem Post.
On Sunday, Kosovo’s Foreign Ministry formally opened its embassy to Israel in Jerusalem, according to The Times of Israel.
A statement reported the move was made after the establishment of diplomatic ties with Israel on February 1 and a Kosovo-Serbia summit held at the White House in September.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Diaspora announces that the Kosovo Embassy in the State of Israel, with headquarters in Jerusalem, officially has been opened,” said the statement.
Kosovo is the first European country and Muslim-majority one to establish its embassy in Jerusalem. It joins the U.S. and Guatemala.
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) completed a sophisticated, new underground barrier after four years of work, The Times of Israel reported. The wall, on the Gaza border, is used to detect and prevent tunnel-digging by terror groups into Israeli territory.
The barrier is basically a thick concrete wall that goes dozens of yards underground and is lined with sensors designed to pick up any digging activity.
In October, the wall stopped its first tunnel, according to the military. The tunnel had gone dozens of yards into Israeli territory but remained on the Gazan side of the barrier around the Gaza Strip. It was the 20th tunnel attempt by Gaza terrorists that has been stopped since the 2014 Gaza war. During that war, the IDF destroyed approximately 30 tunnels that had reached into Israel, according to a military spokesperson.
Last Thursday, the Hamas terror group blamed Israel for an explosion that killed three fishermen off the coast of Gaza earlier in the week. This led to several armed factions in Gaza vowing revenge.
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) did not immediately provide a response to requests for comments on Hamas’ claim. Though the IDF did deny involvement, saying there had been “no Israeli fire” toward Gaza and “This is an internal Gaza incident.”
Hamas Interior Ministry spokesperson Iyad al-Bozm said that the three fishermen were killed by an explosion caused by a toppled Israeli drone that had been caught in their net, The Times of Israel reported.
“The three fishermen from the Al-Lahham family were killed due to the detonation of an explosive device installed on a quadcopter belonging to the Israeli occupation, which got stuck in their nets and exploded while they were extracting it,” al-Bozm said.
Following Thursday’s announcement by Hamas, Islamic Jihad vowed revenge against Israel saying the country was responsible for the fishermen’s deaths.
Please pray with me for:
“Now we know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose.”
Romans 8:28 (TLV)
Thank you for your love and concern for Israel and the Jewish people. Your partnership to “transform lives and see all Israel saved” is such a blessing to me and to the ministry of Jewish Voice.
Because you believe in the work God has called us to, I know you understand and are thankful for the “bigger picture” view. Sometimes, with all that is happening in our lives and in our world, it can be easy to only focus on what’s right in front of us. That’s when we need to turn to Scripture, be encouraged by Romans 8:28 because we know “all things work together for good for those who love God…”
As you read through this week’s news updates, please pray with me for the Jewish people to see God working through all that is going on – whether we view it as good or bad news – and for them to turn to our Messiah, Jesus, who works all things together for good for those who love Him.
On Monday, Israel vaccinated its five millionth citizen against the coronavirus. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu predicted the entire adult population would be inoculated by the end of April. He said authorities are working to secure tens of millions more vaccine doses for the country with the goal of keeping the economy open and no further lockdowns.
“We can now open up nearly everything, the economy, culture, sport, leisure, tourism,” Health Minister Yuli Edelstein said, referring to lockdown restrictions which were already significantly rolled back on Sunday.
Of the five million who have now had the first vaccine dose, 3,789,118 have also had the second, according to Health Ministry figures released Monday, according to The Times of Israel.
Infections and new COVID-19 deaths in Israel continue to decline from highs in January. The number of seriously ill patients has dropped to its lowest point since last year.
Last week, the leaders of Israel, Austria and Denmark announced an alliance for joint research and development of drugs to fight future pandemics and also a joint investment on production of coronavirus vaccines.
At a press conference alongside Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederickson and Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said the three countries will launch “a research and development fund” to enable the “joint efforts for common production of future vaccines.”
Netanyahu said that “together we’re starting here something that I think will galvanize the imagination of the world… other countries have already called me and they’ve said, ‘We want to be part of this effort.’ ”
Frederiksen said the three countries “have been working very closely together” since the start of the pandemic and that “all have promising research that could pave the way for [a] next-generation platform.”
The countries share a vision for the future that “timely access to vaccines will be critical for our societies in the years to come,” she said, adding that Denmark and Austria are “very inspired by Israel’s ability to roll out the vaccines” for the coronavirus so efficiently, The Times of Israel reported.
Prime Minister Netanyahu says Israel will fight against the International Criminal Court (ICC)’s decision to investigate Israel for alleged war crimes, according to The Jerusalem Post.
These alleged war crimes are regarding Israeli and Palestinian actions in the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza since June 13, 2014.
“I think this is an outrageous decision,” Netanyahu said on Fox News. “It goes against the one democracy in the Middle East. They don’t put on [trial] Syria… or Iran. This is pure anti-Semitism… This is an affront for all democracies.”
The prime minister lamented that the ICC, which was established to “prevent the horrors of the Holocaust,” now says “if we build a house in Jerusalem, that’s a war crime. I’m going to fight for the truth, fight against this perversion of justice until it is null and void,” Netanyahu said.
Israeli diplomats have been in contact with their U.S. counterparts regarding this development.
“The United States firmly opposes and is deeply disappointed by this decision,” said U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. “The ICC has no jurisdiction over this matter. Israel is not a party to the ICC and has not consented to the court’s jurisdiction, and we have serious concerns about the ICC’s attempts to exercise its jurisdiction over Israeli personnel.”
Blinken also said the Palestinians don’t qualify as a sovereign state and therefore cannot participate in the ICC.
On Sunday, Israeli F-15 fighter jets escorted two American B-52 bombers through Israeli airspace. Amid rising tensions in the region, this is a new show of force by the U.S. against Iran – with an Israeli element.
Over the past few weeks there have been multiple attacks on U.S. military bases in Iraq by Iran-linked militias and also an attack on an Israeli-owned ship in the Gulf of Oman that Israel has blamed on Iran. Late last month, the U.S. responded to the rocket attacks on its bases with an airstrike in Syria on Iran-linked militia, The Times of Israel reported.
According to the U.S. military, the flight of the B-52s was meant to “deter aggression and reassure partners and allies of the U.S. military’s commitment to security in the region.”
Aircraft from Saudi Arabia and Qatar escorted the B-52 bombers as they flew through their respective airspaces.
Israel Defense Forces (IDF) completed a sophisticated, new underground barrier after four years of work, The Times of Israel reported. The wall, on the Gaza border, is used to detect and prevent tunnel-digging by terror groups into Israeli territory.
The barrier is basically a thick concrete wall that goes dozens of yards underground and is lined with sensors designed to pick up any digging activity.
In October, the wall stopped its first tunnel, according to the military. The tunnel had gone dozens of yards into Israeli territory but remained on the Gazan side of the barrier around the Gaza Strip. It was the 20th tunnel attempt by Gaza terrorists that has been stopped since the 2014 Gaza war. During that war, the IDF destroyed approximately 30 tunnels that had reached into Israel, according to a military spokesperson.
A Libyan-owned ship named Emerald has been named by Israel as the cause of a huge oil spill that has severely damaged the coastline. It’s being described as an act of “eco-terrorism.”
The Emerald took on an estimated 112,000 tons of crude oil in Iran before encircling the Persian Gulf and entering Egyptian waters and then passing through the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean.
The ship was seen anchored off Iran’s Kharg Island on January 17, according to photographs released by the Environmental Protection Ministry last week, The Jerusalem Post reported.
Significant damage was done to the coastline, wildlife habitats and marine life by the tar from the spillage on February 17.
Please pray with me for:
Whenever we ask you to pray for an Outreach, we always include a prayer request for “follow-up.” We are very aware that your prayers for the entire follow-up process are crucial to its success, but you may wonder what it entails.
Our desires for every Outreach go way beyond the Outreach week itself. Yes, we want to bless the people in the region with medical care and clean water, which will improve their quality of life. However, our deepest hope is that they will receive the Good News and, along with it, eternal life. When people do come to faith in Messiah Jesus, life-long fellowship with others is critical to their well-being and fruitfulness as Believers.
Here are some key aspects of the follow-up process that begins as each Outreach ends. Thank you so much for your prayers. Please pray for:
Leaders pioneering the work in these new locations after a Medical Clinic would likely read this simple list and say, “Easier said than done!” Yet by God’s grace and their partnership in the Gospel, we have seen congregations planted time and again following Outreaches. Thank you for your ongoing prayers for this critical process, which lasts many months – even years – beyond the conclusion of each Outreach.
Let’s Pray:
Lord, a key and familiar phrase from Acts is that “many were added to their number.” As new Believers come into Your spiritual family, may they also be planted in new congregational families that have been raised up in their area. Thank you for their new birth, as well as fellowship and discipleship with others in local bodies of Believers, according to the plan You set forth in Your Word. This is a miracle we’ve seen repeated many times, and we humbly ask, Lord, “Do it again!” In Jesus’ name, AMEN.
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.
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:
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.
“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.
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.”
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.
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.
Please pray with me for:
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.
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.
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.
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.
“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.
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.
Please pray with me for:
