Have you ever witnessed someone receive a gift that was so needed and so perfect for them that you knew it would change their lives? Have you known the joy and sense of fulfillment from being the person to give such a gift? It’s as if all the happiness of the recipient is given right back to you.  

You can give that kind of life-changing gift to a Jewish child, woman or man right now. 

This holiday season, when you shop the Jewish Voice gift catalog, you provide Jewish people and their neighbors with gifts that make a radical difference in their lives.  

Take a look at our most popular gift items below or browse through the full gift catalog to find the gift that inspires you most. 

Where Most Needed 

Can’t decide what to give? A multi-faceted ministry such as JVMI encounters needs at every turn. Give with the assurance that we’ll use your gift where the need is greatest. 

Individual LifeStraw® 

Clean water is vital to health. Lifestraw® personal water filters provide a Jewish person with safe drinking water for up to a year. 

Two Bibles in Native Language 

Transform the spiritual lives of two people with the powerful, life-giving Word of God in their own language.  

General Medical for Africa Outreach 

Give the gift of healing to people who live without access to medical care. You’ll relieve pain, restore eyesight or even save a life. 

Resources for Children’s Ministry 

Oh, the smiles you’ll generate when you provide resources for projects that share the Gospel and show precious children how much they are loved. 

Want to see more options? Look through the full Jewish Voice gift catalog, and see just how much of a difference you can make in the life of a Jewish person in need. 

“But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever,
the purposes of His heart through all generations.”

(Psalm 33:11 NIV)

I am thankful that no matter what is happening in the world, we know “the plans of the Lord stand firm forever,” as stated in Psalm 33. Our God is at work to accomplish His plan for His glory.

As you already know, it was announced that Joe Biden is the president-elect for the United States. Israel’s prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered his congratulations and pointed to his “long and warm personal relationship” with Mr. Biden. He also tweeted his thanks to President Trump in a separate message.

In other news, last week the United Nations passed an update to its annual resolution regarding Israel's status as an “occupying force” in “Palestinian territory” including East Jerusalem. Although this is not a new resolution, this new version goes as far as only referencing the Temple Mount by its Muslim name.

Among the countries which voted in favor of the resolution were United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain and Sudan. Apparently, the changing political climate provided by the Abraham Accords did not extend as far as their votes in the UN.

In coronavirus news, Israel continues to lift restrictions to try and help the economy even while the Health Ministry objects due to concerns about the infection rate rising. And Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is working to get access to the Pfizer vaccine that’s showing early clinical trial success.

You’ll find more details in the news stories below.

Huge majority backs anti-Israel resolutions at UN assembly – including UAE, Bahrain and Sudan

Last week, a committee at the United Nations General Assembly passed a series of resolutions critical of Israel by overwhelming majorities.

The motions are passed each year by the UN’s Special Political and Decolonization Committee, with minimum adjustments. In December, they are ratified by member states.

Gilad Erdan, Israel’s new ambassador to the UN, took part in the debate before the vote. According to The Times of Israel, he passionately pleaded for the countries to reject the motions but was unsuccessful.

“What is the point of these resolutions? Just to pave the way for future resolutions?” he asked. “By supporting these resolutions, you are not only wasting UN resources, you are also sabotaging any chances of future peace.”

The UAE, Bahrain and Sudan – the three Arab countries that recently signed normalization agreements with Israel – did not alter their traditional voting pattern and supported all resolutions critical of Israel.

United Nations only uses Muslim name to reference Temple Mount

During last week’s meeting of the UN General Assembly’s Fourth Committee, 138 UN countries approved a draft resolution that referred to the Temple Mount only by its Muslim name of al-Haram al-Sharif.

The resolution, titled “Israeli practices affecting the human rights of the Palestinian people in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem,” was one of seven pro-Palestinian, anti-Israel resolutions the committee passed.

Nine countries voted against the resolution: Australia, Canada, Guatemala, Hungary, Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Nauru and the United States. Sixteen countries abstained from the vote this year, compared to 13 last year.

The resolution did mention the connection between Jerusalem and three monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. But the reference to the Temple Mount, the location of the ancient Jewish Temple and the most holy site in Judaism, by only its Muslim name is viewed as an attempt by UN member states to delegitimize and erase that well known history, according to The Jerusalem Post.

Other countries have promised to move their embassies to Jerusalem

Passage of the UN resolutions took place as the Trump administration has led efforts to call attention to Israel’s link to Jerusalem, the capital of the modern State of Israel. This has included encouraging UN states to relocate their embassies from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

To date, the U.S. and Guatemala have moved their embassies to Jerusalem. According to The Jerusalem Post, a number of other countries have promised to, including Brazil, the Czech Republic, Honduras, Malawi, Kosovo and Serbia.

Netanyahu hails Pfizer vaccine breakthrough, says in talks to bring it to Israel

On Monday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the promising results of the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine trial and vowed to bring it to Israel, according to The Times of Israel.

Pfizer said early data on the vaccine suggests the shots may be a surprisingly robust 90% effective at preventing COVID-19. That puts the U.S. pharmaceutical company on track to apply for emergency-use approval from the Food and Drug Administration later this month.

Chezy Levy, the director-general of Israel’s Health Ministry, later confirmed that Israel is in talks to acquire the COVID-19 vaccine being developed by Pfizer and BioNTech.

More restrictions rolled back while coronavirus coordinator issues warning about rise in infection rate

Late last week, Ronni Gamzu, Israel’s coronavirus coordinator, warned the public about a renewed rise in COVID-19’s basic reproduction number. He said this could make it difficult to continue easing restrictions at the planned pace.

Nonetheless, the government gave final approval to reopening street stores – which began last Sunday. There is a limit of four customers at a time per store. Vacation cottage businesses were also allowed to begin operating again, with some restrictions.

Health officials objected to the decision, urging a more gradual reopening of the economy, schools and more, The Times of Israel reported.

“Even with the Health Ministry persisting with its objection to any easing, we had to enable some level of commerce in Israel,” Gamzu explained. “We need to strike a balance and prevent the collapse of many commercial sectors.”

Gamzu said mass testing and quickly isolating cases is the only way other than a lockdown to stop infections. He repeated his request for Israelis to get tested even if they aren’t experiencing symptoms since most infections are caused while carriers are asymptomatic.

Let us pray together

Please pray with me for:

• Peace throughout the U.S. in this post-election week
• More countries to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital and move their embassies from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem
• Wisdom and protection for the people of Israel as coronavirus restrictions continue to be lifted
• Continued success of clinical trials to produce an effective vaccine, including the Pfizer vaccine that is showing positive early results
• Jewish people to recognize Yeshua (Jesus) as their Messiah

Now is an opportune time to pray for the Lord’s ministry in Africa among the Jewish people. While we are getting ready to embark on a ministry trip in Zimbabwe, we are simultaneously completing a Medical Outreach in Ethiopia. Please join us in these pressing requests for effective, Spirit-led ministry.

ETHIOPIA

As we conclude our Medical Outreach to the Dawro people in Ethiopia, please pray for:

• Effective ministry on the two last days of the Medical Outreach (Wednesday and Thursday, November 11–12), including salvations and healing
• Safety and protection as we pay local workers and pack up the Clinic
• The Lord’s watchful care as team members and medical professionals travel home
• Help for the local Messianic congregation in following up with new Believers after the Outreach and identifying new leaders

ZIMBABWE

As we make regional visits to the Lemba people in Zimbabwe November 16–20, please pray for:

• Energy, safety and anointing as we travel to minister among the Lemba people in a different region in Zimbabwe each day
• The LifeStraws® we provide to be received as a cup of cool water in Yeshua’s (Jesus’) name and testify of His love and provision
• Unity and effective partnerships with the local Messianic leaders in each area
• Our time with these regional leaders to be both ministry with and ministry to them as we pray and encourage them in the Lord
• The Lord’s strong protection and clear guidance each step of the way as we seek to walk by His Spirit and faithfully steward divine appointments

Let’s Pray

Lord, each time we minister in the nations, we see You at work among the Jewish people, bringing salvation and making Your name known. May Your hand be upon us during these two ministry times, both of which are open doors for the Good News. As we pray right now and continue in prayer for this ministry, please give us accurate and timely discernment regarding Your strategies for current and future effective ministry in the nations. May people be saved, leaders encouraged, and ultimately, nations discipled, for Your glory! In Yeshua’s name, AMEN.

On the morning of November 9, 1938, Jewish Germans greeted the day, unaware that the coming evening would bring a nightmare.  

For five years, Hitler had stalked them. He began by infringing on their freedoms but soon moved on to blatantly take those freedoms away. The Jewish people lost more of their rights every year.  

A strategic propaganda campaign had chipped away at the general population’s sense of decency, and much of the country had begun to despise the Jewish people. First came a nationwide boycott of Jewish businesses. Next was the sweeping termination of Jewish employees from civil, state and university jobs. Then, burning books by Jewish authors, barring Jewish doctors from German hospitals, stripping voting rights from Jewish people, and the forced registration of all Jewish property. 

As the sun rose on Germany and Austria that cold November morning, the Jewish citizens had no idea that, by nightfall, their oppressed lives would see yet another, and more traumatic, turn for the worse. One that would change the trajectory of their lives and history forever.  

That day, piles of bricks would mysteriously appear along city streets in the business district. Telegrams to local police and fire departments had been clear: stand down and don’t interfere. 

As night fell, it began – a pre-planned riot that became known as Kristallnacht, the Night of Broken Glass. Wild mobs of ordinary citizens hurled bricks to smash the windows of Jewish businesses and then ravaged the stores with looting and vandalism. 

Rabid with hatred and pack-mentality adrenaline, crowds joined Nazi soldiers in ramming through the doors of Jewish homes to ransack the interiors and arrest Jewish men.  

Bands of aggressors murdered 91 Jewish people that night, assaulting countless others. They destroyed hundreds of synagogues and thousands of Jewish businesses, homes, schools and hospitals. Tens of thousands of Jewish men were dragged off to concentration camps.  

Ruth Barnett’s father escaped the violence by hovering on the fringes of the riot. Ruth shared her father’s story in a video published by the Encyclopedia Britannica. She describes how he took her 7- year-old brother by the hand and walked on the edge of the crowd, blending in unnoticed. She knows that if her brother had been home, the mob might have been so angry at not finding her father that they may have beaten or even killed her brother. Ruth is certain that her father’s clever and daring action saved both of their lives that night. 

Kristallnacht was a turning point in Hitler’s regime. It showed him that the ordinary people of Germany and Austria would allow him to do these injustices. Whether they joined him outright in his hatred of the Jews or simply stood by out of fear or complacency, their behavior that night spoke loudly. And Hitler knew he could proceed with his plans to exterminate the Jewish people entirely. He deported millions of European Jews to death camps and ultimately murdered 6 million of them.   

Kristallnacht and the years of anti-Semitism and propaganda that preceded it are a warning to us today. We must never forget what hatred and complacency can lead to, and we must speak up against anti-Semitism whenever we encounter it. 

I wrote to you recently about the opportunity we have right now to meet critical spiritual needs for Messianic congregations in Ethiopia and Zimbabwe.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the needs are even greater.

Your gift today will make a significant difference by helping equip the congregations to meet spiritual needs — from encouraging Messianic Believers to grow in their faith to introducing people to their Messiah, Jesus.

Together, we can come alongside fellow Believers in these local congregations who are on the frontlines doing their best to meet the needs of Jewish people and others in their communities.

Currently, we have a team on the ground preparing for our Medical Outreach taking place this week. We appreciate your prayer support for God’s timing and look forward to sharing with you soon about all God allows us to accomplish. Your partnership makes it possible to be the hands and feet of our Savior to men, women and children in need and I’m grateful.

Right now you can help meet important spiritual needs for families in the Messianic congregations where we hold our Medical Outreaches so they can reach out to their neighbors with the Good News of Yeshua.

Let me close with my wish for you and your loved ones to enjoy a Thanksgiving celebration filled with God’s blessings. 

“It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.””

Psalm 118:8 NIV

No matter the outcome of this week’s U.S. election, we can trust that our God is in control. The results have not taken Him by surprise and that should be of great comfort. As it says in Psalm 118:8, “It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man.”

In the news, interesting developments continue to come out of the Abraham Accords. One being the potential sale of F-35 stealth jets from the U.S. to United Arab Emirates (UAE). The U.S. has an agreement to reserve a “qualitative advantage” in military arms for Israel above other Middle East nations. To uphold this agreement, it’s being reported that the U.S. will grant Israel access to a sophisticated satellite system that can track missiles and other objects from space using infrared sensors as well as advanced F-35 capabilities. 

Another news story that got my attention relates to passports. It was announced that U.S. citizens born in Jerusalem can now choose to list their place of birth as Israel on their passports. This means the U.S. is formally recognizing that the entirety of Jerusalem is part of Israel. As expected, the Palestinian Authority has denounced this decision, stating that it violates international law. 

I’ve included more detail in the news stories below.  

White House plans to go forward with sale of F-35 jets to UAE 

The United States and United Arab Emirates (UAE) are planning to have a letter of agreement for the sale of F-35 fighter jets in time for UAE National Day, celebrated on December 2. 

The White House notified Congress of its intent to sell 50 F-35 jets to the UAE. The U.S. legislature could vote to block the sale, sources said. 

Initially, Israel opposed the prospective sale, but changed its perspective last year after what it described as guarantees from the U.S. that Israeli military superiority would be preserved, according to The Jerusalem Post. 

Late last week, U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper met with both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Benny Gantz during a visit to Israel. 

“As defense minister for the State of Israel, I am telling you this evening that the United States continues to be committed to Israel’s security and its qualitative and technological advantage in the Middle East,” Gantz said. 

U.S may give Israel access to missile defense satellites 

The U.S. plans to grant Israel direct access to highly classified missile defense satellites and ensure Israel gets critical defense platforms quickly by using production slots planned for the U.S. armed forces. This is reported in Breaking Defense, a digital magazine on the strategy, politics and technology of defense. 

In light of the potential sale of F-35 fighter jets to the UAE, Israeli Defense Minister Gantz traveled to Washington two weeks ago to press for an agreement. Discussions continued when U.S. Defense Secretary Esper traveled to Israel last week. 

Israeli sources say the agreement guarantees Israel’s supremacy for decades to come. 

In addition to the missile defense satellites and more conventional weapons, the agreement could include access to the F-35’s sophisticated computer systems, Forbes reported. 

This is crucial for Israel with the likely sales of F-35 jets to the UAE and other Arab states such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar. In June, two more F-35 jets were added to Israel’s arsenal, bringing their total to 16. By 2024, Israel will have 50 of the elite fighter jets. 

U.S. citizens born in Jerusalem can now list Israel on their passports 

Last Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced that “effective immediately” American citizens born in Jerusalem will now be able to list Israel as the country of birth on their passports, according to The Times of Israel. 

In a statement, Pompeo said the policy change is “consistent” with U.S. President Donald Trump’s recognition of the city as Israel’s capital and decision to move the American embassy there but stresses the administration is not taking a position on Jerusalem’s boundaries. 

U.S. to world: Yes, Jerusalem is part of Israel 

U.S. Secretary of State Pompeo struck down one of the last vestiges of American refusal to recognize not just that Jerusalem is Israel’s capital but that it is part of the Jewish state all together — all with one tweet. 

In 2018, U.S. President Donald Trump relocated the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem and affirmed that Jerusalem is Israel’s capital. But the United States refused to allow U.S. citizens with children born in Jerusalem to register Israel as their country of birth. 

Even though Pompeo’s tweet was about passports, the message to the world is that Jerusalem is an integral part of modern Israel, according to The Jerusalem Post. 

Palestinian Authority denounces U.S. passport decision 

A spokesperson for Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas says the PA condemns the decision to allow Americans born in Jerusalem to list Israel as their birthplace on their passports. 

“East Jerusalem is occupied land, Pompeo’s statements are unacceptable and constitute a flagrant violation of international law,” longtime Abbas spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeineh says, according to The Times of Israel. 

Let us pray together 

Please pray with me for:  

• Peace throughout the U.S. during and after this election week  

• Wisdom for U.S. leaders concerning the potential sale of F-35 jets to the UAE and other Arab countries and for the U.S. to keep their agreement concerning the “qualitative advantage” for Israel’s military 

• Additional recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital as we rejoice in the decision regarding passports of U.S. citizens 

• The coronavirus infection rate to continue trending down in Israel 

• Wisdom and protection for the people of Israel as the government continues to lift coronavirus restrictions and younger children are attending school 

• Continued success of clinical trials to produce an effective vaccine and, in particular, that the human trials for the Israeli vaccine, that are now under way, would go well 

• Jewish people to recognize Yeshua (Jesus) as their Messiah