Coming September 1, 2020!

A brand-new podcast from Jewish Voice:

A Jew & A Gentile Discuss

One is Jewish. One is Gentile. Both believe in Jesus. Ezra Benjamin and Carly Berna from the Jewish Voice team join up on a podcast to explore life, faith and current events from a biblical viewpoint. And with their different religious backgrounds, they’re going to disagree on some points.

You won’t hear this kind of thing in your church or Bible study. Nothing’s off-limits on A Jew & A Gentile Discuss.

You’ll:

• Hear straightforward and honest conversations from these two different perspectives
• Learn intriguing information about prophecy, events in the Middle East and more
• Enjoy special guests, surprising insights, and some of the amazing work God is doing around the world

In the first few episodes alone, they’ll:

• Tackle the differences between Messianic Judaism and Christianity, and
• Break down misconceptions and pre-conceived notions between Jews and Christians

Trust us – you won’t want to miss this podcast!

Sign up today to receive a launch reminder for A Jew & A Gentile Discuss – and get ready for some exciting conversations, beginning September 1 with a short introductory show.

You and I share an exciting vision: that “all Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:26). And everything we do together, as partners in ministry, is with that goal in mind.

It’s about the Gospel – introducing the Jewish people and their neighbors to Jesus, the Messiah. It’s the greatest and the most important way you can bless anyone.

And it has never been more important than it is now amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

Of course, humanitarian works, like our Medical Outreaches, are critical. But without the Good News, these efforts make only a temporary difference.

That’s why ministry work among the Jewish people wherever they are around the world – is never a one-time event. We at Jewish Voice don’t feel called to short-term ministry.

Rather, much like the biblical model, we believe God has called us to build long-term partnerships around the world – to plant, support and come alongside local churches and Messianic congregations. And, through God’s blessing, to help grow these communities as vibrant witnesses for the transforming power of the Gospel.

Linking arms with other ministry partners and congregations helps cultivate each seed of faith sown so that it will eventually bear good, strong, vibrant fruit… especially in areas where there’s little or no knowledge of Jesus. Both in Israel and around the world.

This is a massive undertaking. And I believe it is one of the greatest ways to build God’s Kingdom this year.

Your help will make a big difference…

Even as I write, through your gifts, Jewish Voice supports some 300 other congregations and ministries around the world. This number includes work in Israel, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Brazil, Russia, Poland, Argentina, United States, Mexico, Canada and more.

In fact, it costs over $3 million to support these ministries for an entire year. And I’m praying you can give a generous gift to help.

But more than that, let’s go even further…

This year, let’s grow the number of ministries and congregations that we support together.

This is a huge undertaking for Jewish Voice. But I’m sure you’ll agree … the potential for building God’s Kingdom is too great and too important to do anything less.

But we can only move ahead with this as the Lord opens doors. And as He provides through His people.

Thank you in advance. You will make such a difference!

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

Psalm 33:11 NIV

I’m thankful that despite all that is going on around us and even with news and events changing daily, we can put our trust in God – who does not change. We can take confidence in His words to us. As it says in Psalm 33, “The plans of the Lord stand firm forever.”

In Israel, coronavirus cases are on the rise again. With that reality, I’m sharing a variety of news stories – including hospitals filling up, Israel working on new fast-track virus testing to open up their airport, and an agreement with a U.S. biotech company to secure vaccines as soon as they are available.

Meanwhile, the government promised no closures in the coming days for gyms and tourist attractions, and summer camps and summer school will continue through the last scheduled day of August 6.

And if the pandemic wasn’t enough to contend with, on Monday, Israel Defense Forces had to thwart a Hezbollah terror attack near the border with Lebanon.

As always, there is much to be in prayer for concerning Israel and her people.

Coronavirus wards full at four of Israel’s largest hospitals

According to Israel’s Health Ministry, the coronavirus wards at four of the country’s largest hospitals are full, and a fifth is nearing capacity. Serious coronavirus cases are continuing to rise, putting a strain on the healthcare system.

The ministry said Jerusalem’s Hadassah Hospital Ein Kerem was operating at 120% capacity, with its virus treatment department at 152% capacity. Also in Jerusalem, Shaare Zedek Medical Center wards were at 104% capacity and the virus department at 106%, the ministry said.

In Tel Aviv, the Ichilov Medical Center was at 104% capacity, with 110% for its virus department, and the country’s largest hospital, Sheba Medical Center, was at 99.56% capacity, with 90% of its virus department filled, according to The Times of Israel.

Israel planning to open fast-track coronavirus testing at Ben-Gurion Airport

Representatives of the Airports Authority, the National Security Council, and the Health and Transportation ministries met late last week to begin work on seeking a private company to hire to establish fast-track coronavirus testing labs at Ben-Gurion Airport, according to The Jerusalem Post.

The president of one of the companies interested in bidding to establish the labs explained how the process would work:

Israeli travelers would be screened at a drive-thru testing station 72 hours before their flight and receive the results on their mobile phone. If the test result is negative, the traveler would go to the airport and be given a second test. The results would be received upon arrival at their destination. Then they would be able to present two negative tests.

Foreigners desiring to enter Israel would be immediately screened when they arrive at Ben-Gurion Airport. Then they would enter isolation for approximately 24 hours to wait for their results. If the results are negative, they can continue their stay. If the test is positive, the visitor would remain in quarantine for 10-14 days.

Other countries that have opened their skies have similar systems in their airports. The goal is to begin the process to find the company to establish the testing labs in the next one to three weeks.

Human trials for potential COVID-19 vaccine could be held in Israel

After Jerusalem signed an agreement for purchase of a drug being developed as a COVID-19 vaccine, the CEO of the U.S. firm developing the drug says Israel could be used as a location for human trials.

“My understanding is that Israel is under some significant challenges with respect to the prevalence of COVID, and it would present an opportunity to perhaps do the registration study in Israel, combining that data with other countries as well,” Arcturus Therapeutics CEO Joseph Payne told Israel’s Channel 12 news, referring to the Phase 3 human trials.

“It’s key that you have the study in a place where there’s a substantial amount of COVID present so that you can more quickly prove your vaccine works,” Payne said.

Arcturus Therapeutics and Duke-NUS medical school, a collaboration between Duke University and the National University of Singapore, announced last week that clinical trials were approved in Singapore for their LUNAR-COV19 vaccine candidate, according to The Times of Israel.

“Preclinical studies on LUNAR-COV19 have shown very promising findings, including the possibility that a single dose of this vaccine may be sufficient to trigger robust and durable immune responses,” said Professor Ooi Eng Eong, Deputy Director of the Emerging Infectious Diseases Program at Duke-NUS.

Let us pray together

Join me in thanking God that His plans stand firm forever. We can trust our Lord completely as we bring our requests to Him. Please pray with me for:

• Wisdom for Israel’s government in light of the increase in coronavirus cases
• The approval and advancement of effective new technologies to help fight the pandemic and save lives, including development of a vaccine against coronavirus
• Protection from terrorist groups like Hezbollah and others who seek to harm Israel and the Jewish people
• Jewish people to seek their Messiah Jesus and put their trust in Him

Consider a generous gift

Thank you for praying with us for Israel and the Jewish people. You can also show your support with a financial gift.

Your generous gift will meet urgent needs for the most vulnerable Jewish populations in Israel – who are suffering even more because of the pandemic. You’ll help come alongside Holocaust survivors, recent immigrants, widows, orphans and others who struggling with even basic necessities.

Your support today will also be used to reach the “Lost Tribes of Israel,” who are scattered around the world, with humanitarian aid, clean water and medical, dental and eye care.

Meeting physical needs opens the door to share the love and hope of Yeshua (Jesus) with Jewish people, bringing spiritual healing to hurting hearts.

Your gift will also help engage the Church concerning Israel and the Jewish people through our publications and social media presence, leadership training and more.

Thank you for your support

Thank you for being a faithful supporter of Jewish Voice and for your love for the Jewish people in Israel and around the world. I’m grateful for your partnership.

Let us continue to trust our Lord – His plans stand firm forever, through all generations. I hope that both encourages and comforts you today.

The Jewish people have endured intense tragedies over their history as a collective, though now scattered, people. Defeats, captivities, and persecutions are all across their timeline as God’s Chosen People. While various calamities have fallen on different Gregorian calendar dates, it’s astonishing that, when translated to the Jewish calendar, many catastrophic events in Israel’s history occurred on the same Jewish date – the ninth day of the Hebrew month Av. Tisha B’Av means the ninth of Av, and it is a day of mourning for Israel and Jewish people everywhere.

Tisha B’Av begins at sunset on July 29, 2020. Mourning includes fasting from food, water and activities representing ease and luxury. Expressions of grief include abstaining from bathing/washing, using perfumes or colognes, intimacy, wearing leather shoes and sitting comfortably for part of the day.

Mourners also avoid engaging in business, greeting others, giving gifts, idle talking and leisure activities. Synagogue services include the reading of kinot, traditional poems inspired by Jeremiah’s book of Lamentations.

According to Jewish tradition, one biblical event starts off the list of tragedies occurring on Tisha B’Av. It is believed that the 12 spies sent from the wilderness to scope out the Promised Land returned on Tisha B’Av. Ten spies gave a frightful report and persuaded the Israelites to disbelieve God and not trust Him that they could take the Land He’d said He would give them. As a result, the original generation who left Egypt would not be allowed to enter the Promised Land. The Israelites remained in the wilderness 40 years until everyone over 20 years old at the time of the spies’ report passed away.

Other tragic events that have occurred on Tisha B’Av include:

“Do nothing out of selfishness or conceit, but with humility consider others as more important than yourselves, looking out not only for your own interests but also for the interests of others.”

Philippians 2:3-4 TLV

These verses seem especially fitting in our current circumstances. The pandemic continues to fill headlines around the world and impact each of our lives. A vital part of battling this virus is caring for others and finding ways to serve and help those in need.

Thankfully, Israel is seeing some good news in the midst of this second wave of coronavirus. The number of new cases appears to be going down. That trend will have an impact on the government’s decision-making concerning restrictions and whether to return to a more strict lockdown.

Also, scientists from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have discovered that a drug, already approved by the FDA, shows promise as a way to stop the spread of the virus within patients – effectively rendering the virus inert or similar to a common cold. This could buy time for a vaccine and other treatments to be developed.

Researchers believe drug could turn COVID-19 into common cold

An FDA-approved treatment for cholesterol could be effective in dramatically easing the symptoms of coronavirus, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem reports.

Prof. Yaakov Nahmias, founding director of the Alexander Grass Center for Bioengineering, in collaboration with Dr. Benjamin tenOever of New York's Mount Sinai Medical Center, found that the drug Fenofibrate (called Ticor commercially) could inhibit COVID-19's ability to reproduce in lung cells.

The drug was effective in treating infected human tissue in the researchers' study in the Hebrew University's MicroTissue Lab. It will now have to be proven effective in human clinical trials.

The researchers found that the drug blocked the ability of the coronavirus to “hijack” the metabolism of the lung cells. That means it could inhibit the virus’ ability to reproduce and develop.

"Our discovery comes at just the right time because there are new indications that antibodies to the virus can only protect patients for a few months, whereas if our results are confirmed in clinical trials, then within a few months treatment with our drug could be turning Covid-19 into a type of common cold," Prof. Nahmias said, according to Globes, an Israeli business news publication.

This potential treatment is exciting news! Please be praying with me for more discoveries like this to help combat the ongoing pandemic.

Coronavirus cases appear to be trending down in Israel

According to Hebrew University, the doubling rate of coronavirus has dropped to every 24 days. At the peak of this second wave, the doubling rate was every seven days. And during the first wave, the number of infected patients doubled as quickly as every three days.

It appears that restrictions implemented over the past two weeks have already started to reduce the infection rate. Fortunately, these aren’t as severe yet as they were during the first wave.

Israeli coronavirus committee votes to keep beaches and pools open

On Monday, the government’s coronavirus committee voted to keep beaches and pools open.

“The decision to not close public pools and beaches is the right one … Mental and physical health are extremely important to all of us,” said committee chair Yifat Shasah-Biton, according to The Times of Israel.

Discussions regarding schools, restaurants and gyms are ongoing with decisions expected by the end of the week, if not before.

It looks like a new government policy could be forming that allows for activities in open spaces and closes events that take place inside, according to The Jerusalem Post.

Let us pray together for...

• Jewish people to seek their Messiah Jesus in the midst of these trials and discover His great love for them
• The approval and advancement of effective new technologies to help fight the pandemic and save lives
• Wisdom for Israel’s leaders as they decide what restrictions to implement and determine the steps needed to combat this crisis

Consider a generous gift

Thank you for praying with us for Israel and the Jewish people. You can also show your support with a financial gift.

Your generous gift will meet urgent needs for the most vulnerable Jewish populations in Israel – who are suffering even more because of the pandemic. You’ll help come alongside Holocaust survivors, recent immigrants, widows, orphans and others who are struggling with even basic necessities.

Your support today will also be used to reach the “Lost Tribes of Israel,” who are scattered around the world, with humanitarian aid, clean water and medical, dental and eye care.

Meeting physical needs opens the door to share the love and hope of Yeshua (Jesus) with Jewish people, bringing spiritual healing to hurting hearts.

Your gift will also help engage the Church concerning Israel and the Jewish people through our publications and social media presence, our new podcast, A Jew and A Gentile Discuss, leadership training and more.

Thank you for your support

May we all look out not only for our own interests but also for the interests of others as we work together to battle the coronavirus. And let’s continue to pray for the Lord’s guidance and protection during these challenging times.