Seventy-five years ago on May 14, 1948, Israel became a nation after the Jewish people were in exile for nearly 2,000 years. Music, dancing and jubilation filled the streets as the 650,000 Jewish residents rejoiced in the miracle of Zion reborn. That year, Israel absorbed another 650,000 Jewish refugees as the Arab nations rejected their Jewish citizens. Tent cities became home for thousands of new immigrants as the fledgling nation struggled to create housing and infrastructure to accommodate the newcomers. Today, the tent cities are long gone, but Israel continues to build as the Jewish people continue to stream into the miracle of Israel. This is God’s plan, and it is glorious to behold.
In Israel’s Declaration of Independence, it says, “The State of Israel will be open for Jewish immigration and for the Ingathering of the exiles…” Every week, more immigrants arrive in fulfillment of Bible prophecy. They are coming from the four corners of the earth. Large numbers are currently arriving from Ethiopia, Russia and Ukraine, places under significant stress at present due to war and economic hardship.
Every time God has a stated plan, there is opposition. The Lord says that He will build up Zion, and the enemies of God plot to destroy the nation. The attacks are unrelenting. However, we often say that Israel has a written guarantee: we have read the end of the Book and Israel is alive and well.
As we celebrate Israel’s 75th birthday, fireworks will fill the sky, bands will play, the air force pilots will perform intricate aerial displays and the smell of barbecued meat will fill the parks of the Land. We will rejoice because this is something God is doing in our lifetime.
More than 70,000 new immigrants will experience this joy for the first time. Many of them will not be able to buy meat for the barbecue and will not be able to understand the speeches in Hebrew. Many of them are women, elderly people and children, as the men of fighting age have not been permitted to leave Ukraine. Their lives are fragile, and anxiety is a common companion. The pain of loss and the trauma from war have deeply impacted their lives.
God has sent Bridges for Peace to comfort them as well as provide food, blankets, pots, pans and other necessities. The Bible says, “Comfort, yes, comfort My people!” (Isa. 40:1a).
I encourage you to celebrate with Israel on her 75th birthday. Eat good food and thank God for being a faithful, promise-keeping God. I also encourage you to send a generous birthday gift to help the newest Israelis become established in the Land of Promise. We can bring hope into their despair and light into their darkness. Please ask the Lord to show you how much you should send to help the needy in Zion. Your gift for our Food Project, the New Immigrant Fund and Immigrant Welcome Gifts will allow us to meet their basic needs. If you want to do more, please consider sponsoring an immigrant for a year on our Adoption Program. Your donations are investments into God’s covenant plan for the people and nation of Israel, the apple of His eye (Zech. 2.8).
Blessings from Jerusalem,
Rebecca Brimmer
International President and CEO
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