Friday, November 1, 2024

Report: Iran will Attack Israel, Likely before US Election

by Itamar Eichner ~ Ynetnews

Thursday, 31 October 2024 | A “senior source” familiar with the Iranian discussions, told CNN Wednesday night that there will be a “definitive and painful” response to Israel’s recent attack on its territory, likely before the US presidential election on November 5.

CNN did not specify where the source came from, but it is implied from his words that he is Iranian. “The response of the Islamic Republic to the aggression of the Zionist regime will be definitive and painful,” said the source.

In the first days after the attack in Iran, which took place overnight Saturday, Iran tried to minimize and downplay the damage caused to the country’s military infrastructure. In Tehran, they even claimed that the Israel Defense Force’s [IDF] announcements after the attack, which said that it was successful and its goals were achieved, constitute “psychological warfare.”

The elections in the US will be held this Tuesday, November 5, so if the source’s words are to be believed, Iran may attack Israel in less than a week. An Israeli official responded to this Wednesday, and issued a warning: “If they give a response —they will receive back double.”

Knesset [parliament] member Avigdor Liberman called on the political and military ranks “not to wait until the Iranians carry out their threats,” and added: “We must move from waiting for a preemptive strike, from a proportional response to a clear decision. On October 26, we proved our ability, and now the order of the day is to exercise this ability in full force .”

The White House once again called upon Iran not to attack Israel. White House spokeswoman Karin Jean-Pierre was asked at a press briefing about a report about a possible attack and replied: Iran should not respond to Israel’s retaliation. They should not. If they do, we will support Israel in defending itself, but they should not,” she said at a news briefing.

State Department spokesman Matthew Miller also addressed the issue. He said that he could not give an assessment regarding what Iran might do, but he also noted that Iran “doesn’t need to respond.” He did not answer when asked if Iran had conveyed a message to Washington regarding a possible attack before the elections, saying,”I will not talk about the communication between the two governments, whether it is real or imaginary. But as we have stated publicly, and Iran clearly knows this, they must not escalate this conflict.”

Israel estimated shortly after the attack that Iran would respond—but it was not clear how. At the same time, the Israeli attacks targeted, among other things, missile production facilities, and the air defense batteries that protect Tehran were damaged, so that Iran remains exposed to future attacks.

The report on the escalation in Iranian rhetoric comes following the publication by the Associated Press [AP], which on Tuesday revealed new satellite images from Iran, which indicate damage to another site in the Israeli attack—damage that the regime in Tehran has not reported so far. The photos show damage to several buildings at the Shahrud Space Center in the north of the country. The center, which is located about 370 km [230 mi.] northeast of Tehran, is managed by the Revolutionary Guards, from which they launch satellites into space, but according to the AP, it is also used by the Revolutionary Guards to manufacture ballistic missiles.

Iran publicly admitted that the attack caused damage to sites in the Tehran area and in the provinces of Ilam and Khuzestan in the west of the country, but it did not report any damage at all in Samnan.

On Wednesday morning, Iranian Defense Minister Aziz Nasir Zadeh issued several statements about the attack and threats: “There was no disruption in the pace of missile production,” he claimed, noting that “Iran can launch dozens of counterattacks such as ‘The Real Promise’ (the Iranian name for the two attacks carried out in Israel). We will respond to any attack on our lands, even if it is a single bullet.”

In addition, an Iranian lawmaker attributed the following quotes to Zada, which appeared, among others, in the “Tehran Times” and included another threat: “When the airspace is violated, the country has the right to respond to any act of aggression. Even if the Zionist regime fires an arrow at our country, Iran will not forgive.” The minister later claimed that “no fighter jet entered Iran during the Israeli attack. Israel’s latest aggression caused partial damage—and it was repaired immediately.”

Operation Days of Repentance, conducted in response to the barrage of ballistic missiles on Israel from Iran at the beginning of the month, was Israel’s first-ever declared attack on Iran. Dozens of fighter jets participated in the attack, which significantly damaged—according to foreign reports and also according to the official Israeli statements—the air defense system of the Islamic Republic and its ability to produce ballistic missiles.

In the days after the attack, senior Iranian officials stated that Tehran reserved the right to respond “at the appropriate time” to the attack, and several of them, including Revolutionary Guard commander Hossein Salami, promised “painful revenge.”

Meanwhile, and despite various reports on the extent of the damage, Tehran is careful to claim that the results of the attack were limited and that the damage from them will be repaired quickly, in a way that was interpreted internationally, at least until Wednesday evening, as a possible attempt to “contain” the attack.

The final decision on a retaliatory attack will be made by Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei—with the estimate that he also prefers to avoid an all-out war. A few days ago, Khamenei himself issued a non-committal statement regarding revenge: “Israel made a miscalculation and must understand the will of the Iranian people,” he said. “Israel’s step should not be exaggerated—nor should it be underestimated.”

Source: (Excerpt of an article originally published by Ynetnews on October 31, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: khamenei.ir/Wikimedia.com

Photo License: Wikimedia

Prayer Focus
Give thanks that Israel had accurate intelligence and was able to strike a significant blow against Iran’s military structure. Pray for continued diligence on the part of the IDF as Iran’s leaders are calling for retaliation. Pray for Israelis as they wait for the possibility of another Iranian attack, especially the children and the elderly, who have endured so much pressure and stress during the past year.

Scripture

It is God who arms me with strength, and makes my way perfect.

- Psalm 18:32

One killed, Over 30 Hurt in Suspected Terror Attack

by JNS

Monday, 28 October 2024 | One person was killed and more than 30 others were wounded on Sunday in a suspected terrorist attack near Glilot, north of Tel Aviv in central Israel.

According to initial reports, a truck rammed into a large group of people standing at a bus stop. The Magen David Adom [MDA] emergency service reported that medical personnel were treating multiple people at the scene, some of whom were trapped.

Thirty-one people were evacuated to Beilinson and Ichilov hospitals, according to MDA, including six in serious condition, five in moderate condition and 20 in mild condition. Additionally, four people were treated for anxiety.

Home Front Command rescue teams were deployed to help free victims trapped under the truck.

In the afternoon, Ichilov Medical Center announced that one of the ramming attack victims succumbed to his wounds.

Beilinson Hospital earlier updated that eight injured arrived at the medical center, including three in serious condition and five in mild condition.

MDA’s Blood Services provided 90 units of blood to the hospitals.

According to reports, a significant number of the victims were retirees who had just gotten off an intercity tourist coach at the bus stop, preparing for a visit to a nearby museum.

A large police force was converging on the scene, and it was reported that authorities believe it was a terror attack. According to initial reports, the driver exited the truck outside a sensitive security base in Glilot with a knife and was shot by armed bystanders.

Police sources told Channel 12 that the suspect is an Israeli resident of the Arab–Muslim city of Qalansawe in central Israel.

Highway 5 westbound was closed to traffic at the Kfar HaYarok interchange, police said, and drivers were asked to use alternate routes and to avoid the area.

The Glilot area is home to Mossad [Israeli intelligence agency] headquarters and several Israel Defense Forces intelligence units, including the elite Unit 8200, which Hezbollah has targeted several times over the past year.

Israel is also holding a national day of mourning for the victims of the Hamas-led attack of October 7, 2023, and there were reportedly fears that terrorists could take advantage of the date.

Source: (This article was originally published by the Jewish News Syndicate on October 27, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: MDA/jns.org

Prayer Focus
Intercede on behalf of the wounded, many of whom are elderly retirees. Pray they will experience quick recovery from their wounds and healing from the traumatic memories of the attack. Ask the Lord to comfort the family of the man who succumbed to his wounds.

Scripture

“For I will restore health to you and heal you of your wounds,” says the LORD.

- Jeremiah 30:17a

‘The Heroes of October 7th’ Presents Tales of Valor for Youngsters

by Sharon Altshul ~ JNS

Monday, 28 October 2024 | After a year of war, Israel still finds itself fighting on two fronts, disrupting life in the south and north of the country.

Adults have trouble understanding and finding ways to cope. Even more difficult for parents and educators is how to explain cruelty and death to children.

Author Hadassa Ben Ari, the mother of seven children, asked herself: “How could I tell children the real story? How could I introduce them to the incredible heroes of our nation?”

“The horrors of the current war pounced on us as adults, and we are doing everything so that our children are not exposed to it, so they won’t know. But they know. They already know. If not from home, then from friends. If not from a reliable source, then from the internet,” she told JNS recently.

“How do we maintain a balance between the need to protect a child and the important role of mediating reality in a way that suits them?” Ben Ari asked herself.

Soon after the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led onslaught on Israel, she began posting stories in Hebrew online. Volunteers joined her project to write, design, edit and translate to English and French a daily tale of heroism aimed at children.

As Ben Ari shares in her introduction to the newly released English version of the book, The Heroes of October 7th: Heroic Stories for Children—”The antisemitism which has reared its head in unexpected places has served as a call to translate these heroic tales into other languages, to let Jewish children worldwide know that there is a tiny country where Jews can always stand proudly.”

The collection of 71 short stories by 15 authors highlights the physical and emotional strength of Israelis, of all ages, backgrounds and ethnicities, who used their skills and talents to help and inspire others on October 7, 2023, and afterward.

One teenager helped save her kibbutz [collective community] by relaying locations of swarming terrorists to soldiers using WhatsApp on her mother’s phone as they hid from the invaders.

The illustrations by Tehila Bar-Hama and short portraits by the 15 authors are written in child-friendly language and were overseen by a team of child psychologists. They are meant to be read together with a grown-up and aim to show the values of humanity, kindness and giving.

Dr. Allison Kupietzky, the English-language project manager for the initiative, shared her connection to it: “On the first day of the war, my nephew, Sgt. First Class Yosef Malachi Guedalia, was killed in action in Kibbutz Kfar Aza. Hadassa began publishing Hebrew stories of heroes and I felt it was important to share the stories with a broader audience and offered to put together a team of volunteers to translate the Hebrew stories into English.

“It was important to give a name and face to these heroes who left their homes on Simchat Torah, leaving their families behind to stand in defense of their nation, in an hour of danger,” Kupietzky said.

“This project is so important because it allows children and families to view the situation through these carefully curated stories—stories that give strength and a sense of unity, which we need so much today. The book provides a meaningful resource, especially now that it is available in English, reaching Jewish communities around the world,” she added.

One chess player-turned-commander strategically led his unit to safety; rescue teams treated the wounded under fire, saving thousands of lives; the 85-year-old ‘Ninja Granny’ who smiled when taken captive; the dedicated school principal who sent inspiring messages to his students on his break from combat; and many other average-yet remarkable Israeli citizens became heroes under unimaginable conditions.

Ben Ari lives in Pardes Hanna in central Israel. Before she spoke with JNS, she was in the park when an air-raid siren sounded. She ran to a protected shelter. Alarms are not as common in Pardes Hanna as in the north and south of the country.

Ben Ari wrote the first story in the book, “Rachel’s Cookies.” For many hours on October 7, Rachel Edri from Ofakim was able to talk to and serve cookies to five Hamas terrorists in her home until the police came to rescue her at 2 o’clock the next morning.

More than 47 stories tell of fallen soldiers and police, but many others are of living heroes such as Border Police Supt. Shifra Buchris. On the morning of Simchat Torah [rejoicing in the Torah] 2023, she woke up early, left her 10 children at home in the Negev, and drove toward Kibbutz Re’im and the Supernova festival site. For 11 hours, she and her team drove back and forth, under fire, “to return as many children as possible to their mothers who were waiting for them at home.”

As the book project grew from the website stories, Kupietzky, and Joslynne Halibard engaged a professional translation and editorial team to work on the English version.

Dr. Juliana Brown, the lead translator, noted when JNS asked about difficulties with the project, “There were a few challenges, but the biggest was finding the red line between adapting the texts for an overseas audience of children who live a very different reality than ours do and ensuring that it didn’t become a series of enforced happy endings or leaving out the complexities and true heroics of these stories.

“These are Israeli stories about Israeli heroes and as editors we wanted to help bring overseas kids into an authentic reading zone,” she said.

“I would like the world to learn who we really are, in all our variations. We are a unique nation living in unimaginable circumstances while still raising kids, working, studying in between sirens, reserve duty, terrible fear for our loved ones.

“These stories begin to scratch the surface and I hope that our English-speaking audience takes in the fact that all those heroes started their days eating breakfast with their families, thinking about going to shul or for a family hike, when life suddenly changed forever and they became superheroes,” Brown said.

The collection is published by Yediot Books in Tel Aviv, its first English-language children’s book. With 200 stories already received, there are plans to publish another two volumes as families want the stories of their loved ones shared and not forgotten.

Proceeds from the “The Heroes of October 7th” project are donated to Brothers for Life, an organization dedicated to rehabilitating Israel Defense Forces soldiers injured in the line of duty.

Source: (This article was originally published by the Jewish News Syndicate on October 23, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Courtesy/jns.org

Prayer Focus
Pray that Israeli children who have been confronted with unimaginable violence, hatred and fear will be able to work through their emotions as their attention is drawn to the heroes of that day. Pray that the English translation of the book will show the world the unique challenges faced in Israel and the way the people of this nation continue to choose to focus on humanity, kindness and giving.

Scripture

Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits. Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies.

- Psalm 103:2, 4

Tour the Spot where 1,000 Armed Radwan Fighters Were Poised to Invade Israel

by Yair Kraus ~ Ynetnews

Tuesday, 29 October 2024 | For more than two decades, Hezbollah has been plotting to capture the border town of Metula as a launch point to push into the Upper Galilee and northern Israel. However, since the outbreak of hostilities a year ago, and particularly in recent weeks, the Israel Defense Forces [IDF] have been actively dismantling Hezbollah’s attack infrastructure in the nearby village of Kila, located in southern Lebanon.

Under the leadership of the 769th Regional Brigade, part of the 91st Division, Israeli forces have discovered and destroyed dozens of underground facilities, weapon depots, observation posts and hundreds of terrorist infrastructures scattered throughout and within Kila village. This village is considered one of Hezbollah’s main terror strongholds, from which over 1,000 armed Radwan fighters were poised to invade Israel at a moment’s notice.

A tour of the ravaged village and neighboring Lebanese areas quickly reveals the scale of the destruction and the high level of Hezbollah’s readiness to execute their “Conquer the Galilee” plan, a strategy they announced in 2011 and have been preparing for ever since. “The village of Kila represents all the evil and what Hezbollah intended to do,” explained Colonel Avraham Marciano, commander of the 769th Brigade.

He added that, from this Shiite village adjacent to Metula, “there was a plan for several battalions to storm into Israeli territory.” The IDF’s heavy machinery is carrying out extensive demolition in the area, continuing to destroy homes and terrorist infrastructures located so close to the border wall. Just yards away from Metula’s orchards and across from the Har Tzofiya neighborhood, near a local gas station owned by Hezbollah, Marciano described an exposed underground terror tunnel that did not breach Israeli soil.

“Fifty yards [150 ft.] from here, within the rubble, we uncovered an underground shaft they planned to use,” he detailed. “It was several hundred yards long, and from its entrance the terrorists planned to go underground on the main street of the village, collect their equipment, prepare for an attack and emerge from here.”

Forces are now destroying this tunnel, along with other above and below-ground terrorist infrastructures. David, one of the soldiers protecting us, participated in uncovering the tunnel. “We found it with the excavation equipment,” he recounted.

“There’s no doubt we halted its further digging. In almost every house here, we uncovered terrorist infrastructures. Whether it’s shafts, tunnels, or just weapons, in every house, you can find weapons, ammunition, vests, combat gear, or medical supplies.”

In nearby areas, Hezbollah set up observation posts from which they monitored movement in Israel for years. Since the conflict began, the Lebanese Shiite terror organization has used these posts to direct fire and launch direct attacks on Israeli communities, including Kfar Yuval. “From this point, they fired at the Ayalon family home while Mira and her son Barak were having lunch in their kitchen,” Colonel Marciano described. “Today, we are settling scores and destroying Hezbollah’s infrastructures.”

He explained that the military activity in the area, which oversees the northern communities, aims to “destroy the infrastructures, seize the weapons—and prevent Hezbollah’s surprise invasion capability from Kila village.” According to the colonel: “We’re doing similar things in other villages. This is how the operation looks. Our response, besides eliminating the terrorists, their commanders, and the commanders of their commanders, is to ensure that the infrastructure does not exist.”

However, he acknowledged this activity does not address the remote and steep-trajectory anti-tank fire. For example, during the tour of villages near Metula, they repeatedly took shelter due to mortar fire from the nearby village of Al-Khiam, where the IDF is not operating.

Marciano emphasized that the forces on the ground are vigorously working to destroy Hezbollah infrastructures. “We live every day as if it’s the last day of the maneuver,” he said. “We have a sense of activity and urgency. The machinery doesn’t stop, the soldiers don’t stop. The soldiers even push us, wanting to move forward and do the work. We don’t want to stop.”

He promised that “we are doing everything we can—and everything that needs to be done—to ensure that the residents of the north can live here safely. We’ve waited for this for a year. Today we stand here, realizing what we’ve waited for, not because we are war-hungry; quite the opposite, we want peace. And for that, we need to come from a position of strength and bring this strength and victory to the people of Israel, who have waited for it for so long.”

“Hezbollah needs to flee, feel hunted, lose all its infrastructures, all the operatives we can take out now, and if we need to go deeper—we will.”

Source: (This article was originally published by Ynetnews on October 29, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Avital Pinnick/Flickr.com

Photo License: Flickr

Prayer Focus
Continue to pray for the safety of the IDF troops as they work tirelessly to dismantle Hezbollah’s terror infrastructure along Israel’s northern border. Pray also for the IAF as they conduct air strikes against missile launch sites deeper within Lebanon. Pray for the residents who have remained in Metula, including the families of seven civilians who were killed by Hezbollah rocket attacks this week.

Scripture

O Israel, trust in the LORD; He is their help and their shield.

- Psalm 115:9

Freed Hostage: “I’m Here Physically, but My Innocence Was Left in Fields of Blood

by Daniel Edelson, Itamar Eichner ~ Ynetnews

Thursday, 31 October 2024 | Mia Schem, a former captive released as part of the first hostage deal with Hamas in November 2023, recalled her experiences in Gaza and the harsh conditions she endured. Speaking during a ceremony at the Israeli consulate in New York to commemorate the Hebrew calendar anniversary of the massacre Tuesday overnight, she spoke about the other women who are still held in Gaza.

“I was put in a cage with five young women; they’re still there, tortured and abused,” Schem said at the event. “I was placed in a dark cage, with no air or light, only 1.5 meters [4.9 ft.] high. Each of us had a brutal abduction story; we were wounded and shocked.”

“We spent five days in that dark cage, with two armed guards switching shifts every 12 hours. I tried to encourage them and promised we’d be freed soon. We were wounded and shocked by what had happened to us. We were innocent young women only weeks earlier. On the fifth day, I was taken out. I managed to hug them and promised they’d be freed the next day, that we’d meet again in our homeland to pick up the pieces.”

“It’s been a year; I’m here physically, but my innocence was left in fields of blood and my heart remains captive in Gaza with five young women still held there, tortured and abused, with no air, in the depths of hell,” she added. “I stand here before you today—no longer a child but a strong woman who won’t rest until everyone returns from those depths of hell.”

Ayelet, the mother of hostage Yonatan Samrano whose body is still held in Gaza, spoke about her son’s abduction at the event. “An UNRWA [United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees] social worker kidnapped my son. This person, who worked in an organization meant to do good and alleviate human suffering, kidnapped my son. This UN worker took him after he was shot by terrorists. Today, we mark a year since the darkest, most haunted day since the founding of the Jewish state.”

Her words come against the backdrop of a bill approved in the Knesset [parliament] on Monday banning UNRWA’s activities in Israel.

In his speech, Israel’s Consul General in New York Ofir Akunis, said, “What Hamas intended on doing on that day was to destroy Israel. They aimed to commit genocide. As they wrote in their founding charter in 1987—to destroy the State of Israel and build an Islamic state in its place.

“This wasn’t the first massacre in our nation’s history. We’ve seen many since 1920. But this was certainly the most brutal. If anyone thinks the Jewish people will ever forget or forgive this, they’re mistaken. If anyone thinks we’ll apologize for defending ourselves, they’re wrong.”

Source: (Excerpt of an article originally published by Ynetnews on October 29, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: IDF/Flickr.com

Photo License: Flickr

Prayer Focus
Storm the heavens on behalf of the hostages and their families, both those who have been returned and those who remain in captivity. Pray that the Lord will heal the memories of unspeakable horror still carried by those who were released. Pray that He will comfort and deliver those who remain. “Bring them home NOW.”

Scripture

Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He delivered them out of their distresses.

- Psalm 107:5–6

South Africa Files Genocide Case against Israel at UN Court

by JNS

Wednesday, 30 October 2024 | South Africa on Monday submitted to the UN top court its “main case” against Israel, arguing that the Jewish state is intending to commit a genocide in Gaza.

“Undergirding Israel’s genocidal acts is the special intent to commit genocide, a failure by Israel to prevent incitement to genocide, to prevent genocide itself and its failure to punish those inciting and committing acts of genocide,” the office of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa wrote in a statement about the submission to the International Court of Justice in the Hague, Netherlands.

South Africa initiated the case in December 2023 and has now filed the bulk of the relevant material to support its claim, according to the statement. Israel has dismissed allegations that it’s perpetrating a genocide, calling them a “blood libel.” South African officials have not published the contents of the documents.

Separately, the International Criminal Court [ICC], which is not part of the UN but operates as an independent intergovernmental body, continues to deliberate on a request to issue arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. The ICC Prosecutor’s Office submitted the request on May 20.

According to disputed statistics provided by the Hamas-controlled Health Ministry in Gaza, more than 42,000 people have died in Gaza since October 7, 2023, as a result of Israel’s war on Hamas, following the latter’s massacre in Israel. According to Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies,  Israeli troops have killed some 17,000 terrorists in Gaza.

Source: (This article was originally published by the Jewish News Syndicate on October 29, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons/jns.org

Prayer Focus
Pray that the material filed in support of South Africa’s claim that Israel has committed or intends to commit genocide will be revealed as baseless and without truth. Pray that both trials, including the one at the International Criminal Court, will be dismissed quickly and in Israel’s favor. May the light of God’s truth prevail.

Scripture

Then I saw that wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness.

- Ecclesiastes 2:13

Study: Online Hatred of Jews Spiked 36.6% in Eleven Months after October 7 Attacks

by JNS

Friday, 25 October 2024 | The antisemitism watchdog group CyberWell released a report on the evolutions of online hate both before and after the Hamas terrorist attacks in southern Israel on October 7, 2023.

The organization’s research suggests that in the 11 months after the atrocities committed by Hamas, the antisemitic content tracked by its technology rose 36.6%, with an 86% spike in the first three weeks. CyberWell explains that its monitoring programs flagged 135,556 posts that were likely antisemitic in the 11 months before October 7; in the 11 months that followed, it captured 185,229.

CyberWell found that narratives demonizing Jews shifted after the attacks. In the 11 months before then, the claim that Jews dominated or controlled the world increased the most in antisemitic social media discourse with 33% of posts. In the 11 months after, that trope fell to 13.8%, while “Jews are evil” rose from 16.3% to 21.5%, and “Jews are an enemy” increased from 15.9% to 29.2%.

Tal-Or Cohen Montemayor, CyberWell founder and executive director, said Hamas “hijacked our favorite social media platforms leveraging gaps in existing policies and moderation efforts to turn these apps into weapons of mass psychological warfare and to normalize hate against Jews worldwide.”

She added that “it is clear that the challenge of online antisemitism has taken a dark turn and must be addressed. Our latest report underscores not only the urgency of the situation but also the necessity for continued vigilance and proactive measures in countering hate speech.”

Calling it “critical” for online platforms to “be held accountable,” Montemayor urged for companies to “implement robust strategies to counteract the spread of hate. While we’ve seen progress in the removal rates of antisemitic content, there remains much work to be done.”

Source: (This article was originally published by the Jewish News Syndicate on October 22, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Alex Kolomoisky, KKL-JNF/jns.org

Prayer Focus
Pray that the antisemitic voices raised against Israel and the Jewish people will be understood for what they really are—hatred and rebellion against God Himself. May a fear of the Lord come upon those who would threaten or harm His chosen people in any way.

Scripture

And who is like Your people Israel, the one nation on the earth whom God went to redeem for Himself as a people—to make for Yourself a name by great and awesome deeds, by driving out nations from before Your people whom You redeemed from Egypt? For You have made Your people Israel Your very own people forever; and You, LORD, have become their God.

- 1 Chronicles 17:21–22

An Inside Look at Israel’s Game Changing Laser Defense System

by Roi Rubinstein ~ Ynetnews

Wednesday, 30 October 2024 | “This is the first laser system of its kind in the world, a global breakthrough—not just for Israel—that allows us to intercept missiles, rockets, shells and drones kilometers away from the country using lasers,” said former minister and Rafael Chairman Yuval Steinitz on Sunday.

The timing of the announcement amid wartime holds special significance, he noted: “Most of our employees at Rafael are highly skilled scientists who could work elsewhere, but here, they feel they’re contributing to the national effort.”

Israel’s Defense Ministry announcement effectively ends an international race among world powers, who have spent years attempting to develop a laser-based defense system. This breakthrough was made possible by scientific advancements at Rafael six years ago, which allowed the laser beam to stay consistent upon contact with the atmosphere without scattering. Rafael expects the system to be operational by 2025, adding another layer to Israel’s air defense against missile threats during wartime.

“The system is composed of hundreds of laser beams directed at an incoming target,” Steinitz explained. “Laser is a highly focused and powerful beam with immense energy that can cut through steel at close range. However, when it encounters air, it tends to scatter. Our scientists at Rafael solved this by sending hundreds of laser beams toward a target tens of kilometers away, enabling us to detect in seconds—based on the beams’ return—which hit the missile most accurately. The system then instantly redirects all beams to that precise point for effective targeting. It happens in a flash, within milliseconds. Once all beams lock onto the most accurate frequency, the missile can be neutralized.”

Using sophisticated targeting technology similar to Iron Dome’s advanced systems, the laser system calculates the most effective beam for detonating the incoming missile, focusing the rest of the beams on that exact impact point to bring it down.

“The hit range will be about 10 centimeters [4 in],” Steinitz noted. “It will slice through the missile’s steel casing, penetrate its warhead and strike the explosive with such force that it will detonate.”

When fully operational, the Iron Beam system will complement Israel’s existing air defense network, already one of the most advanced globally thanks to Iron Dome, the Arrow missile and David’s Sling. This laser-based system provides Israel with a strategic and economic advantage, reducing interception costs significantly. “Right now, each interceptor missile costs taxpayers a fortune,” Steinitz explained. “But the Iron Beam intervention will cost the state only a few thousand US dollars per use, thanks to the laser-based system instead of missiles. It’s a major difference. The cost of a single interception will be around five US dollars, a massive shift. It reverses the current equation of intercepting cheap missiles with expensive countermeasures.”

Rafael declined to go into further details, but for now, it appears the system won’t defend against ballistic missile attacks, like the one seen from Iran earlier this month.

However, Rafael assures it will work effectively against other aerial threats from neighboring regions that have intensified in recent years. “The system will be deployed alongside Iron Dome batteries,” Steinitz added, “and depending on the threat type, it will decide whether to use an Iron Dome missile or the faster, lower-cost laser to do the job.”

According to the agreement, the first operational system will be delivered to Israel by the end of next year. Like any defense system developed here, Israel’s adversaries will immediately seek ways to overcome it. Yet Steinitz remains unfazed by the challenge. “There’s never 100 percent success, but while they think far ahead, so do we—ten steps ahead. This is just the beginning of the system. It’s clear that this breakthrough will bring additional applications and have a lasting impact on national defense in the future,” he concluded.

Source: (This article was originally published by Ynetnews on October 30, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: IDF/Flickr.com

Photo License: Flickr

Prayer Focus
Pray that this new laser system will be completed quickly so it can be put to use in the defense of the State of Israel. Give thanks for the creativity and innovation that scientists at Rafael demonstrated when they developed the first such laser defense system in the world.

Scripture

He teaches my hands to make war, so that my arms can bend a bow of bronze.

- Psalm 18:34

Israel: Ten of Thousands of Archaeological Relics Uncovered in 2024

by JNS

Monday, 28 October 2024 | Amid the ongoing wars against Hamas and Hezbollah, countless artifacts from the Second Temple era, the Late Roman period and more were uncovered across Israel in 2024.

“Despite the difficult year we experienced due to the war, the Israel Antiquities Authority [IAA] continued to carry out rescue excavations throughout the country,” said the body’s director-general, Eli Escusido.

“Over the past year, approximately 120 sites were excavated (compared to the usual average of 250-300 in a regular year), where tens of thousands of significant finds were uncovered, ranging from prehistoric periods to modern times. The most notable excavations were in Jerusalem—in the City of David and the Ophel Garden—Yavne, Yehud, Kiryat Gat, Caesarea and more,” he added.

The IAA has donated some of its findings to museums and research institutes across Israel for visitors to enjoy.

The IAA also offers a volunteer program for individuals over the age of 18 who want to get in on the action and be a part of a team uncovering the past. There are additional companies and tour operators throughout Israel that offer excavating experiences for all types of travelers.

“This region has an incredibly rich and vast history that dates back thousands of years including all the way to the time of the Bible and beyond. Sites are regularly uncovered helping archaeologists piece together the story of the land’s ancient history of cultures, religions and historic leaders,” said Dina Orenbach, consul and director of the Western Region of the US for the Israeli Ministry of Tourism.

“Our country is filled with wondrous artifacts, and if you feel like rolling up your sleeves and being an active participant, you might consider joining a ‘dig for a day’ or a guided archaeological dig. The incredible historical and religious landmarks discovered in Israel will resonate with people from around the world,” she added.

The extraordinary artifacts archeologists have discovered in Israel this year include:

Ancient Stone Road, Possibly Walked on by Jesus

In Mount Hotzvim in northern Jerusalem, a group of archaeologists in an excavation project with the IAA discovered an array of rocks and a paved road that dates back to the end of the Second Temple period. This discovery matches another creation uncovered in 2019 called “Pilgrim’s Road,” which is believed to have been walked on by Jesus in ancient Jerusalem.

Cargo Ship Dating Back 3,300 years

Found 56 miles away from Israel’s Mediterranean Sea shore, a 3,300-year-old cargo ship was discovered during a standard survey executed by Energean plc, an international hydrocarbon exploration and production company with a focus on natural gas, and was donated to the IAA. This ship dates back to the Late Bronze Era, a time with only two documented shipwrecks in the Mediterranean Sea, and was found intact after years of sitting on the sea floor.

1,800-year-old Ring Discovered in Haifa

Yair Whiteson, 13, was hiking in Haifa and discovered an 1,800-year-old bronze ring engraved with an image of the Greek goddess Athena, which is believed to have been owned by woman or girl during the Late Roman Period. This ring was given to the IAA and is now on display for visitors as part of the IAA summer tours at the Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein National Campus for the Archaeology of Israel in Jerusalem, adjacent to the Israel Museum.

Rare Multi-compartment Stone Container Found in Jerusalem

In a recent excavation, a multi-compartment stone container, dating back 2,000 years to the days of the Second Temple, was discovered and is now on display at the Israel Museum in Jerusalem for visitors to view. Based on research conducted by the IAA, it is believed that this box was used for commercial purposes, as a way for merchants to display their products, and highlights daily life and trade during this period.

Stone Seal from Time of the First Temple

A black stone seal was discovered in the City of David National Park by the IAA that dates back 2,700 years, to the time of the First Temple. This seal showcases that literacy was not exclusive to upper-class citizens, that individuals at all class levels had basic knowledge of reading and writing. The seal depicts a winged genie, providing insight to the cultural zeitgeist in the region during the seventh and eighth centuries BCE. The seal is marked with the first and last name of the seal’s original owner, Yehoʼezer ben Hoshʼayahu.

Jewish Kitchenware Unearthed in Capital’s Ancient Drainage

In August, the IAA announced it discovered Jewish kitchenware in Jerusalem’s ancient drainage channel, which ran though the city’s main street during the time of the Second Temple. Archaeologists found expensive oils, grape seeds and 2,000-year-old eggshells outside the Old City walls, which showcases evidence of daily life during a time of rebellion against the Roman Empire.

Source: (This article was originally published by the Jewish News Syndicate on October 23, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Emil Aladjem/Israel Antiquities Authority/jns.org

Prayer Focus
Offer prayers of thanksgiving and praise for these archaeological findings which are able to shed light on Jewish life in ancient Israel. Pray that they will be an effective tool for use in dispelling Islam’s rewritten and fictitious history of Jerusalem and the Land of Israel.

Scripture

I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go into the house of the LORD.” Our feet have been standing within your gates, O Jerusalem!

- Psalm 122:1–2

A Match Made in Wartime

by Etgar Lefkovits ~ JNS

Tuesday, 29 October 2024 | Rishon Letzion, Israel—When the young American social-media consultant volunteering in Israel saw a handsome soldier recuperating in the hospital rehabilitation ward, she offered him a Fruit Roll-Up.

Miami-born Danielle Yablonka, 23, was tired of standing and listening to the older women on her solidarity mission talking, and, eyeing a soldier sitting nearby, was sure he would welcome the snack.

“Israelis are supposed to like everything American,” she told JNS.

But Daniel Kopylov, 21, politely declined.

Undeterred, she then asked him if she could sit down. “Of course,” the soldier replied.

“What happened to you,” she asked matter-of-factly, unaware of his injury. “Can I record your story?” she added, taking out her phone and microphone.

Kopylov recounted how he had moved to Israel from Ukraine via Russia as a teen, going on to enlist in the Israel Defense Forces [IDF]. After describing his experiences fighting against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, he pulled the blanket off his lap, revealing his missing leg, and began doing pistol squats and push-ups.

“It was just so cute,” said Yablonka. “I thought he was flirting with me.”

“It was actually more for me,” said Kopylov, he pecked her on the arm. “I felt I was disabled at the moment and wanted to show what I was capable of.”

A New Beginning

Six months later, the couple, who share a brimming positivity despite his injury and close call with death, are virtually inseparable.

Days after their chance encounter in April, Yablonka called Kopylov and asked him if he was able to leave the hospital for a drink over the weekend. He caught a taxi to Tel Aviv to meet her straight from the hospital, and the two ended up watching a movie at her relative’s flat.

A few days later, Yablonka’s program in Israel ended and she returned to Florida. (“She left me,” Kopylov said.) But soon enough, Yablonka paid for her own trip back to Israel, and the couple spent every day of the two-week visit together in between his physiotherapy treatments.

“He was a light in the middle of the war,” said Yablonka. “To see a 20-year-old kid who had lost his leg and still smiling—for me, it was a huge breath of fresh air in such a crazy time.”

The next month, Kopylov, now fitted with a prosthetic leg, visited Yablonka in Florida—his first trip to the US—where he also connected with her family. Soon thereafter, she was back in Israel with him—this time for good, realizing a years-long dream.

Different Worlds Connect

Yablonka, whose father is Israeli and mother is American, had always been connected to Israel but from afar, and had dabbled in painting and fashion modeling during college. But after Hamas’s massacre in southern Israel on October 7, 2023, she wanted to be there.

Her encounter with anti-Zionism on American campuses, which burst into the open over the past year, actually preceded the massacre, she noted. She had spent her freshman year at the California College of Arts in San Francisco, where she was lectured by a “Jewish liberal professor” about how “Israel was, in fact, occupied Palestine.” After graduating from Florida Atlantic University, she started working with the Hillel as a digital consultant promoting Israeli activists.

She had toyed with the idea of moving to Israel, but it was the October 7 attacks that she made up her mind.

Some 6,500 miles [10460.7 km.] away, Kopylov had been living in Israel over the last five years since immigrating with his mother and two siblings from Russia. “It was my older sister who was the Zionist,” he offered shyly. Within a year, he had learned Hebrew at the youth village in the coastal city of Netanya and was determined to enlist in the IDF.

“In Ukraine and Russia everyone is for themselves, and here we were more united and for each other,” he told JNS.

When he turned 18, he enlisted in an infantry unit and was originally posted on the border with Lebanon when the war broke out. (Hezbollah launched mortars at his post on October 8, 2023, in what he called “the scariest moment of his life” up until that point.)

It was early March when his unit entered a booby-trapped house in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis. Three soldiers were killed and 15 others injured, including Kopylov, when a remote-controlled bomb went off as they entered the building. He can remember applying a tourniquet to his leg before being airlifted to hospital, where he was in an induced coma for 48 hours. Besides losing his leg, doctors removed shrapnel from his stomach and intestine.

Her eyes welling with tears, his mother Nataliya recounts getting a phone call from the IDF.

She remained at his bedside along with her other family members as he recuperated.

Defying the odds, in less than a month he had ventured out of the hospital on crutches to attend the graduation ceremony of his comrades from the very military course he had been in before the war. He got a standing ovation from the crowd and gave the same pistol-squats performance he would repeat for his US visitor several days later.

In the meantime, Yablonka, determined to get back to Israel any way she could, who had earlier connected with the Jewish Federations of Florida now joined a five-day delegation of American Friends of Sheba. The fateful trip would be her third since October 7.

“In my eyes, he was wooing me,” she said of their first encounter. “In his eyes, he was showing me his cool moves,” she added.

For the six months after their meeting, Yablonka worked on her previously nonexistent Hebrew, while Kopylov’s English skyrocketed.

She is now on an educational program with Masa Israel Journey, an organization that works toward immersing Diaspora Jews into Israeli society and is teaching English at an Israeli elementary school.

Staying Positive

In the meantime, Kopylov has completed five months of rehab. Shrapnel scars are still visible on his arm and face. Much to the chagrin of passers-by, he insists on carrying their groceries when the couple are together.

He is working out and thinking of competing in the paralympics as well as trying to settle on a course of study (he hasn’t ruled out physiotherapy.)

In December, he is scheduled to speak at the annual US Mayors Summit in Beverly Hills hosted by the Combat Antisemitism Movement, after which he is to address a non-profit gathering in New York, dubbed 1000 Strong, that works in philanthropy for Israel.

Despite his ordeal, his outlook is only positive.

“I don’t hold grudges. It won’t bring my friends back, and it won’t bring my leg back,” he said.

The couple say that their chance encounter was fate.

“I never believed in fate before,” Yablonka conceded. “Some things just happen that are not in our control,” Kopylov offered.

“Look,” he says, with his eternal smile. “If I hadn’t lost my leg I wouldn’t have met her,” gesturing to Yablonka, who returns his wide smile. “Good things come out of bad.”

Source: (This article was originally published by the Jewish News Syndicate on October 28, 2024. Time-related language has been modified to reflect our republication today. See original article at this link.)

Photo Credit: Rina Castelnuovo/jns.org

Prayer Focus
Give thanks for all the Jewish people who are making aliyah (immigration to Israel) and being drawn to the Land of their inheritance during these turbulent times. Rejoice with this young couple who came to Israel from different countries, at different times and yet found love in the midst of war. Pray a blessing on them as they are determined to overcome all the obstacles put in their way.

Scripture

And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with singing, with everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

- Isaiah 35:10