Inside Israel

Israel to Attend United Nations Climate Talks

Scottish Event Campus Centre where the climate talks were held (Source: Wikimedia Commons/Richard Sutcliffe)

At the United Nations COP26 Climate Change Conference in Scotland, Prime Minister Naftali Bennett will lead a delegation of 120 Israelis drawn from the Knesset, government ministries, civil society, academia, the business sector, and local governments. President Herzog, who hosted the delegation at his residence before they left for Glasgow, said, “Anyone who thinks that time is on our side is reading the situation incorrectly. The climate issue is an urgent problem, which requires immediate action.”

Members of the Knesset vowed to pass stringent climate laws after the conference. Israel has also joined many other countries in pledging to be carbon neutral by 2050. Going carbon neutral means balancing the amount of carbon emitted with the amount that is taken out of the atmosphere and stored.

Please pray that we, as a global community, will discover ways to keep the world clean and safe for us and future generations.


Israel Tentatively Opens Borders

Ben Gurion Airport (Source: Joseph Barrientos/Unsplash)

Entry into Israel has been very restricted over the last year and a half. That is, only those with Israeli passports can enter easily, and everyone else must fill out extensive paperwork. Moreover, one of Israel’s top sources of income is through tourism. While there have been trials allowing small tourist groups in, the borders have largely been closed to foreigners since the beginning of the summer and the fourth coronavirus wave. Now, Israel is planning to open its borders to tourists starting November 1 to jump-start the nearly dead tourism sector and reunite families.

However, there are strict requirements for entry. Visitors must be fully vaccinated or have recently recovered from the coronavirus. Those who break public health rules might not be allowed into the country for a number of years. Travelers who do not meet the entry requirements will either not be allowed on the plane or be deported upon landing in Israel. The government has created these rules in order to open up the borders while keeping the country safe.

Please pray for the health and safety of all visitors to Israel and for a joyous reunion of those who have not seen each other in nearly two years.

Read more at Haaretz…


Crusader Sword Off Israel’s Shores

Israel Antiquities Authority inspector Nir Distelfeld with the Crusader-era sword. (Source: Anastasia Shapiro/Israel Antiquities Authority)

An amateur Israeli SCUBA diver recently discovered a crusader sword from 900 years ago. The iron sword was encrusted with marine organisms but was otherwise in great condition. The diver also found pieces of pottery, metal, and an anchor. The bearer of the sword was most likely a crusader knight on a military campaign from Europe. Shifting underwater sands make it hard to find precious archaeological objects, but the area where the sword was found is known to have been a busy waterway for boats for thousands of years.

Please pray that discoveries like this will continue to enrich our understanding of Israel’s history.

Making His Story Known

One of our staff members chats with a visitor at our Ramat Gan center, pre-pandemic.

Please pray for our workers in Israel who have been diligently serving the Lord by sharing their testimonies with others—ways they have seen the Lord’s hand on their lives. Each staff member has a story of how the Lord called them to follow Him and wants to share that with others! Our diverse staff loves to share the gospel in creative and relevant ways, mostly by getting to know people, listening to them, and praying with them.

Please pray for more opportunities to talk with Israelis about the gospel! We want His story to be known.