Week of August 18, 2026
Israel Welcomes Extended Family of Persian Jews
Recently, a large family network of 47 people made Aliyah together from New York City. This extended family is of Persian (Iranian) descent and feel like they are finally coming home. The new immigrants are from the Mashhadi Jewish community, who can trace their history through the Assyrian exile of 722 BCE and the Babylonian exile of 586 BCE.
The families had lived in Iran until 1979 when they fled at the start of the Islamic Revolution. In New York City, the families had built a close-knit Persian Jewish community that celebrated traditions from both Persia and Babylonian Jewish culture. Many of the family members are treating their move to Israel as the end of their exile from the land. “You could say we have returned from the Babylonian exile. Once you understand that Israel is the home of the Jewish people, you understand that you need to make aliyah.” All of them had spent time in Israel, some serving as lone soldiers, but most lacked the courage to make the big move until they all decided to do it together. Another family member said, “It excites me to think that I will raise my family in Israel as Jews. All Jews need to understand that the exile is over and it is time to come home.”
Please pray for families like these to easily integrate into Israeli society, but more importantly, that they would meet other believers, hear about Yeshua, and ultimately come into a saving relationship with their Messiah!
Israel Sends Search and Rescue Delegation to Colombia
On August 10, a magnitude 7.4 earthquake hit Colombia, causing widespread damage, injury, and death. Local rescue services were overwhelmed, so Israel sent a group of 80 people—called Brit Re’im (Covenant of Friends)—consisting of Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers and officers from Home Front Command, as well as search-and-rescue teams with their dogs, to come and assist. Alongside other foreign rescue teams, Israel’s team joined local squads to search for survivors in the rubble, even after the critical 72-hour window for finding people still alive had passed. Home Front Command engineers were stationed at the city’s hospital, which was also damaged. They were advising the removal of debris from a damaged hospital wing where individuals were still trapped.
The IDF’s Spanish-language spokesman, Major (Reserve) Roni Kaplan said, “As you know, we have experience in Israel. Sometimes, unfortunately, our enemies launch missiles at densely populated civilian areas, leaving civilians under the rubble. And today we are taking that knowledge developed by Israel and making it available to Colombian citizens. Hopefully, we can contribute our small part here.”
Just days before the earthquake, Abelardo De La Espriella became Colombia’s president. He had vowed to restore ties with Israel, something his predecessor had cut. Much of De La Espriella’s campaign focused on reversing the previous decisions and “renewing a strategic alliance with the State of Israel.” Around the time of the inauguration, Israel’s Foreign Minister, Gideon Sa’ar, met with Vice President Jose Restrepo and said, “For Colombia, 2026 will be marked by the deepening and strengthening of its relationship with the State of Israel.”
Please pray that Israel’s search-and-rescue teams can help make a difference in Colombia’s earthquake-ravaged cities.
Israeli Intelligence Helps Secure President Trump’s Safety
Recent news reports have detailed the Iranian threat on President Trump’s life that caused him to board Air Force One and switch planes in Turkey following NATO meetings. Israel provided credible intelligence that Air Force One was targeted by Iranian shoulder-fired missiles, which led to a deception operation to secure the President’s safety. Due to the report from Israeli intelligence, President Trump was whisked off the plane after boarding in a catering truck where he was driven to a smaller military C-32A plane parked nearby. This smaller plane, and the Air Force One, flew to a US base in England. There, Trump reboarded the Air Force One and continued to Washington DC. All the while, reporters and members of President Trump’s security cabinet did not know of the Iranian threat, Israeli intelligence, or the deception to trick everyone that Trump was still aboard Air Force One when he had in fact secretly switched planes.
Please pray for the continued security assessments and intelligence-gathering technology Israel acquires, that it would protect people in danger in Israel and also in other nations around the world.
Another Wonderful Staff Report About Children’s Camps in Israel
Recently, our staff in Israel had the opportunity to hold two camps for teenagers. The main theme of both camps was “How to Hear God.” This is such an important question for teenagers today. They hear so many different voices around them—friends, social media, and the world they live in. We want to help them understand how God speaks to us, how we can recognize His voice, and how important it is to have a personal relationship with Him. Here is what one of our Israeli staff had to say about the camps:
“During the camps, we studied the Bible together, prayed, worshiped, and had many conversations. But of course, we also had a lot of fun! We went to a water park, took jeep rides, and went bowling. There was a lot of time to just be together and talk. When you spend several days together, teenagers begin to open up, and sometimes you hear things that they would never share during a short meeting.
“One 15-year-old boy especially touched our hearts. His family made Aliyah two years ago. Since coming to Israel, he had not really made friends and hardly communicated with anyone. He did not even want to come to the camp. But during the camp, we saw him slowly begin to open up. He started talking with the other teenagers, making friends, and becoming much more involved with the group. What encouraged us most was seeing him begin to pray together with us. This was a beautiful reminder of why these camps are so important.”
Pray that these teenagers will not only hear us talking about God, but that they will begin to seek Him personally, learn to recognize His voice, and respond to Him. Praise the Lord for every teenager He brings to us and for the privilege of being part of their lives. Pray that the seeds planted in their hearts will grow and bear fruit—in their lives, in their families, and even in the generations to come.
