Looking for meaningful Christmas or Hanukkah gift ideas? Consider gifting one of our titles.
Each book is a gift of truth, hope and transformation – perfect for friends, family or small-groups’ members.
Visit the links below to learn more about each of the books, and to place your order, so your gift is ready just in time for the holidays
Who is Knocking on My Door?
(book + study guide) – a powerful tool for emotional freedom and healing. Who is Knocking on Your Door? Available in English, Hebrew, Finnish, Norwegian, Russian and Arabic.
The Hidden Faces of God.A profound exploration of a hidden mystery and God’s character, that explains in simple words the role of Gentiles in His amazing plan. “His Faces”
Also available for purchase, a compilation of poems and drawings of Rivka Shechman, a holocaust survivor we had the privilege to know and love. He is Always With Me
To place your order, email us at otoomofet@gmail.com using the tag “book order” in the subject.
Anger, fear, depression, frustration – what are we to do with all these negative emotions? Why are they so much more powerful than the positive ones, and how is it that unpleasant thoughts take over our horizon and cause us to forget all the good things?
In this powerful lecture series, Orna reveals how the same God who brought the people of Israel out of slavery into freedom thousands of years ago, can cause the same transformation in our lives today.
Drawing on the Scriptures, and especially the mystery of the Tabernacle, she presents a model of healing and freedom that breaks cycles of addiction, oppression, and inner bondage.
The series was recorded in Hebrew in Israel, and is now available with English subtitles. It provides a practical pathway to becoming who we were truly created to be: free, strong, and whole.
If you are interested in personal coaching through this process, check this brochure, and prayerfully consider joining us in Israel next year, in order to attend this seminar.
There is much talk these days about the necessity of raising up an end-time army. However, it mostly refers to a spiritual one, such that will fight evil through prayer and intercession.
Is That All There Is?
Charlie Kirk’s assassination last week made it clear to me that this army cannot function only in the spiritual realm. Simply because the frontline the Body is facing these days is not only spiritual.
Major parts of the Western church, especially in Europe, embrace the world view called “pacifism”. Simply put, pacifism means that the God of the OT shifted from being a Man of War into the Prince of Peace, and that even in the face of violence, we must turn the other cheek.
For nearly two years, Israel has been fighting on more than seven fronts. Our armed forces usually prevail in all but one – spokesmanship. No matter what takes place on the ground, somehow facts are twisted in the media and social networks, and we turn out to be the bad guys. Mostly because it takes a split second to spread a lie, but much longer to check the facts and find what really happened. In this one front we keep losing the battle day in and day out.
A Great Opportunity
This creates a great opportunity for the church to take her place in this war and own this front.
Church, you need to stand up and speak truth out loud. To shout Truth from the rooftops. Not only on behalf of Israel, but mostly on behalf of Truth, especially for the sake of your next generations.
Kirk understood that well and did not love his life unto death. He adored Truth and believed that in it is the only hope for these lost crowds he was debating with. I listen to some of the questions and statements his audience uttered, and my eyes roll. So much ignorance.
So in light of his assassination and the implications it is already producing, I urge you, dear reader, to ask yourself: “How far am I willing to go for the sake of Truth?”
Most of you are reading my blog because you love Israel and want to stand with her. Will you do that even if it requires active confrontation? Are you willing to engage in this war? Or do you prefer to stay on the defense and for the most part turn the other cheek?
The level of evil we witnessed on October two years ago used weapons that are not only spiritual. That kind of evil constantly digs, schemes, learns our weak spots, and lurks in darkness, waiting for the moment that will enable it to kill, steal and destroy as many as possible. Twisting our minds is not enough anymore for our enemy.
The more authority and voice evil gains in the West, the more violence we will witness. Woke, progress, liberalism, left – however one calls it (I call it “Satan”) – strives to empty God’s names from their meaning and to silence His children. All he needs to do in order to win this front is to say we are wrong and then press the button. He doesn’t even have to prove it.
This front is not only virtual; it’s the very realm in which our children and grandchildren live. For them, whatever exists there IS reality.
Is God a Pacifist and Humanist?
Humanism is a philosophy that developed during the Renaissance, and is based on Hellenism and Greek mythology. It has various approaches, but the common denominator to all of them is the belief that man is inherently good, and will evolve into his ultimate goodness by his own efforts, mostly through education and reasonable living conditions. Obviously, this perception contradicts the Word of God.
God is undoubtedly humanitarian. He commands us to help others and to pursue a policy of welfare. But that does not necessarily make Him a humanist. The Bible contains quite a few stories that are hard for a humanist mind to settle with a good and sovereign God. Why would a God like that allow the killing of dozens or even hundreds of infants in Bethlehem just to save One that wasn’t even there? How can He command to destroy entire nations, or allow horrors such as the story of Rizpah Bat Aya and the concubine in Gibeah?
On one hand, He commands us to turn the other cheek and love our enemies (Mat. 5:39-46), but does that mean a believer is forbidden to actively fight evil?
Can Peace and War Dwell Together?
God’s nature did not change in the NT. The God of the NT – the “child who was born” and “the son given” to us (Isa. 9:5) – embodies two traits that at face value seem contradictory. In that very verse He is both described as the “Prince of Peace” and the “Mighty God” (the word in Hebrew translated into “mighty” means: a man who overcomes, who defeats his enemies, a heroic warrior).
How is this possible? How can these two traits work together? They can, since in reality, peace cannot be established only through love and acceptance, or by turning another cheek. One must actively fight evil, overcome it, at times even use force. The kind of evil that dares to raise its head today is not pacified by providing its carriers with education and opportunities to improve their lifestyle. On the contrary, it only grows stronger and waits for the right timing to manifest.
Israel learned this on October 7th, Europe is learning it the hard way right now, and apparently so is the United States.
Some Practical Ideas
“What can I do?” you ask.
Get actively involved in the discussion. Find someone around you who disagrees with you, listen to what they have to say, and take it back to the Word. Start equipping yourself with answers that are not derived from quotations of super and eloquent speakers like Douglas Murray, Ben Shapiro, or even Charlie Kirk, but from the bottom of your heart. From your own frustration and love for Truth.
Deal with your anger, of course. Bring it to God, let Him wash it with His blood, so that it will be His anger and not your human fragility your audience will eventually hear. It is Him through your voice that lost people need to encounter, not you speaking about Him.
“I believed, therefore I spoke,” said Paul (1 Cor. 4:13). Let it echo in the deepest places of your spirit and inspire you.
“Where do I start?” you ask. With any theme of your choice. Study thoroughly and systematically what Scripture has to say on subjects that burn deep in your heart. Is it gender identity, God’s plan for the nation of Israel, abortions, family values? Discuss these topics with people who disagree with you, and keep looking for facts and researching it in the Word, until they run out of answers. That is how one sharpens their weapons, that is how we develop our own battle cry – Truth spoken through our mouths.
Ps. 85:11-12 describes what happens when Truth comes forth from the earth: Justice, Grace and Peace – everything we long for. Well, the earth realm is our responsibility. If we want to reap justice, grace and peace, we must bring forth Truth from within our earthly bodies and vocal cords.
Join this army! Fill up and enrich your quiver, let Truth breathe passionate boldness into your heart, until you love it more than you love your own life.
Using Force in the New Testament
The Sermon on the Mount confuses us in that sense because it demands that we turn the other cheek. But this confusion can be sorted out once we understand that the sermon is not speaking to entire nations or groups, but to the individual. Nations or groups were not required to give their cloak when someone asked for their tunic, for example, or to pray in secret so that no one would see. The sermon is meant to make the individual excel in their spiritual conduct.
Matthew 5:39 cannot be interpreted as opposition to the Lord of Hosts or the Warrior described throughout the Old Testament. If the sermon was written for a group or nation, then there would be no place for public prayers, since we would be required to pray only in secret.
Examples From the New Testament
Does the NT teach we should use force and weapons at times?
Tax collectors and soldiers came to John the Baptist. These were the two professions most despised by the people. John, who was not afraid to rebuke Herod for his relations with his brother’s wife, surely was not afraid from the authority these people carried. Interestingly, He did not tell them to change careers, only to behave fairly (Luke 3:12-14).
Yeshua healed the centurion’s servant, praised him for his faith and the way he used his authority. Not once did he ask him to put away his weapon (Mat. 8:9-10).
When Peter stroke the ear of the high priest’s servant, Yeshua did not tell him to break the sword or get rid of it, only to put it back into its sheath (John 18:10-11).
Cornelius was a centurion, and thus equipped with arms. Yet the NT describes him as a devout and God-fearing man, whose righteousness and prayers God remembered (Acts 10:2-4). He had a God-fearing soldier (v. 7), who served with him, and none of them were required to change professions.
By the way, most members of the Roman community were retired soldiers. Throughout the epistle, there is no mention that any of them were required to repent of their occupational past.
Paul clarifies to believers in Rome that governing authorities are God’s servants who hold the sword to execute wrath on wrongdoers (Rom. 13:4). He demands that they pay taxes properly to fund these authorities.
On one hand, He commands us to turn the other cheek, to love our enemies, and to walk the extra mile with them. On the other, He describes Himself as a man of war and as the Lord of Hosts. How can these two be reconciled?
In Germany, there are many Christians who intercede for Israel, who understand its role in God’s plan and stand as watchmen on its walls through faithful prayer. How should they pray in the current situation – ongoing war and claims of famine in Gaza, inflicted by Israel? Should Israel turn the other cheek, or act as the arm of the Lord of Hosts, the Man of war?
How are Christians in Europe, especially in Germany, meant to deal with the wave of wars rising across their continent, which at any moment could escalate into another world war? What does God say about this?
From August 21st to the 28th, Orna will be visiting various congregations and organizations in the Saxony region in Germany, teaching about the Tabernacle that God wants to build inside each one of us – as well as about these important topics.
Here are the dates and locations. We’d love for you to join us and meet her there.
Was it born in India or China? Some insist it originated in Persia. Either way, there is no debate about the meaning of the name in Persian: Checkmate means “the Shah (king, top leader) is dead.” Or literally: “remove the king”, “the king is stunned”, “an ambush for the king.”
How Does One Win the Game?
The game is over when one opponent is threatened by the other side’s (“check”), or unable to strike its king, block the threat with another piece, or escape anywhere else on the board. You can all draw the parallel to the modern version of Checkmate going on this week in modern Persia.
Here on earth
Mediating the news and events here is not my calling. There are so many channels that provide this data. You probably don’t need my 10 cents worth of that. But I do want to give you a small glimpse into my own life these days.
Before this war with Persia even started, I moved to my sister’s home in Modi’in, about half an hour from my home. Far enough to be away from my routine and slow down, yet close enough to run back and grab what I need or check on my plants. I didn’t feel like flying anywhere for vacation, but I needed to allow my soul and body to breathe and process. And anyway, things change at a drop of a hat here these days. So much is happening every hour, goodness!
I was planning on slow hikes up the gorgeous hill right around the corner, downloading my thoughts on God’s shoulders and into my computer, enjoying nice coffee shops in the mornings, that kind of stuff.
Until Friday, around 3 am
Our phones were all taken over by the Home Front Command, with a frightening and rather unusual alert. We were instructed to stay near safe zones and be prepared for the siren that might go off in the next 15-30 min.
We’re pretty much used to staying in these safe zones by now. The missiles regularly launched at us by the Houthis from Yemen kept this particular muscle well trained. We know where to run to. Safe rooms are stocked with water, a radio and batteries, chargers, snacks, torches- whatever is needed to stay there for a few hours. At this stage, our level of panic is relatively low. We’re tired, yet prepared.
Later on Friday morning I went shopping. The streets were empty and events were canceled all over the country (including the massive Pride Parade planned in Tel Aviv, thank God). But as soon as Home Front Command announced that the drone threat sent our way was removed, the cafés opened, and stores filled up with shoppers who wanted to prepare for Shabbat.
Israel’s Channel 14 is the most right-wing channel in the land. They have always been Netanyahu’s staunch supporters. Yet, I’ve never heard their commentators and hosts ascribing the events to God the way they have been doing since that morning. It is a big source of comfort for me in this unusual time. “Sing to the Lord, for He has done glorious things; let this be known in all the earth” (Is. 12:5). Go for it, channel 14!
That’s what’s happening here on earth.
A Divine Situation Room – what’s happening in heaven?
I don’t exactly know, but I would like to share what’s happening in the alleyways of my own heart when I seek God and try to connect to His.
For the past few weeks, I’ve been immersed in the Book of Isaiah. Many prophecies from this book are coming true before our very eyes, yet, I’m not reading it in search of fulfilled prophecies, but rather seeking a vocabulary I can turn into arrows to store in my prayer quiver. I read it verse by verse, chapter by chapter. Sometimes I pause for a while on a single verse, sometimes I go through several chapters at once.
Every time I come across a verse that describes the current state of things or what needs to transpire, I stop and declare it. I don’t plead, I hardly ask. I mostly declare. I put Isaiah’s lofty words into my mouth and soul, into my weariness and apathy and fears, and I launch them toward invisible targets. I do this with tears, mostly repenting for our national stubbornness and blindness, which has brought upon us God’s wrath and judgment.
I thank Him for the fulfillment of Isaiah 12 – that His anger will turn away and He will comfort us – and I declare that the people of Israel will begin to draw water with joy from the wells of salvation (v. 3), will call upon His name and exalt it (v. 4).
Or chapter 14. It speaks of the king of Babylon, but since everything said there has already been fulfilled concerning that evil empire, I feel confident to now declare it about the leadership of Iran.
Yesterday morning I reached verse 23 and just fell in love with it: “I will sweep it with the broom of destruction.” I grabbed a broom and started sweeping and proclaiming.
The broom of destruction – what a beautiful term. I can see God with a divine broom in His hand, sweeping away – beyond the ends of the earth – all those whose hearts are arrogant, all those who think they can sit above His throne. That’s one of His weapons! The fact that He signs this verse not as the God of Israel or the God of the nations, but as “the Lord of Hosts”, as the General – that says it all. I’m enlisting and continuing to sweep.
I do this out of complete faith that in doing so, I’m cooperating here on earth with what God is doing in these very days. Right now, the Middle East is a chessboard on which He is moving His pieces at an unimaginable pace and in unexpected directions. And I want to make sure I don’t get caught in a spiritual ambush that can paralyze me. I want to be sure that no one can declare “checkmate” on me.
I’m not talking about my personal life, but about that place within me that carries Israel like a widow who doesn’t recognize her husband, who insists on continuing to turn her back on Him. I repent every time Isaiah’s rich vocabulary reminds me of another area in which our people behave as if we are the hand moving the pieces on the board and not just one of the pieces.
Friends, brothers, sisters, co-heirs: I invite you to join me on this journey into the depths of Isaiah’s vocabulary. The IDF and Mossad agents may indeed excel in the precision and depth of their strikes, but these are not enough. They were not enough on October 7th, right? Our arm of flesh might be impressive, but it is only flesh, a piece on the board.
All of us – even you who are not in the Land – can enlist these days in the army of the Lord of Hosts. In the face of “the sound of a tumult on the mountains, like that of a great multitude! The sound of the uproar of kingdoms, of nations gathering together”, each of us can line up behind “the Lord of Hosts mustering the host for battle” (Is. 13:4). Even if you are “from a far country, from the end of the heavens”, you can serve as an instrument in the hand of “the Lord and the weapons of His indignation, to destroy the whole land” (verse 5).
Here is a peek into the reality we live in. Le’ah, one of my besties, updated our little circle of life-long friends with her whereabouts this past Thursday. As we read it, we wept, laughed, clapped our hands, worried…
Read it, if you wonder how we are doing these days in Israel.
Thursday morning she wakes up (all of us around here) to the terrible news of the terrorist attack in Washington. Yaron is a young Israeli believer who served in the Israeli embassy in Washington, and was murdered with his fiancé. Le’ah knows the family well.
A few minutes later, one of her sons calls from his base. His unit is going deeper into Gaza and he knew he won’t have access to his phone for a while. He wanted his parents to hear his voice and wish them an early Shabbat Shalom.
Wanting to breathe a little, she went out with her husband for breakfast. While at the café, the sirens went off and everyone on the street ran into the bomb shelter.
By noon, she arrived at Hadassah hospital with her eldest son, for his annual oncologic check-up, and also to say goodbye to the doctor, who cared for him for the past 20 years and was now retiring.
From there she drove to her office “just for a couple of minutes,” but left it 3 hours later.
Back home she started cooking for the guests she expected that evening. In the midst of that all, her eldest son and his fiancé performed their civil legal wedding via Zoom (the formal wedding will be in Israel in a few weeks). All the tears accumulated since that morning broke during that event, as they acknowledged their son’s healing and celebrated his bright future!
Finally, after the guests left, they got to bed. In the middle of the night, the sirens went off again. Out of bed, rush to the shelter, back to bed, hoping to finally rest and catch their breath. However, the day was not over yet.
Early that morning the phone rings. Her brother was on the line. His wife went into labor, and wanted to leave his two baby girls with her.
So how are we doing?
We often go from one extreme to the other in one day. We are facing birth and death and risk to our lives on an ongoing basis. We are stretched physically and emotionally, yet somehow find the strength to still cook, host, do our laundry…
Oh, yeah, there is now a new baby in the family. And if everything goes well, in just a few days they will celebrate his circumcision.
P.S.
There is nothing that unique about this report. This is how the day looks like for many of us since October 2023.
What Can You Do?
God is stretching our souls and bodies to new measures. Not in order to make us more flexible, but so that we lift our heads up and our eyes higher. Higher than the ability and schemes of our army, higher than the wits of our leaders, even higher than Trump’s agenda.
“You, Lord, reign forever; your throne endures from generation to generation.Why do you always forget us? Why do you forsake us so long? Restore us to yourself, Lord, that we may return; renew our days as of old,unless you have utterly rejected us and are angry with us beyond measure.” (Lam. 5:19-22).
The highlighted words above – Restore us to yourself that we may return – are translated from 3 Hebrew words: Hashivenu Eleicha VeNashuva. It literally says: Bring us back to you so we may repent.
This is what it’s all about – a powerful and painful plan, designed to make us turn back to Him. Pain and suffering can take a person in two opposite directions: either harden one’s heart (as happened with Pharaoh), or soften it.
Please pray for us along these lines. I’m not even recruiting prayer for relief or ease of circumstances. I’m asking you to pray that in the midst of the intensity here, we will turn back, soften our hearts, and re-find the strength that dwells in our knees.
My father was a holocaust survivor. He was born in 1931 and was only 8 when the war broke.
My grandmother decided to take her kids and flee the village they lived in.
The oldest daughter decided to stay behind, and only when the war ended and they were able to return home did they find out she was captured by the Nazi soldiers who raped her in the middle of the street and left her to die.
They managed to hide in the barn of a Polish farmer, paying handsomely to the owner. When the money ran out, my they were sent away. They survived the ghetto and even the death marches they endured for months. All of which left their mark on each and every one.
My father never shared much with us about his experiences. Like many of his generation, it hurt to try and tell your children of the horrors you have been through. Most of the stories we know of today are from what his sister and other family members shared over the years.
In 2025, Israel remains home to one of the largest and most active communities of Holocaust survivors in the world. Although the total number of survivors continues to decline each year due to aging, it is estimated that they number around 124,000 (this number includes survivors, refugees, and victims of antisemitic persecution).
Most of the survivors are in their mid to late 80s, 90s, and beyond.
Despite the challenges of advanced age and the passage of time, Israel in 2025 remains deeply committed – at governmental, communal, and personal levels —to honoring Holocaust survivors, ensuring their welfare, and safeguarding their stories for future generations.
Though the Israeli government provides some support to survivors, many feel we are not doing enough to assist and preserve this great generation. Many find themselves in dire financial states, often having to choose between food or medication to make their small stipends stretch as much as possible.
One of the greatest needs these survivors have is for companionship. Many find themselves very lonely, especially as their loved ones age and pass. We have been fortunate to work with a group of holocaust survivors over the years, celebrating them and with them, and assisting where we could.
Rivka was one of the holocaust survivors we were honored to work with. Sadly, she passed in 2017. This video was recorded a year prior to her passing.
Staring Death in the Eye 0 Rivka Shechman
So today, as Israel commemorates Holocaust Memorial Day, I remember. I honor my dad for the life he lived despite the atrocities and horrors he saw and experienced. I remember Rivka and the color she brought into my life. And all the others we have been privileged to walk through life with. We remember.
Daniel Weiss grew up in Kibutz Be’eri. He survived October 7th but his parents – Shmulik and Yehudit Weiss – did not.
Daniel is a musician and artist. He became a well-known figure thanks to his story and his powerful performances.
In this rendition of “Let My People Go!” he is one of the soloists (standing 3rd from right and crying out loud at the end for his friends and relatives to be released from the dark tunnels of Gaza).
It is so hard to fathom celebrating our freedom when 59 of our own are still held captive. It makes me realize how many layers there are to true freedom.
Israel is going through a process of several layers of freedom. In the past 150 years or so we have been set free from exile; So in the geographical sense, we can celebrate our freedom, though not in fullness.
But what about our souls’ freedom? And our spiritual freedom? We are certainly not there. And as long as these kidnapped are not back home, our national soul is in bondage with them. Most Israelis, as we sit around the Seder table tonight, will refer to their suffering and our fear for their lives and sanity.
But the very fact that we can sing (yes, with tears, but still sing) and declare that our people will be let go, speaks even stronger. Simply because it means that promises are being fulfilled right before our very eyes, suffering turns into a powerful tool in God’s hand to mold our soul and awaken our spirit, and hope is becoming an anchor.
Join us as we weep and pray – that this heart’s cry of a whole nation to Let Our People Go will not only come from our souls but also from our spirits; that we will not only focus on relieving our pain but realize there is a glorious plan behind it; that we will turn this cry to the Only One who can make that happen.
My Shabbats’ routine is repeating itself these days: I am usually glued to the screen for long hours, waiting for the next photo or update to appear.
It begins in the morning, with the setup of a staged scene in Gaza, designed by Hamas to project a sense of control. Banners with Hebrew slogans – often with typos – hung around the stage. Last week, the set included a picture of a fist with six (!) fingers, interesting when you recall the description of some Philistine warriors in 2 Samuel 21:18-22. Was this simply a mistake of a careless artist, or an intentional act?
Photo: REUTERS/Hatem Khaled
Then starts a long wait until the white Hamas vehicles enter the frame. On our end we hold our breath. The door finally opens, sometimes after agonizing, endless minutes.
The Israeli media scrambles to identify which of the kidnapped is inside. Do they look like themselves? Are they on their feet? So far, yes… A brief sigh of relief. We can breathe.
Tears fill everyone’s eyes, including our news anchors, who by now are so familiar with the families and the story of each of those kidnapped. Some of these reporters were the only people families managed to reach on the phone on October 7th. They were calling from closets, bedrooms, or so-called safe rooms, when neither our army nor the police knew what to do.
The next phase of the Hamas horror show starts. They are masters in squeezing every possible opportunity to film and exploit the kidnapped, forcing them to express gratitude to their captors. One more opportunity for humiliation they are not going to miss.
At last, the kidnapped are handed over to the Red Cross. We endure another long wait… 30… 40 minutes… sometimes even an hour… until the Red Cross’ vans reach the IDF’s. Only then the Israeli media finally confirms: They are in Israeli hands.
An Empty Bosom
The cameras shift back and forth to the homes of those who are released that day, capturing their families oscillating between tears, joy, and fear. In these moments I usually pray that these relatives will lift their eyes to God. That they will thank Him, and catch a glimpse of His Face.
I also pray for the fabric of our national soul – for Israel the widow, who is longing and waiting to embrace her returning broken children. I pray that this moment will spark a national realization, of how desperately we need our Husband, how we are unable to fully protect our people on our own. The IDF and our leaders are simply not enough. We need Someone higher, greater (and no, I am not referring here to President Trump).
Next we wait for the IDF vehicles to cross the Re’im border point with Gaza, with the returning captives inside. Knowing they have been tormented by men all these months, most of them will be treated by female officers, doctors and nurses at the beginning. So a high-ranked female officer meets them, and assures them that they are home, that they are safe.
They undergo initial medical assessments – do they need emergency treatment? Should they be rushed by ambulance to the nearest hospital or can they be flown to a better-equipped facility in central Israel?
Then they shower. Shave, if they want to. And at last, they will embrace a loved one. This is the image we all anticipate. When that moment finally airs, it shatters us to pieces.
I think of the bosoms of the mothers, fathers, children, who have been empty and aching since October 2023, longing for this moment. They just want to take a deep look into the eyes of the kidnapped, to touch their skin, smell them, check if they are sane, and assure them that they will never leave them again, that they are safe now, that they will be all right.
Sagui Dekel-Chen reunites with his wife and parents. Watch how his dad hugs and kisses him… makes me wonder how God feels when one of His children is set free from bondage and comes back home
At this point I pray for God’s longing to be fulfilled, for His bosom to be filled with His children, that we will all run to His embrace. These moments give me a glimpse into centuries of pain and yearning that had filled our Abba’s heart towards His people. We, too, have been kidnapped – by our own ignorance and terrible choices.
Lord, turn our faces to You. Turn Your Face toward us. Show us Your longing and mercy. Forgive us, Abba, for failing to see the deep spiritual parallels in this nightmare. Have mercy on us, not according to what we deserve, but according to Your covenant with us.
This entire horror show goes on for six or seven hours. Through it all, millions here endure this same emotional roller coaster together. It creates a profound sense of solidarity, simply because we are all experiencing the same extreme emotions, even if we do not know each other.
For me, this is another opportunity to dive into the depths of our national soul, which is broken, yet full of hope. Mourning, yet rejoicing. Helpless, yet active. Worried, yet determined.
How Can This Be?
For months, our government has assured us that Hamas is weakening. They probably are, yet, there they stand – uniformed, armed, orchestrating the spectacle. How can that be? What will it take to finally get them our of the picture?
Hamas is not just an entity. It’s an ideology. An evil one, birthed in the pits and tunnels of hell. Changing or annihilating it requires long-term education and relentless efforts. It takes a different level of war. Such a sobering reality.
With Trump’s unprecedented declarations, that might happen. Perhaps the education system in Gaza will eventually lead to a generation that won’t be brain-washed. Hamas’ ideology is still around, but I choose to remember that Zionism has the upper hand. Simply because it is not just one more ideology. It’s not just a modern political movement. Zion is God’s throne. It’s a physical place with an eternal plan that was birthed in Heaven, and this is the one that will prevail.
No wonder most of the world opposes it.
The Restoration Starts
Kibbutz Be’eri is one of those who were pogromed on that day. It was the biggest in the region, with about 1,200 members. On October 7th, early 10% (101 members) were butchered. 31 kidnapped, including kids.
The surviving community moved to a hosting kibbutz in the region, who quickly built a new neighborhood for them, so they would still be together and support each other. Today, nearly 15 months later, 21 babies have been born in that community. In this season of Tu Bishvat – the Israeli annual day of tree-planting and a symbol of renewal and restoration – I rejoice as once more the enemy tried to annihilate us and sow chaos in this land, yet we are multiplying, and taking deep roots.
Four of the Be’ri babies born since October 7th (Picture credit: Hanoch Daum)
Small Stories That Tell The Big One
One of the first things Gadi Moses, 80, said on the day of his release from Hamas captivity, was: “I will do everything I can to rehabilitate my kibbutz.” Since he was discharged from the hospital a few days ago, he is constantly searching for nature, wanting to touch the soil, breathe the air of Israel again and focus on the future.
Gadi says he did not get sick even once during captivity. His captor, however, fell ill at some point, and Gadi found himself taking care of him. He could have taken his captor’s weapon and escape, but he didn’t know where he was or who would find him outside. So, he stayed and even gave a massage… to his captor.
Sagui’s third daughter was born on his birthday, while he was in Hamas’ tunnels. On Saturday he met her for the first time, and heard her name – Shachar, meaning Dawn, in hope of a dawn of a new day.
Ya’ir is a devout fan of the Be’er Sheva soccer team. Shortly after his release, when he climbed up the aircraft that would take him to the hospital, he asked the pilot to fly over the stadium.
It happened that a soccer match was taking place in the stadium at that time. As the helicopter hovered over, you can imagine the shouts of joy of the spectators and players.
Ya’ir wrapped the Israeli flag around him while on the helicopter. That is the image he wanted everyone to remember when he stepped off the military helicopter onto the hospital’s landing pad.
Yes, they are angry at what they had to endure. That is obvious and expected. But neither of them thinks of revenge or hatred. They just want to see the rest of the kidnapped make it back home, their families healed and their communities restored.
Orna Grinman | Ot OoMofet Ministries | A Sign and Example 