What do you think about this: are you for or against Israel?
As if that matters: God does not ask us for our opinion.
I think the Bible speaks clearly: The Jewish people are God’s people, Israel is God’s land, and Jerusalem is God’s city. Because Jerusalem is God’s city, there is no room for discussion about Jerusalem. This is the city of the Great King. The LORD has chosen ZION. This is My dwelling place (Psalm 132). Elsewhere, it is called the Throne of the LORD.
There is something about Israel and Jerusalem that makes people uneasy or uncomfortable. I don’t think it’s about the government being corrupt (name me a country with a righteous government) or that they don’t know what to do with the so-called “settlers,” or about Gaza, or…. If you ask further, you are greeted with silence.
It seems as if Jerusalem, the capital of Israel, is already that intoxicating cup to all the surrounding peoples, causing drunkenness, poisoning, preventing further clear thinking. Zechariah 12 continues:
On that day, I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all peoples; all who lift it will surely hurt themselves. And all the nations of the earth will gather against it. (Zech 12: 2–3)
Today, the nation’s call for peace, but they create war. I receive a lot of information and, unfortunately, our once-Christian nations and some churches/congregations have lost their way. We pray in a humanistic way (based on our feelings or what we read) and no longer according to the Word of God.
I’ll read a little further in chapter 12. On that day, I will destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. So I ask you to bless and do not curse!
His feet will soon stand on the Mount of Olives in east Jerusalem, and the LORD will reign over the whole world. On that day, the LORD will be the only One, and His Name the only one. Hallelujah!
Could the problem be deeper, what makes it all so uncomfortable? Could it be that it’s not so much about what Israel does, but who Israel is? That God has everything to do with it?
God is busy making His agenda a reality in our days. I am very grateful that He keeps His promises!
In the meantime, there is still a lot to do. After the big summer break, everyone is gearing back into action. Meetings, visits, and requests for help are piling up on our desk. The challenge is that there are too few workers everywhere. Many young people are in the army. The people we’ve worked with over the years have left, and new leadership has taken over. So, there are a lot of changes. Also, we are in the middle of the autumn Jewish holidays: Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, and Sukkot.
Of course, we are continuing with all the therapies for children.
All therapies focus on relieving post-traumatic stress in children through play and stimulation therapy, group activities, and one-on-one support. We work in the affected communities in the Gaza border area to help children cope with anxiety, sleep problems, and behavioral changes. Since the attack in October 2023, our work has become more relevant than ever. In the summer of 2025, almost two years later, many residents are still struggling with anxiety, loneliness, and the aftermath of loss; children, parents, and even grandparents are looking for ways to rebuild their lives.
How Yad L’Ami brings hope
We believe that real help starts with personal attention. That’s why we have set up a music room in Kibbutz Yad Mordechai, a haven for everyone affected by the violence along the Gaza border.
This project, which brings deep healing through learning a musical instrument or singing, now has 180 students from 10 nearby communities. The youngest participant is just 2 years old, the oldest is 95.
Everyone pays a small amount for the lessons, and we cover the rest of the expenses with your donations. Music helps them process emotions, connect, and find a smile again, from toddlers singing, to grandparents playing the guitar.
The resilience of Kibbutz Yad Mordechai inspires us all. Music touches the heart where words cannot reach.
Kibbutz Nir Am, also, is choosing to hope and not despair. There, too, the kibbutz has set up a music room situated in an underground bomb shelter. So far, 12 young people have signed up for lessons that will commence after the autumn holidays, in mid-October. We will help cover part of the lesson costs for the first three months; then we’ll see how this project develops.
These projects are very exciting, and with your help we continue to be their hands and heart in line with our name: Yad L’Ami – a helping hand for My people. To be continued.
Kibbutz Sufa
On October 7, 2023, the kibbutz was heavily hit during the Hamas attack. Terrorists invaded, killing three residents, Bernard Cohen, Ofir Erez, and Ido Hubara, and injuring others. Only a few armed kibbutz residents managed to take out many attackers, preventing an even greater disaster. The entire community was then evacuated.
Over the past year, we have been able to help them: on a number of occasions, car-loads of volunteers made the two-hour drive to clean the residents’ houses so that they could return following evacuation to clean and tidy homes that they needed to abandon at short notice due to the October 7 attack and the ensuing devastation.
In January, a group of Dutch men came and landscaped the gardens and greenery. Last week, we went again with a group from the Netherlands to do a lot of hands-on work to complete the tasks. It wasn’t just about rolling up our sleeves; there were many encounters and conversations, including with the women whose husbands were murdered. The little ones at the daycare center were given teddy bears, and the older children received Lego. Thanks to the Ruth’s Choice foundation, https://www.ruths-choice.nl, we were able to give all residents a pot of tea herbs along with a beautifully handwritten card for encouragement. This were received with great love.
Due to the proximity to Gaza, Kibbutz Sa’ad also faces ongoing stress: think of the frequent rocket barrages since 2002 culminating on October 7, 2023! The personal approach taken for the children at the school in Sa’ad, through dog and horse therapy, offers much hope and recovery. In the therapy garden and animal corner, children learn to deal with anxiety through various activities.
Many animals in the animal corner died during the war due to direct rocket attack or stress. Thanks to a generous donation, we were able to provide many new animals, but the place itself needs a complete overhaul. We’re going to do something about that! We will finance the supply of lots of greenery, special seating areas for therapeutic guidance, and finally the purchase of additional animals. This will not just be for Sa’ad but for the entire region. This project needs prayer and financial support, and we hope it will help get these children’s lives back on track and ease their traumas.
Horse therapy is already underway: 20 children are receiving 12 weeks of therapy. After that, we will switch to the next group. The same goes for dog therapy: 6 groups of 5 children are each receiving 12 weeks of therapy, and then we will finance another group.
Kibbutz Zikim.
The surf therapy has worked wonders! One of the mothers writes:
“From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for your contribution, which allowed my son to participate in an unforgettable activity at sea. Tired but fulfilled, he came back each time with a wide smile and sparkling eyes. Day by day, we saw him overcome a challenge, reach a new peak, stand on the surfboard for a moment, fall, and get back up. His confidence grew before our eyes, along with a sense of success and true joy that grew within him. We live in a complex time, full of uncertainties and challenges, and our children feel that deeply. We don’t know what the long-term effects will be, but we are certain that through experiences like this, we give them resilience, confidence, and hope for the future. Thank you for this opportunity! With gratitude, Shaked.”
We have promised to continue supporting this therapy in the coming year.
Holocaust survivors
Everyone was very happy with another visit and truly grateful for all your help. Some are still doing well, but others are fragile. Almost everyone is between 85 and 95 years of age.
As several people have mild or severe dementia, speaking with them in Hebrew is also becoming more difficult; I think Hebrew is the first thing they lose. Almost all of them talked about the Second World War. The war we’re in now, especially when they see the horrific images of the hostages who have lost weight and look terrible, brings them back to their own experiences and those of their families. One of them shared that only she and her mother survived the war and that they had had nothing left to eat. Her mother made soup from grass, which she didn’t like, but because her mother said it would make her beautiful, she ate it obediently. All these memories resurface.
This war is tough for them. Some don’t have a bomb shelter and need to go down four or more floors because their building’s shelter is in the basement. That’s no longer possible for them, so they seek the safest spot in their home or in the stairwell.
You probably don’t hear about the ballistic missiles we still regularly receive from the Houthis in Yemen. Several times a week the sirens sound and many thousands or millions of people need to enter bomb shelters. The war has lasted too long, and we all suffer under it, especially these elderly people, for whom so much past horror resurfaces.
In the last 10 months, 6 grandparents have passed away, and one has been admitted to a care home. The list of elderly people living below the poverty line is growing. Twenty-two people receive a monthly food voucher of 300 Shekels (approximately 75 Euros).
Little is now said
The world chooses to suppress or ignore what happened on 7 October 2023; the truth fades and becomes clouded. International pressure is put on Israel and not on Hamas, but we don’t forget for a day or even an hour.
More than 720 days have passed since the horrific and monstrous massacre committed by thousands of Hamas terrorists, along with Gaza residents, on innocent people in Israel. In one day, 1,163 people were murdered, from a 14-hour-old baby to elderly people over 90. 251 people were kidnapped to Gaza, 48 are still being held there, some alive, enduring endless torment, starvation, and torture in Gaza’s tunnels.
The massacre was accompanied by rapes, mutilations, beheadings, abuse, and disgusting sadism.
Reminder: If Hamas lays down its weapons today and releases the hostages, the war will be over.
LORD, come quickly to deliver Israel and us!
Your support makes a difference
Thanks to your prayers, commitment and financial support, we can provide therapy for children, support the elderly and restore hope to entire communities. Together, we make a difference. Thank you so much for your loyalty!
Ria Doekes