Friday, February 20, 2026

Arrows 2026 Feb 20 Serving Israel — Commitment Not Comfort

SPOTLIGHT: Chaim Jaepeth Malespin
 Serving Israel — Commitment Not Comfort

If there is anyone who has demonstrated personal commitment to serve God’s purposes in Israel instead of serving personal comfort, I do believe Chaim has been a standout in my eyes over the past years of war, ministry and Israel advocacy. We look at little children and wonder where they get the energy, but as I have watched this young family man over the past few years, 41 years old, I have marveled at Chaim’s energy to run like the mighty men of valor the Bible speaks of.  
     As the namesake of Chaim’s middle name, Jaepeth, he is clearly a gibor-heyil —a mighty man of valor, a term that implies more than physical strength, but also spiritual bravery, a leader and judge of Israel. (Judges 11:1) Like the decendants of Issachar, there were thousands of men described the same, mighty men of valor, "men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do." (1 Chr 12:32)
Chaim Malespin is one of the shining examples of so many younger ministers in Israel who have stepped into leadership among the people of God who know and minister in their faith in Yeshua/Jesus with great liives testifying to the truth of Israel’s Messiah. There are many young men and women stepping into the ministry leadership where some of our favorite people have stood for many years. It is often a hard adjustment to make, to receive the younger leaders as the older leaders pass the duties to them. I would just like to urge all of my subscribers and readers to realize this is an anointed generation in Israel. Discipled, Equipped, Nurtured, Tested, Committed, and Supported still by their elders still on hand when they are needed for counsel and strength of experience. Let us uphold their arms in prayer as we have done for their spiritual fathers before them. They were born and raised up for such a time as this that we have already entered into.
    
Chaim on Feb 16 2026: I didn’t come to Israel to be comfortable. I came to be faithful. When I made Aliyah at fifteen, I knew it would cost something. Israel is not a place you choose for ease. It is a place you choose for calling. Through serving in the IDF, standing in times of war, and helping new immigrants rebuild their lives in the Galilee, I have learned that faithfulness is not proven in comfort. It is made in commitment.

     This land does not promise comfort. It promises purpose. Whether on the battlefield or welcoming families home, I am here because I believe the restoration of Israel is a biblical promise unfolding in our generation. Faithfulness means standing when it is hard, building when it costs, and saying yes to God’s purposes no matter the price.
   Chaim’s VIDEO update 2/20: Swords of Iron – ‘Iran War Inevitable’Israel placed on High Alert

Spotlighting another young Israeli ministry leader
Christian Arab Robert "Rubi" Bishai

Rubi Bishai, the Christian Arab Fields of Wheat Team Member writes, “"When I first joined Katzir, I’ll be honest, I felt kind of jealous. I saw Messianic Jewish teens encountering God, being discipled, being raised up with vision and purpose. And I thought: I want my people to have this too. I want Arab Christian young people to encounter God deeply. To know the Scriptures. To see themselves as active participants in God’s story, not passive observers. To believe there is a future for them here, in this land. That longing is what started this journey for me.”
     Arab Christians make up roughly 17% of all college students in Israel. They have the highest high-school graduation rates, the lowest unemployment, and are among the most educated ethnic groups not only in Israel, but globally. . . .Arab Christians have always been part of the fabric of this land. And yet, something troubling is happening:
A quiet exodus. Why?
 There are two major reasons: "crime in many Arab towns has surged. Gang violence has taken hold in entire neighborhoods....Although Arabs make up about 20% of Israel’s population, nearly half of all homicides occur within the Arab community. Many innocent people, especially Christian families, feel unsafe." And the 2nd reason: "Many Arab Christians, especially from Catholic and Orthodox backgrounds, are becoming increasingly secular. Alongside this, the community is undergoing rapid “Westernization.” When a culture that once emphasized family, community, faith, and rootedness shifts toward individualism and global mobility, something is lost. People begin to feel less connected: to the church, to one another, and eventually, to the land itself. The impact is painful and visible."

     Now more than ever, it is crucial to raise up a rooted generation of Arab believers, young men and women who love Jesus, love the land, and see themselves as builders and part of the story. This past year, we experienced a real breakthrough. Arab churches and ministries have begun to open their doors. We are forming partnerships. There is a willingness to nurture this seed together, trusting God to bring fruit in the years ahead.

     In order to move this vision forward, I’ll be traveling to the United States to meet with churches and key leaders who share this burden and see the urgency of the moment. I want to ask you to pray for us: That God would open the right doors | That we would find partners who believe in this vision | And that my travels would go smoothly given the current weather [Travel dates: Feb 15–20: Nashville, TN | Feb 21–22: Knoxville, TN | Feb 23–26: Maryland | Mar 5–8: Richmond, VA | email to connect

Arrows from Zion
Summarized from the Prayer Requests Israeli Ministries

Contact Chaim Malespin through The Faithful Galileans and contact Rubi Bishai through Fields of Wheat

Sally Shiff, the English speaking liaison at the HaMaayan congregation kept us on daily up updates throughout the war in Gaza. She continues to update us with pertinent info like how there are a great many Arabs who serve in the IDF including Israel’s New Face to the Arab World: Captain Ella Appointed IDF Arabic Spokesperson. Sally sends Part 2 Gary Hamrick "The Everlasting Covenant: God’s Promise to Israel. As she says so well: “. I cannot stress enough the importance of you, my dear friends, praying for us. Not because we are special (everyone is), but we are the "canary in the coal mine". What happens here affects the world.” | A later email focused on the Islamic Call to Prayer that blares our in the Dearborn, MI community and now in New York City too. (DD: Serious issues of rising Islam in Texas I could spend pages updated you onto!) Sally notes: “Yes there is a fundamental right to pray and worship, that is not the ISSUE. The issue is the imposition on others. Now I am speaking as a Believer living in Israel, these prayers are MUCH MORE than "prayers". Allah, the god of the Islam faith is NOT THE SAME AS God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob. Rather, he is a false god, and ANY false god is demonic. The call to prayer is so much more than innocuous; it is a shielded call to arms.” TAKE HEED!

The congregation of Carmel led by Dani & LuAnne Sayag send these Online messages: Peter Tsukahira/Absalom’s Rebellion and LuAnne Sayag/The Veil was Torn for You Pastor Dani Sayag continues on Life of King David series| See all the HaCarmel online messages here.

Ronit Bender, who is also a congregant at HaCarmel, writes of 2 women she has recently led to faith. One she wrote of who was her former Arabic landlady in Isfiya. You may remember the tragic story and how the woman became confined to a wheelchair. When the husband invited Ronit to visit them, even through the pain they caused Ronit did visit, and the woman came to faith. Now less than 2 months later the woman suddenly died – but has gone to Heaven because Ronit went and didn’t hold back in her own pain. She asks for prayers for the husband too, who now finds himself alone and having watched the miracle of salvation play out before his eyes. He knows Ronit was sent by God just in time for his wife. Deep in his heart this is the witness. Another lady that Ronit has been talking with for years, in her fears over what is going to happen in this showdown with Iran, was ready to come to faith. Ronit told her how she cannot run from her apartment to a bomb shelter, so Yeshua has to be her safe place. This put the lady over the line “I want that, I am ready.”  Pray also for Ronit who has torn ligaments in her shoulder.

Cookie Schwaeber-Issan’s columns: Published at AllIsraelNews.com:: If you’re going to expose antisemitism, call out both sides |Pay-for-Slay Incentivizes Genocide | Attack, No Attack, Maybe Attack | First Responders or Genocide Perpetrators - Israel Can't Be Both! | The Elephant in the Room | Has an official 'time to leave' message been sent to UK Jews? Published at Jerusalem JPost.com: Palestine is the Moral Compass of the Region? | Samer Sinijlawi’s vision for Gaza deserves serious skepticism Promises of reform in Gaza may appeal to the West, but there is a risk of the past repeating itself. | A few days later, the subject of my article, Samer Sinjilawi, former Fatah member, responded to my article by writing me a personal letter, also published in the Jerusalem Post

Beit Hallel Pastor Israel Pochtar is 53 and being celebrated “for years of faithful shepherding, humility, and devotion to God’s Word.” | At the end of February, we will be hosting a Purim evangelism event for 150 people from Jerusalem Read more | Beit Hallel Women’s Meeting | Purim: Days of Feasting and Gladness follow (especially for children!) | When the Curtain Rises, Hope Speaks – Purim Musical Outreach | Shabbat reflection VIDEO Beersheba (בְּאֵר שֶׁבַע — Be’er Sheva) means the “Well of the Oath”|VIDEO with Pastor Sasson Pochtar: “a verse that has carried generations through seasons of uncertainty and sorrow. “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me” (Psalms 23:4).”

Read the full congregational update 2026 for Tiferet Yeshua– A year of Thriving and Growth in Israel online – there is also an article on how the 20 remaining hostages in Gaza where released “two years to the day” (according to the Hebrew calendar) from the start of the massacre. The timing of God.

Tree of Life Israel Ministries sends these exciting links VIDEO & PODCAST Miracles in the Streets & Deep Transformations \ Listen to Tortured in a Cult, Transformed by Jesus | WATCH: Power Money Sex What’s The Most Important Thing in Life READ

Kehila News Israel is superb resource you are going to want to plug into. Where else can you find 48,986 Videos All About Israel?!  If you subscribe, they will send you an email with a listing of the new videos that they gather from 102 YouTube channels, transcribe, and summarized chapters!  How great is that? Worthy of donating to this valuable resource that is only going to grow to include other resources beyond videos!

Josie Silver, Out of Zion, wrote Seasons and Signs “To everything there is a season, A time for every purpose under heaven.” Ecclesiastes 3:1 | We all go through seasons in life. Some seasons are full of joy and blessing, while others are difficult, heavy, and draining. Just like nature, it also moves through cycles - spring, summer, autumn, and winter. One thing is certain about every season, whether in life or in nature: they do not last forever. Each season eventually gives way to the next." Subscribe mailto:josiesilver7@outofzion.org  

Evan Thomas sends a blessed praise report about how the Beit Asaph congregation is settling in and enjoying their new facility – and now transitioning into the next phase of establishing their “new programs are being established and events and conferences.” Teams are functioning well and “We have seen a steady stream of new faces and new families some of whom look likely to settle in. Most encouraging are signs of our congregants feeling confident to invite their neighbours to ‘come and see.’..Our location in the heart of our city is ideal for creating healthy connections, though we have no false illusions that in time will also have its challenges! PRAY” Subscribe

Arni and Yonit Klein headed today for their Emmaus Way Africa initiative with the first 6 months expenses covered for salary for their Uganda team and to partially subsidize those who cannot pay for the food for the upcoming seminars (No charge for the attendance and the lodging is also a free gift from Maria Prean, the founder of the retreat center.)
     Arni writes, “We have never established a ministry base with a full-time team outside of Israel. We have never had something approaching a second home or had so many of all ages calling us mama and papa. All the firsts noted above and their commensurate degree of responsibility literally came upon us in a virtual moment, taking us further out of our comfort zone than we have ever been. . . . we covet the prayers of our friends for the faith and strength to not be overwhelmed by the size and scope of what lies before us and to continue to put one foot in front of the other, trusting Father’s hand to steady our well-worn legs. In addition to saying all this to garner prayer and support for our work, we also seek to identify with, encourage, and strengthen those of you that have been faithfully following and serving the Lord for decades that find themselves in the midst of this same kind of stretching and shifting.. As our 2 ½ week pilot trip produced 350 requests to attend a preparatory seminar, who can imagine what will be after four month-long trips this year?  Consequently we are already thinking how to go beyond what we can personally accommodate live…They return to Israel March 22nd, but their bi-weekly worship meetings continue unabated.

I was very touched by the appeal being made by Marianna Gol of Streams in the Negev that ministers to literal and figurative “widows and orphans”. They have had an after-school children’s program that has lost its local foundation support – things are so tight in Israel. Marianna wrote, “When safe spaces are missing, young hearts struggle to encounter the love of God.  For many years, under Oxana’s faithful leadership, our after-school children’s program has been a place where kids can simply be in Yeshua’s presence. For some, it is the only place where birthdays and holidays are celebrated, where they are invited to share their hearts, and where they learn about the God of the Bible in a personal way. Many of the children come from non-believing or extraordinarily challenging family situations. Their mothers are often doing everything they can just to survive, with little emotional or financial margin. In this reality, creating a space where children feel safe, seen, and loved becomes profoundly significant. And we are witnessing transformation. Children who once struggled to communicate are beginning to open up. They are learning to resolve conflicts, express emotions, rejoice together, and build trust. Most importantly, they are given permission to be children — not little adults carrying family burdens, but young hearts discovering hope, joy, and faith. Thank you for standing with us in this vital work and helping create a place where children can draw closer to Yeshua. …. If you feel led to partner with us in this season, we would be so grateful. Your support helps create a safe space where young hearts can encounter Yeshua, experience community, and grow in hope.

Avi Mizrachi of Dugit ministries wrote eloquently on the upcoming month of Adar when Purim is celebrated.  It is a month of joy but “not shallow happiness. It is the deep relief that comes when God reverses what seemed certain destruction. The book of Esther never directly mentions the Name of God—and that is exactly the point. His hand is hidden, but never absent. Every coincidence is divine choreography. A sleepless king, a delayed banquet, a raised gallows, a forgotten act of kindness—all ordinary moments that became instruments of deliverance….This is why Purim speaks so powerfully to us as believers… .Adar teaches us a vital truth: God is saving even when we cannot see Him saving….
     The story of Purim prepares the heart to recognize the greater story fulfilled in Yeshua: The King extended His scepter, and we were invited to live. Because of that hope, we also remember that the message of salvation is still being carried today—in the very land where the story of redemption began….We invite you this Adar season to join in that work by supporting Dugit Outreach Ministries. Your partnership helps keep a living witness of Yeshua present in the Land—reaching hearts, strengthening local believers, and extending mercy in practical ways.

From Reuven Doron The Battle Over the Temple Mount (in the 2/12 email was an EXCELLENT explanation by Reuven on “The First Apostolic Council” – write for it! - and this video Your Biblical Identity  | 2/18 Ultimate Victory/The Victorious Lamb – Also For Your Prayers rundown of regional events. | Doron: onenewmantoday.com |  reuven.doron@gmail.com 

Tikkun Global  Teaching VIDEO with Asher Intrater Nine Lives of Yeshua, One: Eternity Past | An article by pastor Guy Cohen of the Harvest of Asher congregation in Acco BEAR (not the noun, the verb) | An  article by Asher Intrater Esther, Iran, and the End Times | A Daniel Series on Video by Ariel Blumenthal A Bad Day?! | Jerusalem congregational leader, Jonathan Moore writes Ahavat Yeshua Congregational Update | Jeremiah Smilovici gives Day 24 report on the Esther Call for Iran on 2/19  Catch the Replay and/or join us for the next prayer time -> Click & scroll down to sign up for the ZOOM link https://www.tikkunglobal.org/esthercall?blm_aid=71761329#catch-the-replay

REVIVE ISRAEL writes: “After seasons marked by instability and noise, the land offers something steady. Working the earth draws hearts back to the Creator. The God who formed humanity from dust is still forming lives patiently. Growth cannot be forced. It requires time, surrender, and trust. Many have discovered that while tending the soil, the Lord is tending them….This is a pivotal season for raising up disciples in Israel whose faith is resilient, personal, and rooted deeply in Him. If you believe in forming not just believers, but disciples, we invite you to partner with us by giving here. Your giving helps provide the community, mentorship, outreach, and daily life where transformation takes place.


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