Memorial Day or “Yom Hazikaron” in Israel will begin on the evening of April 24th, 2023. Throughout the nation of Israel, a one-minute siren will sound and everyone stops for a minute of silence. The next day around 11 am, another siren sounds and you will see cars, buses, and people stop for an entire minute wherever they are, even on the highway or in the middle of the city.
As Yom Hazikaron approaches, it is important to understand that it is a day to remember not only the fallen soldiers but also the victims of terror attacks. I want to share with you a powerful testimony about one of our VFI board members, Ilan, who recently experienced a terror attack.
Ilan went to Masada with his family for the day, and as they were returning to Jerusalem they stopped at a restaurant near Jericho. As they were sitting inside, Ilan looked out the window and saw two terrorists get out of a car with two guns.
Without even thinking or making a noise, Ilan ran to the front door of the restaurant to block the entrance. He instinctively used his body to block the terrorists from coming inside. The terrorists tried to enter through the door, but they could not get through. They started shooting their guns in the air. Just as they were pointing their guns at the door, their guns jammed and they couldn’t shoot. Immediately, the terrorists became frustrated and fled the scene.
At exactly the same time when this was happening, almost to the minute, Barry and I were praying with a group of friends. We prayed for every attempted terror attack to be thwarted and for every further attack to be obstructed by technical problems with the enemy’s guns or firearms. We were very specific in our prayers for God to confuse the enemy, make their guns inoperable, and supernaturally block any terrorist attack…And that’s EXACTLY what happened!
“Adonai will fight for you, while you hold your peace.”
Exodus 14:14
When Ilan told us what happened, we got chills and were in awe of how God answered our prayers. A horrific terror attack could have happened that day, but God intervened! God gave Ilan the courage and wisdom to block the door with his body and to protect all of the people and families inside the restaurant. Ilan is a true hero. And we praise God for answering our prayers and protecting Ilan, his family, and everyone in that restaurant.
Ilan's story is truly inspiring because it reminds us that NOTHING is stronger than God's power. God sees us, hears our prayers, and is a shield around His people.
At VFI, we see how vital it is to support victims of terror attacks because unfortunately, it is a common occurrence here in Israel. We have seen the difficult challenges that these victims of terror attacks endure as they try to overcome the trauma.
Therefore, it is our great honor to support and stand with those who have survived terror attacks here in Israel. Some of the ways we support these victims of terror are through grants towards further education, events, and celebrations for them to attend a couple of times a year, and monthly financial gifts to those in need.
This Yom Hazikaron we encourage you to pray for the families of the fallen soldiers, those that have lost loved ones in terror attacks, and those who have survived terror attacks.
We also hope our testimony of how God answered our prayers encourages you to pray and intercede for the protection of God’s people here in the land of Israel.
Shalom and Blessings,
Batya
