Netivyah is a Messianic NGO that has been operating a humanitarian aid program for over 20 years.
In the current emergency, the need to help those who can’t help themselves in Israel has grown rapidly, and they are working hard to keep up with the increased needs.
This aid includes assisting Israeli families with a family member who has been called up to serve in the reserves and fight in the war that was forced upon Israel by the surprise attacks by Hamas on October 7, 2023.
These soldiers who are on the front lines are often the main breadwinners for their families, and while they are serving in the IDF, some of their families are struggling to acquire the basic necessities of life.
In a recently released video, Netivyah staff member Daniel Stern asks for an extensive prayer covering for the soldiers. He also requests that everyone share with as many people as possible what is going on and what the country’s needs are.
He then proceeds to declare, “After that and after you prayed and reached out to others, if you feel called, I want you to consider contributing to whatever charity you feel you can trust, that you love, that touches your heart, if you can, find one that supports the troops, that supports the victims, and help our soldiers win this war.”
In a second video, Daniel explains how Israel is functioning on a war footing with most of the stores not operating at full capacity, many restaurants closed and children not going to school in parts of the country in both the north and south.
In addition, he reports that 300,000 reservists have been called up for duty, and hotels are being used to house refugees, both from the communities in the south that were attacked by Hamas and the cities and settlements in the north that are under attack by Hezbollah rockets.
Daniel describes how he talked with a manager of two hotels in Jerusalem, one of which is housing refugees from the south and one refugees from the north, who says that he is working with a skeleton crew, which means that sheets are not being washed as often, and menus are limited. “It is operating as a small city,” says Daniel.
Another issue he touches on is the large numbers of Israelis who were abroad when the war broke out and the trouble they have had getting home because so many airlines canceled their usual routes in and out of the country indefinitely.
“Is this the new normal?” Daniel rhetorically asks.
He also mentions that the supermarkets have diminished stocks and speculates that the reasons might include the large volumes of supplies that have been purchased in order to supply the mobilized soldiers, and citizens stocking up (partly to follow government advice) while a large number of Arab truck drivers who live in Judea and Samaria have been barred from coming to work amidst the increased security measures forced by this crisis.
“This war will not end quickly,” he warns. “This war will continue for weeks, for months, and maybe a little longer.”
Daniel also encourages: “We need to pray more, and read the Bible, more so than usual – We need to do things that benefit our soul, we need to do art, we need to create. Each person needs to do what helps them maintain their inner balance.”
Click here to support Israeli soldiers through Netivyah.
Netivyah is just one of the ministries in the land supporting soldiers and those affected by the war.
Read more:
VIDEO: Messianic ministries combine forces to set up ‘Crisis Command Center’ for war relief effort
Helping the most vulnerable under fire: Aviv Ministry in Ashkelon