Beit Hallel Congregation, Israel

Three years have passed since October 7, 2023, but the pain of that day remains deeply etched in the heart of our nation.

Today, we remember the lives that were taken, the families forever changed, and all those who still carry the wounds of that terrible day.

We remember. We mourn. And we continue to pray for the people of Israel — for healing, comfort, restoration, and peace.

May the God of Israel draw near to every broken heart.

Psalm 34:18: — “The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”

October 7. We remember.

There are things in life we simply cannot control. We can pray, make wise decisions, and do everything we know to do, yet still reach a point where the outcome is no longer in our hands.

David knew this place. Surrounded by trouble and uncertainty, he prayed: “Into Your hand I commit my spirit” (Psalm 31:5). In Hebrew, B’yadcha (pronounced beh-yahd-KHA) means “into Your hand” or “in Your hand.”

Centuries later, Yeshua (Jesus) spoke these same words from the cross: “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit’” (Luke 23:46). At the darkest moment, He entrusted Himself completely to the Father.

There is a beautiful lesson here for us. Surrender is not giving up. It is placing what we cannot control into the hands of the One we trust.

Maybe there is something you have been carrying for too long—your family, your future, a difficult situation, or a prayer still waiting for an answer. Bring it before the Lord today and say:
B’yadcha.

Into Your hand, Lord. I trust You with what I cannot control.

https://www.beithallel-israel.org/hebrew_word/

We all become tired sometimes—not only physically, but from carrying something for a long time, waiting for an answer, or trying to remain faithful when little seems to change.

Adonai Uzzi (יְהוָה עֻזִּי, pronounced: ah-doh-NIGH oo-ZEE) means “The LORD is my strength.”

David said, “The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in Him, and I am helped” (Psalm 28:7).

David was not declaring that he was strong enough. He was declaring where his strength came from.

Paul echoes this truth: “Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might” (Ephesians 6:10). Through every circumstance, he learned that Messiah would give him the strength to remain faithful.

Maybe you feel tired today. You don't have to pretend to be stronger than you are. Simply pray:

Adonai Uzzi. Lord, You are my strength.

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Sometimes we become so focused on everything that seems to be against us that we forget who is for us.

This week’s Hebrew phrase is Adonai Li (יְהוָה לִי, pronounced: ah-doh-NIGH lee), meaning “The LORD is for me.”

In Psalm 118:6, we read: “The LORD is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

The psalmist was not pretending that he had no problems. He knew what it meant to face opposition and uncertainty. His confidence came from knowing that whatever stood against him, God was greater.

Hundreds of years later, we hear the same confidence in the New Testament: “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31)

Paul was not promising a life without trouble. He pointed us to Yeshua. At the cross, God has already shown us the depth of His love, and because we belong to Yeshua, nothing can separate us from that love.

So when fear begins speaking loudly this week, remind your heart:

Adonai Li. The LORD is for me.

When you are still waiting for an answer: Adonai Li.
When you cannot see how things will work out: Adonai Li.
When the problem feels bigger than you: Adonai Li.

Faith does not mean pretending the problem is small. It means remembering that God is greater.

https://www.beithallel-israel.org/hebrew_word/

🍎🍯 Shana Tova from Israel!

As the sound of the shofar is heard across Israel and we enter the biblical New Year, we pray that this will be a season of drawing closer to God, hearing His voice, and walking in His purposes.

May the Lord fill your home with His peace, strengthen your faith, and lead you with His goodness in the year ahead.

From all of us at Beit Hallel Congregation in Ashdod, we wish you and your family a sweet and blessed New Year.

Shana Tova U’Metuka! שנה טובה ומתוקה
A good and sweet year! 🍎🍯

“Blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! They walk, O LORD, in the light of Your countenance.” — Psalm 89:15

🇺🇸 We Remember: September 11

Today, from Israel, our hearts turn toward our friends in the United States.

Twenty-five years have passed since September 11, 2001, but there are moments a nation never forgets. We remember the nearly 3,000 lives that were taken that day. We remember the families whose lives changed forever. We remember the firefighters, police officers, first responders, and ordinary people who ran toward danger to help others.

Here in Israel, we understand something of what it means for a nation to carry both grief and resilience—to mourn those who were lost while choosing to stand again.

Today, we stand with our American friends in remembrance.

We pray for the families who still carry the absence of someone they loved. We pray for those who survived and for the first responders who have carried the physical and emotional scars of that day through the years. And we pray that God would continue to comfort, strengthen, and protect the people of the United States.

Twenty-five years later, we remember.

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” — Psalm 46:1

With love and prayers from Israel,
Pastor Israel Pochtar & Beit Hallel Congregation 🇮🇱

Sometimes we face situations where we simply cannot see a way forward. Abraham and Sarah knew this feeling. Yet when God's promise seemed humanly impossible, He asked, “Is anything too hard for the LORD?” (Genesis 18:14)

HaKol Efshar (pronounced: hah-KOHL ef-SHAR) means “All things are possible.”

In Mark 9, a desperate father brought his suffering son to Yeshua. His faith was not perfect, but he came anyway. Yeshua told him, “All things are possible to him who believes.” The father answered honestly: “I believe; help my unbelief!”

Faith does not mean pretending our problems are small. It means knowing that the God we are praying to is greater than what we face.

Maybe something feels impossible today. Bring it to Yeshua—your faith, your questions, even your weakness.

HaKol Efshar. With God, all things are possible.

📖 https://www.beithallel-israel.org/hebrew_word/