Humanitarian aid

Yeshua said to them: “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” Matthew 14:16

When the congregations “Shavei Tzion”(Return to Zion) and “Netzer Ha-Galil” began we established two simple goals: 1) Feed the hungry 2) Bring the Truth to the people We prayed and asked God how we are to meet the needs of the people and we were compelled to “feed the hungry”. “Return to Zion” operates a soup kitchen in Haifa and in Upper Nazareth. They prepare and serve hot meals and dry food packages. People who are unable to leave their homes have the meals delivered to them. The Haifa location receives an increasing number of referrals from Haifa Social Services.

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Nazareth

It was very difficult in the beginning. We sensed opposition from many areas from the relationships with managers and food suppliers to the ones we needed to purchase equipment from for our kitchen. We are grateful to many supporters who prayed for those barriers to be removed and our work was allowed to proceed. Today, our main visitors to our kitchen are people from poor families who are referred to us by the authorities. These authorities did not want us there in the beginning. Now the offices from aid offices to the poor, social workers, employees of national security, and employees of employment agencies send us people who are in need. We have been so blessed by being allowed to help feed the people in Nazareth. The Torah and the New Testament teach us about showing mercy. This is such a great way for us to reflect the love of our Heavenly Father and to demonstrate our love to them. Let us pray that the people who receive help will see it is the Father who has met their physical need through our hands of service.

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Haifa

Here in Haifa, the humanitarian service is located right in the building of the “Returned to Zion” congregation, every week those in need receive food packages, also here works a humanitarian clothing warehouse. For a long time, the ministry has been cooperating with the social services of the city.  The Prophet Isaiah wrote: “share your bread with the hungry…” (Is.58:7) In modern Israel, fortunately, you will not see many homeless people on the streets, you will not be surrounded by a crowd of beggars in our markets. Israel is trying to help those in need. However, often, among the well-being of some, there are others who are powerless and rejected living in the shadows or hidden. As in many developed countries, the price of real estate drives the poor into rented apartments. Which deprives them of a significant part of their monthly income. For elderly repatriates (citizens returned to their native country), those who have not earned a funded pension in Israel, the only way to stay under a roof is in specialized hostels.    Here they have small one-room apartments, sufficient living conditions, but even for this opportunity you must give about half of the social allowance. The lack of funds is not their only problem, because the elderly also has difficulty preparing home-cooked food for themselves. Some have no relatives, while some children choose to live an independent life, and have forgotten about their parents. These are the people that the “Return to Zion” Ministry team chose to help. Home-cooked meals are now prepared in the community kitchen every week.