Shalom Dear Friends,
Imagine not working for two years; not being able to do the thing you trained for; not being able to provide for your family! That is the situation for Messianic tour guides throughout the country. Let me explain...
Forgive us for mentioning the word we are all so tired of hearing – COVID, but it has devastated the most widespread profession of Israeli Messianic believers – Israeli tourism. Serving the millions of Christians who tour Israel has been a unique niche in which the local believers had natural employment opportunities. (Christian tourists often prefer to learn from Messianic Jewish guides, who share a common faith as well as a deep connection to the land of Israel.)
Dozens and dozens of believing Israelis working as tour guides and in related jobs have been left without employment due to the effects of the virus on the tourism industry. Foreign tourism is a major sector of Israel’s economy that came to a screeching halt when COVID came on the scene. The airports were closed to travelers and incoming tourism fell to zero. In the beginning, the Israeli government provided many months of unemployment stipends to tourism workers. Unfortunately, those subsidies are no longer available while at the same time a true recovery of the incoming Christian tourism is nowhere in sight – with vaccination regulations and new virus strains alarming the authorities every few months.
In the Tikkun Israel congregations, we have numerous tour guides and others who worked in the tourism industry. Pastor Guy Cohen from Akko tells of an enterprising young people in his congregation whose Christian tourism business was just starting to flourish when COVID drastically changed the picture. Their small company had to cancel all scheduled tours and since then has had no tour groups/clients. As you can imagine, that would be a staggering blow for any business.
For many months, all of these skilled and hospitable people have been working odd jobs, doing an occasional virtual tour or considering a new line of work. They need our help right now.
Please consider a gift this month to #IamWithIsrael, so we can stand with these precious believers trying to stay afloat amidst this crisis. It is not unlike Paul who collected aid in Romans 15 for the Jewish believers in Jerusalem during the famine. For them, this is a famine!
Let’s stand together and provide for them. Let them know that they are not forgotten. Your generous donation right now will assist them greatly!
We so appreciate your strong connection with Israel and with the "Revive Israel-Tikkun Global" family of congregations and ministries in Israel.
Your help is critical at this time. Thank you!
Ron Cantor
Director, #IAmWithIsrael
