NEW IMMIGRANT | SIMEON AND LIZA’S STORY
Simeon had a good life in Ukraine. “My family was well off,” he said. “We had everything we needed.” Then, the war took it all from him—including his father, who went missing in action. Simeon recalled, “I had absolutely nothing. It was humbling.”
Forced to leave his homeland, Simeon and his bride, Liza, sought refuge in Israel, and soon they had a baby boy. Yet starting over in a new country was challenging.
To support his family, Simeon worked long nights at one job, then served half days at an
army base. With no bed, he slept a few hours on the floor. Utility bills kept piling up as he earned barely enough for rent and food. Then things suddenly got even worse when their landlord sold the apartment where they lived.
Despite all that, Simeon said, “We trusted that God would provide.” Liza added, “We prayed a lot, hoped, and relied on God.” And their prayers were answered, thanks to you!
Your support of CBN Israel helped them move, pay off their bills, and cover several months of rent while also providing them with groceries and basic furniture. Plus, you gave Liza private instructions to learn Hebrew—so she can stay at home with her son while she studies.
“It all happened in a miraculous way,” Liza said gratefully. “We can raise our son and not worry about tomorrow. I thank God we’ve gotten through this and can focus on moving forward!”
Your gifts to CBN Israel are helping many other Israelis who are in desperate situations. Your ongoing support can provide them with groceries, housing, furniture, and other assistance that they urgently need to survive. Thank you so much!
THANK YOU FOR MAKING THE DIFFERENCE!
ISRAEL RELIEF
Your support provides food, clothing, housing, education, and hope to Israel’s most vulnerable people. You are blessing victims of war and terror, Holocaust survivors, widows, orphans, single moms, refugees, and others who desperately need our help.
ISRAEL NEWS
Your gifts make it possible to produce unbiased, independent journalism through broadcasts, podcasts, and online media dedicated to informing the world about what is happening in Israel and the Middle East through our news bureau in Jerusalem.
ISRAEL FILMS
Your funding helps produce groundbreaking films that tell the true story of Israel, its right to exist in the face of growing antisemitism, its extensive biblical history, its innovative and entrepreneurial culture, and its commitment to helping others—even its enemies.
ISRAEL INSTITUTE
Your partnership enables us to shape the future of Israel advocacy by training, educating, and equipping the next generation of Christian leaders to stand with the Jewish nation and counter anti-Israel propaganda, disinformation, and antisemitism.
HELPING TO RESTORE A BROKEN COMMUNITY
Kibbutz life is a vital part of Israel’s foundation.
These farming villages became the building blocks of a new nation as it welcomed thousands of immigrants who had barely survived the Holocaust and World War II.
But on October 7, 2023, that existence came under threat when Hamas terrorists attacked southern Israel. On Kibbutz Nirim, a tight-knit community near the Gaza border, five civilians and three soldiers were killed, and five others were kidnapped. Many houses and buildings sustained severe damage, forcing families to find other places to live.
director. “We are going to have a beautiful place to gather together for the holidays and the Sabbath.”
“The dining room is the heart and soul of the kibbutz,” explained Adele Raemer, a Nirim resident. “This will literally be the hub of the kibbutz.”
Since then, CBN Israel has spent time with residents who were displaced from their homes by the tragedy—listening to their stories and learning about their needs. And now, thanks to your financial gifts, CBN Israel is helping this community of about 500 people rebuild.
“We received an amazing gift from CBN Israel, and we are constructing a new dining room,” said Dafna Ben Ami, Nirim’s community relations
Your generous support also helped build new safe rooms, plus a grocery store that will serve the wider region.
Members of Kibbutz Nirim are looking forward to returning to their homes and becoming a community once again—a crucial element of their healing process.
“Community builds resilience. So, we invest in the community and are doing things that are for the betterment of the community,” Adele told us. “Without community you don’t have a kibbutz.”
Your gifts to CBN Israel are making a way for Israelis who have suffered so much to move back to their homes with a sense of security and support. Thank you!
The War on Multiple Fronts: A 21st-Century War of Independence
As Israel responded to Hamas’s massacre with a military operation in Gaza, it soon found itself engaged in a multifront war, facing attacks from Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and Iranian-backed militias in Syria and Iraq. Iran, the primary sponsor of these terror groups, escalated its involvement, culminating in a direct missile and drone attack against Israel in April 2024. Israel’s ability to defend itself against this unprecedented assault—neutralizing 99 percent of the threats with the Iron Dome and David’s Sling—demonstrated the nation’s technological and strategic advancements. However, the war is far from over. The existential threats Israel faced in 1948 have resurfaced in a new form: a coordinated effort by Iran and its proxies to destroy the Jewish state from within and without.
The Psychological and Existential Toll
Beyond the physical battlefield, Israel is engaged in an ideological and psychological war. International condemnation, calls for ceasefires that ignore the October 7 atrocities, and growing antisemitism worldwide echo the isolation Israel faced in its early years. Just as the United Nations’ partition plan of 1947 was rejected by the Arab world, leading to war, today many refuse to recognize Israel’s right to defend itself. The international response to the current war has exposed deep biases, with Israel being demonized for fighting a war it did not start.
Israel’s Resilience: Lessons from the Past, Hope for the Future
In 1948, Israel was outnumbered, outgunned, and yet prevailed. In 2023, Israel faced a different but equally dangerous war—one that combined conventional military threats, terror, and a global campaign to delegitimize its existence. Yet history has shown that Israel’s greatest strength lies in its unity and resilience. The stories of those who fought in 1948 parallel the bravery of soldiers and civilians today, who stand firm in defense of their nation.
A Renewed Commitment to Israel’s Future
As Israel commemorates another year of independence this May, the reality is stark: Independence is not simply a historic event but an ongoing battle. The war of 1948 and the war following October 7 share a common theme— the necessity of vigilance, strength, and unwavering faith in the right to exist. The survival of Israel, then and now, is not just about military victories but also about the enduring spirit of a people who refuse to be destroyed. Just as Israel emerged victorious 76 years ago, it will rise again, stronger and more determined, ensuring that the Jewish homeland remains secure for generations to come.
Thank You
Thanks to your partnership, CBN News is on the front lines to cover Israel’s ongoing battle to survive and fulfill its prophetic calling in Isaiah 42:6 to be “a light to the nations.”
Lebanon. Israel has made rehabilitation of its wounded soldiers a priority.
Top (left to right): David Ben-Gurion declared Israel’s independence on May 14, 1948. The flag of Israel represents the nation’s identity, history, and enduring spirit. An outnumbered Israel faced attacks from six Arab states. In 1967, IDF soldiers liberated Jerusalem. Hamas terrorists burned down dozens of homes on October 7. Hamas terrorists roamed the streets in southern Israel, killing and kidnapping Jews. Bottom (left to right): Inside Gaza, IDF soldiers battle against Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists. IDF soldiers engage in an intense shootout with Hamas terrorists. Israeli soldiers on a mission to fight Hezbollah inside
GOD WILL SEE YOU THROUGH
“If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when men rose up against us, then they would have swallowed us alive, when their wrath was kindled against us; then the waters would have overwhelmed us, the stream would have gone over our soul; then the swollen waters would have gone over our soul” (Psalm 124:2-5).
When things get difficult, where do you turn for aid? Do you try to figure it out yourself? Do you look to family or friends? Or do you look to God? This does not mean simply throwing a prayer heavenward in a moment of crisis; do you really look to God each day?
When you come out of moments of difficulty, do you recognize that God was near and that He was with you through it all? Do you acknowledge His deliverance and help? Do you recognize what would have happened had He not been by you?
King David does that in Psalm 124. He recognizes God’s nearness to His people and acknowledges what would have happened had He not come to their aid.
God wants to help His people; He desires to deliver them. Like all good parents who want to help and protect their children, God loves to help us, and He is delighted when we recognize His divine intervention. He gains glory by what He does for us.
Of course, the question naturally arises: Why does God not deliver us from every painful or difficult situation? On the one hand,
we can say that hardship brings growth, and we also gain a depth in our relationship with Him when He brings us through. But on the other hand, we have to acknowledge that within life, suffering is a great mystery and we do not have all the answers.
The crux of the matter, though, is that we pursue a relationship with God in which we invite Him into our daily lives and trust Him to be our Lord—even in the midst of our most painful moments and circumstances. And if our cries for help do not receive the exact answers we expect, will we still choose to believe that God is near and will see us through?
So today, let us declare with the psalmist, “Our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth” (Psalm 124:8). God bless you.
Scripture is quoted from the NKJV.
PRAYER
Father, You have been and always will be our help. May Your name be blessed for the protection and deliverance You have given us. Amen.
