Matzah Factory Survives a Russian Strike as Ukraine Jews Prepare Passover under Fire

Fri, April 7 — Success over Enemies during Passover | VFI News

Find Your Freedom this Passover | Vision for Israel

34 Rockets Fired from Lebanon; Hamas Blamed, Hezbollah Role Seen after Al-Aqsa Warning

After Al-Aqsa Clashes: Sirens Sounded in Southern Israel

Mystery Drone Downed by IDF in Israeli Airspace Was Sent by Iran

Women in Iran Face 'Yogurt Attack' for Being Unveiled in Public

WATCH: Authentic Yemenite Charoset Recipe for Passover

Authentic Yemenite Charoset Recipe for Passover  | Vision for Israel

GOP’s Haley, Rubio Slam Biden for Rebuke of Netanyahu over Judicial Overhaul

Bank of Israel Hikes Rate to 4.5%, Warns Judicial Shakeup Could Badly Harm Economy

In Groundbreaking Research, Tel Aviv U Team Records Plants ‘Talking’ for First Time

1,700-Year-Old Gold Jewelry Discovered 50 in Pagan Burial Cave on Display for First Time

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Passover is a significant holiday in the Jewish faith that commemorates the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. However, Passover is not just a historical event; it also offers valuable spiritual lessons that can be applied to our lives today. 

In this biblical teaching, we will explore the symbolism and significance of Passover and discover how it can help us break free from our own personal struggles and limitations. 

We will dive into the biblical story of Passover, examining how it teaches us about redemption, sacrifice, and faith. We will also explore the relevance of Passover in our daily lives, discussing how we can apply its lessons to overcome obstacles, deepen our relationship with God, and live a more purposeful life.

Furthermore, we believe that Yeshua (Jesus) is the only way to salvation, as He Himself proclaimed in John 14:6: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." As we reflect on the story of Passover, we will see how it points to Yeshua's sacrificial death and resurrection, which provided the ultimate freedom from sin and death for all who believe in Him.

Join us as we discover the spiritual power of Passover and the truth that Yeshua is the only way to salvation. Through this teaching, you will be equipped to live a life of true freedom, purpose, and joy.

Dear readers, on this year's Passover, we wish you all a happy Pesach. We pray that you can enjoy this week's festivities surrounded by the people you love. May you enjoy a beautiful season ahead, filled with health, happiness, and endless blessings from the Lord.

Thirty-four rockets were fired from southern Lebanon on Thursday afternoon, April 6, with 25 intercepted by the Iron Dome air defense system over northern Israel, the military said. 

At least three people were injured and several buildings were damaged. Israel blamed Lebanon-based Hamas forces for the fire, with Israeli official sources saying it would not have been carried out without Hezbollah’s consent. 

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh is currently in Lebanon. The Israel Defense Forces said five of the rockets landed inside Israel, and most of the rest were downed by Iron Dome. The impact sites of four others were not yet clear. 

The barrage was the largest number of rockets fired from Lebanon since the 2006 war, during which thousands of rockets were launched at Israel. In August 2021, Hezbollah fired 19 rockets at northern Israel. 

There was no immediate claim of responsibility, and a Hezbollah source told Arabian media that it was not behind the rocket fire, blaming Palestinian groups based in the area. Lebanese security officials said the rockets had been fired from the area of a Palestinian refugee camp. 

The IDF backed up that assessment, with spokesman Daniel Hagari telling reporters later Thursday that Hamas was behind the rocket fire. (TOI /VFI News)

“God, we pray for the swift recovery of any injured parties from yesterday’s attack, as well as for the cessation of hostilities in our region. We are grateful for the protective capabilities of our defense forces, but we also hope that such alertness will not be necessary in the future.”

The articles included in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of Vision for Israel. We try to provide accurate reporting on news pertinent to Israel, the Middle East, the diaspora, and Jewish issues around the world—and we hope that you find it both informative and useful for intercessory prayer.

When Jews around the world tell the Exodus story during the Passover Seder on Wednesday night, April 5, they recall God taking them out of Egypt “with blood, and fire, and pillars of smoke.” 

With the war still raging in their country, those same features – but from a very different source – marked Ukrainian Jews’ preparations for Passover. 

Last Wednesday night, March 29, workers were preparing matzah in the Tiferet Matzot bakery in southern Dnipro, Ukraine’s main matzah factory. Sirens in the central Ukrainian city sounded at 10 p.m., warning of another attack by Russian drones. Though many of the Russian and Iranian-made drones were intercepted, one slipped by the defenses and struck a factory next to the bakery.

Security camera footage from inside the bakery shows an orange flash that shakes the building, then darkness as electricity goes out. 

According to the Federation of Jewish Communities in Ukraine, after the strike, local Jews began preparing to remove equipment and hundreds of kilograms of matzah as the fire in the factory threatened to engulf the bakery as well. Ultimately, though, Ukrainian firefighters gained control of the flames, saving the bakery in the process. (TOI / VFI News)

“God, we thank You for watching over Your people and allowing us to celebrate Passover, even through adverse situations. We trust that Jewish people will remain safe and able to honor You, no matter where they reside .”

Terrorists operating in the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip fired 16 rockets towards Israel overnight and Wednesday morning, April 5, prompting the IDF to retaliate with strikes on Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip. 

Sirens were sounded early Wednesday morning in communities located near the border with the Gaza Strip and in Sderot. The sirens were sounded, among other places, in Gevim, Ibim, Nir Am, and Sapir College. About 20 minutes later, sirens were also sounded in the Sha’ar Hanegev Regional Council. 

The city of Sderot said one of the rockets that were fired landed near a factory. There were no injuries, but the factory sustained damage. 

The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit said that in the first barrage, five launches from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory were detected. Four were intercepted by the air defense fighters. In the second barrage, four additional launches from the Gaza Strip into Israeli territory were detected and fell in open areas. Another rocket fired from the Gaza Strip toward Israel exploded in an open area near Kibbutz Yad Mordechai. Six more rockets were later fired toward Israel for a total of 16 recorded launches. 

According to an IDF spokesperson, IDF fighter jets bombed a Hamas military compound in the northern Gaza Strip. The compound was used as a terrorist training facility, the army said. IDF tanks additionally struck Hamas military posts along the border of the Gaza Strip. (INN / VFI News)

“I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war.” - Psalm 120:7

The IDF confirmed that the drone that invaded Israeli airspace from Syria, and that it was brought down on Sunday, April 2, was Iranian. It also said it was shot down using special physical electronic means. 

Initially, the details of the identity of the drone and how it was brought down were partially censored, since usually the IDF has shot down such invading drones in the past and wants to keep its various electronic capabilities quiet so as not to tip off its enemies. 

It was unclear why the IDF used different means this time to bring down the drone and what the significance was of temporarily delaying putting out some of the key information about the incident, followed by a decision on Monday to reveal more. 

The IDF is still investigating the specifics of the incident, and part of the reason for revealing more information could be that the drone was located and collected for further study in the Hula Valley area on Monday morning. 

Iran sent the drone into Israel following reports attributing several attacks by Israel on Iranian targets and their proxies in Syria in recent days. The increase in attacks attributed to the IDF came shortly after Hezbollah sent an operative to set off explosives in Israel. (JPost / VFI News)

“God, we thank You for enabling us to defend our country effectively at all times. We are also grateful to our military forces for always being alert and ensuring that Israelis are kept safe from nations who wish harm upon Israel.”

A video went viral the previous week, showing a man throwing yogurt at two unveiled women in a shop near the holy Shi'ite Muslim city of Mashhad. 

President Ebrahim Raisi said in response on Saturday, April 1, that the hijab was the law in Iran. In live remarks on state television, Raisi said: "If some people say they don't believe (in the hijab)... it's good to use persuasion ... But the important point is that there is a legal requirement ... and the hijab is today a legal matter."

Judicial authorities in a town near the northeastern city of Mashhad issued arrest warrants for the man seen pouring yogurt over the heads of two women, a mother, and her daughter. 

The latter was also the subject of arrest warrants for flouting Iran's strict female dress rules, state media reported. Risking arrest for defying the obligatory dress code, women are still widely seen unveiled in malls, restaurants, shops, and streets around the country. 

Authorities said the owner of the dairy shop, who confronted the attacker, had been warned. Reports on social media showed his shop had been shut, although he was quoted by a local news agency as saying he had been allowed to reopen and was due to "give explanations" to a court.

Judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei earlier threatened to prosecute "without mercy" women who appear in public unveiled, Iranian media reported. (JPost / VFI News)

“God, we ask for the protection of the Iranian women and girls who choose to move around their country unveiled. We pray that these women, girls, as well as the people who support them, will not face repercussions for wanting to live and express themselves freely.”

In this video, we'll show you how to make a delicious and traditional Yemenite Charoset for Passover. Charoset is a sweet, symbolic mixture that is typically eaten during the Passover Seder. Our recipe features a blend of dates, raisins, almonds, and spices, all combined to create a rich, flavorful paste that will add a touch of sweetness to your Passover meal. Follow along with our step-by-step instructions to learn how to make this easy and delicious Yemenite Charoset recipe.

White House Republican hopeful Nikki Haley and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio bashed US President Joe Biden on Wednesday, March 29, for his rebuke of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government’s highly contentious judicial overhaul. 

“It’s outrageous for Joe Biden to lecture Israel on a matter that is entirely their domestic concern,” Haley tweeted. “We would never want the Israeli government to push America on issues surrounding our Supreme Court, and they wouldn’t do it. We should let Israelis decide this themselves.” 

Meanwhile, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who has previously expressed discomfort over the security situation unfolding amid the Israeli government’s plan to shackle the High Court, suggested that Biden’s comments constituted a threat to Israel. “If during these already dangerous days, Israel is attacked by Hezbollah, Hamas or Iran it will be because Joe Biden decided to involve himself in Israeli politics,” Rubio tweeted.

Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY), chair of the House Republican Conference, on Thursday, March 30, also criticized US President Joe Biden over his response to the planned judicial reforms in Israel. “Biden’s hostile comments toward our ally Israel are shameful,” she tweeted.

South Carolina’s Sen. Lindsey Graham, who has also shown discomfort with the plan, wrote as part of a series of tweets about a call he had with Foreign Minister Eli Cohen, that “Israel and the United States have an unbreakable bond.” (TOI / VFI News)

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.” - Proverbs 17:17

The Bank of Israel on Monday, April 3, lifted the benchmark interest rate for the ninth straight meeting, raising its key lending rate by 25 basis points to 4.5 percent, the highest level since before the 2008 crash, as the central bank battles inflation pressure and as “tremendous” uncertainty over the government’s judicial overhaul plan weighs on the economy. 

“The uncertainty and the events we witnessed in recent weeks have naturally also had an impact on the Israeli economy,” said Bank of Israel governor Amir Yaron, speaking at a press conference in Jerusalem following the interest rate decision. 

Specifically, Yaron warned about the “uncertainty deriving from the legislative processes related to the judicial system” and the substantial impact these could have on the “economic and financial developments in the short term and in the longer term, and therefore on the monetary policy that will be required.” 

The central bank’s monetary committee decided to raise the benchmark rate to 4.5% from 4.25%, the smallest increase since April 2022. 

The Bank of Israel has steadily raised its benchmark interest rate from a record low of 0.1% last April in a bid to rein in inflation, which has been hovering above 5% in annual terms for the past six months, falling short of the government’s target range of 1% to 3%. (TOi / VFI News)

“If you lend money to one of my people among you who is needy, do not treat it like a business deal; charge no interest.” - Exodus 22:25

It has been known for some time that plants communicate with one another, but Israeli scientists now say they’ve identified “words,” and have found that different species speak in different “languages,” according to a groundbreaking new study published Thursday, March 30, in a prestigious scientific journal. 

Scientists already know that plants communicate in a variety of ways when they are stressed. They might change physically (by wilting or changing leaf color), become bitter to the taste (to deter herbivores), or emit smells (volatile organic compounds) to tell other members of the family that they are under attack, for example by insects. 

But according to researchers from Tel Aviv University, the new study is the first time that airborne sounds from stressed plants have been recorded at a distance and classified. 

The research team recorded ultrasonic sounds emitted by tomato and tobacco plants that had been deprived of water, suffered a cut to the stem, or been left alone (as a control group).

It turns out that plants “talk” in clicks, which sounds a bit like popcorn popping. The sounds are emitted at a volume similar to human speech, but at high frequencies (20 to 150 kHz), beyond the hearing range of humans. (TOI / VFI News)

“Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land.” - Song of Songs 2:12

Gold jewelry that was discovered in 1971 in an ancient burial cave will be put on display for the first time, the Israel Antiquities Authority announced Monday, April 3. 

The jewelry was discovered in a lead coffin on Mount Scopus during excavations carried out by the Israel Department of Antiquities, and headed by late archaeologist Yael Adler. According to the IAA, the find included gold earrings, a hairpin, a gold pendant and gold beads, carnelian beads, and a glass bead. 

The display will be part of the 48th Archaeological Congress organized by the Israel Antiquities Authority, the Israel Exploration Society, and the Israel Archaeological Association. 

The jewelry was studied as part of an extensive project to publish past archaeological excavations that were not fully published as part of the Israel Antiquities Authority’s “Publication of Past Excavations Project”, whereby old excavations that were not fully published are now being published. 

The congress will take place at the Jay and Jeanie Schottenstein National Campus for the Archaeology of Israel, now inaugurated in Jerusalem. 

“The location of the original reports that gathered dust over the years in the Israel Antiquities Authority archives, and physically tracing the whereabouts of the items themselves, has shed light on long-forgotten treasures,” says Dr. Ayelet Dayan, Head of the Archaeological Research Department, who heads this project. “The beautiful jewelry that we researched is an example of such treasures.”  (I365N / VFI News)

The suggestions, opinions, and scripture references made by VFI News writers and editors are based on the best information received.

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Happy Passover from the VFI News Team