In the book of Zephaniah 2:7 we read the powerful words of prophecy that the Lord spoke through the mouth of the prophet Zephaniah, referring to the Lord’s miraculous restoration of the land of Israel, as well as Ashkelon, that was to come after it’s desolation due to its sin and idolatry:
That land will belong to the remnant of the people of Judah; there they will find pasture. In the evening they will lie down in the houses of Ashkelon. The Lord their God will care for them; He will restore their fortunes.
It’s mind-blowing to think that the very city spoken of in this scripture, which God would physically restore, would also see the beginnings of a spiritual restoration. Ashkelon was once a stronghold of the Canaanites, as well as the Philistines, saw destruction and desolation, but is now a flourishing and beautiful Israeli city. The Gospel has also taken root there, with many Israelis getting saved and finding the Messiah of Israel—Yeshua!
Our congregation in Ashkelon was established in 2019 – after we had already been conducting projects and outreaches there since 2017 — and has continued to grow ever since. We started with a handful of families, with the Lord adding to our numbers, and now we have 42 families making up our Ashkelon congregation, while providing monthly food baskets, clothing, and household essentials to an average of 100 families per month.
Due to our increasing numbers and the ever-growing threat of rocket attacks from Gaza, we had to look for a new location in which to worship the Lord and serve the people of Ashkelon. The location that the Lord had led us to was a large underground bomb shelter that would provide security and privacy to our families in Ashkelon, which was exactly what we needed.
This space still requires a lot of renovation work, repairs, and decor, as you can see in the photos, but the important thing is that the process has begun! We took a step of faith and obedience in the signing of the rental lease on this larger and safer facility, but we know that the Lord has wonderful plans in store for it. We are trusting Him for many more Israelis to find Yeshua there, and for this congregation to play a vital role in the spiritual transformation of Ashkelon.
We would like to invite you to sow into this project, and to help secure this safe and comfortable venue for the Israeli believers in Ashkelon. Your support, big or small, can and will be used by the Lord to build out the Kingdom and to usher in revival in Ashkelon. Let’s work together, and prepare the ground for the return of the Messiah of Israel—Yeshua! Thank you and God bless you!
Beit Hallel is a Messianic Jewish congregation in Ashdod, led by pastor Israel Pochtar, serving holocaust survivors and the poor and needy locally and throughout the nation of Israel, while building up the body of Messiah in the promised land of Israel.