“May the favor of the Lord our God rest on us; establish the work of our hands.”
Psalm 90:17
Dear Friends,
This is the final day of the year and the final appeal we will make before the clock strikes midnight. The need has not grown quieter as the hours run down. It speaks in the voices of families who still sleep in borrowed rooms, in the requests from local leaders who want to protect their communities, and in the alert tones that still interrupt the night in parts of Israel. Tonight, we ask one last time because we know that readiness is not a slogan. It is a promise we must keep.
We remember what began on October 7: the murders, the injuries, the hostages, the evacuations, the mobilization of hundreds of thousands of reservists. We remember how ordinary citizens became the first line of defense and how medics attempted to reach the wounded even when roads were deadly. In Be’eri, even the local MDA ambulance driver, Avi Yachatz, was gunned down, and with him his two young grandsons. Their loss stands as a summons to equip those who serve, to reduce exposure, and to strengthen protection for civilians and responders alike.
The war that began on that day has become the longest in Israel’s modern history. Threats continue across multiple fronts. There are casualties every day. None of us knows when the next siren will sound or where the next strike will fall. What we know is that preparation saves lives. We see it when a medi-cycle reaches a wounded person minutes faster than an ambulance. We see it when a shelter is close enough for a child to reach without delay. We see it when emergency squads go on patrol with proper protective gear and return home safely to their families.
Since 1994, Vision for Israel has prepared for days like this. Our calling is to be ready in times of war and terror, to save lives, and to serve a vulnerable population with compassion. With your partnership, we have invested millions of shekels in the past two years to equip emergency response squads, purchase protective gear, deliver vehicles and medical supplies, and install shelters in communities in the south and the north. We have also provided relief and trauma support to families whose lives were turned upside down. Our spirit is not broken. We continue because love requires it.
Tonight, the Emergency Fund is our focus because it is the tool that turns compassion into action without delay. When MDA calls for an ambulance with trauma capability, the fund allows us to act. When a squad needs modern helmets and vests, the fund allows us to respond quickly. When a town identifies a gap in shelters near a school or a playground, the fund allows us to place protection where it is needed most. The Emergency Fund means that when lives are on the line, we can move fast rather than wait for the next fundraising campaign.
We set a clear goal at the start of this season: raise $250,000 by December 31. [So far, our partners have given $???XX]. Every gift, large or small, is a brick in the wall of protection for Israeli families. If you have been meaning to give, this is the moment. Your decision before midnight can place equipment in the field at the right moment. It can fill shelves with supplies that will be used on a cold morning when a call comes in. It can fund shelters that shorten the distance between a siren and safety.
Please make your final gift of the year now so lifesaving help is ready on time.
Toda raba (thank you) for your faithfulness. As this year closes and the new one begins, we speak shalom over your home. Shalom is not only the absence of war. It is wholeness, peace, and well-being. May your generosity tonight be multiplied into protection and comfort for families who will need it most in the days ahead.
Shalom to you who choose to stand with Israel when it matters most.
Blessings upon you in 2026,
Barry & Batya
