Back to School and a New Year

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Dear Friend,

We have successfully navigated the first week of the school year! Leeya was really excited to begin first grade this year. Thankfully, she has several friends in her class and grade at the Herzl school, and she’s been blessed with a very good teacher. Shir finds herself in a totally new environment, without any friends, but a few familiar faces. She is happy to be in the kindergarten she’s attending and she has connected well to her teacher. Roni continues with her class and teacher this year. She’s doing well.

Amidst the excitement there have also been a lot of tears. The girls and Heidi have been reminded often that Dasha is missing. These are life events that she so looked forward to seeing.

Unlike school when Heidi and I were growing up, the school day doesn’t end at a regular time. Three days a week Roni’s classes end at 1:30, and twice they end at 12:45. Leeya’s classes end at 12:45 Sunday through Thursday and Shir’s at 1:30 on those days. Friday (yes, they go six days a week) Roni and Leeya end at 11:45 and Shir at 12:45. Add to this various after school activities and you can see that scheduling has been a major task for Heidi this past week.

While we seem to have the basics worked out, we think it would be good to have someone who can pick up the girls from school, help with homework and care for the girls after school two or three afternoons. The school has an after school program but we think having someone to focus on them alone would be better for them. We had a young woman in mind, but apparently she isn’t available. It could also be a big help with the girls who enjoy Savta and Grandpa, but really miss their mother and are looking for younger mother figures to be involved in their lives.

I recently met with our young adult leaders for planning this upcoming year. Shay and Naomi are leaving the leadership as they prepare for the birth of their first child, so a big need is identifying those whom we want to invite to join the team. Several ideas and names were brought up, but I will need to choose who to challenge. During our meeting I shared a vision for the group being more than a forum for fellowship, which is how many of the young adults seem to view it; but rather that it would be a key part of our congregation’s discipleship.

One area where we are weak as a congregation is the matter of prayer. I challenged the young adult leadership with the conviction that if there was going to be a change in this, it would have to come from our young adults. During Yom HaKippurim for many years now we’ve held a day of prayer and fasting, asking the Lord for the revival of the Messianic body and petitioning Him to awaken the Israeli people to know Him. Last year several of our young adult leaders joined in on the planning and preparation. This year I’ve asked that they lead this time.

The fall also marks our effort to renew and strength participation in our home groups. We currently have 12 groups meeting in various places (and languages), but many of those who’ve signed up for a group rarely attend. I’ve asked our group leaders to update the list of those in their group along with the time, place and frequency of their meetings in order for us to encourage greater participation.

We have seen a number of people who are seeking to know Yeshua join us in our Shabbat services over the past several months. Nof, a young adult who has been displaced by the war, just recently expressed faith in Yeshua as her Messiah! It seems that the years of toiling are beginning to bear fruit as an increasing number of individuals are checking to see if Yeshua is the Messiah.

As you continue to pray for us, please be asking the Lord to:

• Raise up a caregiver to come along side us for 10 to 15 hours a week who would be able to care for them and help with homework as well as give Heidi time to care for herself (and also give she and I time together

• Direct us to long-term counselors for the grandgirls. They have been meeting with a wonderful team since Dasha’s death, but they serve as part of an emergency care group and will not be able to continue meeting with girls at the end of two years (March 2025).

• Give guidance regarding who to ask to join the young adult leadership, granting them a vision and heart to see a movement of prayer and discipleship established among the members of the group.

• Persuade those who have not committed to participating in one of our home groups that this should be a priority during the upcoming year, giving me and our leadership wisdom in challenging them to do so.

We are often tired, especially when walking home from school with little girls who seem to want to run the whole way in 90+° weather. Your prayers mean so much to us! Thank you for standing beside us so faithfully. 

Yours in the Messiah,

Phil and Heidi