“Let the little children come to Me…”
Matthew 19:14
For most parents, preparing for a new school year is a joyful milestone. It means buying notebooks, replacing outgrown shoes, checking school supply lists, and making sure everything is ready before the first school bell rings. There is excitement in the home as children look forward to seeing friends again, meeting new teachers, and beginning another year of learning.
For many of the families we meet through our Humanitarian Aid Centers, however, the new school year brings a very different emotion. Instead of excitement, it brings uncertainty. Parents quietly wonder how they will afford the backpacks, stationery, and other essentials their children need. Some have recently arrived in Israel after fleeing the war in Ukraine or leaving Russia in search of a safer future. Others are local Jewish and Arab families who work hard every day yet continue to struggle beneath the weight of the rising cost of living. Though their circumstances are different, they share the same desire that every parent carries in their heart: to give their children the best possible start.
Every week, we have the privilege of meeting these families. As we listen to their stories, we are reminded that behind every practical need is a person longing to know they have not been forgotten. A parent is not simply asking for school supplies; they are carrying the quiet burden of wanting their child to walk into the classroom with confidence rather than embarrassment, hope rather than anxiety, and the same opportunities as every other child.
That is why, over the coming weeks, our Home of Jesus the King family will prepare backpacks and essential school supplies for approximately 400 children. Through our Humanitarian Aid Centers—and soon through our new Lighthouse Humanitarian Center in Nof HaGalil—we want every child we are able to reach to begin the school year knowing they are valued, loved, and supported.
A backpack may seem like a simple gift, but it carries a much deeper message. For a child, it builds confidence on the very first day of school. For a worried parent, it brings relief during a season of financial pressure. And for us, it becomes a practical expression of God’s love that opens the door to genuine friendships, heartfelt prayer, and meaningful conversations about the hope we have found in Yeshua.
Again and again, we have witnessed how compassion prepares the way for the Gospel. Long before people are ready to ask spiritual questions, they often first need to experience love in a tangible way. A simple act of kindness reminds them that they are seen, valued, and not alone.
That is exactly what we see throughout the ministry of Yeshua. He never separated compassion from truth. He fed the hungry, welcomed the overlooked, comforted the hurting, and met practical needs with genuine love. Through His actions, people encountered the heart of the Father. We desire to follow that same example as we serve Jewish and Arab families throughout Israel today, believing that even the simplest act of kindness can become the beginning of a life changed by God’s love.
Will You Help Give a Child a Strong Start?
As we prepare for the new school year, we invite you to prayerfully partner with us in this ministry of compassion.
- A gift of $50 helps provide essential school supplies.
- A gift of $100 provides a quality backpack filled with everything a child needs to begin the school year with confidence.
- A gift of $220 fully equips one child with school supplies and educational essentials for the year ahead.
When a child walks into school carrying a backpack they never expected to receive, they carry something else as well—the reminder that someone they have never met cared enough to invest in their future. When a parent watches their son or daughter leave for school with confidence instead of worry, they experience more than practical relief; they experience hope.
Your generosity does far more than provide school supplies. It strengthens families during a difficult season, restores dignity where hardship has taken its toll, and reflects the compassionate heart of Yeshua in ways that can leave an eternal impact.
Thank you for faithfully standing with us as we serve Jewish and Arab families throughout Israel with compassion, dignity, and the love of Yeshua.
May the Lord richly bless you.
Shalom,
Pastor Saleem Shalash