Refined Through Fire, Moments of Tears & Laughter
- helpisraelnowproje
- Jul 3
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 5
And I will put this third into the fire, and refine them as one refines silver, and test them as gold is tested. They will call upon my name, and I will answer them. I will say, 'They are my people'; and they will say, 'The LORD is my God.'" Zechariah 13:9
We pray for this future remnant of Jewish people even now...
Frightening sirens, alarms, alerts... what a challenging few weeks Israel has experienced. Now, as we come through the ordeal, we can see what has been refined. We reflect on what makes us proud and what we wish we had handled better. What I CAN say is that I felt shielded by the protective canopy of your prayers. During times of mixed emotions, sleepless nights, and frayed nerves, when we woke up with tense muscles and clenched teeth... you were praying and I am incredibly grateful for your gift of prayer. Indeed, you fought with us. You cried with us. You anguished with us and for us.. and we felt it.
Personally, I had to relocate a week earlier than planned because of the war, which was a traumatic experience in itself. I ended up giving away or selling most of my belongings until I was down to just two suitcases and moved into a hostel. About ten of us were staying there during the war. I couldn't have wished for a better place to be. Surrounded by people who felt like family, we talked, played games, waited out the sirens, and spent time in fellowship together! It was really, the BEST place to be during a war...G-d knew.
An incredible result of my stay was the chance to teach Israeli Self Defense (Krav Maga) to the women here! They enjoyed it so much that we held a second session just as the war concluded! I've never witnessed so much laughter during my workouts! G-d understood how much we all needed this time of bonding and learning, and it helped ME gain the confidence I needed to become a coach.
As you're probably aware, one of my personal passions is women's self-defense. I appreciate how G-d created each of us uniquely, and I enjoy sharing the skills I've acquired to help others feel confident in themselves. I'm thrilled to announce that the Help Israel Now Project has officially sponsored two incredible training sessions in Jerusalem, in collaboration with Apex Close Combat Academy and my friend and coach, Gleb Agamerianz.
Sharing my love and passion with a wonderful group of Jewish and British women from diverse backgrounds was incredibly exciting. It was a time of bonding, uplifting each other, and mutual encouragement. There were even moments of sweat and tears! And guess what? They want more :)
Sponsoring each session costs about $250 USD! If you're interested in donating specifically to one of these sessions, please send me a personal email indicating that you would like your donation to support a Ladies Self Defense Seminar here in Israel.
Pairing with these women to learn practical self defense is eye-opening. Not only is it important for one's own confidence, but in this world of rising anti-semitism it is so important for these Jewish women to know how to protect their own lives. In Israel, terrorism is expected and often. Gleb, our trainer, uses examples of what recently happens in Jerusalem's Old City to better train us and to put things in perspective. I think it is so profound to provide sponsorships to local Israeli women as a way to support Israel and the safety of individuals. These women are wanting more training so that they can feel confident on their streets but also in their identity. It's their Jewish identity that's being targeted, even within their own borders. -Brooke Kempton
Update on Yoni's unit! Thanks to your generosity, we have successfully raised all the funds needed for the flame-resistant uniforms urgently required in the North! Praise G-d for your generosity. The uniforms were delayed in production due to the war. Please pray for them to be ready soon so we can deliver them to those in need! ***We will continue to raise funds for the Armory unit in Gaza, who also require fire-resistant uniforms. They need a minimum of 5 sets (2 already donated) with each set costing approximately $500.
Finally, our HELP ISRAEL NOW t-shirts are here! I'll bring them along when I return in August. We request a $25 donation to receive a shirt, and naturally, the proceeds will support the project.
Thank you for your generous hearts. We could not do this without you!
Article Written by: Neomi Giron