Trauma Evangelism Book to Address Spiritual Distress in Israel
Three million Israelis are living with the trauma of war. The daughter of Kalervo Syväntö, Nirit who lives in Galilee, recently wrote: “In the early morning hours of February 28, rockets began raining down from Iran. Initially, they targeted the north, including our area, making it nearly impossible to leave the bomb shelter for two days. Then the same happened to Tel Aviv, Haifa, and then across the entire country. More than 5,000 missiles and drones have been launched toward Israel from Iran and Lebanon. Some of them have been designed to break apart in the air into dozens of smaller missiles, which spread over an area several kilometres wide.”
Across the country, air raid alerts have already been triggered nearly 100,000 times, at all hours of the day and night. It is no wonder that this constant threat creates anxiety for many. Thirty civilians and twelve soldiers have lost their lives, and more than 7,000 people have been wounded.
More than 6,000 people have been temporarily displaced from their homes to hotels because their homes were severely damaged in major attacks. The growing anxiety and living in a constant state of stress in Israel are causing many to reflect on the deeper meaning of life.
Many people have turned to search for hope and a future in different directions. Let us continue to uphold Israel in prayer during these challenging times.
Trauma symptoms caused by the war include anxiety, grief, tension, insomnia, emotional exhaustion, mood swings, a lack of hope for the future, suicidal thoughts, restlessness, eating disorders, anxiety, fearfulness, and difficulty in concentration. An Israeli psychiatrist has confirmed that three million Israelis are suffering from symptoms of the war. Even when the sirens grow quiet, the war continues in people's hearts and minds. The journey back to life as it was before the war will be a long one.
Through this, a door has opened to reach three million Jews with the message of the Gospel. Of the ten million Jews, a total of three million are suffering from war trauma.
The recently distributed trauma book in Ukraine is being translated into Hebrew. The book is being adapted for the Israeli context. A Russian-language edition is also being prepared for the two million Jews who have immigrated from Russia and now live in Israel. Based on information currently available, about 300 Messianic congregations will participate in this recovery from trauma book project.