1/25/09

Dear Friedman family & friends,

We pray that you had a wonderful Christmas season and that you are enjoying the L-rd’s blessings in this new year.

The end of 2008 was a busy and exciting time. I went to Ethiopia for two weeks in October. I had the opportunity to teach in the Bible college in Addis Ababa and visited with leaders from different Jewish communities. I saw first hand the poverty and prejudice which these beautiful Jewish people live with on a daily basis. I will be returning to Ethiopia in mid February for five weeks. Thanks to the generosity of Pastor Stephen Getchell and the folks at Central AG in Houston, PA I will be able to fund a project that will bring hope to the hopeless Jewish people of Ethiopia. Please pray for me to have strength, safety and wisdom. Also, please pray for Vixie and the kids while I am gone for this extended period.

In November I was in Krakow, Poland. I shared with a number of congregations about Israel and the Jewish people. I also did three hours of interviews for Polish television.

In December I was in the Ukraine. I conducted a two day seminar on Israel for the leadership of the Ukranian Pentecostal church. Leaders from all over the country were in attendance. One leader said to me that the meeting was a “historic event”. I did the same seminar a few days later for leaders of the Baptist church. Please pray that these church leaders get a burden for the hundreds of thousands of Jewish people in the Ukraine.

The most exciting news is that we have received the funds for the purchase of our first property in Israel. Thanks to Pastor Bill Frasnelli and the saints at Jubilee Christian Center we will soon be able to open the first Assembly of God humanitarian aid center in Israel! Pastor Bill and the church have been long time friends and supporters. In fact, we could not have built the Messianic Synagogue in Philadelphia without them.

On the home front. Matt & Sara continue their work with Jews for Jesus working with college students and young people. Jesse will be leaving in two weeks for his second deployment to the Persian Gulf. Bethany is finishing her 3rd year at the University of the Arts. Adam is a volunteer firefighter and has already been to several house fires. In fact, he just got a call and is running out the door! Elisa is singing in the church choir. Jed is in a bowling league and is preparing for his Bar Mitzvah in August. In addition to home schooling, Vixie is a tutor at Classical Conversation which is a nationwide home school organization. We had a wonderful holiday season with Matt, Sara, Jesse and Bethany all able to come for a visit. What a great blessing seeing all of our children again!

Even in these difficult financial times G-d is faithful and all of His promises are true. As this new year begins, we are filled with excitement and anticipation. Jacob’s Hope is going forward in ways we could not have imagined. Thanks to you, Jewish people all over the world will be blessed this year. One of my favorite scriptures is Psalm 102:13 “You will arise and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to show favor to her; the appointed time has come.” We believe the time has come!

Once again thank you all for the love, prayers and faithful support. The simple truth is we can do what we do because of you.

For the redemption of Israel,

The Friedmans
Jeff, Vixie, Matt, Sara, Jesse, Bethany, Adam, Elisa, Jed