PASSOVER IN ISRAEL, 2008, 19th of April - 26th of April: This eight day holiday commemorates the time when God delivered His people from the ten plagues He brought upon Egypt through His servant Moses. The last plague was so serious; Pharaoh finally released the Israelites to go from Egypt, ending centuries of Jewish slavery. The Passover meal (Seder) will be celebrated in Jewish homes on the evening of Saturday April 19th. The story of the original Passover will be told, songs will be sung and certain symbolic food eaten in remembrance of the miraculous deliverance from bondage. All of us at Vision For Israel & The Joseph Storehouse extend warmest Passover greetings to our friends in Israel and to the nations.  

SPY PHOTOS SHOW COVERT SITE FOR IRAN'S LONG-RANGE MISSILES: The secret site where Iran is suspected of developing long-range ballistic missiles with a range of 4,000 miles and capable of reaching targets in Europe has been uncovered by new satellite photographs. The photographs taken by the Quick Bird satellite four days after the launch have pinpointed the facility, about 230 km. southeast of Tehran. (Times-UK)  "Does He who formed the eye not see?" Ps 94:9

IRAN TO INSTALL 6,000 ADVANCED CENTRIFUGES: President Ahmadinejad said last week Iran had started to install 6,000 advanced centrifuges in its underground Natanz uranium enrichment facility. The UN Security Council has imposed three rounds of sanctions on Tehran for refusing to halt enrichment work, only to be repeatedly mocked by Iran's government. Analysts believe Iran plans to replace its start-up P-1 centrifuge with a new generation, obtained via black markets from the West and able to enrich uranium 2-3 times faster. (Reuters) "The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save." Zeph. 3:17

TOP US GENERAL WARNS OF IRANIAN INFLUENCE IN IRAQ: America's commander in Iraq warns Iranian support for Shi'ite militias poses the gravest threat to securing Iraq's stability. In hearings before two Senate committees, Gen. Petraeus said the recent violence in Basra and Baghdad by so-called "Special Groups" highlighted Tehran's malicious influence among fellow Shi'ite armed factions. "Unchecked, the Special Groups pose the greatest threat to the viability of a democratic Iraq," he said. (Telegraph-UK)

TERRORIST MURDER TWO ISRAELI TRUCK DRIVERS: Two Israeli truck drivers were shot dead and two other Israelis were wounded last week when four terrorists from Gaza infiltrated the fuel depot near Nahal Oz. The attack occurred after the latest delivery of fuel to Gaza, funded by the EU. Israel views Hamas, which controls Gaza, as responsible for the violence. The terrorists there not only attack Israelis, but also try to undermine any example of coexistence between the Israelis and Palestinians, such as occurs at crossing points. (Ha'aretz)

FUEL TO GAZA STOPPED AFTER ATTACK: Israel, April 10th, halted all fuel supplies to the Gaza Strip a day after Palestinian terrorists infiltrated the terminal from where Israel transfers the fuel and killed two people. Israeli officials said the Palestinians who will soon feel the effect of shrinking consumer and industrial fuel supplies should blame Hamas for their plight. In an official complaint filed with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Israeli Ambassador to the UN Danny Gillerman said Palestinians  complain about fuel shortages in Gaza caused by an Israeli embargo, but then perversely attack the fuel terminal when Israel renews supplies. (J.Post)  "Gaza also shall be very sorrowful." Zech. 9:5

TWO PALESTINIANS PLOT TO POISON ISRAELI DINERS: Two Palestinian youths, living in Israel illegally, were recently arrested for planning to poison diners at Ramat Gan's Grill Express where they were unlawfully employed. The pair admitted being recruited by an Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigade cell that received funding and instructions from Hezbollah. The flavorless, odorless poison was supposed to take effect several hours after ingestion. They planned to kill as many Israeli diners as possible during that time. (Ha'aretz)

PA TO RECEIVE JERUSALEM AIRPORT: Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni and PA negotiator Ahmed Qurei last Thursday agreed on the transfer of Atarot airfield near Jerusalem to the PA as part of their secret negotiations. Jerusalem Mayor Lupolianski claimed the transfer would constitute a security breach and a serious abandonment of Jerusalem. (J.Post) "The Lord is King forever; the nations will perish from His land." Ps 10:16

DRILL TEACHES ISRAELI CHILDREN ABOUT WAR: Some 1.7 million Israeli schoolchildren headed for shelters April 8th in the largest emergency drill ever carried out in Israel.  As sirens sounded throughout the country, news footage showed children filing out of classrooms under the direction of their teachers, and  injured  students being treated by paramedics and carried off on stretchers.  Officials in Haifa will unveil and test a $500,000 underground shelter and disaster response headquarters built below the city's central bus station. In 2006, Hezbollah rockets showered down on Israel's northern cities for weeks. (Ha'aretz) "They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore." Micah 4:3

POLL: US CHRISTIANS SUPPORT ISRAEL: In a survey published April 10th, 84% of Protestants (including 89% of evangelicals), as well as 76% of Catholics, said they had a  moral and biblical obligation to love Israel and pray for the peace of Jerusalem. While evangelical Christians are the strongest backers of the Jewish state, pro-Israel convictions cut across all key Christian denominations, according to the Joshua Fund poll. Half of US Christians surveyed opposed Israel dividing Jerusalem with the Palestinians in a peace agreement. (J.Post)

MEXICAN FIRM PREPARES TO REOPEN KING SOLOMON'S MINES: Mexico's leading steel and mining company expects to revive mining on the site of the world's oldest known copper mines, located near Israel's southern city of Eilat. The organization plans to invest $160 million to bring the Arava Mine back into production and produce 22,000 tons of copper cathodes per year for the next 20 years. They expect to be operating by Dec. 2009. (Resource Investor)

TOUR GROUPS COMING TO ISRAEL:  We are preparing packages for families and are in critical need of specific items.  We need groups to assist us by bringing some desperately needed items in an extra suitcase or in your belongings.  You can email us at info@visionforisrael.com to receive a list of the most needed items.  This act of kindness and generosity, would bless these families greatly. "Give generously to the poor, not grudgingly, for the Lord your God will bless you in everything you do." Deut 15:10

Shop on-line at: www.greetingsfromjerusalem.com.  Purchase high quality Messianic and Judaica gifts, a wide assortment of books, praise and worship music, videos, jewelry and study materials. This is a tangible way to show support and solidarity with our people in Israel. (For N. America only at this time.)

SAVE THE DATE AND PLAN AHEAD:

VFI & JSH Conference in The Netherlands – June 6-8, 2008.

VFI & JSH Conference in Bromsgrove, England – June 28, 2008. Join us for a day of praise and thanksgiving for 10 years of The Joseph Storehouse at Bromsgrove. Celebrations will include a dedication of the UK Storehouse which is presently being reorganized and expanded.

Succot Tour & Celebration: October 12-24, 2008 – for USA participants there will be a direct flight with Delta from Atlanta leaving on October 11th. The package price, including tips, is $3,099. Call JDI Tours in the USA at 248.340.9191.  There are only 30 places left for this exciting tour group from the USA.  Sign up now, otherwise alternative flights will have to found.

We are so grateful to all our wonderful volunteers who come from so many different places to work tirelessly at The Joseph Storehouse in Israel. We are always glad to have more volunteers, there is so much work to do, and if you have the opportunity to come and work with us, please contact us at info@visionforisrael.com and you will be most welcome in Jerusalem.

Special Request: If you are visiting Israel soon we have an urgent need to receive supplies of vitamins and toiletries at The Joseph Storehouse. If you have spare luggage capacity we would be really grateful if you would bring some with you. Please visit www.visionforisrael.com for more information.

Blessings from Jerusalem,
Barry Segal with the Editorial Staff