“Since I was 14 I have been supporting myself by working after school. My dream is to enter an elite IDF combat unit after graduation.”
For generations, the nation of Israel has relied on the strength and brilliance of its sons and daughters. But the strength of a nation tomorrow depends on the health of its children today.
The numbers coming out of the Holy Land are staggering and should call us to our knees. Right now, a hidden enemy is threatening the next generation from within. That enemy is hunger.
According to Israel’s own National Insurance Institute, an astounding 600,000 children—nearly one in three—are living below the poverty line. They are the future soldiers, doctors, engineers, and leaders of Israel. Their God-given potential is at risk.
As believers who pray for the peace of Jerusalem, we are called to stand in the gap.
Join us as we pray with purpose, using the facts on the ground to guide our intercession.
A Prayer Guide for Israel’s Next Generation
1. Pray for the Minds and Bodies of Future Leaders
A child’s brain and body cannot develop properly without key nutrients like iron, zinc, and vitamins. Deficits are proven to lead to lower grades and higher absenteeism, directly impacting a child’s ability to become a future leader.
Pray for Cognitive Protection: Pray for the 600,000 children living in food-insecure homes. Ask God to miraculously protect their minds from the fog of malnutrition. A child who can’t focus in math class today cannot become the innovator who designs Israel’s next life-saving technology tomorrow.
Pray for Physical Readiness: Future soldiers in the IDF need to be strong and healthy. Pray for these children to receive the nutrients essential for robust physical growth, preparing them for the demands of defending their nation.
Pray against Long-Term Setbacks: Ask God to reverse any developmental delays. Pray that these children will not just catch up, but will excel, fulfilling the promise of Isaiah 40:31:
“But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”
2. Pray Against the Spirit of Hunger and Despair
Food insecurity is a constant state of stress and anxiety for a family. Of the families facing food insecurity, nearly 10% suffer from severe food insecurity, meaning they frequently cut back on meals or go entire days without eating.
Pray for Emotional Resilience: Pray for the children living under this constant strain. Ask God to guard their hearts and minds from the anxiety and depression that hunger can cause, building in them the resilient character needed in a leader.
Pray for the Family Unit: Pray for the nearly two million Israelis living in poverty. Ask God to provide for them, ease their burdens, and empower them to raise their children in homes filled with security, not the stress of where the next meal will come from.
3. Pray Against the Paradox of Waste in the Land
The most heartbreaking part of this crisis is that it doesn’t have to exist. While hundreds of thousands of children are hungry, Israel wastes 2.6 million metric tons of food every year, valued at $6.6 billion USD.
Pray for a Miracle of Stewardship: Pray against this spirit of waste. The latest report shows that 1.1 million tons of this wasted food is perfectly edible and rescuable—more than enough to feed every single person in need.
Pray for Open Hands and Hearts: Pray that the hearts of farmers, food executives, and government officials would be opened to solving this problem. Pray that God would create pathways to get this good, healthy food from the fields and factories to the families who so desperately need it.
4. Pray with Thanksgiving for the Strategic Work of Leket Israel
God has positioned Leket Israel on the front lines to combat this threat by turning waste into nourishment.
Give thanks that Leket Israel is the answer to this paradox. They are the hands and feet of Jesus, rescuing the food that would be thrown away and placing it on the tables of His people.
Pray for Our Operations: Leket works with a network of over 265 non-profit partners to distribute this food. Pray for protection and efficiency for their entire network as they serve 246,000 people every single week.
Pray for Our Impact: Thank God that every meal delivered is a direct investment in Israel’s future. It strengthens a family, sharpens a mind, and builds up a future defender of the nation.
“To go to bed hungry is not a good feeling. This lunch is something that really comforts. You know you won’t be hungry all day.”
