The following post discusses abortion in Israel. Because abortion is such a sensitive topic, we wanted to offer a short disclaimer. At Beloved, we believe that God highly values the life of all people, born and unborn and therefore, we are against the abortion of a living fetus. In this discussion against abortion, I want to be clear that I am not talking about abortion procedures used for aborting non-viable fetuses or as a way of medically inducing babies who have already miscarried. Many doctors use those procedures when medically necessary. This post is in no way meant to shame women who have had an abortion, because there is forgiveness and healing in Messiah. If you have had an abortion and need healing, I recommend this article by someone who has walked that road and experienced God’s healing. If you have experienced loss or grief in your childlessness, I recommend this article.
Did you know that the number of children who have died from abortion in Israel is 100 times the number of Israelis killed in all of modern-Israel’s wars and terrorist attacks? There were 16,500 babies officially reported as aborted last year. In actuality the number may be higher. Every day, 100 children are aborted in Israel. That’s almost 9% of total pregnancies in Israel. God has put this issue on our hearts as connected to idolatry (other believers have felt this too as confirmed in the first video below).
In Israel, abortion must be approved by committee, although 98% of requests are approved. The committee, itself, seems to be a deterrent because showing up at the committee is embarrassing. Being unmarried or in an illicit union, meets the criteria for approval (honor/shame culture). Read the following to get a better idea of the situation. This is a divisive topic in Israel right now and contested in political reform discussions. But it is a topic so close to God’s heart because He loves the children of Israel and their parents. He wants to heal the nation from the pain, loss, guilt, and shame associated with abortion.
Here is a good overview of the context here:
An article from an Israeli publication:
“Abortion is something that is relatively easy to get in Israel but not easy to talk about,” explains a hospital insider who asked to remain anonymous. Some 98 percent of those who apply for an abortion ultimately receive one, according to Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics.
Despite its accessibility, abortion is not an automatic right. Israel’s abortion law, passed in 1977, includes criteria for allowing the procedure: If the woman is under 18 or over 40; if the fetus is not viable or would have severe medical problems if brought to term; if the pregnancy is the result of rape, incest or an “illicit union” (including not being married or having a relationship outside of marriage); and if the woman’s mental or physical health is at risk.
As part of the law, a pregnant woman must receive approval from a termination of pregnancy committee comprised of two physicians and a social worker (one of whom must be a woman) that determines if she meets the legal criteria for an abortion. The committee appointment itself can take two weeks or more to schedule, and the meeting has been described as humiliating, intrusive and paternalistic by critics and activists. Consequently, some women choose to undergo the procedure through private doctors, paying the costs—about $1,000—out of pocket and without committee approval, which is illegal, although the authorities do not monitor or discipline private abortion providers.
It is reforms to these committees that are the focus of activists, even as they acknowledge the pitfalls in attempting to change, or even draw attention to, a fairly permissive and liberal system in a country that is becoming increasingly traditional and socially conservative. “For women, often the most stressful part of the process is appearing before the committee, more so than the abortion itself,” Dina Shalev, director of Lada’at, says.
-Dina Kraft, Hadassah
Another interesting fact is that in 2013, Israel removed sex-education from schools. In the 2023 school year, they are set to implement it again. That means that the generation of young adults coming of age now have never have sex education in school and potentially not at home either. So education is a huge part of this prayer move in this area. Let’s pray for educators that are creating curriculum to have wisdom and to even be bold enough to incorporate abortion education into their curriculum, so children will understand that life begins at conception. We pray God will pour into each child the wonder of their own creation and our privilege to see new life come from our own bodies!
As we move into prayer, we pray for several things:
- The mothers and fathers of the babies
- Their families
- Doctors who recommend and perform abortions in Israel.
- The conscience of the nation and wisdom for leaders for education and policy development
- Pro-life support centers and resources for pregnant mothers.
Let’s Pray
(The purposes of posting these prayers is just to help us pray together and to help you form your own prayers…please don’t just read, but pray through these and feel free to pray differently as you feel led to. We “pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests!” (Ephesians 6:18))
Lord, we align our hearts with yours and ask for your compassion, joy, and kindness, to be poured out on the mothers and fathers in Israel for their unborn children, that they would love the life in the womb, regardless of the situation surrounding the pregnancy. May every child be seen as a blessing and may every family truly value their children, not just in word, but in action, in encouragement, in giving good, loving guidance, in prayer.
We ask for the mothers to have confidence in your love and provision for them and the children in their wombs. We ask for their mental health, emotional health, and physical health. We ask for Godly counseling to be convenient and accessible; that you would send your people TO these mothers to care for them. Send spiritual mothers out, filled with the Holy Spirit, to counsel and comfort these mothers. We ask for those who have lost babies to be comforted and not ashamed to ask for help and prayer.
We ask for the forgiveness and grace of Yeshua to cover the guilt and shame of current illicit pregnancies and that families would tenderly care daughters, girlfriends, and wives bearing children from illicit unions, that your mercy would bring healing and forgiveness and reconciliation in relationships. Turn the hearts of the children to their parents and the hearts of the parents to their children.
Lord we pray for miraculous interventions that would stop individual abortions from happening today, right now. We ask for dreams, visions, divine appointments, and greater education about how life begins at conception. Thank you for your love for the unborn children. We lift up those advocating in Israel for life for the unborn. Show us how we can help. We ask for good, gentle, education for the Jewish people about life starting at conception. We ask you to break the taboo in families about talking about sexual reproduction with their children and ask for bravery for the parents to educate their children about their bodies and your wonderful ways you created us to bear children for your glory. Restore the value of our own worth as children.
We want to pray for the women who have committed abortion and the men involved in those relationships and decisions. We ask for you to make a way for them to experience healing in Messiah. If they feel guilty for making the decision to abort, we ask for them to hear about the mercy offered through Yeshua so they do not have to walk around in guilt and shame, but free! For those who made the decision already to abort, we ask for them to feel your grace cover them. Lord we ask that they would find mercy at the cross and in your people. We reject the accusations of the enemy calling these people murderers, when you call them forgiven. We break any assignment of the enemy against them. Rescue them Lord.
We ask for any diagnosed deformities or chromosomal issues in Israeli fetuses to be healed as a testimony to you. We ask for the healing to be confirmed in scans and photographs. We ask for bravery for parents to carry fetuses to term even if they are afraid that raising the child may prove challenging for them. Help them to catch a glimpse, even now, how that child will be a blessing to them in the future.
We ask for doctors to report hope when reporting results of prenatal screenings or in diagnosing a medical condition before birth, that they would be careful and not recommend abortion for deformity or disability. That they would hear and re-tell stories of misdiagnoses that turned out fine and healings in the womb. It is yours to take life and give it. May we all know you as our healer. For the doctors who regularly recommend abortions and perform abortions, we ask that you will begin even now to miraculously convict them and convince them of life starting at conception. For those who want to change their career, give them a way out. We ask for the educators and curriculum designers to be deeply compelled by the Spirit and by science to present life as beginning at conception. We also ask that they would educate children in appropriate ways regarding what abortion is and how damaging it can be for women, and families. Help them feel comfortable promoting Spirit-led counseling services to teens and young people where you have your people stationed. Lord, help us. Network your body and strengthen us for the task.
We ask for pregnancy centers to be staffed by Spirit-filled believers who will be good counselors, not focused on the political agenda, but on care and resources for the mother and child’s thriving. Give them creativity and build their network of resources here. We ask for their protection, endurance in persecution and spiritual covering for their families! Thank you for placing them here on this important assignment. Lord, strengthen them when they get weary and keep them here and able to minister. Bring them help.
We ask for the policy makers to have your wisdom in laying the legal groundwork for a healthy society for mothers and babies and families here. Lord, show them solutions that only you could imagine. Help the women feel valued and in-charge of their bodies even with more stringent abortion requirements in place to protect unborn babies who have no voice. We know you do not prefer babies to their mothers or mothers to their babies. We break the lie of the enemy that says “by fighting for babies’ rights we are fighting against mothers’ rights.” No! In the name of Yeshua, we ask for the insanity of that argument to be unveiled. Mothers are not against their own children. And motherhood is not an inconvenience that means your life is over. We bless the mothers and mothers-to-be. Give all mothers a sense of their immense importance in the life of their child. Let us all draw great satisfaction in motherhood. For those waiting to be mothers, especially those who believe or have been told they are unable to conceive, we ask for a blessing on their wombs, for healing of their husbands, an opening and a blessing of their marriages.
Thank you Father for the people you have placed in medical professions in Israel and worldwide who love you and who are encouraging mothers to keep their babies. Thank you for the miracles you have performed in the womb. Thank you for the mothers who have found healing and hope in you post abortion, and thank you for your love for your children.
We walk in your love and authority today and speak life with our tongue to those who are perishing, Lord bless the ones who are lost so that they find your mercy! Let your kingdom come here on earth as it is in heaven.
In the name of Yeshua we ask these things in faith believing you to accomplish your plans and purposes!
Thank you Lord.
The following video is a short educational video, gently informing Hebrew speakers about life starting at conception, informs them about healing offered through Yeshua, and then quickly explains and illustrates the truth about specific abortion procedures. You can hear those explained in English here. This is followed again by an invitation for counseling, forgiveness through Yeshua, and an invitation to spread the truth about abortion and try to make a change. Caution: The video may not be suitable for young viewers and may be triggering to women who have had an abortion.
