As Israel marks two years of war with Hamas on October 7th, a Christian-produced film is inspiring viewers to search for peace, resilience, and hope while remembering the innocent people who've lost their lives on all sides of the conflict.

"Beauty For Ashes," produced and directed by the Fellowship of Israel-Related Ministries (FIRM Israel), features nearly three dozen viewpoints packed into one hour of images and messages, some of which are painful to view and hear, while others engender optimism for the future.

The voices of Messianic Jewish believers, a Palestinian pastor, a human-rights activist, an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldier and spokespersons, the mother of a deceased hostage, Gazan and Orthodox Jewish civilians, Hamas terrorists, Christians, government officials, United Nations representatives, and scholars combine in an appeal for dialogue – a goal of the film's creators.

With 80-plus ministries and supporters, the FIRM Israel-sponsored documentary film seeks to reveal truth amid falsehood, and differentiate between right and wrong, the director of "Beauty For Ashes" points out.

"A film alone is not going to change people's minds, but hopefully it starts a conversation based on the Word (of God) that brings change in some ways," Rebecca Kroese said in an interview from Israel. 

Her husband, Benjamin Kroese, who is Jewish, produced the film. After making Aliyah to Israel four years ago, the couple started a company and began creating documentary films.

Sharing FIRM's biblical positions, the Kroeses joined the ministry after settling in Israel. They were immediately surrounded by a group of people that was already providing outreach in Israel long before it was invaded by Hamas.

"As a media team, we felt it was important to give a voice, especially in the middle of media that was speaking about everything except the hope of Yeshua (Jesus) in the land.

"It was a unique voice because, through Yeshua, there was unity between Jews and Arabs. Even though there was pain, it wasn't hatred," Kroese said.

So together with FIRM, they set out to make the film, which took two years to create. They believed it was important to showcase unity in combing through all the available footage, voices, and ideas. 

While proud of the film and pleased with favorable reactions to it – mostly from FIRM members who were given a preview – Kroese is even more encouraged to see ministry by so many congregations, big and small, uniting to love their neighbors.

"It's interesting to see that slowly the name of Yeshua is becoming less of a hot topic," Kroese said. "Because of the love they're seeing from Messianic and Arabic believers locally and from around the world, Jewish people are slowly and remarkably changing their conversation about the name of Yeshua. I'm proud to see that happening."

In the United States, two Christian television networks are talking to FIRM about broadcasting "Beauty For Ashes" around the two-year mark of Oct. 7th. 

Featured in the film are two Orthodox Jews, whom Kroese refers to as heroes, helping with the rescue of young people fleeing a music festival with Hamas terrorists in harrowing pursuit.

Zachi Mizrahi and David Jacobi heard rocket fire from their homes near the Gaza border and sprang into action in hopes of saving youth running from the Nova festival. Video footage of that fateful day circulated worldwide.

Cut from the film is a story about Mizrahi and Jacobi, who were mistaken for terrorists by IDF soldiers holding them at gunpoint during their impromptu rescue operation. When the commotion had settled enough, an IDF officer recognized Mizrahi and Jacobi as friendly, allowing their continued heroism.

Another key figure in the documentary is a husband and father who responded to the call to war as an IDF soldier. A vocal believer in Yeshua from South Africa, Alon Williams miraculously survived a Hamas attack on his infantry unit. His fellow soldiers know Williams is a bold Christian who prays for them.

"It's a unique perspective to hear from a father who is also a soldier. A lot of secular media has done a wonderful job of vilifying IDF soldiers," Kroese said. "I wanted to show a father who is a son of the land, leaving two kids behind to defend against a vicious enemy. The beauty of Alon is that he does it unashamedly as a believer in Yeshua."

Determining what to include in the documentary was the hardest part due to its spiritual, political, and media layers, coupled with the complicating factors of war. This required long and hard thought, but ultimately, believers were the most important feature because they provided a bridge to the love of Yeshua.

"I wanted to show not only what happened on Oct. 7th from the perspective of believers but also their impact in the way they carried themselves during suffering. Often in church we talk about the glorious bride of Christ but not about walking with Jesus in the middle of suffering," said Kroese.

She believes both Jewish and Arab believers in Israel have offered a tremendous source of hope they have through Yeshua, documented in "Beauty For Ashes." The name is a reference to Isaiah 61, where God promises comfort to those who mourn in Zion.

The Co-founder and CEO of FIRM, Michael Mistretta, remembers gathering a team the day after Oct.7th. 
Speechless over what they had seen, all the team could do was pray before its members moved into action.

"The entire body of believers across the country was moved by what had happened. We saw Jews and Arabs working together. We saw Arab Christians who were helping their Jewish brothers and sisters serving to protect our front lines, showing how only through Jesus the dividing wall of hostility comes down," Mistretta said.

A pastor and founder of FIRM, Wayne Hilsden, said the heart of outreach after Oct. 7 and during the war was to bring together as many ministries as possible.

"In doing that, we now partner with over 70 ministries spread across the nation. So we had – as it were – the hands and feet of Jesus all over the land of Israel to help meet needs for food, shelter, offer comfort for mourning and post-traumatic stress," Hilsden said.

To see all the ways the Body of Yeshua and FIRM  Israel serve the nation, view "Beauty For Ashes" here: 

"Beauty for Ashes": Documentary on the October 7 Attacks in Israel