Christian Embassy Blankets Israel With Prayer, Relief Aid
The global network of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem has been covering Israel with prevailing prayer amid a difficult war while holding pro-Israel rallies and reaching out to numerous national leaders on Israel’s behalf. Meanwhile, our Jerusalem staff has crisscrossed Israel to deliver relief aid and express love and comfort to a people still in shock from the ruthless Hamas assault that touched the raw nerve of the Holocaust.
With the grave atrocities committed by Hamas terrorists in the opening hours of the conflict still coming to light, the IDF is poised to fight both Hamas in the South and the even greater threat of Hezbollah in the North. To aid in this multifront battle, Israeli leaders took the unusual step of evacuating all the communities along the Gaza and Lebanese borders, including large cities like Sderot and Kiryat Shmona.
This unprecedented move meant displacing tens of thousands of Israeli civilians from their homes and sheltering them at guest houses, hotels, hostels, and other facilities throughout the center of the country. Most of these uprooted civilians fled with only the bare necessities. Among them are many shattered Jewish families that have lost loved ones, while other close relatives and neighbors are either missing or being held hostage in Gaza.
Immediately teams of ICEJ staff headed in numerous directions to pack and deliver food parcels and hand out store vouchers and relief items to evacuees, while giving toys and games to disoriented children. At a major food distribution center in Rishon LeZion, an ICEJ team showed up every day to help pack thousands of boxes of food supplies, clothing, and toiletries. While there, the staff had wonderful encounters with other Israeli volunteers, providing words of encouragement as they stood side by side packing these items.
They then transported the packed food boxes in a refrigerated truck that the ICEJ has leased for this charitable partner since 2020. The Hebrew signage on the truck states: “Israel, you are not alone.” The ICEJ also is leasing a second refrigerated truck needed by law to deliver perishable foods to the needy. Elsewhere, we provided a BBQ cookout for 200 Israelis now based in the Jordan Valley.
An ICEJ leadership team also visited a kibbutz along the central coast where 135 families who survived the Kfar Aza massacre are being housed and cared for. The families were all given vouchers that can be used at grocery stores and Israeli chains to buy what they need most—whether its food, clothing, or household items. All 305 families left from Kfar Aza, who are being housed in other respite centers across Israel, will receive these vouchers.
In addition, the ICEJ has raised almost enough funds already to help donate two ambulances and a Medi-cycle, including one ambulance earmarked for Kibbutz Be’eri, which also suffered heavy losses like nearby Kfar Aza. Some ICEJ branch offices have set a goal to donate several more ambulances—including the ICEJ USA Branch.
The ICEJ also is rushing to order eight more portable bomb shelters to be placed in other vulnerable areas, and we are currently renovating an additional 20 underground shelters in Shlomi, bringing our total in that northern border town alone to 73 refurbished underground shelters and 12 mobile ones above ground.
Your continuing donations to our Israel in Crisis fund will enable us to meet many more urgent needs in the embattled nation of Israel.
At this critical time, Israelis need to know that millions of Christians worldwide are standing with them in their hour of need. Please give your best gift today.