Christians Worldwide Stand with Israel on Yom Hashoah
In early May, Israel observed Yom HaShoah—its annual Holocaust Remembrance Day that commemorates the lives of the 6 million Jews who perished in the Holocaust between 1933 and 1945. Scores of Christians worldwide stood with Israel in public rallies and earnest prayer, including various national branches of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem.
“There is a groundswell of Christian support for Israel around the globe during this special time of remembering the Holocaust and paying respect to the millions of Jewish victims of the Nazi genocide,” said ICEJ President Dr. Juergen Buehler. “This outpouring of Evangelical love and concern for Israel is finding expression in many countries right now because the Hamas atrocities of October 7, 2023, touched the raw nerve of the Holocaust. So many Christians want to reassure the Jewish people they have far more friends than all the rabid antisemites taking over college campuses in recent weeks.”
Jerusalem Honors Yom Hashoah
In Jerusalem the ICEJ was invited to send representatives Nicole Yoder and Jannie Tolhoek from our staff to lay a wreath in the Hall of Remembrance during the official state ceremonies at Yad Vashem. And at our Home for Holocaust Survivors in Haifa, ICEJ Team Director Yudit Setz addressed a large gathering to mark Yom HaShoah that included Members of the Knesset and scores of Holocaust Survivors with their families. “Precious Holocaust Survivors, I embrace you on this difficult day in the name of thousands of Christians who love you and stand with you,” shared Yudit. “The ICEJ represents Christians who have echoed the words of Ruth spoken to Naomi: ‘Your people are my people, and your God is my God.’ In the nations we stand with you in prayer, in action, fighting against antisemitism and standing for what is right. You are not alone!”
Meanwhile, ICEJ national branches around the world supported Israel through various events remembering the Holocaust
ICEJ Branches Honor Yom Hashoah
ICEJ Germany
The ICEJ Germany branch helped stage a large march of Christians in Stuttgart to stand in solidarity with Israel and combat antisemitism. They also held a prayer rally in Stuttgart that more than 600 Christians from across
Germany attended. Waving Israeli flags and shouting. Am Israel chai! (“The people of Israel live!”), the crowd warmly received Israeli guest speaker Rabbi Shmuel Bowman before everyone dropped to their knees in fervent prayer for the Jewish nation and people.
ICEJ Norway
In Norway, ICEJ National Director Dag Oyvind Julissen hosted a pro-Israel conference in Oslo featuring an Israeli survivor of the Nova music festival who told his incredible story of being saved by an Arab farm manager.
ICEJ Slovakia
Our Slovakian branch organized its fourth public rally for Israel since October 7—this one in Bratislava—and another recent gathering drew 25 Christian pastors to support the launch of a local ICEJ think tank to promote closer ties between Slovakia and Israel.
ICEJ Finland
A large Yom HaShoah event in Helsinki, Finland, drew hundreds of ICEJ members who joined other pro-Israel Christians in a gathering linked to the March of Life that was happening simultaneously in many cities worldwide.
ICEJ USA
Dr. Susan Michael ICEJ USA National Director (pictured at right) spoke at the annual Day of Prayer and Solidarity event hosted by the Embassy of Israel in Washington, DC.
ICEJ Italy
In Milan, ICEJ Italy National Director Sara Britti attended a ceremony hosted by the Chief Rabbi of Milan where Auschwitz Survivor Liliana Segre was named a “Senator for Life” by Italian President Sergio Mattarella.
—by David Parsons, ICEJ VP and Senior Spokesman
Bless those who suffered through the Holocaust and now live in our Haifa Home for Holocaust Survivors.