This past week, The Fellowship hosted a delegation of 33 Spanish-speaking pastors from the United States for a visit to sacred sites across the Holy Land and an opportunity to also visit Fellowship projects and beneficiaries. The four-day tour aimed to make Scripture come alive, while strengthening the pastors’ connection to Israel, deepening their understanding of their Jewish roots, and building bridges between Christians and Jews. The delegation was hosted by Fellowship staff, our President and Global CEO Yael Eckstein, and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee.
On Tuesday, the delegation arrived at the Leonardo Plaza Hotel in Jerusalem and made a special visit to Mount Scopus, where they enjoyed views of the Mount of Olives and the Old City. The pastors also had time to settle into the hotel before joining Yael and Ambassador Huckabee for a welcome dinner. The following day marked the beginning of their full itinerary.
On October 21, the delegation first visited Yad La’Kashish, a Fellowship-supported organization that provides workshops and employment opportunities for low-income elderly residents of Jerusalem. The pastors had the opportunity to meet some of the elderly beneficiaries, hear their stories, and learn what The Fellowship’s support means to them. They then visited the Garden Tomb before heading to the Latet Logistics Center, where they packed food boxes for those in need. After dinner, the pastors attended a special Fellowship evening program featuring a variety of speakers.
The next morning, the pastors traveled to the Beit Shemesh hostel to meet beneficiaries of The Fellowship’s With Dignity and Fellowship program. They also visited the Sdot Negev Resilience Center to learn about the emotional and psychological support provided to communities affected by the war. Later that afternoon, the delegation visited sites connected to the October 7, 2023, attacks, including the Nova Music Festival site near Re’im and Kibbutz Nir Oz. The pastors held prayer vigils, spoke with survivors, and witnessed the lasting impact of the attacks. They also visited bomb shelters to see how The Fellowship has protected vulnerable communities since the war began.
On Friday, the pastors visited Yad Vashem and the City of David before heading to the Western Wall to offer prayers and receive Shabbat blessings. That evening, the pastors gathered at a Fellowship soup kitchen for Shabbat dinner.
On the final day of the tour, the delegation traveled to Nazareth, where The Fellowship has made significant investments in security and medical care for the city’s Christian community. The tour concluded with visits to the Mount of Beatitudes and Capernaum, two important biblical sites along the Sea of Galilee.
Reflecting on the significance of the delegation’s visit, Yael told the pastors, “You are here not just as participants, but as ambassadors — trusted voices who help build bridges of understanding, compassion, and unity between Christians and Jews in your churches, communities, and beyond.”
“The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail” (Isaiah 58:11).