Facts About the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews
July 12, 2022
Leadership:
President and CEO, Yael Eckstein
Founder:
Founded in 1983 by Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein (1951-2019)
Mission:
The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews is the leading nonprofit building bridges between Christians and Jews, blessing Israel and the Jewish people around the world with humanitarian care and lifesaving aid.
Our Impact:
In 2021, The Fellowship helped more than 2 million people by supplying basic essentials and financial assistance to 1 million people, providing security to more than 800,000 people encountering threats of terrorism and anti-Semitism, and helping more than 5,000 Jews make aliyah (immigrate to Israel). Throughout this year, more food, security, and assistance with immigration was provided than in any other year in The Fellowship’s history, thanks to donations mainly from Christian friends in the United States, Canada, and South Korea. Since its founding, The Fellowship has raised more than $2.62 billion for this work.
Offices:
The Fellowship has offices in Chicago, Jerusalem, Toronto, and Seoul.
Our work:
The Fellowship has been a leader in Jewish-Christian relations, building greater understanding and cooperation between members of these two great faiths. Today, our work is based on three pillars:
- Alleviating poverty among Israelis and in Jewish communities in need around the world
- Providing at-risk Jewish communities with security
- Supporting aliyah (immigration to Israel)
We have helped hundreds of thousands of Jews escape poverty and anti-Semitism and return to their biblical homeland, funded humanitarian assistance that has touched the lives of millions of Jewish people, provided life-giving aid to Israel’s victims of war and terror, and much more. Today, The Fellowship is known as the largest provider of humanitarian aid in Israel.
Projects:
Alleviating Poverty
The Fellowship eases the suffering of Israelis, as well as needy Jews in the former Soviet Union – including elderly, Holocaust survivors, families, and children – by supporting programs that provide food, housing, medical care, clothing, and other essentials on a day-to-day basis.
Providing Security
Terrorism and the threat of war are daily facts of life in Israel. The Fellowship supports security projects throughout Israel including hospitals, fortified buildings in communities vulnerable to rocket attacks, emergency equipment for first responders, thousands of bomb shelters, immediate aid to victims of terror, and “command centers” in border communities to be used in the event of escalation of conflict between Israel and her neighbors.
Supporting Aliyah (Immigration to Israel)
For decades, The Fellowship has assisted needy Jews in making aliyah (immigrating to Israel) from all over the world — the former Soviet Union, Latin America, Europe, and elsewhere — to escape anti-Semitism and extreme poverty, and to realize the dream of living in their biblical homeland. When they arrive in Israel after making aliyah, we provide them with klitah (resettlement) assistance in the form of Hebrew language classes, job training, financial aid, and more. Since its founding, The Fellowship has helped more than 760,000 Jews come to Israel and become full, productive citizens.
Crisis Response
In times of crisis – whether in Israel, the former Soviet Union, or elsewhere in the world – The Fellowship is there, on the ground providing immediate assistance to the vulnerable Jewish communities we serve. The Fellowship efficiently and effectively delivers aid to people when they need it most through our extensive network of staff, partners, and volunteers.