The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews Increases Defense Preparedness Throughout Israel

October 27, 2023

JERUSALEM (October 27, 2023) – While Hamas’ deadly terror attacks of October 7 targeted southern Israel, attacks from Hezbollah terrorists from Lebanon have led to increased tensions on Israel’s northern border. In response, the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (The Fellowship) has distributed an additional 1,500 flak jackets and 150 first aid response kits to 105 Local Emergency Response Units in communities in the Golan and Galilee regions.

Since the onset of the war, The Fellowship has distributed over 4,100 flak jackets and 500 first responder kits, positioned 30 new mobile bomb shelters in the north, and allocated $500,000 in emergency funding to 400 military families with loved ones injured in battle.

Safwan Marich, Director of the Safety and Emergency Response Division for The Fellowship, said, “We’ve been in constant contact with all our partners in the Homefront Command and rescue services with the goal of providing immediate response to the many, constantly changing needs. Supporting the community-based defense infrastructure is one of our key objectives, and we will continue to make ourselves available to respond to the many new demands arising all over the country.”

In total, The Fellowship has allocated and distributed more than $12 million in emergency aid to communities and residents in regions of Israel most heavily affected by the devastating terror attacks of October 7. Allocations are coordinated with local and national authorities, first responders, hospitals, food distribution agencies, and others to best serve immediate needs.

“As this war continues to affect people throughout Israel in so many different ways, our goal is to make sure our communities are being physically defended and equipped to prevent any more lives being lost to brutal attacks,” said Yael Eckstein, President and CEO of The Fellowship. “This is a crisis and challenge the likes of which Israel has never faced before. But together with our friends in Israel and around the world, we vow that those in need will never be alone, and that through our national and global unity good will triumph over the evil that intended to destroy us.”

In addition, each day thousands of Fellowship-funded meals are being distributed to elderly in the south who didn’t evacuate, as well as to families forced to leave their homes. The Fellowship’s Emergency Response Center was also mobilized within days to provide a place for families and volunteers stationed at the Casualty Identification Center to rest and refresh in a shaded space, receive food and drinks, charge their phones and more.