Project Spotlight:  A Journey of Faith — Pastors Visit Israel 

IFCJ Canada  |  November 2, 2026

 Packing food boxes. Listening to an elderly neighbour’s story. Sharing a Shabbat meal. For 33 Spanish-speaking pastors from North America, a recent visit to Israel offered opportunities to connect faith with acts of care—and to meet the people at the heart of The Fellowship’s work. 

 The visit brought to life the heart of IFCJ Canada’s mission: strengthening the bonds of friendship between Christians and Jews while putting faith into action through compassionate care, lifesaving aid, and blessings for Jewish people in need. 

 Beyond visiting sacred biblical sites, the pastors had the opportunity to connect personally with elderly Jewish people, vulnerable families, and communities supported by The Fellowship. Through heartfelt conversations and powerful stories of resilience and hope, they witnessed firsthand how IFCJ Canada’s compassionate care and lifesaving assistance are transforming lives and reminding those in need that they are not forgotten or alone. 

At the food logistics centre, the pastors helped pack food boxes for people in need. They also met elderly beneficiaries in Beit Shemesh and gathered for Shabbat dinner at a Fellowship supported soup kitchen.  These heartfelt encounters brought The Fellowship’s mission to life: providing vulnerable Jewish people with essential care and support while restoring hope, honouring their dignity, and reminding them they are never forgotten or alone. 

The visit also made space for listening, prayer and remembrance. At the Sdot Negev Resilience Centre, the pastors learned about emotional and psychological support for communities affected by war. At the Nova Music Festival site and Kibbutz Nir Oz, they met survivors of the October 7, 2023, attacks and held prayer vigils. 

Throughout the journey, stops at Yad Vashem, the Western Wall and biblical sites gave the pastors opportunities to reflect on Jewish history and the Jewish roots of their Christian faith. 

Welcoming the delegation, Yael Eckstein spoke about how those connections could continue beyond the visit: 

“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.” 

 For Canadians who share IFCJ Canada’s mission, this calling extends beyond Israel and into our own communities. By strengthening the bonds of friendship between Christians and Jews, standing in solidarity with Jewish communities, and helping provide food, warmth, and essential care to those in need, we can put our faith into action and share God’s love through compassion, generosity, and hope. 

Discover how IFCJ Canada brings Christians and Jews together to help Jewish people in need. 

“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).