PRESS RELEASE: International Christian leaders meet in Jerusalem to repent of the past and express solidarity with the Jewish people

From 4th -9th March 2013, 80 leaders of the Christians for Israel (C4I) movement will gather in Israel for the fourth bi-annual C4I Leadership Forum. These Christian leaders from Europe, Africa, South East Asia, Australasia, and North America will receive briefings by Israeli experts, meet with leaders of a number of leading Jewish organizations, and plan their strategic priorities for the coming year. On Saturday 9th March, they will close the meeting by launching an international prayer and fasting initiative. After the Forum, a group of 100 leaders will travel for 11 days throughout the country.

On Thursday 7th March 2013, the International leadership will meet with Israeli leaders to discuss the topic of "Jewish-Christian friendship in a time of global chaos". This event will take place at Ramat Rachel @17.00 – 18.15. The keynote speaker at this event will be Chief Rabbi Yona Metzger. Press are invited to attend this event.

International Chairman Harald Eckert "Christians for Israel is an international network of Christians around the world. We represent hundreds of thousands of Christians in over 40 nations. Our goal is to make amends for the mistakes of the past, and build bridges between Israel and the Christian world. We believe the Lord is calling us to work together in this time of the restoration of the nation of Israel. We have a duty to encourage each other, and help each other prepare for the coming of Messiah."

Executive Director Andrew Tucker: "As Israel celebrates its 65th birthday, we wish to demonstrate to the nation of Israel and the Jewish people that they are not alone. The negative statements coming from the leadership of some Church denominations do not represent Christianity as a whole. There are millions of Christians across the world - in Europe, in Africa and in Asia - who believe that the Jews have every right to live in the land as a nation in peace and security, and are taking up a stand on their behalf. The leaders of our national operations are here to listen and learn, so that we can go home strengthened in our task to be ambassadors for Israel in our nations."

More information contact:
Andrew Tucker (Executive Director)                                         Marnix van Ede (Liaison Officer - Israel)
Mobile: +31 (0)6 22401085                                                       Mobile: +972 (0)54 72 44 802
Email: atucker@c4israel.org                                                    Email: mvanede@c4israel.org

www.c4israel.org www.whyisrael.org

BACKGROUND

Christians for Israel (C4I) is an international, non-denominational Christian ministry representing hundreds of thousands of Christians on all continents. Established in Holland in the late 1970s, C4I has grown in recent years into an international movement with national representatives in 40 countries worldwide. Our mission is to bring biblical understanding in the church and among the nations concerning God's purposes for Israel and to promote comfort of Israel through prayer and action.

We believe that God’s covenants with the nation of Israel are eternal. The return of the Jewish people to the land over the last 200 years is fulfilment of Biblical prophecy, in preparation for the coming of Messiah and the establishment of God’s kingdom on earth. We believe Christians should repent of the treatment of the Jewish people by the Church over the centuries, fight anti-Semitism in all its forms and guises, pray for the Peace of Jerusalem, and comfort the Jewish people.

GLOBAL LEADERSHIP

We train and equip national C4I teams in 40 nations to engage in education, advocacy, rebuilding Jewish relations, fundraising and prayer. They do this in their own language, culture and historical context. The national teams are supported by the C4I International head office, based in the Netherlands.

KEY ACTIVITIES AND ACHIEVEMENTS

Educational tools and programs
Through newspapers, books, DVDs, websites, social media, conferences, TV and radio, we educate Christians that the church has not replaced Israel, but that the Jewish people are still God’s covenant people. We teach them about the history of Christian/Jewish relations, the modern state of Israel, and the significance of current affairs, such as the recent upgrading of Palestinian status in the UN.

Tours to Israel
Since 1980, Christians for Israel has brought over ten thousand Christians to Israel on solidarity and educational tours, from over 20 countries.

Advocacy – national and regional
In partnership with the Brussels-based European Coalition for Israel, C4I lobbies in Brussels, the EU member states and in Africa to defend Israel’s interests. Examples:

Annual conference in the European Parliament
Monthly TV programs aired in Europe and Africa
Sending small delegations to attend African Union summits in Addis Ababa.

Helping the Jewish people
In 2012, C4I affiliates worldwide raised over US$ 2 million to support aliyah and projects in Israel:

Helping the Jews come home - aliyah

C4I works in partnership with Keren Hayesod / Jewish Agency, Shavei Israel and Ebenezer Operation Exodus to help Jews come home
Our team in the Ukraine visits Jewish communities and helps them prepare for aliyah
Since the 1990s, C4I has assisted over 100,000 olim to return to Israel from the former Soviet Union, Ethiopia and India

Helping the Jews in the land - humanitarian projects in Israel
Christians for Israel affiliates support Jewish organizations in Israel in the fields of:

Education of Jewish and Arab children
Soup kitchens in Jerusalem and Beth Shemesh
Support for survivors of terror
Strengthening Jewish communities in Jerusalem
Supporting the communities in Judea and Samaria
Helping Holocaust survivors

Building bridges with Israel and Jewish communities

C4I Holland partnered with the Jerusalem Foundation to restore the Montefiore Windmill in Jerusalem – a symbol of Jewish-Christian friendship
C4I Ukraine works with local partners to lay monuments throughout Ukraine in memory of victims of the holocaust
Many C4I national teams organize Holocaust Remembrance Day events in January each year
Each year we organize an international delegation to join the March of the Living in Auschwitz /Birkenau (in April 2013, approx. 50 participants will attend from Ukraine, Holland, Switzerland and UK)

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