2023 Annual Report
Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light.
Micah 7:8
Shalom,
My friends, this past year was full of events we never could have imagined.
Of course, we all know the entire world changed on October 7. And especially here in Israel, our reality dramatically shifted, in shocking and devastating ways.
I’ve painfully reflected on how much has been asked of each person here in Israel, and it's heartbreaking. We have all had to contend with the fact that Israel is in a war for our survival. We all witnessed friends and family being brutally taken or killed by Hamas terrorists. And we all have loved ones risking their lives to protect Israel's borders in military service and reserve duty. The entire country has been affected in a deep, lasting way.
But through it all, there has been a shining light. Even when it seems most of the world is against Israel, you—our millions of Christian and Jewish friends—show us we’re not alone, through prayer and action. And as anti-Semitism is dramatically on the rise across the globe, your support is needed even more.
Once again, the Jewish people are going through a very hard time. But this time, we’re not alone.
Thank God for the dedicated friends who say to us: we stand with you and we love you. You’ve raised your voice and let the world know that you strongly stand with Israel and her values of freedom, life, and hope—and you’ve done this through your support of The Fellowship.
Together, we’ve touched the lives of so many Jewish people in need by bringing them lifesaving comfort, care, security, and the chance to make aliyah. And we are only more committed to our mission during dark times like this. We are going into the war zones, on the ground, with our volunteers, ready to support, protect, and comfort the people of Israel. And the message is clear: that Christians and Jews are standing together.
So thank you, my friends. Thank you for shining God’s light, protecting God’s Holy Land and His people with your steadfast commitment and faith.
With blessings from the Holy Land,
Yael Eckstein President and CEO
YOUR 2023 IMPACT
Poverty
1 million people provided with basic needs to fight poverty
40 soup kitchens in Israel distributed 2.5 million meals and hundreds of thousands of food boxes throughout the year
768,000 children and families received food, medicine, clothing, or financial assistance in Israel
Security
1 million people worldwide provided with access to secure Jewish synagogues, schools, and communities through emergency equipment, medical equipment, and mobile bomb shelters
93,000 Israeli soldiers provided with basic needs, comfort, and care
Over 2 Million People Were Helped by The Fellowship
Aliyah
More than 4,000 olim (immigrants) made aliyah (immigrated to Israel)
Assisted 5,000 olim (immigrants) with klitah (resettlement) expenses
Bridge Building
16,000 people engaged in monthly prayer services
61,000 prayer requests taken to the Western Wall in Jerusalem
4 global offices — in Israel, the United States, Canada, and South Korea
OUR EMERGENCY RESPONSE
Those of us who stand with Israel and her people know that Israel is under constant threat from enemies who want to destroy her. But the October 7 Hamas massacre in southern Israel was the greatest loss of Jewish lives in a single day since the Holocaust. The nation still mourns for those lost and those held captive in Gaza. Communities are destroyed, and the people of Israel still live in threat of attack – from Hamas in the south and Hezbollah in the north, and from the nation that funds them – Iran. In the face of these threats, your solidarity with Israel shows the Jewish people they are not alone. Thankfully, your help has made all the difference in the lives of those like Tamar.
You Are Her Ray of Light
God heard my prayers and saved us. Every time [the terrorists] tried to break down the door, I chanted the ‘Shema Yisrael’ (Hear, O Israel) prayer, and God heard me.”
That’s Tamar, an 83-year-old woman who was visiting her daughter in the south of Israel on Kibbutz Kfar Aza for Simchat Torah, the Jewish holiday meaning “rejoicing in the Torah,” when her daughter’s kibbutz was invaded by Hamas.
Prayer saw her through October 7, as they were forced to hide in their safe room for 36 hours. On that day, the terrorists broke into their home, and they shot at their safe room lock to pry it open. Her grandson held the door; and he was badly injured when they started shooting. They could smell the kibbutz burning. “They almost succeeded, but then just before they entered our IDF soldiers arrived,” says Tamar.
“It’s a miracle,” says Tamar. “The prayers and the Book of Psalms kept us alive.”
The Fellowship is also an answer to her prayers. “I bless each and every one of you,” she says. “You have allowed me to buy food for three years now. The phone calls and gifts for the holidays are like a ray of light in my life.”
At the field where the Nova music festival was hosted, there are pictures displayed on poles of the victims taken too soon at this site on October 7. Additionally, terrorists infiltrated Israel’s southern communities and kibbutzim, where lives were brutally taken. But your help through this shocking Hamas attack is one small light in the darkness. Together, we helped to distribute more than $19 million in emergency aid in 2023 to communities and residents in regions of Israel most heavily affected by the devastating terror attacks.
30 mobile bomb shelters installed
(between Oct 7, 2023 and Dec 31, 2023)
5,000+ flak jackets to first responders & emergency teams
1,200 medical bags & emergency equipments kits
50,000+ prayers and pledges brought to Israel
83,820 prepared meals, food boxes and food cards
‘Just Wanted to Celebrate Life’
I was expecting it was like running away—from routine, from normal life.”
This is what 23-year-old Noa was expecting on October 6, 2023. The IDF veteran and young Israeli headed to the desert of southern Israel near Gaza for a music festival, to enjoy friends and fellowship and the beauty of the Holy Land.
Instead, Noa found herself literally running away—fleeing the Hamas terrorists who had invaded from Gaza on the morning of October 7, intent on murdering Israelis. Noa, like so many others, ran for her life. Noa and her friends ran for more than a mile, hiding behind whatever trees and bushes they could find. Then gunfire erupted from where they’d been running.
“My friend grabbed my hand and pulled me inside the first bush we saw.”
The friends hid in the bush for eight hours.
Miraculously, Noa survived, but she remembers the friends she lost:
“Beautiful young people who just wanted to celebrate life.”
The people of Israel were attacked on the Holy Land God promised them. But, God’s people also found hope, strength, and lifesaving help from The Fellowship’s faithful supporters, which sent a strong message that Israelis like Noa are not alone.
Holding the Door of a Bomb Shelter
The days leading up to October 7, 2023, were quiet, happy days. As the people of southern Israel celebrated Sukkot, 63-year-old Shuki enjoyed hosting his neighbors in the town of Ofakim in the large sukkah he had built.
But when rockets began falling on the southern Israeli neighborhood that morning, Shuki and eight others ran from the sukkah to their apartment building’s bomb shelter.
Then, when gunshots sounded outside, they knew the attack was more than just the usual rockets—terrorists had invaded the neighborhood. All that stood between life and death was the door of the bomb shelter.
“There was a bicycle frame by the door,” Shuki recalls. “I took it and used it to block the door so that the terrorists could not open it.”
Shuki held that door closed for nearly six hours—never letting go of the handle even when the Hamas gunmen opened fire on it.
Many were murdered that day. But Shuki and eight other Israelis from this small town on Israel’s border with Gaza survived. And thanks to your support, they hope that this next year’s sacred season will be a “celebration to remember all the people who were killed and say ‘Am Yisrael Chai (the Nation of Israel lives)!’”
OUR POVERTY PROGRAM
Thank you for answering God’s call to feed the hungry and bless Israel and her people. Together, we provided lifesaving food, care, and support for Jewish people in need in war-torn Israel and Ukraine, as well as around the world. In total, we provided basic needs and support to more than 1 million people.
Impact:
185,000 elderly and Holocaust survivors in Israel and the FSU received help with basic needs
566,000 people were provided with food, clothing, and financial aid for Passover and Rosh Hashanah worldwide
18,000 people had access to warming hubs and generator-supplied heating and electricity across 23 communities in war-torn Ukraine
‘God Bless You’
Nina is an 84-year-old Holocaust survivor who lives alone in a small village in Ukraine. “I am old, no one is helping me to grow vegetables in my garden,” she says, explaining how it’s physically difficult to grow her own food like she did when she was younger and stronger. But life has always been a struggle for Nina. She remembers her childhood was taken from her because of World War II. When she was only four months old, just a baby, the Nazis entered her village. “They took my father. The Nazis gathered all the men in a field and shot them all. My father is buried in a mass grave in the outskirts of our village,” Nina tells us. Nina also remembers feeling hungry in her childhood; now, in her elderly years, she’s living through another war and another time of hunger. Still, this faithful woman puts her trust in God. “I believe in God; I pray every day,” she tells us. Thankfully, The Fellowship is here to make sure she’s not forgotten and that her prayers are answered by you and Fellowship friends around the world. “I feel so happy to have people coming over to visit me,” says Nina. “Thank you for listening to me. Thank you for this food. God bless you.”
You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in their distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat.
Isaiah 25:4
Thanks to The Fellowship, we already have a refrigerated vehicle which helps us deliver the meals to the homes of the people in need. This is something we did not have before and from our point of view it is really a game changer … Thanks to you, hundreds of elderly and Holocaust survivors in Kiryat Shmona are receiving hot meals delivered to their homes. Thank you!”
Rabbi Tzipori, founder of the Beit Batya soup kitchen
Your visit just five days before the holiday brightens my day and gives me strength and faith … I am surviving thanks to your support. God bless you all.”
Biana, a 74-year-old woman in Odesa, Ukraine
We were in trouble then, especially during the winter months. We had no water or electricity, so we couldn’t cook. But thanks to The Fellowship, we got through the winter somehow. I received emergency financial help as well as food.”
Lyudmila says about the war last winter in Ukraine and grateful for the continued winter warmth aid
OUR SECURITY PROGRAM
The threat of war and terrorism is a daily fact of life in Israel. But when the October 7 attacks occurred, Israel was forced into a war of self-defense that has been harsh and ongoing. Greater security measures were needed immediately, such as protective equipment for first responders, and shelters and fortified buildings in hospitals.
Through your unwavering support for the security and protection of the Jewish people, not only in Israel but around the world, you were a light for the Jewish people during their darkest hour.
Impact:
50 mobile bomb shelters were installed, including 30 the first week of Operation Swords of Iron
2 armored security vehicles were supplied to security officers and emergency teams in Ashkelon and Sderot
93,000 soldiers and their families were provided with emergency funds for basic or household needs, as well as comfort and care
And we provided medical equipment and financial support for fortification projects for hospitals in Israel
Ronen Continued Saving Lives
Ronen is not one to call himself a hero. But Ronen is a hero, like so many heroes who stood up to protect the people of Israel on October 7. A security officer in the southern Israeli city of Sderot, Ronen was on the frontlines as Hamas terrorists attacked— by air and by land—on that dark morning.
As terrorists infiltrated his beloved hometown, Ronen stood and fought. He shot one terrorist, before a fellow officer fell, wounded. Ronen pulled his comrade to safety. But, then Ronen himself was shot. Hit in the left arm, left to fight with only his right, Ronen continued defending Sderot. And Ronen continued saving lives.
But again, Ronen is a humble man, saying the true heroes are the Fellowship supporters who—even before the attacks of October 7 that left Ronen injured and more than 1,200 of his fellow Israelis dead—provided the people of Israel with lifesaving equipment “for such a time as this.”
You provided armored vehicles, mobile bomb shelters, emergency medical gear, and flak jackets. It’s because of you that Israel’s heroes were, are, and will be able to answer the call and defend God’s children.
Deliver me from my enemies, O God; be my fortress against those who are attacking me.
Psalm 59:1
I’m standing here today because of [a Fellowship-provided] armored vehicle. I was attacked twice by tens of terrorists. I was by myself in the vehicle, and I was not hit. I was not injured. I was able to get away. There's a lot of bullet holes all over the car. There's bullet holes and this car just saved my life. So, I just wanted to say thank you very much. God bless.”
Keith Isaacson, head of security of Eshkol Region in southern Israel
I just want you to see these beautiful volunteers who just came from all over Israel to assist and help the citizens and soldiers here in the south. And look what they are going to get for the ambulance: medic bags and doctor bags from your support.
I couldn’t be more grateful. You’re going to save lives.”
Linor, a director at United Hatzalah, Israel’s volunteer group of medical first responders
OUR ALIYAH PROGRAM
For millennia, Jewish people around the world have faced anti-Semitism. Today, anti-Semitism is on the rise, especially after the October 7 attacks. But in Israel, the Jewish people find refuge and hope in their sovereign nation, where they can live and worship freely as Jews. Together, we answer the prayers of the most vulnerable who wouldn’t have the support or finances to begin new lives on their own. The Fellowship shines God’s light and helps bring His people home – thanks to our supporters.
Expressing Their Identity Proudly
We were not afraid to come to Israel during wartime,” says Daniel, a new olim (immigrant) who made aliyah (immigrated to Israel) with his son, Emiliano, thanks to the help of The Fellowship. Emiliano, who lives with disabilities, will also be taken care of by Israel’s first-rate education and medical systems.
Although Daniel is devastated by the horror of October 7, he can also see the hope and resilience of the people in the Holy Land, and wouldn’t want to live anywhere else in the world. He was deeply worried about the frequent exposure his son had to anti-Semitic attitudes in Argentina.
It’s difficult to imagine living where your faith isn’t accepted, but Daniel tells us the heartbreaking reality in their country of origin: “My son came back home from school telling me he had heard mean things about Jews during recess.”
“It is painful, but it reinforces our conviction that Israel … is perhaps the only place where we can express our identity proudly and in peace.”
They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Isaiah 40:31
We lived on the 10th floor and every time there was an alarm I grabbed Kseniia by the arms and we ran ten floors down to the bomb shelter. That was scary. I told Kseniia that it’s like a game where the goal is to get to the shelter as quickly as possible. Recently, power outages started and we were constantly sitting in the dark. You can’t go on living like this. I want a good future for my daughter. I want her to laugh, meet children her age, and meet new friends.”
Serhii, a father on making aliyah with his family to escape war-torn Ukraine
In 2023, The Fellowship helped 4,264 people make aliyah from 35 different countries.
Argentina
Azerbaijan
Belarus
Belgium
Bolivia
Brazil
Chile
Colombia
Costa
Dominican
Republic
Ecuador
Ethiopia
France
Georgia
Germany
Guatemala
Honduras
Kazakhstan
Kyrgyzstan
Latvia
Lithuania
Mexico
Moldova
Panama
Paraguay
Peru
Portugal
Russia
Spain
Tajikistan
Ukraine
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Venezuela
How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!
Psalm 133:1
SUPPORTING FELLOWSHIP
The Fellowship builds bridges of faith between Christians and Jews through shared biblical values and education on the Jewish roots of the Christian faith. Our ministry is always growing stronger with each partnership we create based in shared faith values and love for Israel.
Impact:
300,000 downloads of Yael’s Nourish Your Biblical Roots podcast, with nearly 1,500 subscribers by the end of 2023
45.6 thousand podcast followers through our Pray.com partnership
16,000 people engaged in monthly prayer services
3,052,154 engagements, reaching 28,161,967 people on our Fellowship Facebook pages in 2023
485,000 engagements, reaching 5 million people on our Fellowship Instagram pages in 2023
I have no house to return to and I think that I will never be able to return because the place I love so much has been destroyed. Many people have volunteered to help us, and The Fellowship was one of the first that provided us with significant assistance that will help us pick up the broken pieces and start over again.”
Batya, an evacuee from the south after October 7
I want to give a huge thank you to all those people who provide assistance. This means so much to us on the frontline. Each package that we receive, each donation of equipment, raises up our morale and gives us strength and motivation to continue.”
Sergeant Amit, a 21-year-old reserves paratrooper who was seriously wounded on the Lebanon border at the beginning of war
I couldn’t celebrate the holiday without this assistance from The Fellowship. Thank you for remembering me and taking care of me when I’m in need. Thanks to you, I will have a happy holiday. Thank you!”
Sibo, an elderly woman celebrates Rosh Hashanah with The Fellowship
I don’t need to remind you that last year was a somber time for the Jewish people.
We all know what happened. Israel is surrounded by enemies who don’t believe God's people have the right to exist. Still, none of us were prepared, and no one could ever be prepared for the vicious and vile crimes committed by Hamas terrorists on October 7.
Because of our faith in God’s Word and our abiding love for the Jewish people we have every right to feel raw outrage, fear, and deep sadness. I’ve wept so many tears for our Jewish brothers and sisters who’ve suffered and continue to suffer from the massacre and ongoing war against Hamas and Hezbollah terrorists, as well as the struggle against the evil Iranian regime that funds them.
But I’ve also had the honor and privilege of serving The Fellowship up close, so I’ve witnessed the faith and resilience of the Jewish people. I’ve seen the goodwill of the Israeli people and their hope for peace and freedom.
And that’s why I’m so grateful for the wonderful people who support The Fellowship—you, me, and millions of Christians and Jews around the world—who have such a heart for Israel. We will not let God’s people suffer through this enormous tragedy alone.
My dear friends, this past year, you’ve opened your hearts so beautifully to the children of Israel who cried out in pain and anguish. And you so faithfully responded to their needs through your support of The Fellowship. Together, we changed the lives of so many through emergency deliveries and support on the ground in Israel during wartime.
I pray that The Fellowship will always be here when our Jewish brothers and sisters are in need. I pray that one day God will let all of Israel know shalom, peace. And I pray that, as people of faith who love Israel, He blesses you according to His promise in Genesis 12:3: “I will bless those who bless you.”
Together in faith,
Bishop Lanier
FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR YEAR 2023
76 cents of every dollar goes to providing humanitarian care, lifesaving aid, ministry and education outreach as well as other efforts furthering the mission of the Fellowship.
2023 Board of Directors:
Yael Eckstein President and CEO Jerusalem, Israel
Bishop Paul Lanier Chairman Pfafftown, North Carolina
Rev. Johnnie Moore Vice Chair Haymarket, Virginia
J.R. Dupell Treasurer & Secretary Odessa, Florida
Dr. David Clark Director Frisco, Texas
Steve Hefter Director Highland Park, Illinois
Jacob Schimmel Director Jerusalem, Israel
Suzanne Peyser Director Bethesda, Maryland
Honorable
Michele Bachmann, J.D., LL.M. Director Bayport, Minnesota