The Feasts of Passover and Unleavened Bread have arrived here in Israel, when the Jewish people recount their mighty deliverance from bitter bondage and slavery in Egypt. By placing the blood of a lamb over their door posts as God commanded, death passed over the Israelite firstborn sons. For believers in Jesus, Passover also has special meaning in that through the sacrifice of Christ our paschal lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7-8), we have been delivered out of our bondage to sin and death!

This Passover has come amid a worsening global economic slide that is starting to impact Israel quite hard. A record 20,000 Israelis lost their jobs last month. A third of the nation’s families – containing 40% of Israel’s youths – already live below the poverty line. Hunger and nutritional deficiency are growing problems, which stand out even more at holiday times like this.

Thanks to the faithfulness of our supporters, the AID department of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem was able to help nearly 1000 needy Jewish families hold the traditional Passover seder meal this year with dignity. The wide array of different communities assisted through our contacts with local municipalities, social workers and charities includes:

>> Food baskets and food coupons for over 600 needy families from one end of Israel to the other, including in Ashkelon, Beit Shean, Dimona, Jerusalem, Karmiel, Ramle, and Rosh Ha’ayin, among other towns and cities.

>> In Kiryat Gat, we provided food baskets as well as kitchen items to Ethiopian Jewish immigrants; we also provided paint and other supplies to Ethiopian Jewish youths who had volunteered to refurbish the homes of disadvantaged elderly members of their community.

>> In Jerusalem, we sponsored a community seder meal for 70 people suffering from mental illness.

>> In Katzrin, Pardes Chana and Karkur, some 45 Holocaust survivors and their families were provided with food parcels and community seder meals.

>> Embassy staff also volunteered at Passover distribution days for scores of families in Netanya and Karmiel.

>> Finally, ICEJ AID provided Easter food baskets and other financial assistance to needy Lebanese Christian families residing in northern Israel.

Many thanks for making all this possible, as we comfort Israel during this special holiday season.

Our warmest Passover greetings from Jerusalem!

Malcolm Hedding
ICEJ Executive Director

PS: If you would like to give towards the continuing work of ICEJ AID, please visit our secured on-line server and make a donation today. It should be marked for “ICEJ AID.”

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