Christian-Jewish coalition donates $45 million to Jewish Agency for Israel

A group of Christian and Jewish synagogues, churches and organizations have pledged to donate $15 million per year for the next three years to the Jewish Agency's budget.

Logo of the Jewish Agency for Israel

The Jewish Agency for Israel says that its mission is "to keep the promise to every Jew who, for any reason, at any time, chooses to come home to Israel; and to put Israel into the lives of the Jewish world's next generation."  The organization claims to have helped 3 million Jews immigrate to Israel.

 

The Jewish Agency has allied itself with right-wing Christian groups based mainly in the U.S., who believe that Jews should be encouraged to move to Israel as that will bring the "second coming" -- at which time Jews who refuse to convert will be killed. 

 

Many pro-Israel Jewish groups have made coalitions with such Christian groups, despite the belief of these Christians that Jews will be killed by God (or God's messengers) once they all move to Israel.  The reason for the coalition is that the Christian groups give large amounts of money to help Jews immigrate to Israel, a goal which both the Jewish and Christian groups share -- albeit for different reasons.

 

Ze'ev Bielski, the head of the Jewish Agency for Israel, wrote, “The nature of our new partnership will be expressed by proudly placing the fellowship alongside our loyal, longtime partners, the UJC (United Jewish Communities) -- the federations of North America and Keren Hayesod.”