Christians and Jews cooperate to distribute medical supplies to Israel’s north amid threats of Iran-Hezbollah attack

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The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews is a strong supporter of Israel's right to exist and supports the victims of terrorism and those in need. The IFCJ, a non-profit organization that seeks to build bridges between Christians and Jews, has donated $75 million to affected Israeli communities since the Hamas Oct. 7 attack.

On Friday, the IFCJ distributed 500 first aid responder kits, valued at about $340,000, to Israel’s northern communities amid continued threats of revenge by Iran and its Lebanese terror proxy Hezbollah for the recent assassinations of Hezbollah top commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut and Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. The medical equipment is intended to be used in the event of a mass casualty situation if the Iranian regime or Hezbollah launch rockets and drones toward civilian communities in northern Israel.

IFCJ President Yael Eckstein explained why the IFCJ made the recent investment.

“Since the very early days of the war, our focus has been on ensuring that we were doing everything possible to protect Israel’s citizens and improve civil defense. Particularly along the northern border, we know that we need to act aggressively to respond to all types of new threats. This includes investing in new medical response equipment with the knowledge that mass casualty emergencies may very well be a common occurrence in the event of an escalation,” Eckstein said.

She praised the support of Christian and Jewish friends and volunteers who have helped the IFCJ to carry out its important mission to support Israeli civilians amid difficult times.

“As always, we know that our work is only possible due to the support and shared vision of our hundreds of thousands of friends all over the world who allow us to continue this life-saving work.”

Safwan Marich, director of the Security and Emergency Response Division for the IFCJ, said the distribution of medical equipment would help to bolster the amount of supplies available in communities that have been affected.

“In coordination with the relevant agencies and authorities in the field, we identified the distribution of these first aid kits as an area of immediate need based on decreasing supplies, coupled with a growing threat. In the event of a major emergency in these communities, which are often further away from large population centers and hospitals, every minute will count in saving lives,” Marich said.

While much of the IFCJ’s focus is on humanitarian work in Israel, the organization has also played a crucial role in strengthening relations between Christians and Jews who love Israel and want to show their support.

In July, Eckstein, an Orthodox Jew, recalled the fascinating story of her late father Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein who founded the IFCJ to build bridges between Jews and Christians.

She said that the story began when the local Christian community in Chicago expressed its support for the Jewish population against a local Nazi march in 1983, telling the Rabbi Eckstein that the Christian community would "stand with you against this.”

“He started what was just a bridge-building organization with no financial, fundraising goal or objective. He would have roundtables where Christians and Jews would discuss Jewish-Christian relations, but no Jewish person would show up. So, it was him and a lot of Christians,” Eckstein told Joel Rosenberg, ALL ISRAEL NEWS editor-in-chief and host of THE ROSENBERG REPORT.

The visionary work of the Eckstein family and their Christian partners resulted in the emergence of a $200 million-a-year humanitarian relief organization, mainly financed by Christians and dedicated to helping the poor and victims of terrorism in Israel.