2025-12-25 05:53:PM <br/> Tags: #organization #KeyOrganizations #AmericanJewry #WorldJewry #ChristianZionism ![[image-206.png|605x303]] # International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ) - The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ), is an American based pro-Israel Christian Zionist organization formed out of the [[ADL]] in the 1980s. - The IFCJ's primary function is to raise money for impoverished Jews with Christian money. The IFCJ utilizes highly dramatic marketing to ply money from well intentioned Christians. - The IFCJ is extremely well funded, and has extensive ties to Israel. - The IFCJ is one of the best funded Jewish organizations, taking in $318 million in revenue in 2024. - The IFCJ is a key piece of the evangelical-Israel union which was almost non-existent before the 1970s. #### Founding and the ADL - The IFCJ was founded in 1983 by [[Yechiel Eckstein]], a Jewish Orthodox rabbi. - Eckstein had been the co-director of interreligious affairs at the [[ADL]], where he was involved in outreach to the American Christian population. - Eckstein led the IFCJ from its founding in 1983 until his death in 2019. - At the ADL and later the IFCJ, Eckstein acted as a 'broker' between Jews and evangelical Christians.[^1] - The IFCJ was initially called the Holyland Fellowship of Christians and Jews; the name was changed to the current IFCJ in 1991. #### Structure - The IFCJ is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. - The IFCJ's main headquarters is in Chicago, Illinois. - The IFCJ has a major office in Jerusalem, along with offices in both Canada, South Korea, and Australia. - [[Yechiel Eckstein]] served as the IFCJ's strongman CEO from 1983-2019. - His daughter [[Yael Eckstein]] took over as CEO after her father's 2019 death. - The IFCJ website "Leadership" page features three sections; Leadership, US Leadership, and Board of Directors. - The primary "Leadership" section lists five people, all are women. - After criticism of Yechiel Eckstein's considerable annual salary ($700,000+ in 2018 and $3,000,000+ in 2019), the IFCJ hired the Spanish data scrubbing and media manipulation company Eliminalia to purge negative online information related to Eckstein, his daughter, and the organization. [^6] - Eliminalia's website features the slogan "We erase your past we help you build the future." ![[image-207.png|590x393]] *[[Yechiel Eckstein]] with his daughter and IFCJ successor, [[Yael Eckstein]]. [Source](https://www.timesofisrael.com/listen-fellowship-of-christians-jews-ceo-walks-fathers-path-in-her-own-shoes/#:~:text=International%20Fellowship%20of%20Christians%20and%20Jews%20founder%20Rabbi%20Yechiel%20Eckstein%20and%20daughter%20Yael%2C%20the%20current%20organization%20head%2C%20with%20a%20view%20of%20the%20Jerusalem%20Old%20City.%20(Olivier%20Fitusi))* #### Fundraising, Advertising, and other Activities - The IFCJ relies on highly dramatic fundraising commercials for much of its funding. - IFCJ commercials feature crying elderly 'holocaust survivors' who are in need of your money. - "These are difficult times for elderly holocaust survivors. With no food, and no heat, they get weaker and more die everyday." *This is the opening line to an IFCJ commercial.* - [The commercial](https://youtu.be/96Q5ED1mKA8) continues, "Cold. Sick. Weak. The Jewish people have suffered so much pain in their lives." - *The IFCJ's advertisements lack all traces of shame. If you like to laugh I have attached a few gems below:* - [IFCJ AD #1](https://youtu.be/96Q5ED1mKA8) - [IFCJ AD #2](https://youtu.be/-kHYK6UtG4c) - [IFCJ AD #3](https://youtu.be/gGUD2W9w37c) - [IFCJ AD #4](https://youtu.be/IqqfLod3UCQ) - This one features [[Mike Huckabee]], the US Ambassador to Israel since 2025. - The IFCJ is a prominent sponsor of right wing political shows in the United States. - The IFCJ has been endorsed/advertised by: [^9] - [[Ben Shapiro]] - of the [[Daily Wire]] - Shapiro has strongly pushed the IFCJ for years. IFCJ CEO [[Yael Eckstein]] has appeared on the *Ben Shapiro Show* numerous times. - [[Glenn Beck]] - of [[Blaze Media]] [^7] - [[Mike Huckabee]] [^7] - Sean Hannity - [[Benjamin Netanyahu]] - [[Isaac Herzog]] - Senator [[Joe Lieberman]] - President Ronald Reagan - [[Yuli Edelstein]] - [[Danny Ayalon]] - [[Ariel Sharon]] - [[Shimon Peres]] - [[Gary Bauer]] - of [[Christians United For Israel (CUFI)]] - President [[George W. Bush]] - Rudy Giuliani - [[Avi Pazner]] - Pat Robertson - Mike Gallagher - of the Salem Radio Network, a division of [[Salem Media Group]] - Paula White - Current "spiritual advisor" to U.S President [[Donald Trump]] - [[Mark Levin]][^11] - In 2018, [[Yael Eckstein]] as executive vice president of the IFCJ, attended the opening of the U.S. embassy in Jerusalem as an invited guest.[^10] - The IFCJ was one voice in the choir of Jewish organizations praising President [[Donald Trump]] for moving the embassy. - Beyond providing aid for 'impoverished holocaust survivors' and destitute lonely Jews, the IFCJ helps provide resources for the Israeli military. - The IFCJ: - Funds bomb shelters. - Supports 'lone IDF soldiers,' i.e., non Israeli Jews who go to Israel to fight in the IDF. - Operates an "adopt a battalion" program which allows donors to aid IDF combat units of their choice.[^12] - In the early 2000s the IFCJ launched an outreach program called *Stand For Israel*. - *Stand For Israel* worked as a soft lobby in D.C., attracting many of the era's key Republican lawmakers to its briefings. - *Stand For Israel* aimed to mobilize evangelical Christian support for Israel in 100,000+ churches across the U.S.[^13] - *Stand For Israel* was co-chaired by [[Yechiel Eckstein]] and evangelical leader Ralph Reed. #### Jewish Reactions to the IFCJ - There is an ideological split in Jewish opinion regarding evangelical Christian support for Jews and Israel. - Some, like IFCJ founder Yechiel Eckstein, see evangelicals as the greatest ally for Israel given their Biblical pretenses and political influence. - On the contrary, most Jews are highly disturbed by evangelical Christian Zionists. Some are disturbed by the position Jews are said to play in the 'end times' prophecy adhered to by many evangelicals. *[IFCJ marketing materials](https://www.jta.org/2016/08/08/global/in-europe-a-star-rabbi-pumps-christian-money-into-jewish-exodus-project#:~:text=An%20IFCJ%20video%C2%A0assures%20donors%20that%20%E2%80%9CYou%20Can%20Help%20Fulfill%20Biblical%20Prophecy%E2%80%9D%20by%20donating%20to%20the%20aliyah%20of%20Jews%20from%20the%20former%20Soviet%20Union.) assure Christian donors that their money is helping to fulfil Biblical prophecy by aiding Jews.* - Many ultra-Orthodox Jews dislike evangelical Zionists due to theological clashes; the religious Jews consider all Christians, regardless of their support for Israel, to be idolaters. They believe believe much of Christian Zionism is concealed attempts by Christians to convert Jews to Christ and they want nothing to do with it. - In 2001, Israel's [[Chief Rabbinate|chief Ashkenazi rabbi]] [[Avraham Shapira]] published a condemnation of [[Yechiel Eckstein]] and the IFCJ for its cooperation with Christians.[^2] - In 2007, highly influential Haredi rabbi and talmudic scholar [[Yosef Shalom Elyashiv]] signed a letter banning cooperation with Eckstein, calling it "close to idolatry."[^3] #### Israel - In 2007 the IFCJ entered a partnership with the [[Jewish Agency]], an Israeli institution that manages Jewish immigration to Israel (Aliyah), and raising/dispersing funds. - The IFCJ agreed to pay the Jewish Agency $45 million over three years in exchange for recognition as a 'strategic partner' and the granting of [[Yechiel Eckstein]] a seat on powerful Jewish Agency committees. [^4] - The partnership was highly controversial within the behind the scenes politics of the Jewish Agency. - The Jewish Agency receives huge funding from the [[Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA)]]. - The JFNA is made up of many smaller local federations which were dissatisfied with the IFCJ's perceived special treatment. - The Jewish Agency's constituents also felt uneasy about Christian Zionist representation within the Jewish Agency's governing committees. - The IFCJ cut its funding a year into the agreement based on contractual disputes. The IFCJ received widespread criticism from the Jewish establishment for the clash. #### Funding and Major Donors - Compiling a list of IFCJ donors is not possible given the organization does not have to publicly report donors. - The IFCJ is one of the best funded Jewish organizations. *The only ones that raise more money are the JDC and the JFNA. The Jewish Agency and the WZO have higher budgets, but they are mainly getting money from all the Jewish organizations, not necessarily donors.* - In 2024 the IFCJ took in $318 million in revenue. [^5] - The IFCJ's revenue averaged around $120 million until 2019, when the revenues began to rise significantly. *The IFCJ's controversial leader [[Yechiel Eckstein]] died in 2019 and within 5 years revenue tripled.* - In 2023, the Israeli Ministry of Welfare contributed $9.2+ million in to the IFCJ alone.[^14] #### Notable Figures - [[Yechiel Eckstein]] - Founder and CEO from 1983-2019 - [[Yael Eckstein]] - CEO since 2019, daughter of Yechiel Eckstein. #### References - “International Fellowship of Christians and Jews.” _Wikipedia_. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Fellowship_of_Christians_and_Jews](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Fellowship_of_Christians_and_Jews). - Yonat Shimron, “Yechiel Eckstein, Rabbi Who Befriended Evangelicals, Dies at Age 67,” _Christian Century_, March 13, 2019. [https://www.christiancentury.org/people/yechiel-eckstein-rabbi-who-befriended-evangelicals-dies-age-67](https://www.christiancentury.org/people/yechiel-eckstein-rabbi-who-befriended-evangelicals-dies-age-67). - Cnaan Liphshiz, “Raising Christian Money for Jewish Causes, a Star Rabbi Earns Praise and Scorn,” _Jewish Telegraphic Agency_, August 8, 2016. [https://www.jta.org/2016/08/08/global/in-europe-a-star-rabbi-pumps-christian-money-into-jewish-exodus-project](https://www.jta.org/2016/08/08/global/in-europe-a-star-rabbi-pumps-christian-money-into-jewish-exodus-project). - “International Fellowship of Christians & Jews.” _ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer_. [https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/363256096](https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/363256096). [^1]: Sagi, Rottem. _Who’s in My Bed: Strange Bedfellows in the American Pro-Israel Movement_. PhD diss., University of California, Irvine, 2016. [https://escholarship.org/content/qt4w46k6w7/qt4w46k6w7_noSplash_8304bc64b073344059daab23484537d4.pdf](https://escholarship.org/content/qt4w46k6w7/qt4w46k6w7_noSplash_8304bc64b073344059daab23484537d4.pdf). pp. 115 [^2]: Cnaan Liphshiz, “Raising Christian Money for Jewish Causes, a Star Rabbi Earns Praise and Scorn,” _Jewish Telegraphic Agency_, August 8, 2016. [https://www.jta.org/2016/08/08/global/in-europe-a-star-rabbi-pumps-christian-money-into-jewish-exodus-project/](https://www.jta.org/2016/08/08/global/in-europe-a-star-rabbi-pumps-christian-money-into-jewish-exodus-project/). [^3]: Cnaan Liphshiz, “Raising Christian Money for Jewish Causes, a Star Rabbi Earns Praise and Scorn,” _Jewish Telegraphic Agency_, August 8, 2016. [https://www.jta.org/2016/08/08/global/in-europe-a-star-rabbi-pumps-christian-money-into-jewish-exodus-project/](https://www.jta.org/2016/08/08/global/in-europe-a-star-rabbi-pumps-christian-money-into-jewish-exodus-project/). [^4]: Anthony Weiss, “Evangelical Group Cuts Off Donations to Jewish Agency,” _The Forward_, May 21, 2008. [https://forward.com/news/13403/evangelical-group-cuts-off-donations-to-jewish-age-01870/](https://forward.com/news/13403/evangelical-group-cuts-off-donations-to-jewish-age-01870/). [^5]: “International Fellowship of Christians & Jews.” _ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer_. [https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/363256096](https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/363256096). [^6]: Boburg, Shawn. “Leaked Files Reveal Reputation-Management Firm’s Deceptive Tactics.” _The Washington Post_, February 17, 2023. [https://web.archive.org/web/20230228170709/https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/interactive/2023/eliminalia-fake-news-misinformation/#:~:text=Although%20there%20was,the%20records%20show](https://web.archive.org/web/20230228170709/https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/interactive/2023/eliminalia-fake-news-misinformation/#:~:text=Although%20there%20was,the%20records%20show). [^7]: International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, “It’s More Important Now Than Ever Before to Stand Together with the Jewish People,” video, Facebook, [https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1256290376105712](https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1256290376105712). [^9]: “Endorsements.” _International Fellowship of Christians and Jews_. [https://www.ifcj.org/who-we-are/endorsements](https://www.ifcj.org/who-we-are/endorsements). [^10]: Yael Eckstein, photo posted to Facebook, “Experiencing history! US Embassy is…,” Facebook, [https://www.facebook.com/YaelEckstein/photos/experiencing-history%21-us-embassy-is/1663081587062447](https://www.facebook.com/YaelEckstein/photos/experiencing-history%21-us-embassy-is/1663081587062447). [^11]: International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, “Mark Levin to Host Original Podcast Series,” _IFCJ Press Center_. [https://www.ifcj.org/press-center/press-release/mark-levin-to-host-original-podcast-series](https://www.ifcj.org/press-center/press-release/mark-levin-to-host-original-podcast-series). [^12]: International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, _Annual Report 2021_, IFCJ39163 (Chicago: International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, 2022), 23, [https://www.ifcj.org/wp-content/uploads/IFCJ39163-Annual-Report_Digital.pdf](https://www.ifcj.org/wp-content/uploads/IFCJ39163-Annual-Report_Digital.pdf). [^13]: Arlene Stein, “Jewish ‘affair’ with evangelicals misguided,” _Jewish Telegraphic Agency_, July 22, 2002, [https://www.jta.org/2002/07/22/ideas/jewish-affair-with-evangelicals-misguided#:~:text=And%20last%20month,in%20the%201960s](https://www.jta.org/2002/07/22/ideas/jewish-affair-with-evangelicals-misguided#:~:text=And%20last%20month,in%20the%201960s). [^14]: International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, _Consolidated Financial Statements and Report of Independent Certified Public Accountants, Year Ended December 31, 2023_ (Chicago: International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, 2024), 7, [https://www.ifcj.org/wp-content/uploads/2023-IFCJ-FS.pdf](https://www.ifcj.org/wp-content/uploads/2023-IFCJ-FS.pdf).