An Israeli rabbi locking arms with Christian pastors from the United States is symbolic of the outward link the two faiths share as they work together to bring peace to the Promised Land.
More important than any physical connection, however, is the unseen spiritual side of the two-faith relationship that exists in the prayers of the people.
“I do believe this is a watershed year for America and Israel and the entire West,” said Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, founder and president of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ). “I think this is a critical year, therefore we need to pray for strength.”
Prayer will move front and center on Sunday as tens of thousands of churches and millions of Christians will gather for the International Day of Prayer for and Solidarity with Israel, sponsored by IFCJ. During observances, Christians and Jews from more than 35 countries will unite and proclaim Old Testament Bible verses that speak of God’s promises to Israel. War, terrorism, poverty and peace with Israel’s neighbors top the list of prayer needs.
“The challenges facing Israel are significant as we enter into 2007,” said Eckstein, who moves back and forth between offices in Jerusalem and Chicago. “There are many internal challenges and there is a real compromising of the integrity of a lot of institutions and loss of confidence on the part of the general population.”
Eckstein pointed to the ongoing story involving Israel President Moshe Katsav, who has been indicted on sexual harassment charges, as well as other political problems that include questions regarding how the nation’s defense forces handled last year’s battles with Hezbolah.
“On top of that, there is strong belief by many in the intelligence community that by summer it is likely that Israel will face another possibility of (war) with Lebanon and that there will be more threats from Hezbollah on the north and Hams on the south and on the east with Syria,” Eckstein said.
Finally, maybe the greatest threat to Israel’s safety is the likelihood that Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons.
“That mixture is very foreboding. It is time to call out to God and get on our knees and pray for peace for Jerusalem,” he said, adding that a day of prayer mainly serves the purpose of focusing attention.
But the need for and power of prayer should not be limited to one day, Eckstein added.
“I am not one who believes in the concept of prayer narrowly, meaning it is only for the synagogue or church on Sunday,” he said. “I believe our lives should be prayerful, where we have moments of actual prayer but that our whole lives and outlook on life should reflect our prayerful character.”
In other words, the International Day of Prayer is not an end but a beginning.
“I believe it’s like Mother’s Day or Father’s Day, but you have to be nice to your mother and father all year round,” Eckstein said. “It’s incumbent of us to pray all year round, but it’s also good to center on it for one day.”
Improving connections between Jews and Christians is the essence of the ICY ministry, and the prayer day is one more example of how the two faiths have formed more than just a working relationship, Eckstein said.
“I’ve been building these bridges between Christians and Jews for 30 years and I can’t remember another time when Christians and Jews were so tight with one another,” he said. “It’s been shaped and formed and linked at the hip. It’s Biblical but also political ... when you hear ‘Destroy the Crusaders and kill the Jews.’ It’s spiritual as well as physical, so we need to respond in action and in deed. But we need to supplement it all with actual prayer.”
More information about ICY and online updates on relief efforts in Israel are provided on the organization’s Web site: www.ifcj.org.
