ICEJ Feast of Tabernacles celebration at David’s Citadel in Jerusalem’s Old City, Oct. 20, 2024 (Photo courtesy)
A unique roll call of nations took place Sunday night within the ancient walls of David’s Citadel in Jerusalem, despite the ongoing war, as representatives from 54 nations participated in the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ)’s annual Feast of Tabernacles.
“With 500 delegates, this is the largest solidarity mission since October 7,” ICEJ Vice Chairman David Parsons told ALL ISRAEL NEWS, describing the relatively small crowd compared with the thousands who usually flock to the colorful, week-long event.
Parsons addressed the gathering, saying there was a “mystery” to the antisemitism being seen again in the world, “when it should have hidden in a corner in shame” after the Holocaust.
On the positive side, he said, there was also a “mystery” concerning the love in the hearts of many Christians towards the Jewish people.
As if to confound one mystery with the other, the largest delegations at this year’s Feast came from Germany and South Africa. In addition to the 54 flags on the stage, another 18 countries were represented on the screen, via the live link.
Delegates listened to speeches and enjoyed musical contributions during an evening dubbed ‘Israeli Night,’ an annual feature of the largely Christian celebration. The ICEJ tradition is in keeping with the Zechariah prophecy that the “nations will come up to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles.”
Israeli President Isaac Herzog addressed the crowd in a pre-recorded video, thanking the delegates for standing with Israel. The former mayor of Jerusalem, Nir Barkat, spoke to the attendees in person.
“They could not have made a bigger mistake,” said the now Israeli economy minister, speaking about the failed attempt by Hezbollah forces to assassinate the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his Caesarea home on Saturday morning.
“They underestimate us, and think we are weak,” Barkat said of Israel’s enemies. “But there are no soldiers as strong, brave and committed as those of the IDF.”
As Jerusalem’s mayor from 2008 to 2018, Barkat said the Iranian regime had been planning the current crisis for two decades, and that Israel would not be returning to the status quo of Oct. 6, 2023.
For there to be peace, he explained, there had to be an end to the radicalization of Palestinian children, an end to the Palestinian Authority’s ‘pay for slay’ (compensation to terrorists) program, and an agreement to accept the Jewish nation within the biblical land of Israel.
The biggest crisis ever faced by the Jewish state could be turned into a moment of “great opportunity for the world,” Barkat added, but that to bring about physical and spiritual resolution, Israel needed the support of Christian friends around the world.
IDF Major-General (Res.) Doron Almog, chairman of the executive of the Jewish Agency, also addressed the crowd in a moving speech about the spirit of the Jewish nation.
“Never leave a Jew behind!” he said, calling it the most important principle, and said that aliyah (immigration to Israel) was the “engine” of the Jewish people. “We need to boost the state, more power. We need more people,” he said.
The Jewish Agency received a check from ICEJ for NIS 4 million towards aliyah during a year in which, despite the war, 32,000 Jewish people found refuge in their ancient homeland. Since its formation in 1980, the ICEJ has facilitated the immigration of 188,000 Jews, including 1,150 aliya flights, Parsons told ALL ISRAEL NEWS.
“Never leave the weakest behind,” said Almog, who shared about his severely disabled son. “Take them forward, in a loving, inclusive society. This is the model of the State of Israel. ‘Human rights’ is Jewish rights!”
A choir from Kibbutz Be’eri, one of the worst hit communities during the brutal Hamas attacks last October, delivered three songs: Hallelujah; Be Strong; and the traditional melody, B’Shanah Ha Ba’ah (Next Year). The choir’s ethos is to ‘choose life’ and ‘bring joy for mourning’ from the Book of Isaiah, despite many of the performers having lost loved ones in the ongoing battles against Iranian terror proxies – Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The choir is part of the organization ‘Or La Mishpachot’ (Light to Families), one of many support agencies assisting some 13,000 bereaved Israeli parents and siblings since Oct. 7, 2023.
Vesna Buehler, wife of the ICEJ President Dr. Jurgen Buehler, who was unable to attend for health reasons, sang a prayer song from Psalm 126 for the return of the 100 hostages remaining in Gaza. The word in verse 4, often translated as ‘fortunes,’ literally means ‘hostages.’
Wishing Buehler a full recovery, Almog mentioned that two of the sons of this loving, German family, are voluntarily serving in military combat, in defense of the Jewish state.
