Yael Eckstein, IFCJ President and CEO, on Helping the Elderly Cope with a Crisis

Yael Eckstein, IFCJ President and CEO, oversees all ministry programs and serves as the international spokesperson for the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews.  The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ) funds humanitarian aid to the needy in Israel and in Jewish communities around the world, promotes prayer and advocacy on behalf of the Jewish state, and provides resources that help build bridges of understanding between Christians and Jews.

Born in Evanston, Illinois, outside of Chicago, and well-educated at both American and Israeli institutions – including biblical studies at Torat Chesed Seminary in Israel, Jewish and sociology studies at Queens College in New York, and additional study at Hebrew University in Jerusalem – Yael Eckstein has also been a Hebrew teacher and Jewish Studies teacher in the United States.

Prior to rising to her current role, Yael served as Global Executive Vice President, Senior Vice President, and Director of Program Development and Ministry Outreach. Based in Israel with her husband and their four children, Yael is a published writer and a respected social services professional.

Yael Eckstein has contributed to The Jerusalem Post, The Times of Israel, and other publications, and is the author of three books: Generation to Generation: Passing on a Legacy of Faith to Our Children, Holy Land Reflections: A Collection of Inspirational Insights from Israel, and Spiritual Cooking with Yael. In addition, her insights into life in Israel, the Jewish faith, and Jewish-Christian relations can be heard on The Fellowship’s radio program, Holy Land Moments, which air five times per week on over 1,500 radio stations around the world.

Yael Eckstein has partnered with other global organizations, appeared on national television, and visited with U.S. and world leaders on issues of shared concern. She has been a featured guest on CBN’s The 700 Club with Gordon Robertson, and she served on a Religious Liberty Panel on Capitol Hill in May 2015 in Washington, D.C., discussing religious persecution in the Middle East. Her influence as one of the young leaders in Israel has been recognized with her inclusion in The Jerusalem Post’s 50 Most Influential Jews of 2020 and The Algemeiner’s Jewish 100 of 2019, and she was featured in the cover story of Nashim (Women) magazine in May 2015.

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, IFCJ created a $5 million emergency fund to respond to the devastating impact of the coronavirus pandemic for elderly Israelis, some of whom are Holocaust survivors.  The most vulnerable members of Israel’s population will receive packages of food, hand sanitizer, and other essential items.

IFCJ is uniquely positioned to offer immediate emergency assistance through its With Dignity and Fellowship program serving 15,000 of Israel’s elderly population with food and basic needs. With this emergency fund, the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews are committing to helping an additional 15,000 elderly Israelis.

“Israel is dealing with an emergency like it has never known, and we are all committed to enlisting and assisting the medical teams that are at the forefront in this struggle. This is an urgent need, and we will go above and beyond in order to help in every way possible. We call on all our friends around the world to join us and contribute any way they can. We are indebted to our committed donors who are already answering this call, even though the coronavirus poses a direct threat to them and their communities as well,” explained Eckstein.

“Under normal circumstances, the elderly are more prone to loneliness as well as financial and physical difficulties,” said Eckstein. “Now, they cannot even leave their homes for fear of catching the virus.”

“We are grateful for the support of so many around the world who allow us to respond quickly in these terrible moments,” said Eckstein. “But we also want to call upon people of faith everywhere to pray to God for His support for all of those in harm’s way, including those in the many countries called home by our friends and supporters.”