ICEJ – Your embassy, your voice

Written by Vivienne Myburgh; national director of ICEJ
Article originally featured in the October 2026 issue of JOY! Magazine

The International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ) was founded in 1980 to represent Christians from all over the world who share a love and concern for Israel and stand with the Jewish people in their enduring attachment to Jerusalem. At the time, all 13 embassies based in Jerusalem moved to Tel Aviv under pressure from the Arab League. The ICEJ was established in response, standing in solidarity with Israel when these nations rejected her choice of beloved Jerusalem as her capital. “Comfort, comfort My people, says your God!” (Isa 40:1).

A global voice of support
The ICEJ stands at the forefront of the ever-expanding Christian Zionist movement worldwide and has branch offices and representatives in over 95 nations. Its 50 full-time staff, based in Jerusalem, come from 20 nations and speak 24 languages. The core activities of the ICEJ include:

1. FEAST OF TABERNACLES
The ICEJ sponsors the largest annual Christian event in Israel. Since 1980, the Christian celebration of the Biblical Feast of Sukkot has brought an average of 5000 Christian pilgrims from around 100 countries to Jerusalem each autumn. We also prioritise bringing Christian tour groups, advocacy groups, youth tours, and solidarity visits to Israel, as well as church leaders to the annual Jerusalem Summit and Envision conferences.

2. ALIYAH
The ICEJ has assisted over 193 000 Jews in making Aliyah to Israel and works closely with the Jewish Agency to help Jews come home to Israel from the nations. We are mainly involved with Aliyah from Ethiopia, India, Western Europe, and the Americas. Once these new immigrants, known as olim, arrive in Israel, the ICEJ assists with their integration into Israeli society.

3. SOCIAL ASSISTANCE
For over 45 years, the ICEJ has worked with Israeli social workers and charities to meet the needs of poor and disadvantaged members of Israeli society, including new immigrants, the elderly, people with disabilities, young people at risk, and many others. The ICEJ has also sponsored Jewish-Arab coexistence projects and provided aid to communities across the Holy Land, whether Jewish, Arab, Christian, Muslim, Druze, or Bedouin. In recent years, the ICEJ AID department has focused on helping destitute Holocaust survivors through an “adopt-a-survivor” programme and a unique assisted-living home for Holocaust survivors in Haifa. We have also donated 250 bomb shelters to Israeli communities along the Gaza and Lebanese borders.

4. SAVING LIVES ON THE GROUND
Before 7 October 2023, we donated 134 communication devices and a number of all-terrain vehicles, which are estimated to have helped save up to 3000 lives on the day of the attacks. This equipment enabled security groups to communicate effectively with one another and reach communities that were cut off.

5. HELPING FAMILIES REBUILD
Since the 7 October terror attacks, the ICEJ has worked tirelessly to help Israel recover by assisting displaced families, sponsoring extensive trauma care programmes, and funding numerous major rebuilding projects in communities along Israel’s southern border. We have also financed bulletproof buses, emergency relief vehicles, mobile medical clinics, dental clinics, and equipment for hospital treatment and care. The South African branch is currently funding a refrigerated food truck to take food to the most vulnerable across the land. As Paul reminds us, Gentile believers who have shared in spiritual blessings have a duty to minister through material blessings too (Rom 15:27).

6. KEEPING CHRISTIANS INFORMED
The ICEJ also uses multiple media outlets to share its Biblical message regarding the restored nation of Israel and counter anti-Israel bias. These include its flagship ministry magazine, Word From Jerusalem, and ICEJ TV productions broadcast on Daystar, GOD TV, and other channels. ICEJ SA also runs a daily news update channel to keep people informed, provide prayer points, and enable effective advocacy. Given the many challenges Israel continues to face, the work of the ICEJ is more important than ever.

Be part of the work
We invite you to get involved by praying with us during the daily global prayer gathering, receiving our newsletters and daily news updates, joining us on tour, and supporting our work on the ground.

PRAY WITH US
Join our daily Global Prayer Gathering and stand with believers around the world in prayer for Israel.
STAY CONNECTED
Become a member and receive our newsletters. Join our daily Israel news update group for news, prayer points, and ways to get involved.

EXPERIENCE ISRAEL WITH US
Join us on a tour and see the land for yourself.
Contact our office for programme details and bookings.

Sukkot: 12-23 October 2027
Young adults: 1-9 December 2026
Envision: 1-4 February 2027
Summit: 25-27 May 2027

This article appears in the October 2026 issue of JOY! Magazine. Read the digital version of this magazine here: joygifts.co.za

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Date published: 20/09/2026
Feature image: Sourced from original article published in the October issue of JOY! Magazine

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