Christian Friends of Israel

Christian Friends of Israel (CFI) is an evangelical Christian Zionist organization whose international coordinating office, CFI Jerusalem, is based in Jerusalem, Israel. According to its own ministry statement, CFI exists "to comfort and to support the people of Israel, and to inform Christians around the world of God's plans for Israel." It describes its stand alongside Israel as unconditional, rooted in a belief that Christians have received from God a love for Israel and the Jewish people, and it teaches what it calls the Church's responsibility toward the Jewish people. The organization traces its inception to December 1985, when representatives from the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia and France met at Latrun outside Jerusalem and appointed Ray and Sharon Sanders to develop a small coordinating office. CFI Jerusalem was subsequently founded by Ray and Sharon Sanders, and the work grew into a network with representatives in 24 countries worldwide. The organization is registered in Israel as an amutah (non-profit association). CFI's activity in Israel is project-based and charitable. It raises donations and mobilizes volunteers for social projects benefiting new immigrants, Holocaust survivors, the economically disadvantaged, Israel Defense Forces soldiers, victims of terrorism, the Ethiopian-Israeli community, and local Christians. It also publishes a magazine titled "For Zion's Sake," runs a Wall of Prayer, produces teaching series, and operates a book store offering titles such as Sharon Sanders' "A Principle and a Promise," Lance Lambert's "My House Shall Be a House of Prayer," and Haya Benhayim's "Bound for the Promised Land." Once a year, near the festival of Shavuot, the Jerusalem headquarters organizes an international conference attended by hundreds of evangelical Christian believers and pilgrims from around the world to express support for Israel and to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Like other Christian Zionist organizations, CFI has a strong identification with positions of the Israeli political right. Some in the religious-Zionist community welcome its activity and cooperate with it, while other Jewish religious bodies regard it as a missionary body whose ultimate aim is the conversion of Jews to Christianity. Critics have argued that its focus on assisting weak populations stems from those populations being a convenient field for missionary religious influence. In response to such criticism, the organization has moderated the wording of some of its ideological messages on its website, emphasizing that its activity in assisting Jews derives from love that is not conditional on anything.

Christian Friends of Israel had its inception in December 1985, at Latrun outside of Jerusalem. Representatives from the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia and France were present and appointed Ray and Sharon Sanders to develop a small coordinating office. The work immediately began to grow, and CFI Jerusalem was then founded by Ray and Sharon Sanders, expanding into a network with representatives in 24 countries around the world today. The organization is registered in Israel as an amutah (non-profit association). From its Jerusalem base, CFI has developed a project-based charitable operation. It raises donations and mobilizes volunteers for social projects benefiting new immigrants, Holocaust survivors, the economically disadvantaged, Israel Defense Forces soldiers, victims of terrorism, the Ethiopian-Israeli community, and local Christians. It publishes a magazine titled "For Zion's Sake," maintains a Wall of Prayer, produces teaching materials and online series such as the three-part Zoom series "Understanding the Church's Responsibility to Israel" with co-founder Sharon Sanders, and operates a book store. Once a year, near the festival of Shavuot, the Jerusalem headquarters organizes an international conference attended by hundreds of evangelical Christian believers and pilgrims from around the world to express support for Israel and to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. As a Christian Zionist organization, CFI has a strong identification with positions of the Israeli political right. Some in the religious-Zionist community welcome its activity and cooperate with it, while other Jewish religious bodies regard it as a missionary body whose ultimate aim is the conversion of Jews to Christianity. Critics have argued that its focus on assisting weak populations stems from those populations being a convenient field for missionary religious influence. In response to such criticism, the organization has moderated the wording of some of its ideological messages on its website, emphasizing that its activity in assisting Jews derives from love that is not conditional on anything.

• 1985

  Christian Friends of Israel had its inception in December 1985 at Latrun outside Jerusalem; representatives from the UK, US, Australia and France appointed Ray and Sharon Sanders to develop a small coordinating office.

• CFI Jerusalem was founded by Ray and Sharon Sanders and grew into a network with representatives in 24 countries worldwide.

Evangelical Christian Zionist organization expressing unconditional love and support for Israel and the Jewish people, while teaching the Church's responsibility toward them.

• A Principle and a Promise

• My House Shall Be a House of Prayer

• Bound for the Promised Land

• For Zion's Sake magazine

• Understanding the Church's Responsibility to Israel

1. 1Home | CFI Jerusalemcfijerusalem.org
2. 2About | CFI Jerusalemcfijerusalem.org
3. 3Products | CFI Jerusalemcfijerusalem.org
4. 4Christian Friends of Israel - Wikidatawikidata.org
5. 5נוצרים ידידי ישראל - Wikipedia (Hebrew)he.wikipedia.org