Recent Events at the Christian Desk

Grafted, the international young adults program of the ICEJ visited Yad Vashem, as part of their Israel tour at the beginning of July. Whilst some of the youth toured the Museum, some of them participated in a workshop on Righteous Gentiles by Stephanie MacMahon-Kaye at the International School for Holocaust Studies.

In July, AIPAC brought a delegation of Christian leaders from the Southern States to a tour of Israel including a visit at Yad Vashem. For most visitors this was their first time and they were deeply moved by the experience.

Every summer the Christian Ministry Eagles' Wings brings students to a three-week studying tour of Israel. This July the group was hosted by the Christian Desk and had a full study day in Yad Vashem as part of their overall program. The day included a guided museum tour, a survivor testimony and an educational workshop by Avi Marcovitz at the International School for Holocaust Studies.

In July, Dr. Kokkonen visited Norway, as a speaker at the annual summer conference of the Norwegian ICEJ branch. The reaction by the conference audience to Yad Vashem was overwhelmingly positive to the extent that most of the conference participants immediately registered as Christian Friends of Yad Vashem.

At the beginning of June, the Director of Christian Desk Dr. Susanna Kokkonen visited the United States, as a guest of the ICEJ USA branch. Branch Director Susan Michael organized a special Yad Vashem evening with music, film and remarks at a local church.

During his recent tour in Israel Pastor John Hagee from the United States visited Yad Vashem with 500 of his congregants. Pastor Hagee together with his wife Diana and a private entourage accompanied by Shaya Ben-Yehuda, Managing Director of the International Relations Division and Dr. Susanna Kokkonen, Director of the Christian Desk held meetings at the International School to hear about international seminars among other things. The Yad Vashem visit of all Hagee groups culminated in a moving ceremony laying a wreath for the memory of the Holocaust victims.

For the official state ceremony on the eve of Holocaust Day the Christian Desk hosted directors of various Christian organizations. They were deeply moved by the experience and there was a general feeling that more could be done in Christian circles to educate about and commemorate the Holocaust.
On the morning of the Holocaust Day the Spokesman of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem Mr. David Parsons together with his wife Jose participated in the wreath laying ceremony together with many survivors and other organizations.

Shaya Ben Yehuda, Yuha Ketola (ICEJ Finish Director), Pastor Hannu Mehtonen, the Rev. Sam Clarke

Christian Friends of Yad Vashem Finland Tour
The Director of Christian Friends of Yad Vashem, the Rev. Sam Clarke, and the Managing Director of the International Relations Division, Shaya Ben Yehuda, recently completed a tour of Christian churches and other organizations in Finland. The tour was arranged in cooperation with the Finish branch of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ). Mr. Ben Yehuda spoke about the vision of Yad Vashem and related a few moving stories from the Shoah. The Rev. Clarke addressed issues relating to the history of anti-Semitism in the church and its negative impact during the Shoah. He also reviewed the positive role courageous Christians played in helping thousands of Jews escape Nazi terror. It was the first of many planned tours in Europe and to the United States intended to educate Christians and encourage them to enroll as Christian Friends of Yad Vashem.

Christian and Joliene Stephan (center) from the German Branch of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem receive a key to Yad Vashem from Shaya Ben Yehuda (right) and Director of the Christian Desk, the Rev. Sam Clarke (left). The key was given in appreciation of the Embassy’s contribution to the newly established Yad Vashem Christian Desk.

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