The war in Ukraine is horrific, creating a humanitarian crisis that has brought suffering to Ukraine’s 43 million people. Like so many times before, the Jews in Ukraine are facing an existential threat, but today they have a home to flee to and for the first time in history, devout Christians are expressing their love for God’s chosen people by helping them flee danger.

Before the Russian invasion, Ukraine’s Jewish population was estimated to be about 200,000, making it the fourth-largest Jewish community in Europe and the eleventh-largest in the world. Ukraine’s Jewish community dates back 1,000 years but the country has been plagued with bouts of violent antisemitism. This worsened under the rule of the Soviet Union. In some cases, the current war has exacerbated the hatred of Jews, adding to the plight of the Jews remaining in the war-torn country. 

Though Israel has historically helped Jews in danger, helping so many is a daunting task for such a small country. Christian organizations have stepped up to help with this effort. One such effort was headed by Kenneth Copeland Ministries and Eagle Mountain International Church (EMIC) based in the Tarrant County city of Newark, Texas. They partnered with Keren Hayesod–UIA (United Israel Appeal), and the Jewish Agency for Israel to bring Ukrainian Jewish refugees to Israel. 

Julie Sironi, the Israel and Jewish Liaison at EMIC explained how this came about.

“We started out interested in helping with the prophetic return of the exiled Jews to Israel,” Sironi told Israel365 News, describing their efforts to help 50 Jews from France make Aliyah in 2020. And later, in the fall of  2021, the ministry brought 110 Jews from Ukraine to Israel,  providing housing for one year and participation in absorption programs. At the time, they were unaware that a war was about to break out.

“There are so many ways to bless Israel,” Sironi said. “In 2021, Pastor Teri Pearsons told me to go to Israel to find where the finger of God is pointing to help. This time, the mission found me,” Sironi said.

In February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine.

“When the war did begin, we felt that God handed us an opportunity to be a part of rescuing Jews from Ukraine,” Julie said.  “We really ramped up our efforts to help with Aliyah since the war started.

In February, Sironi was contacted by Sam Grundwerg and Shmulik Fried, World Chairman and Israel Division director at the Keren Hayesod–UIA. They wanted to know if they could rely on EMIC’s support in a crisis. As soon as the war broke, EMIC immediately provided $2.7 million to help some of the first planes of refugees to get out. Sironi was in Israel on March 15 to welcome the more than 120 refugees on behalf of EMIC. The refugees were offered support at the border, with hotels and other needs, while waiting for Keren Hayesod’s preparations and then flights to Israel.

EMIC and KCM continue their commitment to help at least another 3,000 Jews get from Ukraine to Israel. On Sunday, March 27, at their home church and through their online ministry, $4 million were raised, all of that marked for the Ukrainian Jews. Sironi noted that to date, the ministry has collected over $9 million to help save the Jewish community of Ukraine.

“I can’t speak for all Christians but we are a non-proselytizing ministry that believes we should love what God loves, and God clearly loves Israel,” Sironi said. “The land of Israel is His land and the Jews are his covenant people.”

Another such effort was headed by Yael Eckstein, the CEO of The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. She explained to Israel365 News that her organization has been helping Christians help Jews for almost 40 years.

“We are focused on bringing the prophetic reality of the ingathering of the Jewish people to fruition,” she said. “Much of this is bringing Jews from Ukraine and the former Soviet Union, so for many years, we were doing this in partnership with the Jewish Agency. Since the war broke out in 2014. The fellowship has been operating there independently.”

When more than 100,000 Russian troops stood poised on the border, it became clear to the leadership of the Fellowship that there was going to be a need to help the Ukrainian Jews. The Fellowship set up operations in Kyiv three days before the war broke out in order to process applications.

“We had the first flight mass Aliyah flight out of Ukraine two days before the war broke out and the first flight after the war broke out from Moldova,” Eckstein said. “Since the war broke out, the fellowship has distributed over $29 million. It’s amazing and God bless our donors.”

Eckstein explained that the Jewish community inside of Ukraine is mostly elderly, needing help with basic needs. The Fellowship provides food packages, clean water, and medicine. They also carried out home visits when the residents needed evacuation.

Yael’s father, Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, established the Fellowship in 1983 to promote understanding and cooperation between Jews and Christians and build broad support for the State of Israel. In that regard, the Fellowship has been successful. Yael described the overwhelming support for Israel and the Jews she witnesses when she connects with the donors. 

“It’s simply amazing,” she told Israel365 News.”They tell me that they feel honored to be able to help the Jewish people. They see this as an opportunity to tangibly save Jewish lives that are in danger.”

The need is real and thanks to their Christian donors, the Fellowship has brought over 5,000 Jews from Ukraine to Israel since the beginning of the war.