Thousands of Christians from over 90 countries took part in the March of the Nations as the culmination of the 43rd annual International Christian Embassy’s week-long Feast of Tabernacles. More than 3,000 Christians took part in the event while many more came to take part in the celebration.

March of the Nations (Photo courtesy ICEJ)

Representatives from countries including Fiji, Egypt, Turkey, Algeria, Iran, Indonesia, and North Korea walked the three-mile route, some dressed in native garb, distributing flags, candy, and other gifts to the thousands of Israelis who lined the streets. The parade is indeed a special opportunity for Jews and Christians to bond in the city both religions consider holy. 

March of the Nations (Photo courtesy ICEJ)

The Feast of the Tabernacles intentionally coincides with the week-long holiday of Sukkot, which, in the days of the Temple, was the only Jewish holiday in which non-Jews were invited and encouraged to participate in. Zechariah prophesied that in the Messianic era, the holiday would again take on an international element.

And it shall come to pass that everyone that is left of all the nations that came against Yerushalayim shall go up from year to year to worship the King Hashem of hosts and to keep the Sukkot.

Zechariah 14:16

March of the Nations (Photo courtesy ICEJ)

The evening before, several dozen protesters demonstrated outside the Pais Arena stadium in Jerusalem, where the ICEJ was holding its Israeli Night.

This year, the Jewish holiday and concurrent Christian event come during heightened tensions in Jewish-Christian relations, which have been rising due to fears that Christians are intensifying their efforts to proselytize Israeli Jews. In March, a law was proposed in the Knesset by the United Torah Judaism alliance that would have criminalized missionizing in Israel.  In August, several Christian organizations, including the ICEJ had their requests for clergy visas denied, inhibiting them from carrying out projects that benefit Israel. Several Jewish leaders came out in unequivocal support of the organizations. In the first three weeks of July, some 17 discriminatory acts against Christians were reported across Israel, reported by independent researcher and activist Yisca Harani. They included spitting, verbal abuse, vandalism, and stone-throwing.

March of the Nations (Photo courtesy ICEJ)

Unfortunately, some Christian visitors will hope to use their time in the Jewish state to engage in missionary activity. The ICEJ does its best to prevent this, warning its guests to refrain from such offensive behavior. It is important to emphasize that the ICEJ has never been involved in any attempts to proselytize in Israel.