“We are on the verge of losing the younger evangelical generation for Israel – and we must act now.”
An extraordinary delegation of evangelical leaders and senior pastors from across the United States, led by Bishop Robert Stearns, Founder and Executive Director of Eagles’ Wings, has completed a powerful solidarity mission in Israel -in a profound journey of faith, friendship, and unity with the people of Israel.
The delegation included 70 pastors from 22 U.S. states, representing diverse denominations and communities, as part of a continuing effort to strengthen the bond and build bridges between the global Christian and the Jewish communities, starting here in Israel.
As part of this visit, the group was joined by a special delegation of 15 leading Jewish philanthropists and funders from the UJA-Federation of New York, led by Mr. Mark Medin, and including Mr. Daniel Och and Mr. Tony Ressler. Together, these two delegations formed a unique alliance of faith and purpose, holding a joint meeting at the Knesset with Speaker Amir Ohana, symbolizing a powerful partnership between evangelical Christian leaders and the Jewish philanthropic leadership of North America.
Opening the meeting, Bishop Robert Stearns spoke about Eagles’ Wings’ extensive work in mobilizing global Christian support for Israel, particularly since October 7th – noting that the organization has already brought 22 delegations from more than 50 nations to Israel in the past two years. He added: “This room is filled with Jews and Christians who are deeply committed to the prosperity and security of the State of Israel – as a Jewish and democratic nation. We are at a critical moment. If we do not act now, Israel risks losing the support of the younger evangelical generation. That is why I am personally committed to dramatically expanding the scope of our delegations to Israel – to bring more people to see the truth with their own eyes and to stand with Israel.”
Following his remarks, Mr. Daniel Och, one of the leading members of the UJA-Federation of New York delegation, emphasized the shared mission between the communities, saying: “We are with you – not for a short time, but forever. One of the missions of my life is to bring together Christian Zionists and Jews, to support Israel, the Jewish people, and the values we share. This is our common fight — for freedom, democracy, and the future we all believe in.”
Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana said: “The past two years since October 7th have been among the most difficult in Israel’s history. You stood by us in our darkest hours. We are a nation that remembers, and we will never forget your friendship, your solidarity, and your leadership. We are facing very difficult challenges as part of a global battle between the forces of extremism and the values of freedom and democracy that Israel represents in this region. In this fight, it is not only Israelis or Jews – but the entire free world – that must remain united.”
The delegation, led by Bishop Robert Stearns, met with Minister of Diaspora Affairs Amichai Chikli for a discussion on the critical importance of combating antisemitism. During the meeting, they expressed their firm commitment to serve as allies and ambassadors in this global effort. Minister Chikli said: “We are in a spiritual war between good and evil. We are friends of Christians. We are friends of Christianity, and we need to work together fast and hard against the mutual threats that stand before us.”For over three decades, Eagles’ Wings, founded and led by Bishop Robert Stearns, has worked to strengthen the bond between the Christian world and Israel – bringing tens of thousands of pastors, leaders, and influencers to experience the Holy Land firsthand, while advancing humanitarian and educational initiatives such as the “Abraham’s Bread” centers in Jerusalem and Tiberias, serving both Jews and Arabs in need.
