How CMJ’s work in Israel continues during the war
CMJ's guest houses, school, and Mercy Fund minister to all Israelis amid the conflict
Thank you for your continued prayers for the people of Israel during this time of conflict. Our teams on the ground are deeply grateful for those prayers and your faithful support.
As war with Iran shapes daily life across Israel, CMJ’s teams remain at work—serving communities, caring for the vulnerable, and continuing ministry during a difficult season. This week we would like to highlight three areas of CMJ’s ministry that are ongoing despite the challenges.
Beit Immanuel: A Place of Peace and Witness
In Jaffa, Beit Immanuel continues to offer a place of welcome and quiet stability in an unsettled time.
At the beginning of the war, the guesthouse was full, though many travelers eventually left as the situation escalated. A small group of guests has chosen to remain. Some have said they want to stay in Israel to stand with the Jewish people.
The café continues to open each morning and has become a gathering place for neighbors and regular visitors. People arrive with dogs, children, and friends, looking for a place to talk and breathe for a moment, even as life now includes the rhythm of sirens and trips to the shelter. Sometimes guitars and worship songbooks make their way into the shelter as well, and people worship as they wait for the all-clear.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. —Colossians 3:16
These moments have opened surprising opportunities for conversation. Visitors often ask why volunteers from other countries remain in Israel during a war, questions that naturally lead to deeper conversations about faith, hope, and the peace found in Yeshua.
One staff member shared, “Even when the sirens sound, people continue to come. Sometimes the most meaningful moments happen while we are waiting together in the shelter.”
Many who come through the doors notice the atmosphere. The calm presence of a community trusting in God speaks quietly but powerfully, and simple acts of hospitality—a cup of coffee, a conversation, a prayer—continue to open doors for meaningful dialogue.
The Mercy Fund: Sharing God’s Love in Practical Ways
CMJ’s Mercy Fund is seeing a growing number of requests for help as the effects of the war ripple through communities.
Requests for food and medicine for vulnerable families have increased significantly in the areas we serve, particularly in Bethlehem.
Many people are struggling, not only with immediate needs but also with the complex process of accessing government assistance. Our Mercy Fund team often walks alongside them through this process, helping them navigate the system while offering practical support.
Additionally, food and medicine are being delivered, hot meals are prepared for elderly residents, hospital visits are made, and families facing sudden hardship are receiving help.
The Anglican International School: Education Continues
After the current conflict began two weeks ago, the Anglican International School Jerusalem (AISJ) moved quickly to ensure that learning could continue for its students. Having experienced similar disruptions in the past, the school took a single day to prepare before launching an online learning program across all year groups.
Teachers have focused on providing consistent and engaging distance education, while the school’s leadership team has given particular attention to the pastoral care of both students and staff. Maintaining connection, stability, and encouragement has been a key priority during this challenging time.
Throughout these weeks, our staff have served with remarkable dedication and care for their students, offering a quiet but powerful testimony to the Lord’s work in and through the school community.
Reflecting the Father’s Heart
Throughout Scripture, love for God is closely connected with compassion for people. Jesus summarized this when He said: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37–39).
The Gospels repeatedly show this heart in action: “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd” (Matthew 9:36).
God’s compassion for His people Israel is also seen throughout the Old Testament: “Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you” (Isaiah 49:15).
Reflecting this heart, loving God deeply and showing compassion to others, remains central to CMJ’s ministry in Israel today. In times like these, your partnership means more than ever. Please continue praying for the people of Israel, for those affected by the conflict, and for CMJ’s staff and volunteers. Pray that the Lord would give strength, wisdom, and opportunities to share the hope found in Yeshua.
If you feel led to support this work financially, your gifts help sustain these ministries of hospitality, mercy, and discipleship during a time of great need. We are deeply grateful for your prayers, encouragement, and faithful partnership in God’s work here in Israel.
CMJ Israel
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