Adapted Reports from Howard Flower, ICEJ Aliyah Director
Prophecy Continues To Be Fulfilled Despite War
This year, 2025 is already proving to be a banner year in Aliyah – the incredible modern-day Return of the Jewish exiles to their ancestral homeland in Israel.
Last year, the ICEJ assisted 3,653 Jews in their Aliyah and Integration process in Israel, which was 11.3% of the total immigration figures for 2024. That brings our cumulative total to 188,977 Jews assisted with Aliyah since the Christian Embassy’s founding in 1980.
French Jews have suffered growing violent antisemitism over recent years, so ICEJ Australia was thrilled to sponsor a flight from France for 200 Jews. This came about through the generous gift of one of our supporters. A timely, God ordained donation indeed.
Despite the current war, the Jewish Agency for Israel has set a goal of bringing 300,000 Jews home to Israel over the next five years. The Christian Embassy will be working alongside the institution to bring more Jewish families home as we hope to increase our share of the overall Aliyah figures.
Zechariah’s Words
The Hebrew prophet Zechariah played a major role in encouraging the Jewish people during their return from Babylonian exile in the 6th century BC. Zechariah’s prophecies, rich in apocalyptic visions and messianic overtones, offered hope and assurance of divine fidelity to His covenant with Israel. His prophetic words and visions are relevant to not only the post-exilic period but also to our present day, as Israel has been restored as a nation and their Messianic expectations are rising.
The Jewish people’s return to their homeland is not so much a result of human effort or political manoeuvring as a divine work orchestrated by God. This supernatural dimension of Aliyah is often overlooked in secular discussions, but it remains central to understanding the clear prophetic significance of Israel’s rebirth today.
Even in Zechariah’s time, the Jewish return from Babylon was attributed to divine intervention. God touched the hearts of Persian kings, particularly Cyrus, to allow and even encourage the Jews to return to their homeland. We can only understand such historic events when we view them through a spiritual lens.
The period following the rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem saw a spiritual renewal and revival among the people. Zechariah 8:23 also prophesies a future time of global revival when “ten men from every language of the nations shall grasp the sleeve of a Jewish man, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’”
Even the revival following the return from Babylon was not limited to the Jewish people but had a broader impact on the surrounding nations. This foreshadowed the global impact which Israel’s restoration today would have today in the ultimate fulfilment of the Great Commission.
Therefore, the Hebrew commentaries on Zechariah emphasize that the prophet’s visions extend far beyond his immediate context, pointing to a future time when Jews would be gathered from the four corners of the earth. This global Ingathering, according to Zechariah 10:8-10, would be so extensive that there would not be enough room for all the returnees. This prophecy so clearly reflects the modern Aliyah, which has seen millions of Jews return to Israel from diverse countries and cultures.
The spiritual aspect of the modern-day Aliyah is vitally important. It involves not only the physical return of Jews to Israel but also a spiritual awakening among the Jewish people. Zechariah 12:10 speaks of a time when God will “pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication.” This spiritual revival is seen as an integral aspect of Israel’s restoration, pointing to a deeper purpose beyond their mere geographical relocation.
There has been, no doubt, a supernatural side to Israel’s preservation and restoration over the millennia. Despite centuries of persecution, dispersion, and attempts at annihilation, the Jewish people have maintained their identity and their connection to the Land of Israel. This survival and eventual return defy natural explanations and are nothing less than the fulfilment of divine promises.
Both Jews and Christians must recognise this amazing restoration as an ongoing work which requires continued reliance on its underlying spiritual dynamic. This calls for humility and dependence on God’s power to complete His work not only in Israel but also out among the nations.
We have seen that Zechariah directly connects the current return of Jews to Israel with previous returns and revivals, helping us see it is all part of a divine plan playing out down through history. As we witness the ongoing fulfilment of biblical prophecies in contemporary times, we are encouraged to look beyond the visible aspects of Israel’s restoration to recognise the unseen spiritual forces bringing about God’s redemptive purposes for the Jewish people and, by extension, for all nations.
This all requires that we pray for the continuing return of the Jewish exiles to the Land of Israel. And that we pray about what we can do individually to help bring it about in the natural, as God faithfully works to bring about His ultimate spiritual purposes through Israel and dedicated Christians worldwide.
French Jews
“No logic can explain why a country at war attracts so many people.”
That intriguing assessment came from Emmanuel Sion, the official in charge of immigration from France for The Jewish Agency For Israel. While conflicts typically drive people away, he recently explained, Israel is drawing French Jews in increasing numbers despite more than a year of war on multiple fronts. This phenomenon also reveals much about the perils Jews face today in France. The International Christian Embassy sponsored Aliyah flights for 500 of these French Jewish newcomers over the whole 12 months.
South Africa
The ICEJ sponsored several Aliyah flights for South African Jews in 2024, including recent groups from Cape Town and Johannesburg. The community faces challenges from rising antisemitism, economic instability, and the government’s strong anti-Israel stance, particularly regarding its genocide case against Israel at the ICJ.
Ethiopian Jewry
The Christian Embassy is playing a vital role in facilitating a new wave of Ethiopian Aliyah. When approached by the Jewish Agency For Israel, the ICEJ acted quickly, providing funds for their flights, the long bus rides from Gondar to Addis Ababa, and their adjustment to life once in Israel. The children will also receive support for after-school educational programs, while the focus for adults is on professional training, completing secondary schooling, and pre-academic courses to prepare them for further educational opportunities in Israel. Read more of this remarkable story.
Help us carry out this prophetic vision of the great Ingathering the Jewish people from around the world in our day.
