In honor of the second anniversary of October 7th, the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ) launched the second annual ‘Flags of Fellowship’ campaign, the world’s largest remembrance event in the United States. From October 2-8, more than 1,300 churches, universities and synagogues, and 1 million congregants from all 50 states planted over 1.5 million Israeli flags to stand in solidarity with Israel, to raise a message of hope. Each participating church, synagogue and university included a display field of 1,200 flags— each representing a life lost on October 7, 2023.
The ‘Flags of Fellowship’ campaign is designed as a public diplomacy effort to bring attention to the events of October 7th, particularly in the face of growing anti-Israeli and anti-Jewish acts across the globe. At a time of unprecedented global antisemitism, these events serve to unite communities of faith across North America in their unwavering support for Israel and the Jewish people.
The campaign kicked off with a ceremony at Kibbutz Nir Oz, one of the most affected communities in the Gaza Envelope, where nearly a quarter of the community’s residents were killed or taken captive on that tragic day. The ceremony saw the placement of the first 1,200 flags in commemoration of the 1,200 people murdered during the October 7th massacre.
“Every one of these 1.5 million flags carries a simple and sacred truth: Am Yisrael is not alone,” said Yael Eckstein, President and CEO of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. “Across America, from churches to synagogues to universities, people of faith are standing shoulder to shoulder with Israel. Each flag honors the lives stolen on October 7th, but it also proclaims that love, faith and fellowship are stronger than hate. Together we are turning remembrance into action and grief into light.”
The international campaign launched with a major gathering on October 5th at the World Outreach Church in Murfreesboro, Tennessee with their congregation of 10,000 pro-Israel activists.
"As Christians, we carry a sacred responsibility to bless Israel and the Jewish people and to stand against evil in all its forms,” said Pastor Allen Jackson of World Outreach Church. “Planting flags across our campus provides a tangible way to remember what has happened in Israel since October 7, 2023, and the importance of our continued prayers for the Jewish people and the peace of Jerusalem."
Since October 7th, the Fellowship has invested over $10 million in programs to combat antisemitism, by educating and equipping Christian public figures and influencers with the tools and information they need to reach and educate the wider Christian audience.
“October 7th was a massacre that shattered families and a nation, but it did not break our spirit,” Eckstein said. “These fields of blue and white tell every Jew, everywhere: you are seen, you are remembered, you are not alone. They remind the world that standing with Israel is not only an act of solidarity, it is an act of conscience, of faith and of fellowship. Each flag is a promise that we will bring every hostage home, that we will honor every life lost, and that light will always rise from the darkness.”
Nir Metzger, a resident of Nir Oz whose father was murdered in captivity and whose mother was taken hostage on October 7th and later released, addressed the Israel event and saluted the campaign. “There is no guidebook that explains how to build a new life after something like this. But I made a decision, together with my wife Olah, and our 2 children, Alyah and Daniel, to return to Nir Oz. Today we are part of the new pioneer neighborhood, the first families to return and begin rebuilding. Not because it's easy, and not because life has returned to normal - they are not - but to leave the feeling of giving up. I refuse to let terrorism write our story."
"For me, rebuilding Nir Oz is not just about returning the houses and fields, it's about proving that communities can rise after destruction, that people can choose hope over fear. We're not doing it alone. Thanks to partners like The Fellowship, we know there are people around the world, even thousands of miles away, who care about our future. Maybe you will never meet my children, maybe you will never walk in our fields, but your support tells us something very important, we’re not alone.”
