The
International
Christian
Embassy
Jerusalem
welcomed
to
Israel
some
3,000
Christians
from
more
than
80
nations
to
attend
its
annual
Feast
of
Tabernacles
celebration.
The
variety
of
Feast
pilgrims
this
year
includes
national
delegations
from
nearby
countries
such
as
Egypt
and
Turkey
all
the
way
to
a
large
group
of
Fijian
pilgrims
coming
from
the
ends
of
the
earth
on
a
chartered
flight
of
Fiji
Airways,
which
will
be
making
the
airline’s
first-ever
landing
in
Israel.
The
ICEJ’s
visits-day
Succot
gathering
runs
this
year
from
29
September
to
6
October,
and
will
take
the
Christian
visitors
on
a
pilgrimage
through
the
Land
of
Israel,
starting
with
two
evening
concerts
at
En
Gev
on
the
Sea
of
Galilee,
then
up
to
Jerusalem
for
six
days
of
exciting
events,
including
the
colourful
Roll
Call
of
the
Nations
and
the
ever-popular
Jerusalem
March,
plus
a
solidarity
visit
to
the
western
Negev.
“We
are
privileged
again
to
welcome
the
nations
to
Jerusalem
for
Succot,
according
to
the
ancient
vision
of
the
Hebrew
prophet
Zechariah,”
said
ICEJ
President
Dr.
Jürgen
Bühler.
“We
trust
that
as
they
encounter
Israel
up
close,
that
they
will
return
to
their
home
countries
with
a
deeper
love
for
this
nation
and
a
fresh
inspiration
from
God,
in
keeping
with
Isaiah’s
prophecy
that
the
word
of
the
Lord
will
go
forth
from
Jerusalem.”
Among
this
year’s
Feast
attendees
are
Fiji’s
deputy
prime
minister
Viliame
R.
Gavoka,
who
is
leading
his
government’s
decision
to
open
an
embassy
in
Jerusalem
next
year,
along
with
cabinet
ministers,
parliamentarians,
and
dignitaries
from
many
other
countries
around
the
world.
The
roster
of
prominent
Christian
leaders
coming
in
for
the
Feast
includes
Dr.
Billy
Wilson,
president
of
Oral
Roberts
University,
and
Dr.
Enoch
Adeboye
from
Nigeria,
who
pastors
the
largest
church
in
Africa.
The
featured
speakers
at
the
Feast
will
include
Israeli
Foreign
Minister
Eli
Cohen,
Intelligence
Minister
Gila
Gamliel,
and
Deputy
Mayor
of
Jerusalem
Fleur
Hassan-Nahoum,
while
President
Isaac
Herzog
and
Prime
Minister
Benjamin
Netanyahu
will
deliver
recorded
greetings
to
the
gathering.
Another
special
Israeli
guest
speaker
will
be
IDF
Brig.
Gen.
Avigdor
Kahalani
(ret.),
who
will
appear
on
Israeli
Guest
Night
as
the
Feast
marks
the
50th
Anniversary
of
the
Yom
Kippur
War.
This
traditional
Feast
event
also
will
feature
performances
by
musical
artists
from
Israel
and
around
the
world
in
a
joyous
multi-cultural
atmosphere
and
strong
show
of
Christian
support
for
Israel.
Israeli
Guest
Night
is
open
to
all
Israelis
and
will
be
held
on
Tuesday,
3
October
2023
at
7:30
PM
in
the
Jerusalem
Pais
Arena.
The
musical
performances
at
Feast
2023
will
feature
a
wide
variety
of
local
and
international
singers,
musicians
and
dance
troupes
from
Brazil,
Fiji,
Germany,
Ivory
Coast,
Netherlands,
Nigeria,
Norway,
Philippines,
Sweden,
an
Israeli-Ukrainian
klezmer
band,
a
popular
Israeli
Arab
vocalist,
and
an
Iranian-born
singer
who
will
perform
songs
in
Persian.
As
the
Feast
winds
up,
the
ICEJ
will
take
hundreds
of
Christians
to
the
Sha’ar
HaNegev
region
for
a
solidarity
gathering
with
local
Israeli
communities
along
the
Gaza
border,
followed
by
a
special
ceremony
in
the
Be’eri
Forest
to
dedicate
the
new
“Christian
Embassy
Nature
Park.”
The
new
park
is
a
special
project
the
ICEJ
has
undertaken
in
partnership
with
Keren
Kayemeth
LeIsrael-Jewish
National
Fund
to
re-plant
a
126-acre
section
of
the
forest
burned
in
recent
years
by
aerial
arson
attacks
from
Gaza.
Besides
the
scores
of
pilgrims
attending
the
Feast
in
person,
tens
of
thousands
of
additional
Christians
will
join
the
Feast
through
global
broadcasts
on
GOD-TV,
Daystar
and
other
Christian
TV
channels
worldwide,
as
well
as
the
ICEJ’s
special
online
streaming
platform.