THANK YOU FOR MAKING THE DIFFERENCE!
ISRAEL RELIEF
Your support provides food, clothing, housing, education, and hope to Israel’s most vulnerable people. You are blessing victims of war and terror, Holocaust survivors, widows, orphans, single moms, refugees, and others who desperately need our help.
ISRAEL NEWS
Your gifts make it possible to produce unbiased, independent journalism through broadcasts, podcasts, and online media dedicated to informing the world about what is happening in Israel and the Middle East through our news bureau in Jerusalem.
ISRAEL FILMS
Your funding helps produce groundbreaking films that tell the true story of Israel, its right to exist in the face of growing antisemitism, its extensive biblical history, its innovative and entrepreneurial culture, and its commitment to helping others—even its enemies.
ISRAEL INSTITUTE
Your partnership enables us to shape the future of Israel advocacy by training, educating, and equipping the next generation of Christian leaders to stand with the Jewish nation and counter anti-Israel propaganda, disinformation, and antisemitism.
NOURISHING ISRAEL’S FORGOTTEN SENIORS
Life in Israel can be difficult, especially for senior citizens who struggle just to get through each day. For many, the burden of aging is made even heavier by the reality of not having enough to eat.
Nearly one in four seniors in Israel faces food insecurity. Without access to regular, nutritious meals, many experience a decline in health that leads to additional medical expenses. These added costs only deepen the hardship for those already living on the edge.
Many of these individuals are aging immigrants or Holocaust survivors living alone in low-income housing. Some are disabled or isolated, with no family nearby to support them. Their government stipend often barely covers rent and medication. Food becomes one of the first things they are forced to sacrifice.
Thanks to you, help has arrived. Your support of CBN Israel allows us to work with trusted local partners to deliver nourishing hot meals directly to elderly men and women who need them most. Prepared meals are collected from kitchens that would otherwise discard the leftovers. After being safely stored overnight, they are delivered the next day to senior centers
and residential facilities across the country.
Your generosity has made it possible to serve thousands of meals each week, four days a week, throughout the year. These meals provide more than nutrition. They offer comfort, dignity, and the reassurance that someone cares.
Your support is also reaching others in crisis across Israel. Jewish families returning to their ancestral homeland, single mothers raising children on their own, and those recovering from the trauma of war and terror are receiving critical help because of your compassion. Thank you for standing with CBN Israel and bringing hope to those in dire need.
LIGHTS, FAITH, AND UNITY: HANUKKAH AND CHRISTMAS IN ISRAEL
By Stephen Faircloth President, CBN Israel
As winter settles over Israel, a rare harmony of light and celebration fills its cities. The country, often defined by its diverse cultures and faiths, takes on a special glow each December.
Hanukkah and Christmas, two major religious holidays with overlapping themes of light and renewal, transform streets, markets, and homes into expressions of joy and devotion.
For Jewish communities across Israel, Hanukkah marks a time to celebrate resilience and faith. The holiday commemorates the rededication of the Second Temple in Jerusalem after the Maccabean Revolt in the second century B.C. According to tradition, a small vial of oil, enough for only one day, miraculously burned for eight.
In Israeli homes, this miracle is remembered through the nightly lighting of the Hannukah menorah, or hanukkiah, which has eight
branches plus the “helper” or “servant” candle to light the others. On the first evening, one candle is kindled, followed by an additional candle each night until all eight shine brightly. The soft flicker of these lights fills windowsills across the nation, illuminating neighborhoods with a shared sense of hope.
Public menorah lightings are a hallmark of the season. In Jerusalem, the Western Wall hosts one of the most prominent ceremonies, where rabbis, families, and visitors gather to sing blessings and songs. Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Beersheva also feature large-scale celebrations with music, performances, and food stalls serving traditional treats like sufganiyot—round jelly-filled doughnuts—and crispy potato latkes.
Children play with dreidels, small spinning tops marked with Hebrew letters that recall the ancient miracle. In schools, they learn the story of Judah Maccabee and create handmade
Colorful street decorations in Wadi Nisnas, Haifa’s Christian neighborhood, celebrate the three major religions that share the city.
menorahs, while families exchange small gifts and chocolate coins known as gelt.
While Israel is predominantly Jewish, Christmas is also deeply significant, particularly for the Christian communities that trace their roots to the earliest days of the faith. On Christmas Eve, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem leads a traditional midnight mass at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, which is attended by clergy, diplomats, and families and broadcast globally.
In Nazareth, Jesus’ childhood home, Christmas is celebrated with equal grandeur. The city’s main boulevard glows with colorful lights, leading to the Basilica of the Annunciation. Parades, choirs, and markets fill the streets, blending spiritual reverence with joyful community spirit. Tel Aviv and Haifa, both known for their cultural diversity, host Christmas markets where locals and tourists mingle to enjoy music, crafts, and seasonal foods.
What makes the holiday season in Israel remarkable is the coexistence of traditions that emphasize light as a symbol of faith, perseverance, and peace. The overlap between Hanukkah and Christmas often inspires acts of interfaith friendship.
In mixed cities such as Haifa and Jaffa, menorahs and Christmas trees stand side by side in public squares. Municipalities organize joint festivals where Jewish and Christian residents celebrate together through concerts, art exhibits, and shared meals.
This spirit of unity reflects Israel’s broader cultural mosaic. For many, the lights of Hanukkah and Christmas serve as reminders that despite differences in belief and history, people are bound by a common desire for hope and renewal.
Though the celebrations may vary from year to year, the atmosphere remains one of warmth and reflection. Hanukkah’s flames continue to remind families of faith’s endurance through adversity, while Christmas in the Holy Land draws pilgrims seeking spiritual connection.
In Israel, December is not merely a month on the calendar. It is a living testament to resilience, reverence, and the enduring power of light to bring people together.
Top to bottom: A Jewish boy lights the menorah during a family Hanukkah meal, filling the room with warm candlelight and celebration. ~An Israeli flag flies above a stone building while a Hanukkah menorah below glows with oil candles and flames during the Festival of Lights in Jerusalem. ~The official Hanukkah menorah at the Western Wall in Jerusalem shines brightly with all eight candles lit on the final night of the festival. ~Two young girls enjoy the festive atmosphere on the beautifully decorated streets of Haifa. ~A decorated Christmas tree stands in front of the entrance to the historic International YMCA building in Jerusalem. ~St. Elias Cathedral of the Melkite Catholic Church and a towering Christmas tree are beautifully decorated for the holiday season in Haifa.
IMMANUEL: GOD WITH US
At Christmas, we celebrate the wondrous truth that the eternal God chose to dwell among His people. From the beginning of time, humanity has longed for God’s presence, and in Bethlehem’s humble manger that longing was fulfilled in the birth of Jesus. The child wrapped in swaddling clothes was not only a sign of God’s love but the very embodiment of His presence.
Matthew’s Gospel records the angel’s assurance to Joseph in a dream: “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us” (Matthew 1:23 nkjv). These words echo through the centuries, proclaiming that the Creator has not remained distant from His creation. In Jesus, God entered human history. He took on flesh, shared in our sorrows, and walked among us.
This divine nearness changes everything. No longer must we wonder if God sees our pain or hears our prayers. Through Jesus, we know that He understands the struggles of life, for He has experienced them Himself. He knows what it is to be weary, tempted, and rejected, yet He overcame so that we might find comfort and hope in His victory.
The name Immanuel is more than a title; it is a promise. It assures us that God’s presence is not confined to a single moment in history. Though Jesus ascended to heaven, His Spirit
remains with us. When life feels uncertain or lonely, we can remember that God has drawn near and will never leave us. His presence brings peace that the world cannot give and light that no darkness can extinguish.
At Christmas, we are reminded that God’s greatest gift was not given to the powerful or the privileged but to ordinary people in an ordinary place. He came quietly, yet His coming changed the world forever. Every twinkling light, every song of joy, and every act of kindness can point us back to this profound truth: The God who created the universe has chosen to be with us.
Immanuel means that wherever we are, whether in joy or sorrow, abundance or need, God is there. His love surrounds us, His peace steadies us, and His grace sustains us. The manger in Bethlehem is more than a story from long ago; it is a declaration that we are never alone.
PRAYER:
Father, thank You for sending Jesus to be Immanuel, God with us. In moments of fear or uncertainty, remind us of Your nearness and Your steadfast love. Help us to carry the light of Christ into the world, reflecting Your presence to others. May our hearts rejoice this Christmas in the wonder that You are with us now and forever. Amen.
PRAYER POINTS
Pray that during this season of lights, God’s presence will shine across Israel, bringing calm and protection to every home and community.
Pray that those who grieve loved ones lost on October 7 and in the war since will be comforted by the hope of Immanuel, God with us.
Pray for lonely and hurting families this Hanukkah and Christmas, that the warmth of God’s love will fill their hearts and homes.
Pray for survivors of trauma to encounter healing light, compassionate counselors, and renewed strength for the days ahead.
Pray that Israel’s leaders and defenders will be guided by divine wisdom, courage, and unity as they make decisions for the nation’s safety.
Pray that truth will pierce through confusion and distortion, and that journalists and leaders will speak with clarity and integrity.
Pray that Christians around the world will stand faithfully with Israel and the Jewish people, showing love that overcomes hatred and antisemitism.
Pray for CBN Israel’s relief and resilience teams serving in Israel this season, that they will be strengthened to bring light, comfort, and hope to all in need.
DO YOU HAVE A PRAYER NEED?
Call CBN’s Prayer Center at 800-700-7000 or go to CBN.com/Prayer.
Oracles of God: The Story of the New Testament uncovers the powerful journey of eyewitness testimonies, apostolic letters, and sacred history that became the Scriptures we hold today. Through expert interviews, dramatic reenactments, and archaeological evidence, this groundbreaking film reveals who wrote the New Testament, when it was written, and why we can trust it today.
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