As the largest pro-Israel organization in the United States, with over 10 million members, Christians United for Israel (CUFI) is the foremost Christian organization educating and empowering millions of Americans to speak and act with one voice in defense of Israel and the Jewish people. CUFI is committed to confronting indifference and combating antisemitism in all its forms wherever it may be found.
CUFI was created in February 2006 as a grassroots movement designed to unify Christians across all denominational and cultural boundaries in support of Israel. CUFI began with 400 pastors and ministry leaders. Our size, effectiveness, and diversity across generational, racial, cultural, and denominational lines have positioned us as the leading voice for pro-Israel Christians.
Over the last 17 years we have built a reputation for credibility and relevance that enables us to make a difference during crucial moments. When Israel faces a crisis, CUFI members immediately take action and rally support across America, be it in the pulpits across the country, media outlets, our nation’s college campuses, or Capitol Hill, we confront antisemitism wherever it can be found.
CUFI has cultivated a national network of dedicated activists in all 50 states with the tools and resources to anticipate and respond rapidly and effectively to the many different challenges Israel faces.
When thousands of Hamas rockets prompted the 2014 war in Gaza, we brought a pastor from every state to Israel during Operation Protective Edge. When the foreign policy establishment opposed moving the US Embassy to Jerusalem, CUFI activists sent the administration over 135,000 emails.
When Israel was under attack by terrorism subsidized with American tax dollars, CUFI rallied over one million emails to Congress to help pass the Taylor Force Act. And when anti-Israel forces in Congress tried to stop a vital resupply of Israel’s Iron Dome Missile Defense System, CUFI was there to beat back this insidious effort.
CUFI on Campus has revolutionized the efforts to stop anti-Israel movements on college campuses, and the result of our work with Millennial Christian leaders through the Israel Collective Initiative is groundbreaking.
And while Israeli leaders have repeatedly acknowledged and celebrated the tremendous support – verbal, moral, and financial – that CUFI groups have been providing to Israel for many years, many Jews in America (especially the majority liberal Jews) fail to show their appreciation in the ways that they should.
For example:
The American group CODEPINK: Women for Peace founded by Medea Benjamin (below), a self-hating Jew, is an anti-war activist group in the United States that engages in regular actions to harm the State of Israel.
The organization aggressively promotes the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement and has been criticized for maintaining close ties to the Hamas regime in Gaza.
In September 2008, a number of CODEPINK leaders personally met with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in New York City. CODEPINK subsequently launched an aggressive anti-Israel campaign that included open support for Hamas.
Medea’s work for justice in Israel/Palestine includes taking numerous delegations to Gaza, helping to organize the Gaza Freedom March in 2010, participating in the Freedom Flotillas and opposing the policies of the Israel lobby group AIPAC. In 2011 she was in Tahrir Square during the Egyptian uprising and in 2014 she was detained, beaten and deported by the Egyptian security forces.
On June 14, 2014 – CODEPINK founder Benjamin posted a photo on Facebook, with the caption: “Foto from last night here in Yemen with Nasser Al-Awlaki, whose son Anwar and grandson Abdulrahman were killed by drones.” Anwar al-Awlaki was linked to the Fort Hood Shooting and, identified by the U.S. government as involved in senior recruitment and planning for Al Qaeda terrorist operations.
During the Gaza Freedom March, CODEPINK co-founder Medea Benjamin coordinated the organization’s stay with the Hamas government. Members stayed in the Commodore, a Hamas-owned five star hotel in Gaza City.
CUFI in the US: Massive DC March Displays US Solidarity with Israel
This week in DC, Pastor Hagee addressed a crowd of nearly 300,000 pro-Israel Americans in the nation’s capital, united against antisemitism and unwavering in their defense of Jewish people everywhere. The march with Israel sends a clear message to Jew haters nationwide: Americans support Israel and her people.
In this episode of the CUFI Weekly, Kasim explains the importance of this demonstration and why Americans must remain vocal in their defense of Israel.
CUFI in the UK: “Because I am a Christian, I stand with Israel”
We aim to ignite Christian support and unity for Israel throughout the United Kingdom and Europe. We believe Great Britain will be blessed by honouring her. We treasure Britain’s Judeo-Christian values and will defend them passionately.
Hamas is guilty of a brutal massacre in Israel. We still don’t know the full extent of Hamas’s full-scale invasion. Israel is mourning; families are concerned about the survival of their loved ones, and at the same time Israel is facing a serious on-going threat. In the coming days, Israel will respond to end Hamas rule over Gaza. It is crucial that Christians stand on the side of Israel and put our love for Israel into action. Now, more than ever, the Jewish people in the UK also need Christians to stand with them side-by-side in light of an increase in antisemitism that we have seen in the past few days.
Israel is facing an unprecedented situation and CUFI appeals for your help. Please take a moment to email your Member of Parliament using wording provided by CUFI. The Prime Minister and many in Parliament have condemned Hamas, but we must realise that they are under pressure from voices against Israel that are loud, aggressive and persistent. Already we have seen some mainstream news channels tone down their language in order to try and create ‘balance’. We must not allow this same narrative to weaken our government’s stand with Israel.
The letter to MPs asks them to:
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Express full solidarity with Israel.
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Affirm Israel’s right to defend itself.
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Condemn Hamas and expressions of support of Hamas here in the UK.
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Support the Home Secretary’s commitment to protect the UK Jewish community.
Here at CUFI, we often quote the expression from Isaiah, “For Zion’s sake, I will not keep silent”. Today, we urge you to join us in giving this promise new life.Let us stand united with Israel and continue to pray for Israel’s peace.
Des Starritt, Executive Director of Christians United for Israel (CUFI) in the UK, spoke at the Never Again Is Now prayer rally on Sunday 19th November 2023. CUFI was pleased to support the event organised by Christian Action Against Antisemitism. Thousands of Christians stood shoulder to shoulder with members of the Jewish community in a powerful stand against antisemitism and called for the safe return of all Israeli hostages held captive by Hamas.
I am a Christian myself. We are told to pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6). Galatians reminds us that Jerusalem which is above all cities is free and is the mother of us all
Israel’s enemies are my enemies no one had to convert me to that truth I arrived to that conclusion long ago when Israel was newly formed then as now nothing has changed in my mind
The Christians & Jews both consider the Old Testament of the Bible holy. The Christians only add the New Testament, which is the testament of Jesus, the Jewish Messiah. The Old Testament includes the story of Moses, where God promised Israel to the Jewish people. It also says that God will bless those who bless Israel. God keeps his promises.
What you write is the proof that there is no fakeistinian folk and never was. The main thing is that this also proves that the land belongs to the Jewish folk and not anyone else. Years ago a chaplain Hellman (may he rest in peace) told me the story of this great nation and people. Note i was in America and not here in germany were im a nazi for standing with this great nation. I decided back then that i will stand with this folk because of the honor and bravery it has and a folk that allways fights for its nation no matter what is a folk that i would really gladly be a part of. Most of my friends were either Jewish or irish, this was because the normal american saw me a 5 year old kid as a nazi and more, i was spit on beaten and misshandeld because of my heritage and it was the jewish and irish that accepted me and because of this i am ready to give all for them anytime anywhere.
That’s very interesting, Daniel, considering (depending on what years you were in the US) it was much closer to WWII back then and one would have thought the Jews would have been the ones to keep their distance.