| Blessing Bethlehem | |
| Founders: | David Nekrutman Pastor Steven Khoury Rabbi Pesach Wolicki |
| Parent Organization: | Ohr Torah Stone's Center for Jewish–Christian Understanding and Cooperation (CJCUC) |
| Type: | Charity |
| Location: | Ohr Torah Stone 49 West 45th Street, Suite 701 New York, New York 10036 U.S.A. |
| Focus: | Food giveaway program in an effort to help the persecuted Christians of Bethlehem. |
Blessing Bethlehem is a charity fundraising initiative with the purpose of helping the persecuted Christians living in the city of Bethlehem and its surrounding areas.[1] It was launched in September 2016 by the Center for Jewish–Christian Understanding and Cooperation (CJCUC), at the LifeLight Festival in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.[2]
In September 2012, Ohr Torah Stone's Center for Jewish–Christian Understanding and Cooperation (CJCUC), in partnership with Pastor Steven Khoury of Holy Land Missions, launched a Food Voucher Program to help the local Christian community living in Bethlehem. CJCUC's Executive Director, David Nekrutman, began his dialogue with the local Christian Arab community in 2009 through the organization's Bible Study Program.
Nekrutman learned of the Christian Arab community's struggle between their ethnicity and religion and he wanted to alleviate the number one issue - poverty.[3] [4] [5] [6]
With initial funding from American Jewish donors, the Food Voucher program began by purchasing vouchers from the Rami Levy supermarket chain. In 2013, the International Christian Embassy of Jerusalem (ICEJ) joined the program. In 2016, the Food Voucher Program was renamed "Blessing Bethlehem" and officially launched at the LifeLight Music Festival in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.[7] [8] [9]