Israeli American Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, whose life goal was to promote a dialogue between Jews and Christians, died on Wednesday at the age of 67 from sudden heart failure.
Born in New York City, he held dual citizenship, having become an Israeli citizen in 2002.
ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt told JNS, “We are saddened by Yechiel Eckstein’s sudden passing. He was a tireless worker for the Jewish people and for Israel, and he made significant contributions by fostering evangelical support for Israel. We send our deepest condolences to his family.”
Rabbi Noam Marans, the American Jewish Committee’s Director of Interreligious and Intergroup Relations, told JNS “Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein was a pioneer in evangelical-Jewish relations as it relates to the State of Israel and Christian support for the in-gathering of the exiles. His legendary fundraising supported Jews in need and for that we must be grateful.”
Under Eckstein’s leadership, IFCJ raised more than $1.3 billion, or $140 million annually, mostly from evangelical Christians, to help the State of Israel and Jews.
IFCJ has helped immigrants move to Israel from the former Soviet Union, Ethiopia, Venezuela, Ukraine and other places, and has assisted them in Israel such as providing food care packages for Jewish holidays.
Reactions from other parts of the Jewish world poured in following Eckstein’s death.
“I am in shock that my dear friend Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, has passed away. He spoke publicly at my son’s Bar Mitzvah just two nights ago. How can this be? He did incalculable good. I wish great comfort to his family,” tweeted Rabbi Shmuley Boteach.
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“I am in shock. And so sad,” tweeted former Knesset member Rabbi Dov Lipman. “Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, founder of The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews passed away suddenly. A heart that gave and gave and gave stopped working. May his memory be a source of blessing for all who knew him and were touched by him.”