The frightening situation of many Christian communities in the Middle East will be center-stage at events in Israel next week on the occasion of the Feast of Tabernacles, at which several thousand Christian pilgrims are expected to visit Israel, making it the country’s largest tourist event.

Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin and World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder will address a large gathering of Evangelical Christians at Jerusalem’s new Pais Arena on Monday, 13 October 2014.

As part of the event, WJC will also co-sponsor the Chairman's Conference of the Israel Allies Foundation, a forum in which many Israeli Cabinet ministers and two dozen parliamentarians from around the globe will participate.

A joint letter to world leaders signed by Ronald S. Lauder and by Billy Wilson and Jürgen Bühler, leaders of the Empowered21 Global Council and the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, respectively, was released ahead of the events. It laments the widespread ignorance on the issue of Christians in Muslim countries: “The executions, persecution and uprooting of ancient Christian communities is an on-going tragedy, yet world leaders have largely ignored this problem and it is past time for that to change. […] The test of moral leadership right now is whether you will take up their cause and make it a priority,” the three leaders write.

They add: “Therefore, we urge you to speak out forcefully against the persecution and expulsion of Christian communities in the Middle East. We also call on all Western democratic leaders to take collective action in confronting this problem through firm diplomatic action against those nations that allow the religious persecution against Christians to continue. This is something that cannot be delayed. We all must act, now!”