Flags of Fellowship: A Message of Solidarity

Symbols can often carry more weight than we realize.

A flag, for example, is just a piece of cloth. Yet, it embodies the essence of a country, its people, and their history, evoking deep feelings within us. When that flag is placed by someone who stands with you during tough times, it transforms into a powerful message: you are not alone.

That’s what crosses my mind when I see an Israeli flag displayed outside a church here in America.

In 2024, we initiated the Flags of Fellowship campaign with a straightforward idea. Christians around the U.S. would place Israeli flags at their churches and in their local areas to honor the innocent victims of the October 7 attacks in 2023.

We had no way of knowing the extent to which this simple act of camaraderie might spread.

This year, over 4,375 churches, synagogues, universities, and organizations across the globe are joining the Flags of Fellowship movement. Collectively, they will plant more than 5.2 million Israeli flags. This movement has expanded into 12 countries, with over 1,775 participating organizations outside the U.S. and Canada.

Each flag carries its own narrative.

It signifies to an Israeli family that they are remembered. It tells the Jewish community that others notice the struggles they face. And it sends a message to the world: the events of October 7 haven’t shattered the bond between Christians and Jews; rather, that bond is stronger than ever.

Last month, we gathered at Banias Church in Nazareth for the first Flags of Fellowship event this year. Volunteers from the church and local community planted 1,200 Israeli flags before leaders from both Christian and Jewish communities joined together for speeches and prayers. The children’s choir of the Armenian Christian Association sang the Lord’s Prayer.

Israel is a diverse nation, home to Christians, Jews, Muslims, and people from countless backgrounds. While we may not always see eye to eye or share the same viewpoints, there is undeniable beauty in differing individuals choosing to unite.

When a church raises an Israeli flag, it’s not about expressing a political stance. Instead, it’s a spiritual declaration—one of friendship, remembrance, and loyalty to those in pain.

I hope that when people view the Flags of Fellowship, they see more than just flags; I hope they see friendship—not just remembrance, but solidarity.

Since October 7, the landscape has shifted considerably. There’s been rampant focus on division and animosity, with many intent on tearing things apart. Yet, another narrative is unfolding.

This story is emerging within churches throughout America and beyond. It’s being written by pastors who affirm from the pulpit that Israel is a friend. It comes from families who choose to display an Israeli flag outside their homes, by Christians who pray for Israel, and by Jews recognizing, sometimes for the first time, the level of care many Christians have for them.

Each flag contributes to this story.

I feel fortunate to have witnessed this friendship blossom over the years. I’ve sat with Christian leaders who welcomed Israeli flags into their churches, heard from pastors whose congregations embraced this initiative with passion, and talked with Israelis moved by the awareness that people they will never meet stand in solidarity with them from thousands of miles away.

As we approach another anniversary of October 7, I am reminded that remembrance is not just about reflecting on the past; it’s also about choosing the future we want to create.

It’s about selecting courage over fear, friendship over division, and love over hate.

There’s an expression we often use at the Fellowship: Our adversaries burn the flag; our allies plant it.

This is the essence of Flags of Fellowship. Millions of flags, displayed by countless congregations and organizations, convey to the Jewish people the same reassuring message: you are not alone.

I feel immense gratitude for every single one of them.