Yael Eckstein

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Yael Eckstein
יעל אקשטיין
Yael Eckstein.jpg
Born
Evanston, Illinois
CitizenshipUnited States and Israeli
Alma materHebrew University
Known forPresident and Global CEO of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews
PredecessorYechiel Eckstein
Children4
Parent(s)Yechiel Eckstein
Websiteifcj.org

Yael Eckstein (Hebrew: יעל אקשטיין) is president and Global CEO of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (also referred to as IFCJ or The Fellowship).[1][2][3][4]

Biography

Eckstein is the daughter of Yechiel Eckstein, a rabbi..[5] She was born in Evanston, Illinois,,[6] and raised in Chicago. Eckstein took biblical studies at Torat Chesed Seminary in Israel, Jewish and sociology studies at Queens College in New York, and pursued additional studies at Hebrew University in Jerusalem. [5][6] [7][8]

Eckstein made aliyah in 2005 with her husband. She began working at The Fellowship in entry-level positions and advanced through roles including Director of Program Development and Ministry Outreach, Senior Vice President, and Global Executive Vice President.[9] In 2006, she started writing to Fellowship donors about her experiences during the Second Lebanon War.[10]

Eckstein writes op-eds for The Times of Israel'[11] and The Jerusalem Post.[12][13] She has spoken at events on religious persecution in the Middle East in Washington, D.C. Eckstein has appeared on CBN's The 700 Club, launched the podcast Nourish Your Biblical Roots in 2021 (though she no longer hosts it regularly), and launched The Chosen People in 2024.[14][15][16] Yael lives in Israel with her husband and four children.[1][17][18]

The Fellowship

Main article: International Fellowship of Christians and Jews

Eckstein previously held the positions of global executive vice president, senior vice president, and director of program development and ministry outreach.[19][20][21]

In 2016, Yechiel Eckstein publicly blessed Yael as the one he envisioned running IFCJ. In 2017, the Fellowship's board — excluding her father, according to Yael — designated her as president-elect.[22]

In 2019, after her father's death at 67, she became president and CEO of The Fellowship, the Chicago-based nonprofit with an office in Israel.[1] She oversees all Fellowship programs as its President and Global CEO and is the organization's international spokesperson.[16][23]

Under her leadership, The Fellowship has continued humanitarian programs in Israel and other regions.[24][25] Following the October 7, 2023 attacks, the organization mobilized large-scale emergency response efforts, committing over $300 million in humanitarian and security assistance, installing more than 700 reinforced bomb shelters across Israel (including in mixed and minority communities), and providing food, financial aid, and protective equipment to displaced and war-affected families.[26][27][28] Her work has been included in lists of influential figures by The Jerusalem Post and other publications.[29][30][31]

Podcasts

  • Nourish Your Biblical Roots (launched 2021) — focuses on Jewish-Christian relations and Israel's role in global affairs.[19]
  • The Chosen People (launched 2024, in partnership with PRAY.com) — a podcast series on stories from the Hebrew Bible.[14][32]
  • On the Frontlines with Mark Levin — addresses current events and related issues.[33]

Awards

  • 2015 — Cover story in Nashim magazine.[34]
  • 2019 — Named in The Algemeiner list of 100 people positively influencing Jewish life.[35]
  • 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025 — Included in The Jerusalem Post list of 50 Most Influential Jews.[36][29]
  • 2022 — Included in Future of Jewish list "50 of Our Favorite Jewish Women Right Now".[37]
  • 2023 — Received the Humanitarian Award from The Jerusalem Post.[38]
  • 2025 — Received the Woman of the Year award from The Jaffa Institute.[30]
  • 2025 — Received the Pillars of Jerusalem award.[39]

Books

  • Eckstein, Yael (2012). Holy Land Reflections: A Collection of Inspirational Insights from Israel. ISBN 978-0981657738.[40]
  • Eckstein, Yael (2014). Spiritual Cooking with Yael: Recipes & Bible Meditations from the Holy Land. ISBN 978-1631855870.[41]
  • Eckstein, Yael (2020). Generation to Generation: Passing on a Legacy of Faith to Our Children. ISBN 978-0983532767.[42]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 A. Kellner, Mark (2021-08-11). "Meet the Jewish woman raising millions from evangelical Christians to alleviate poverty in Israel". The Washington Times.
  2. ↑ Wood, Emily (2021-05-19). "American Christians help fund thousands of bomb shelters to protect Israelis from Hamas attacks". The Christian Post.
  3. ↑ "Yael Eckstein: IFCJ responds in times of crisis in the shadow of war". The Times of Israel Blogs. Retrieved 2026-05-08.
  4. ↑ "IFCJ Global CEO Yael Eckstein and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's words still resonate". On Pattison. 2026-01-16. Retrieved 2026-05-08.
  5. ↑ "Rabbi's daughter raises $118 million for Israelis in poverty". World Israel News. 2021-08-15.
  6. ↑ "Yael Eckstein". International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. Retrieved 2019-02-14.
  7. ↑ "Biography Yael Eckstein". The Kairos Company.
  8. ↑ "About IFCJ, The History, and Humanitarian Work". IFCJ. Retrieved 2019-02-14.
  9. ↑ Fineblum, Deborah (2019-11-15). "Yael Eckstein is putting her own mark on building bridges between Christians and Jews". JNS.
  10. ↑ JAFFE-HOFFMAN, MAAYAN (2021-09-12). "Bible coming alive in Israel,' these women connect Christians to it". The Jerusalem Post.
  11. ↑ "Yael Eckstein's Blog". blogs.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 2026-03-17.
  12. ↑ ECKSTEIN, YAEL (27 November 2025). "Thanksgiving 2025, Jewish tradition's sacred question | The Jerusalem Post". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
  13. ↑ ECKSTEIN, YAEL (3 March 2026). "Purim 2026: It's not over until it's good | The Jerusalem Post". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 "The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews' Yael Eckstein to Host New Podcast... 'The Chosen People'". International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. 2024-09-19. Retrieved 2026-03-16.
  15. ↑ "Concerned Women for America and the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews to Host Religious Persecution Panel". Concerned Women for America. May 2015. Retrieved 2019-02-14.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 D. Johnson, Christine (2021-03-02). "How The Fellowship Builds Bridges Between Christians and Jews". Charisma Magazine.
  17. ↑ "Yael Eckstein – IFCJ youth scholarships are breaking the cycle of poverty by investing in education". San Francisco Examiner. Retrieved 2026-05-08.
  18. ↑ "Yael Eckstein, IFCJ President and Global CEO, explores Christian Zionism through new podcast series". Business Matters Magazine. Retrieved 2026-05-08.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 "Yael Eckstein". International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. Retrieved 2026-03-16.
  20. ↑ "Yael Eckstein, IFCJ President, on forgiveness, renewal, and building bridges across cultures". Upscale Living Magazine. Retrieved 2026-05-08.
  21. ↑ "Leadership and accountability under wartime economic pressure". The Times of Israel Blogs. Retrieved 2026-05-08.
  22. ↑ Oster, Marcy (February 27, 2019). "After death of Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, daughter inherits billion-dollar charity". Times of Israel. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
  23. ↑ "Yael Eckstein, IFCJ President and Global CEO, highlights The Fellowship's recognition as top nonprofit workplace". Global Banking & Finance Review. Retrieved 2026-05-08.
  24. ↑ "Yael Eckstein and IFCJ continue global humanitarian efforts". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 2026-05-08.
  25. ↑ "Yael Eckstein discusses unity, Israel, and humanitarian support". Israel National News. Retrieved 2026-05-08.
  26. ↑ "In Israel's missile war, some families run to shelters. Others have nowhere to go". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 2026-03-10.
  27. ↑ "Fellowship to give 45 million shekels in Passover aid amid war". Jewish News Syndicate. 2026-04-02.
  28. ↑ "On October 7 she said 'I'm in reserve duty' and raised $500 million". Ynet News. 2026-03-08.
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 "No. 34: Heads of organizations that support survivors". The Jerusalem Post. 2025-09-22.
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 "A Night to Remember: The 2025 Jaffa Institute Gala". Jaffa Institute. 2025-07-16.
  31. ↑ "Answering the call: Yael Eckstein, one of the women leading Israel's wartime front". The Jerusalem Post. 2026-03-12.
  32. ↑ "Yael Eckstein, IFCJ President and Global CEO, to launch new initiative". The Yeshiva World. Retrieved 2026-05-08.
  33. ↑ "Yael Eckstein Press Kit". International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. Retrieved 2026-03-16.
  34. ↑ "Pass A Legacy of Faith To Your Children". CBN.
  35. ↑ "The Top 100 People Positively Influencing Jewish Life". The Algemeiner. Retrieved 2019-10-07.
  36. ↑ "The Jerusalem Post 50 Most Influential Jews of 2020". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 2020-12-03.
  37. ↑ "50 of Our Favorite Jewish Women Right Now". Future of Jewish.
  38. ↑ "Celebrate the Faces of Israel". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 2023-04-24.
  39. ↑ "Yael Receives Pillars of Jerusalem Award". International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. 2025-11-05.
  40. ↑ Eckstein, Yael (2012). Holy Land Reflections: A Collection of Inspirational Insights from Israel. International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. ISBN 978-0981657738.
  41. ↑ Eckstein, Yael (2014). Spiritual Cooking with Yael: Recipes & Bible Meditations from the Holy Land. Winters Publishing Group. ISBN 978-1631855870.
  42. ↑ Eckstein, Yael (2020). Generation to Generation: Passing on a Legacy of Faith to Our Children. International Fellowship of Christians and Jews. ISBN 978-0983532767.

External links

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