Recent Events at the Christian Desk

Desk Director Dr. Susanna Kokkonen participated in an Israel event organized at the Finnish Parliament in November 2008. She met Members of Parliament and representatives of Israel organizations here pictured with Kalevi Perälä from Karmel and Jorma Ahonen, who chairs a travelling Holocaust exhibition in Finland.

Desk Director Dr. Susanna Kokkonen toured German churches for Kristallnacht Remembrance events in November 2008. Lisa Ruediger from the German ICEJ accompanied her and together they received registrations for memberships of Christian Friends of Yad Vashem.

During ICEJ’s annual Feast of Tabernacles more than 5,000 pilgrims of various nationalities visited Yad Vashem. Here pictured ICEJ Hong Kong group with directors Nancy and Colin Chow and Director of the Christian Desk Dr. Susanna Kokkonen.

In September, Israel Bonds Ohio brought a delegation of business people to a tour of Israel including a visit at Yad Vashem. For most visitors this was their first time here. They also heard a lecture by Efrayim Kaye, Director of International Seminars at Yad Vashem’s International School for Holocaust Studies.  

All Nations, the international Christian convocation directed by the organization’s President Tom Hess and Mrs. Kate Hess toured Yad Vashem with hundreds of young adults, as part of their Israel tour at the beginning of October. The groups from various countries heard a lecture by Professor Szewach Weiss and presented a plaque to Director of the International Relations Division Shaya Ben-Yehuda.  A moving Memorial Ceremony concluded the day.  

From the end of August, the Director of Christian Desk Dr. Susanna Kokkonen visited Finland, as a guest of the ICEJ Finland branch. She spoke in Yad Vashem events in churches around the country and hundreds of people signed up, as Christian Friends of Yad Vashem.  

Grafted, the international young adults program of the ICEJ visited Yad Vashem, as part of their Israel tour at the beginning of July. Whilst some of the youth toured the Museum, some of them participated in a workshop on Righteous Gentiles by Stephanie MacMahon-Kaye at the International School for Holocaust Studies.

In July, AIPAC brought a delegation of Christian leaders from the Southern States to a tour of Israel including a visit at Yad Vashem. For most visitors this was their first time and they were deeply moved by the experience.

Every summer the Christian Ministry Eagles' Wings brings students to a three-week studying tour of Israel. This July the group was hosted by the Christian Desk and had a full study day in Yad Vashem as part of their overall program. The day included a guided museum tour, a survivor testimony and an educational workshop by Avi Marcovitz at the International School for Holocaust Studies.

In July, Dr. Kokkonen visited Norway, as a speaker at the annual summer conference of the Norwegian ICEJ branch. The reaction by the conference audience to Yad Vashem was overwhelmingly positive to the extent that most of the conference participants immediately registered as Christian Friends of Yad Vashem.

At the beginning of June, the Director of Christian Desk Dr. Susanna Kokkonen visited the United States, as a guest of the ICEJ USA branch. Branch Director Susan Michael organized a special Yad Vashem evening with music, film and remarks at a local church.

During his recent tour in Israel Pastor John Hagee from the United States visited Yad Vashem with 500 of his congregants. Pastor Hagee together with his wife Diana and a private entourage accompanied by Shaya Ben-Yehuda, Managing Director of the International Relations Division and Dr. Susanna Kokkonen, Director of the Christian Desk held meetings at the International School to hear about international seminars among other things. The Yad Vashem visit of all Hagee groups culminated in a moving ceremony laying a wreath for the memory of the Holocaust victims.

For the official state ceremony on the eve of Holocaust Day the Christian Desk hosted directors of various Christian organizations. They were deeply moved by the experience and there was a general feeling that more could be done in Christian circles to educate about and commemorate the Holocaust.
On the morning of the Holocaust Day the Spokesman of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem Mr. David Parsons together with his wife Jose participated in the wreath laying ceremony together with many survivors and other organizations.

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