Written by Will Jones
Israel has been suffering under the shadow of war and regional conflict for multiple years now, and the resulting economic strain has been immense. Even before the fighting broke out, Israeli citizens have been struggling with extensive poverty, declining salaries, and stagnating economic growth. When the nation also has to divert resources to the war effort, whether that means calling reserves out of the workforce, or simply paying for equipment and supplies, those struggles only grow. However, in light of the recent, but still very fragile ceasefire, some of these economic burdens have begun to ease—but even that temporary relief isn’t enough for many vulnerable citizens.
It’s toward this ongoing crisis that the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ) leverages its resources and efforts. The Fellowship is an interfaith nonprofit organization that builds bridges between Christian and Jewish communities, and then leverages those connections to help Jews in need around the world. Under the leadership of President and Global CEO Yael Eckstein, The Fellowship turns more than $303 million in annual donations into a range of support services and humanitarian aid.
These efforts are working in parallel with the recent recovery of the shekel and Israel’s broader economy as a whole. Israel’s currency has hit its strongest level comparative to the United States Dollar in nearly thirty years, with a representative rate of 3.068 as of early 2026—a remarkable development considering recent conflicts. Other outlets are reporting that Israel’s 2026 economic growth is, while lower than some projections, stabilizing and improving beyond expectations in part due to the breathing room offered by ceasefires. While these trends are a boon to the needy, The Fellowship’s assistance is still critically necessary, and so the work continues.
A Contradictory Economic State
Despite the trends suggesting stabilization and growth for Israel’s economy in the wake of the ceasefire, there are a number of concerning and confounding variables that complicate any high-level analysis. Namely, there’s a significant and observable gap between the macro-scale successes and robustness of Israel’s economy, and the real pervasive struggles the citizenry still faces. These are the observations of Yali Rothenberg, who was until February 2026 an accountant general in Israel’s Ministry of Finance, a role in which he was responsible for control of government spending, representing the country in meetings with investors and banks, and handling infrastructure tenders.“We have very impressive macro numbers, such as growth, in comparison with other places in the world at times of war and uncertainty; we have a strong labor market, the shekel is strong, the capital market is strong, and our ability to raise debt on the markets is high; and we enjoy investors’ confidence,” Rothenberg states, “But that isn’t reflected in the life of ordinary citizens. They don’t experience gross national product; they experience their shopping baskets, their rent, and their mortgages.”
Israel’s economy, however strong, is suffering from severe bottlenecks that prevent the macro-level growth from being felt in the citizenry’s daily lives. In comparison to other nations at war, Israel’s growth is strong, the labor market is similarly so, and the shekel is in the best position in decades, with high investor confidence. However, the everyday citizens are still struggling to afford food, medicine, shelter, and more—indeed, Israel’s poverty rate is among the highest in comparable OECD countries at over 20%, with the highest cost of living in the same comparative category.
However complicated, the trendline for Israel’s economy, including salaries and wages, is moving decidedly upwards. Net inflows of foreign capital remain high—$39 billion in 2025, up $14 billion over 2024—and the IMF projects the nation’s growth to be 3.5% in 2026. Bank of Israel governor Amir Yaron predicts that growth could rebound to 5.5% next year if ceasefires persist or the wars come to an end. As things continue to improve and stabilize, the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews continues to step in on behalf of Israeli citizens on the ground.
The Fellowship Renders Aid
As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization, IFCJ has raised $4.4 billion since Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein founded it in 1983, and has used those resources to help millions of people in need each year. It is active in more than 47 countries. These resources, raised through private donations, are leveraged toward humanitarian aid and support for Jews in Israel and beyond. Of each dollar donated, 76 cents are allocated toward this aid—49 cents of which are specifically used for poverty relief programs and shelter. IFCJ’s humanitarian aid takes the form of basic supplies like food packages and vouchers, clothing and blankets, and medicines, among other more focused projects.One such project of note was recently the focus of The Fellowship’s attention. Originally built and reinforced by The Fellowship in 2017, the Sha’ar HaNegev Trauma Center has been an ongoing project that’s grown in response to the need for its facilities and services. With the aid of a recent grant, The Fellowship was able to help with the addition of a yurt at the Treatment Complex that promises to reduce economic and geographic barriers to mental health care. “Our partnership with The Fellowship began before the war, and has intensified since then. Our ability to provide solutions to problems is thanks to the Trauma Center—both for children and adults,” says Trauma Center Director Nadav Peretz. “Now, thanks to the yurt, many more children in Sha’ar HaNegev will be able to receive solutions.”
In the wake of a poverty crisis and an average low salary, Yael Eckstein, the President and Global CEO of The Fellowship, has mobilized the organization to give aid wherever necessary. The Fellowship's direct assistance programs include professional training opportunities and scholarships, helping individuals gain the skills needed to improve their livelihoods.
Beyond that, IFCJ has paired with other partner organizations and community programs to broaden their aid-giving reach, whether that means partnering with Leket Israel to set up a mobile greengrocer truck for food-insecure families, or working with other organizations to facilitate aliyah and celebrate Passover.
