
Amit Barak
Jersalemites Initiative / Jnnovation Ltd.
North Judea, Israel
What is the main focus of your activities today?
1.Working to get the Arabic-speaking Christians of Jerusalem closer to the Israel society.
2. Building bridges with Christians worldwide, developing educational products to connect Christians to the land of Israel, Jewish People and the State of Israel.
How long have you been doing that?
8 years
What are some of the successful related programs or projects that you have done this year and in past years?
1. The historical change among Christians in Israel, volunteering for the army and National Service, integration into society, strengthening Israeli identity, returning to Christian-Aramean identity and international action for Israel as Christians and Jews together led by Father Gabriel Nadaf. Establishment and managing the projects of the organization that brought about this historical change and operated for five years 2012-2017.
2.This year we launched the second free Hebrew course for Arabic-speaking Christians from Jerusalem and Beit-Jala.
3. Last January we ended (Shomron Regional Council and the Ministry of Strategic Affairs) a two years project of daily tours in Samaria. As part of it we invited pastors and Christian leaders from all over the world to see the land of the Bible and reality on the ground behind the headlines.
How did you get to where you are today?
By the work i have done with Father Gabriel. With whom I traveled the world, visited different congregations, met with pastors and leaders and was exposed to this world. I was educated and I am still learning about the subject in various courses and ways.
What is your “testimony”?
In the past eight years, Amit as a Jew, was leading the efforts of building the bridge between the Arabic-speaking Christians and the Jews in Israel. Amit was one of the initiators of the historical movement to integrate Christians into the IDF, National Service and the Israeli Society, and worked for five years with the honorable, Father Gabriel Naddaf a Greek-Orthodox Priest from Nazareth. Amit was the project manager of the Israeli “Christians Recruitment Forum – Christian Empowerment Council”.
Amit is one of the founders of “Brotherly Covenant” and the “Jerusalemite Initiative”, two organizations, one in the north and the other in Jerusalem, works to integrate Arabic-speaking Christians into Israeli society.
Amit Has a BA in History (Dean’s List) from the Open University and MA in History of the Jewish People from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. Graduated of “Tikvah Fund” seminar on Christianity: “God, Politics and the Future of Europe” with Prof’ George Weigel (The author of the best- biography of Pope John Paul II).
Amit Meets Christian delegations from all over the world, hosts pastors in his home, the place where the prophet Amos walked his flocks. Amit builds bridges between Jews and Christians in Israel and between both Jews and Christians from Israel and around the world. He also lectures in Israel and abroad on issues related to the Christian community in Israel and Jewish-Christian relations. Amit researches the historic roots of the Aramean-Christian identity. He documents and researches the activities of anti-Israel Christian organizations and their connection to the Palestinian liberation theology. Amit has published many articles on these subjects.
Amit served in an IDF Paratroopers battalion and in a special unit of the Border Police, received two certificates of excellence and appreciation for his operational accomplishments. Serves as an active reservist with both his father and his brother.
Amit is Co-founder and co-owner of Jnnovation, Ltd a company that specializes in connections between Israel
and Christians around the world.
What do you think God is doing with regard to Jewish-Christian relations?
God shows us the way. God sheds light on the shared values and common roots and yet we must follow it and keep each one unique,