In addition to fundraising and spreading awareness on college campuses, Passages brought 700 people to Tuesday’s March for Israel in Washington, D.C.
In the wake of the October 7 attack and subsequent rise in antisemitism, the historic relationship between Christians and Jews has taken on a new importance.
Some Christian establishments on secular campuses, like Princeton University’s Aquinas Institute for Catholic Life, have institutionally supported Jews and Israel. Other entities, like Franciscan University of Steubenville, have offered immediate refuge for Jewish students facing hatred on their campuses.
One Christian organization in particular has stepped up to the plate to stand with Jews. Passages, which organizes trips to Israel for Christian students, is committed to “building bridges of friendship with Israel and the Jewish community,” its chief executive officer Scott Phillips told National Review.
“Ultimately, what we want students to do is to see Israel for themselves, to be able to connect with their faith there,” he said. “To see the real Israel versus what they hear in some of the mainstream media or what they may hear on campuses when they get back . . . Our hope is that their perspectives are changed both on their faith and on what’s happening in Israel.”
Since the Hamas attack, though, Passages’ mission has shifted somewhat. Instead of bringing Christian students to Israel — its trips have been postponed — the organization is engaged in educational efforts and support for its Jewish friends.
“Passages was created for — to use a biblical phrase — such a time as this,” Phillips told NR. “The whole organization really leaned into our alumni engagement, and we began to organize, we began to mobilize and began to educate our alumni on what’s happening through social media and through briefings. We launched a daily prayer text campaign for Israel; each day, there are scriptures to pray, but there’s also the name of a hostage to pray for.”
Phillips explained the reach of Passages’ operations across the country.
“We’ve raised over $600,000 so far, and that’s going to be ongoing through the rest of the year to get those funds to those who need it most,” Phillips said of a fundraiser the organization started after October 7. “We’re hosting prayer vigils across the country, our students . . . are hosting prayer vigils on campuses across the country, many of them partnering with the local Jewish Hillel on campus.”
In addition to its fundraising and campus outreach, Passages brought about 700 people to Tuesday’s March for Israel in Washington, D.C. Phillips describes this opposition to antisemitism as “one of the reasons Passages exists” and told NR the organization is working to ensure Christian students support the Jewish state and the Jewish people.
“A lot of Christian students don’t know what to think. They’re obviously horrified by what happened on October 7, but unfortunately, with the mainstream media narrative turning against Israel and its actions in the Gaza Strip, I think a lot of people don’t know what to think. They don’t know how to pray, don’t know how to act,” he said. “That’s one of the reasons this was started — almost 60 percent of Christians between 18 and 30 are pretty neutral toward Israel, as opposed to an older generation of Christians who traditionally, especially evangelical Christians, have been very pro-Israel.”
Phillips told NR that he has seen the impact Passages has on those younger Christians.
“What we see with Passages students is that once they understand the situation of what’s happening on the ground and have been to these communities, they are eager to stand with the Jewish community,” he said. “They’re eager to stand with their Jewish peers and classmates, and if they don’t have Jewish classmates — if they’re at a Christian school — well, they’re holding prayer vigils. They’re raising awareness about what’s going on. That’s really the vision, and the dream is that we can continue to build this movement of young Christians to do this.”
Passages, Phillips said, exists to promote a sense of unity between Christians and Jews, especially at a time like this.
“Our big message is that Christians stand with Israel and with the Jewish community,” he told NR. “And we want to make sure that they feel during this time that they’re not alone — that they do have friends and allies.”