This December, Caritas Jerusalem has launched the Christmas of Hope campaign — an initiative born from the deep need to restore joy, dignity, and spiritual renewal to communities that have endured two years of war, loss, and uncertainty. Supported generously by Caritas Italiana under the leadership of the Conferenza Episcopale Italiana, this effort seeks to bring the light of Christmas back into the hearts of families across the Holy Land.

A Unified Effort Reaching Thousands

Through close coordination with parishes, Christian organizations, municipalities, and local families, the Christmas of Hope campaign is expected to reach a wide and diverse network of beneficiaries across the Holy Land:

• Around 30 parishes and about 14 community-based organizations taking part in Christmas activities and outreach
• Approximately 250 vulnerable Christian families, supporting over 1,000 children
• Around 8,700 children benefiting directly in parishes, with an estimated 43,500 indirect beneficiaries from their families
• About 2,100 children and elderly expected to benefit through participating organizations
• A national reach estimated at around 120,000 people

This campaign stands as a powerful expression of solidarity and accompaniment at a time when many families continue to face profound emotional and economic hardship.

Reviving Christmas in Communities Burdened by Grief

For the first time in two years, the Christmas of Hope initiative will rekindle the spirit of Christmas in places where celebrations had been overshadowed by fear, silence, and mourning. By reaching parishes across Gaza, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Jenin and all over the West Bank, the initiative will allow children and families to experience the warmth and joy of the season once again.

Each parish will host activities reaching nearly 300 children, offering music, decorations, shared meals, and communal prayer. These gatherings are more than festivities—they are a vital source of emotional and spiritual healing. For families who have suffered displacement, trauma, and loss, these celebrations will reaffirm that hope is still alive.

Supporting Christian Organizations and Vulnerable Families

Alongside parish celebrations, 14 Christian and community-based organizations will organize Christmas events and activities designed especially for children and the elderly. Many of the children reached through these organizations have lived through fear and confinement; offering them moments of joy, creativity, and connection is essential to their healing.

The initiative also provides direct assistance to about 250 vulnerable Christian families, enabling them to prepare for Christmas with dignity. This support alleviates the heavy burden of poverty and instability, ensuring that these families can celebrate the holy season with warmth, unity, and renewed confidence.

Bringing Light Back to Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Zababdeh–Jenin, and Gaza

At the national level, Christmas of Hope plays a central role in restoring one of the most symbolic expressions of Christian presence in the Holy Land: the Bethlehem Christmas Festival and the December 6 Christmas tree lighting.

By supporting Bethlehem Municipality in hosting this beloved event, thousands gathered in Manger Square—transforming a city marked by anguish into a beacon of solidarity and resilience. Similar efforts in Jerusalem, Al-Zababdeh–Jenin, and the Gaza parish will ensure that even the most affected regions can share in this moment of unity, prayer, and celebration.

The lighting of the Christmas trees in these locations will stand as a powerful testament that, despite years of hardship, the heart of Christmas continues to beat strongly in the land where Christ was born.

Restoring Faith, Strengthening Community

Most importantly, Christmas of Hope reinforces one essential truth: Christian families in the Holy Land are not alone.

By creating a unified network of care—linking parishes, organizations, families, and municipalities—the initiative strengthens the threads of solidarity that have been strained during years of crisis. Through celebrations, pastoral accompaniment, and material support, the campaign revives the meaning of Christmas as a season of renewal, healing, and shared hope.

As families and parishes across the Holy Land gather to mark Christmas in their own ways, Christmas of Hope offers a moment of comfort, normalcy, and togetherness after long months of uncertainty, helping renew a sense of presence, solidarity, and care within communities that continue to face immense challenges.