WASHINGTON โ Passages, a U.S. nonprofit that organizes immersive trips to Israel for Christian students, is expanding efforts to train a new generation of pro-Israel advocates in response to a surge in antisemitism, its chief executive said in recent interviews and opinion pieces.
Zach Bauer, who became Passages CEO this year, said the scale and brazenness of recent antisemitic incidents on U.S. college campuses and elsewhere are deeply troubling.
He wrote that โsilence in the face of evil is itself evilโ and urged Christians to speak out.
Passages offers a leadership program that combines classroom instruction, advocacy training, and an extended visit to Israel.
The organisation says its mission is to prepare Christian leaders who love God, stand with the Jewish people, and support Israel.
Bauer has publicly framed the work as urgent.
In a Washington Examiner op-ed, he called recent campus clashes and the murder of two Israeli embassy staff members in Washington a wake-up call for Christian youth.
He said the group will recruit and equip students to contest antisemitic narratives on campus and in public life.
Passages has also engaged in philanthropic and solidarity work in Israel.
The organisation made a six-figure donation this year to honour victims from Majdal Shams, and it has been covered by Jewish and faithpress outlets for efforts to strengthen Christian-Jewish ties.
Supporters say Passages fills a crucial gap on campuses where Jewish students report rising threats and isolation.
Hillel and other Jewish campus groups have documented a spike in incidents since October 2023 and welcome allied Christian voices that push back against hatred and Holocaust trivialisation.
Critics caution that long-term change requires broad institutional reforms, including better campus policing, more robust educational curricula, and clearer enforcement of hate crime laws.
Passages leaders say their programs are one practical element in a wider response.
For Jewish and pro-Israel audiences, the Passages model offers a pragmatic approach: build durable cross-community alliances, educate participants about Israel and Jewish history, and create a standing constituency willing to challenge antisemitism publicly.
Bauer said the moment demands action from faith leaders and public figures alike.
This article is based on verified information from CBN News, Passages, the Washington Examiner, Jewish Philanthropy, and The Jerusalem Post.