Nashville, Tennessee: Rabbi Elie Mischel of Israel365 visited Nashville last week to explore establishing a regional presence in the city. The four-day visit revealed remarkable community support, with Jews and Christians having marched together every Sunday for over 80 weeks, demanding the release of hostages held by Hamas.

Four Days, Big Impact

During his four-day visit, Rabbi Mischel met with local leaders, including a parlor meeting with Jewish and Christian Zionists as well as sessions with area pastors seeking deeper partnerships.

A key part of the visit was Rabbi Mischel’s presentations during Shabbat at Congregation Sherith Israel. On Friday, he spoke about the historical shift in Christian theology away from replacement theology, a change that has helped foster support for Israel. On Saturday, he presented a Jewish perspective on redemption, envisioning Jews and Christians working together toward a future where the Temple is a “house of prayer for all nations.”

“Rabbi Elie was warmly welcomed into our traditional Orthodox community,” said Rabbi Strosberg. “The people in Nashville look forward to continuing to partner with our friends at Israel365 to promote understanding and peace.”

The Friday night community dinner was attended by fifty Jews and eight Christians who came to learn how they could help the growing movement.

Bible Belt, Big Opportunity

Michael Dobrin, a Nashville local who hosted the parlor meeting, highlighted Nashville’s unique position. “As Nashville is known as the ‘buckle of the Bible Belt,’ we have a great opportunity to build relationships,” he said. “We are looking forward to helping grow Israel365’s presence in Tennessee.”

Rabbi Mischel noted that Nashville’s Christians, and the wider influence of the city’s faith communities, give its support for Israel a broad reach across the South.

80 Weeks Strong

The weekly Sunday ‘Run for Their Lives’ demonstration was a central part of Rabbi Mischel’s visit. He joined the march, which has become a consistent fixture downtown, where Jews and Christians march side by side for the hostages.

What Comes Next

Israel365 aims to strengthen these existing Jewish-Christian partnerships through its Nashville presence. As Rabbi Mischel stated, “Nashville Jews understand the responsibility that Jews have to be a light unto the nations. They are ready to work with the Christian community; all we have to do is organize the efforts.”

With 80 weeks of sustained marches as proof of concept, Israel365 now moves to formalize what Nashville’s Jews and Christians have already demonstrated: that interfaith partnership for Israel works.

If you are a Nashville local interested in learning more about Israel365’s work in Tennessee, [click here].