Caritas Jerusalem - Our History

Caritas-Jerusalem(CJ) is a Jerusalem-based humanitarian/developmental organization that represents the socio-pastoral services of the Catholic Church in the Holy Land. It was founded in 1967 in the aftermath of the Six Day War. Over the years, CJ has grown and assumed increasing responsibilities, both in terms of its program base and operational capability. Total yearly beneficiaries now number over 30,000 individuals, representing needy families in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Our Affiliation

CJ is a member of Caritas Internationalis (CI). CI is a confederation of 162 Caritas organizations operating in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. CJ works toward the realization of the vision of CI, which is: A Civilization of Love. 

What we do and where we work

CJ continues to faithfully serve the social-familial, economic, health, and emergency needs of an ever-growing Palestinian population. We have an active presence throughout the Palestinian Territories, which are the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem.

The vision of CJ is grounded in the example of the life of Jesus Christ and the Catholic Social Teachings.  From these beliefs, it envisions a Palestine free from occupation, discrimination, and poverty in which justice, peace, and freedom prevail and the oppressed, poor, and marginalized of all faiths can live with dignity, equality, love, and respect for one another, supporting and celebrating one another in a global atmosphere of hope, solidarity, and trust.  From this vision, CJ has developed the mission statement:  to empower the Palestinian people to realize their full potential and to act as a voice for the voiceless.  The organization seeks to achieve this mission through:

•     Enhancing the quality/accessibility of social/medical services for the poor& marginalized

•        Empowering youth as leaders

•        Improving the food security situation

•        Creating economic opportunities through soft loan schemes and job creation

•       Providing emergency humanitarian aid in times of crisis·       Advocating for the Palestinian cause on the international stage.