Israel Pochtar is a Jesus-believing Jew and pastor in southern Israel in a congregation located 25 miles from the Gaza border. He travels internationally teaching about Israel and to build and strengthen bridges between the nations and the land of Israel. On July 30 at 2:30 p.m., he will be the keynote speaker at Highlight Israel at the European Conference.
The keynote speaker at the European Conference’s Israel meeting is Pastor Israel Pochtar, who nearly 20 years ago founded the Beit Hallel congregation in the city of Ashdod, a large coastal city in southern Israel. Five more congregations have since been established, primarily in southern Israel.
As a preacher and Bible teacher, Israel Pochtar has a special emphasis on God’s plans for Israel and the Jewish people.
Ashdod has been a frequent target for rocket and missile attacks from the terrorist groups Hamas and Hezbollah. In recent years, Palestinian terrorist groups in the nearby Gaza Strip have repeatedly fired rockets at the city, in April 2026 Hezbollah fired missiles at Ashdod, and in June 2025 an Iranian missile hit a power plant in the city.
Israel Pochtar is passionate about evangelism, church planting, and helping the poor and needy in Israel. He travels internationally to teach about Israel and to build and strengthen bridges between nations and the land of Israel.
Congregation Beit Hallel (House of Praise) is a congregation that seeks to share the life-changing gospel of Jesus and demonstrate God’s love in action in a country where faith in Yeshua (Jesus) is still often misunderstood.
Through discipleship, leadership development, and church planting, the congregation equips a new generation of leaders and pastors in Israel with the conviction that Spirit-filled believers in the land of Israel are crucial to the fulfillment of biblical prophecy and God’s redemptive plan for His people.
A scripture that forms the foundation of the work is: “You who bring good news to Zion, get up on a high mountain! You who bring good news to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a cry, lift it up, do not be afraid! Say to the cities of Judah, ‘Behold your God!’” Isaiah 40:9
The congregation’s work extends beyond the spiritual realm in an effort to restore dignity to the oppressed, comfort the brokenhearted, and offer practical help to those in need.
Beit Hallel runs a large food distribution project for needy families throughout Israel. They distribute food baskets, clothing, and household items to over 1,200 families each month. The program serves the most vulnerable populations in Israeli society; primarily new immigrants, refugees, single parents, and Holocaust survivors.
