“We had hoped that after the recent attacks that nothing else would happen. But we were wrong,” said Father Igino Sistilli, at the helm of the the Hebrew-speaking Catholic community in Haifa, whose members include residents from Russia, Ukraine, Israeli Arabs, and immigrant workers, many of whom are Filipino. This diverse community of at least 40 people clearly reflects Haifa’s status as an “open city with a rich mix of different nationalities.” The Kehilla (community, Ed.’s note) is historically significant: it was founded by Father Daniel Rufeisen, a Polish Jew and Carmelite monk who immigrated to Israel in the mid-1950s. He is renowned for his role in saving hundreds of Jews during the Shoah. His efforts are memorialised at the Yad Vashem Holocaust Remembrance Centre in Jerusalem.
A target of Iranian missiles. Haifa is one of Israel’s major seaports and industrial centres. Following the outbreak of war on 13 June, the city has been a major target of Iranian missiles, alongside Tel Aviv and Beer Sheba. On 20 June, a hail of 25 missiles left 23 people injured, three of them severely, including a 16-year-old boy after being hit by shrapnel. Damage and injuries were also reported at the local Al-Jarina mosque. On 16 June 2025, three people were killed in an attack on the Bazan oil refinery complex situated in the bay. The previous day, a family of five lost their lives in an attack on the Arab-Israeli town of Tamra, near Haifa.
Fear and solidarity. Hopes were dashed by the severity of the latest developments, including US President Trump’s decision to attack nuclear sites in the Islamic Republic. “I travelled here from Giulianova on Friday 13 June,” said Father Igino, of clear Italian origins. “I have had to cancel all parish activities. In the first few days, the city was subject to very heavy attacks, and as there is no shelter in the area where our chapel is located, I decided to postpone all activities for safety reasons. And since the faithful cannot come to church, I go to them.” From the beginning of the war, until 19 June, Father Igino visited almost all of his parishioners, going from house to house — including some people he knew from his time in Colombia.
“I am there with them,” he says. “We pray together, I listen to their concerns, I give them Communion and hear their confessions. I have even celebrated Mass in their homes when they asked me to.It’s a time of sharing: they entrust me with their concerns for the future. But the people here are strong and resilient, and they are always open to dialogue, discussion and mutual support.’
“Our Hebrew-speaking parishioners are Israeli citizens and are fully immersed in the Israeli-Jewish society, ” he points out. “While they have their personal views on the current situation, they remain open-minded despite their political differences. In this sense, the Christian faith enables them to keep their hearts open to the hope and peace that everyone is longing for.”
Online prayers. For the time being, pastoral life proceeds online, building on the experience garnered during the pandemic. On Saturday 21 June, we celebrated a Liturgy of the Word, breaking the ‘bread’ of the Word together, as it was not possible to receive the consecrated host on the Solemnity of Corpus Christi. Starting this week, we will endeavour to increase our online engagement and make our liturgies more regular. Some Spanish-speaking communities have already started broadcasting the Holy Rosary and Mass on Zoom and related video platforms. We are in touch with our Vicariate of St James, under the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem, to support the faithful, particularly those affected by recent attacks.
