By The Jerusalem Post
Jan 16, 2007
The founder and chairman of the Knesset Christian Allies Caucus, Dr. Yuri Shtern, succumbed Tuesday morning after a long battle with cancer.
Yuri, a Member of Knesset from the Israel Beiteinu (Israel our Home) political party, mmade aliyah (immigrated) from the former Soviet Union in 1981.
A staunch Zionist, Yuri was active from the start in efforts to secure and strengthenn Israel against an overwhelmingly anti-Israel world.
Identifying as strategically important the strength of Evangelical Christian support, the determined but mostly soft-spoken man took the unprecedented step of creating a Knesset caucus to cultivate and cement Israel-Christian ties at an official level.
Yuri travelled far and wide in his position as caucus chairman, attending Christian conferences and gatherings around the globe to personally extend his hand of friendship and appreciation to Israel's gentile friends.
In 2005 this writer had the privilege of sharing a platform with him during a Christian Zionist conference held near Boston in the US.
After being diagnosed with cancer last year, Yuri turned to his many Christian as well as Jewish friends for prayer.
In July he emailed his gratitude for all the prayers. "Your concern for my condition warms my heart," he said.
At the time he reported that there had been "a dramatic change" for the better in his heath, which he believed was due not only to the treatment he was receiving but also "as a direct result of your prayers."
Sadly the cancer came roaring back, weakening Yuri to the point where he was no longer able to continue his involvement with the caucus. He sent out one more appeal for prayer late in 2006.
Yuri leaves behind his wife and two children. Our prayers are with them.
He will be mourned, too, by multitudes who were challenged, encouraged or simply touched by his devotion to his nation and the sincere friendship he extended towards Israel's Christian allies.