KZN pastor awarded for unwavering support of Israel

For more than a decade, Pastor Jenny Pillay has travelled across Africa and beyond with one goal: to get Christians to understand why they should stand with Israel and the Jewish people. 

Her work recently earned her recognition from the KwaZulu-Natal Zionist Council (KNZC) and South African Friends of Israel (SAFI) KwaZulu-Natal, which presented her with an award. 

Although based in Park Rynie on the South Coast, Pillay’s advocacy has taken her to churches, conferences, and meetings in numerous countries. She says many of the people she encounters know little about Israel beyond what they see in mainstream media. “I am a pastor and I advocate for Israel and bring the correct narrative,” she says. “I do conferences internationally in quite a number of countries in Africa, as well as in India.” 

Since the Hamas attacks on Israel on 7 October and the war that followed, Pillay has focused much of her teaching on explaining the events that led to the conflict, and why she believes Christians should support Israel publicly. “People don’t know the truth. When I do conferences, I teach churches and Christians why we should stand with Israel.” 

At one conference in Cameroon, with representatives from 17 African nations, many attendees told her they’d never heard Israel’s perspective before. “I brought the truth about 7 October, what really happened. People don’t know the truth because they’re listening only to one side.” 

She says participants often ask where they can find more information and recommends alternative news sources that she believes provide broader coverage of Israel. The conversations sometimes lead people to reconsider their opinions. 

She recalls meeting a pastor in Cameroon who’d worked closely with a Jewish colleague helping people make aliya. But after 7 October, the pastor distanced himself because he believed reports that Israel was deliberately targeting children. “After he heard me speak, he realised they had been fed lies,” she says.  

Beyond conferences, Pillay maintains a network of WhatsApp groups through which she shares updates about Israel with Christians in about 21 countries. She says the groups also encourage members to pray for Israel, its citizens, and its soldiers. “I raise prayer warriors,” she says. “I show Christians that it is our responsibility to stand with the Jewish people and pray for them.” 

Her work also focuses on Christian teachings about the relationship between Christianity and Judaism. Pillay says she addresses long-standing misconceptions that she believes have contributed to divisions between Christians and Jews. “I take them through scripture,” she says. “They become horrified because everyone had this mindset that Jews killed Jesus, but it isn’t true. It was the Romans.” 

Her advocacy has brought her into contact with traditional leaders in South Africa. She was invited to meet AbaThembu King Buyelekhaya Dalindyebo to discuss Israel and the relationship between Christians and the Jewish people. 

“He wanted me to come back and teach him about Israel and our relationship with Israel,” she says. “He was looking for church teachings, but it didn’t know how to explain the relationship with the Jewish people.” 

The recent award came as a surprise, Pillay says. The inscription recognises her “commitment, love, generosity, and support for Israel and the Jewish people within KwaZulu-Natal and South Africa”.  

She says the recognition reflects a long-standing relationship with local Jewish organisations that have supported her work by providing Israeli flags for conferences and public events. “I hand out Israel flags wherever I speak. They’ve been supportive, and I send them photographs to show them what we’re doing.” 

Pillay has visited Israel several times, including after the outbreak of the current war. Her first trip was in 2013, when she travelled with Bridges for Peace to study and meet Israeli leaders. “It was different to what you understand when you hear about Israel,” she says. “From the first day, I fell in love with Israel.” 

She returned shortly after the war began and again while the conflict continued. During one visit, she experienced missile attacks and sought shelter alongside Israelis. She says what struck her most was the calm response of those around her. “The resilience of the people is amazing. Nobody was panicking.”  

On another occasion, she witnessed a missile being intercepted after following local residents into a building when warnings appeared on their mobile phones. “We wanted to see what we were praying about,” she says. “I saw one of the missiles being intercepted.” 

Pillay says she has encountered little hostility over her support for Israel in South Africa. She recalled one incident on Durban’s beachfront shortly after 7 October when a passer-by shouted insults at a pro-Israel gathering. “We didn’t bother about him,” she says. “We’ve got a good group of people that stand together for Israel.” 

Pillay believes her role is not only to speak about current events but to encourage stronger relationships between Christians and Jews. She says her message is rooted in her understanding of the Bible and a belief that Christians have a responsibility to support Jewish people. 

The award from SAFI KwaZulu-Natal recognises years of work that has taken place largely out of the public spotlight. For Pillay, however, the recognition is secondary to what she hopes her ministry will achieve. She wants Christians to better understand Israel, challenge misconceptions, and build lasting friendships with Jewish communities. 

Asked if she had a message for South Africa’s Jewish community, Pillay says she wants them to know they have support beyond what they may see publicly. “We believe in you, and we believe what you say is the truth,” she says.  

She acknowledges that many supporters are not always visible. “It’s not the loud voices that we hear,” she says. “There are a lot of people on the ground that stand with Israel and support the Jewish people.” 

Her final message is one of reassurance. “The Jewish people are not alone. We are standing with them.”