Contact: Joel James, Director of Development, Eagles' Wings Ministries, 716-759-1058, jjames@eagleswings.to

CLARENCE, N.Y., Dec. 4, 2013 /Christian Newswire/ -- On Thursday evening, December 5, Dr. Robert Stearns will receive the prestigious America-Israel Friendship Award from the Bnai Zion Foundation. As founder and executive director of Eagles' Wings, Stearns has been a strong advocate and ally of Israel for more than two decades through initiatives such as the Israel Experience College Scholarship program and the internationally celebrated Day of Prayer for the Peace of Jerusalem (DPPJ). With over 175 nations participating on the first Sunday of every October, the DPPJ is one of the largest Israel-focused prayer events in history.

Stearns remarked, "I am deeply honored to be receiving the America-Israel Friendship Award. Now, more than ever, it is critical for Christians to stand in support of Israel. As the only democratic nation in a sea of oppressive governments, Israel is a beacon of liberty and bastion of justice in an increasingly dark world."

Established in 1908, the Bnai Zion Foundation is dedicated to helping those in need through humanitarian work in America and Israel. With a focus of maintaining the connection between America and Israel, the organization has launched several campaigns to improve the lives of people in Israel and worldwide. Some of their initiatives include the Bnai Zion Medical Center in Haifa, Israel and the Ahava Village for Children and Youth, a residential facility for children from at-risk home situations.

The Bnai Zion Foundation will award Stearns with the America-Israel Friendship Award this Thursday evening at the annual southeast gala in Miami, Florida. Each year, recipients are honored for their continuous friendship with the State of Israel and their efforts to cultivate a strong relationship between Americans and Israelis. Past recipients of this distinguished award include United States Vice President Hubert Humphrey, Senator Alan Cranston, Secretary of State Lawrence Eagelburge, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Proceeds from this year’s gala will help fund a new, protected underground emergency department at the Bnai Zion Medical Center in Haifa. This medical center offers compassionate care to all people without regard to religion, ethnicity or economic status.