Natalie Abudayyeh, a youth member of ELCJHL, was taken at gunpoint by Israeli forces from her student apartment in Birzeit.

~ from a June 3, 2026 post on the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada’s website

National Bishop Larry Kochendorfer is inviting the church to join in prayer and advocacy following an urgent request from Bishop Dr. Imad Haddad of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land (ELCJHL), an ELCIC partner church.

In a June 3 letter to the church, Bishop Kochendorfer shared Bishop Haddad’s concerns regarding Natalie Abuddayeh, a youth member of the ELCJHL, who was detained alongside three other women from her student apartment in Birzeit. Abuddayeh is a member of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Reformation in Beit Jala, a graduate of Talitha Kumi Lutheran School and a media and journalism student at Birzeit University.

“Our prayers and actions for justice are always intertwined,” Kochendorfer wrote. “We join in prayer for our siblings in Christ.”

In response to Bishop Haddad’s request, Bishop Kochendorfer sent a letter to Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Honourable Anita Anand, expressing the ELCIC’s concern and calling on the Government of Canada to advocate for Abuddayeh’s release, along with the three other women.

“With friends, partners and siblings in Christ around the world, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada joins in advocating for Natalie’s freedom,” Kochendorfer shared.

The following update was posted on June 5th on the ELCJHL’s Facebook page:  “As of June 5th, Natalie has not yet been released.  She has had brief contact with a lawyer, but no visitation from her family or the lawyer has been permitted.  At this time, we still do not know how the situation will proceed.  Please continue to pray and advocate.”

Download the letter here.

The statement from Bishop Haddad on the Israeli Detention of Natalie Abudayyeh is found here.