The Association of Saint James was founded in 1955 as a Catholic association dedicated to developing Hebrew-speaking Catholic communities in the State of Israel. Saint James was the head of the Jerusalem community of believers in Jesus at the time of the apostles. A pious Jew, he worked to establish a community made up of Jews and non-Jews, united in their common faith in Jesus as the Messiah (see the Book of Acts, chapter 15).

The Association of Saint James constitutes a Vicariate within the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem. Today, Hebrew speaking communities are active in the four major Israeli cities: Jerusalem, Tel Aviv-Jaffa, Haifa and Beer Sheba. In addition, the Vicariate includes two communities of Russian speaking faithful who are finding their place within Hebrew speaking Israeli society. In 2003, Mgr. Jean-Baptiste Gourion osb was ordained bishop for the Hebrew-speaking community, an auxiliary to the Patriarch Mgr. Michel Sabbah. After his premature death in 2005, the Franciscan Custodian of the Holy Land, Father Pierbattista Pizzaballa ofm, succeeded him as Vicar. In 2009, Father David Neuhaus, an Israeli Jesuit, was appointed Patriarchal Vicar; responsible for the Hebrew speaking Catholic communities in Israel.

Three main challenges face the Hebrew-speaking Vicariate:

1. To establish and nurture Hebrew-speaking Catholic communities in the State of Israel for Catholic believers integrated into the life of Israeli Jewish society. Being Catholic in Hebrew within a predominantly Jewish milieu is a new experience in the history of the Church!

2. To serve as a bridge between the Universal Church and the people of Israel by strengthening the relationship of Jews and Christians and sharpening the Church’s awareness of her Jewish roots and the Jewish identity of Jesus and the apostles. Our faithful are engaged fully in the life of Israeli Jewish society and in the life of the Catholic Church.

3. To bear witness, as an integral part of the Church in the Holy Land, to the values of peace and justice, pardon and reconciliation within a context of violence and war.

The Vicariate sponsors priests, seminarians and pastoral assistants to assure the continuation of its work.

The Vicariate maintains a presence in six different locations in Israel and must develop this presence by building the necessary facilities – churches and community centers.

The Vicariate publishes liturgical books, news sheets and other Christian material in Hebrew.

The Vicariate has a developing educational mission both within the Church and within Jewish society in Israel in order to cultivate and nurture reconciliation and understanding between the Church and the Jewish people.

The Vicariate provides a Catholic formation for young Hebrew-speaking members, encouraging them to find their place within Israeli society and within the Church.

The Vicariate helps in caring for the poor and elderly of our communities and our society in a country torn apart by war.