Philos Latino

Our mission

Philos Latino equips and empowers Hispanic leaders in the US and Latin America through our Israel immersive leadership program, fostering faith, solidarity, and advocacy for a brighter future.

Join the Philos Latino movement

Our Objectives

  1. 1

    Media Creation

    We represent the Hispanic Christian voice in the media in matters pertaining to Israel and the Near East through radio, podcast, social media, and mainstream media platforms.

  2. 2

    Grassroots Organization

    We started the Yo Soy Parte (I belong) movement, a Hispanic-led grassroots movement that promotes the concepts of incarnational advocacy and solidarity with the Jewish people and the State of Israel.

  3. 3

    Education

    We create resources for Christians and Latinos to better understand the biblical history, culture, archaeology, and geopolitics of the nations and communities in the Near East.

What we've been up to recently

Philos Conecta

Every Wednesday at 8pm EST through Facebook and Youtube, we host our radio program where Jesse Rojo, the director of Philos Latino, interviews guests on a variety of topics relating to Christianity and the Near East.

Cosechas de Lluvia

Our team documented a humanitarian project in partnership with MASHAV through the Israeli Embassy in Guatemala and USAID where we built water harvesting tanks for impoverished communities in Huehuetenango, Guatemala.

Israel Acapella Docu-series

We are in the process of creating a 4-to-6 part docu-series on the Holocaust and Jewish diaspora in Latin America.

Yo Soy Parte Protest

In January, we organized a protest in front of the Spanish consulate in New York City with local NYC Hispanic leaders to stand in solidarity with descendants of Inquisition survivors who are suffering multi-year delays & unjustified denials.

Responded to antisemitic attacks

The Philos Latino team is part of the Philos Action League, a group of individuals dedicated to showing up to the site of an antisemitic attack in solidarity with our Jewish friends.

Jesse Rojo Director of Philos Latino Jesse Rojo is the Director of Philos Latino at The Philos Project, an organization dedicated to promoting positive engagement in the Near East. With a profound journey that took him from being a former member of the Latin Kings to becoming a prominent advocate for Jewish-Christian relations, Jesse brings a unique perspective to his work. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theological Studies and is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Hebraic Studies at Yeshiva University, where he focuses on deepening his understanding of Jewish history, culture, and theology.

Jesse is passionate about bridging cultural divides and has pioneered bilingual programs to educate and engage the Hispanic Christian community on Israel-related issues. His dedication to storytelling and advocacy is showcased through his work on two internationally recognized short films, "Israel a Cappella: The Sound of Truth" and "Cosechas de Lluvia" (Rain Harvesters). These films highlight his commitment to promoting friendship, understanding, and inspiring change on a global scale. Through his leadership at Philos Latino, Jesse continues to make a significant impact, fostering dialogue and collaboration between Latino and Jewish communities in the US and Latin America.
Rebeca Cruz Operations Manager of Philos Latino Rebeca “Becky” Cruz is the Operations Manager of Philos Latino. Rebeca was born in El Salvador and moved to the United States when she was seven years old. She attended Valley Forge Christian College, studying social work. In 2010 she Graduated from the Latin American Bible Theological Institute (ITLA), Assemblies of God in Wayne NJ, studying pastoral ministries. Prior to working at The Philos Project, Rebeca served as the Promotion Director Assistant in a Spanish-speaking Christian Radio Station. She is a pastor's daughter and the youngest of four children. Due to her upbringing, Rebeca has forged a passion and love for serving in the ministry and serving in the community. She now resides in New Jersey with her two daughters Annalyn and Elizabeth.
Matthew Garces Associate Director of Philos Latino Matthew Garces is the Associate Director of Philos Latino. Matthew graduated from the University of Georgia with a BA in International Affairs and Political Science and a minor in French. In 2018, Matthew participated in the Philos Leadership Institute and had the opportunity to travel to Israel, Jordan, and the West Bank while engaging with topics such as the Arab-Israeli conflict, Jewish-Christian relations, and the persecuted Church in the Near East.

Prior to working at the Philos Project, Matthew worked with a nonprofit where he mentored dozens of college students as well as spoke in front of hundreds of people at college campuses and conferences on issues relating to Israel and antisemitism.

In his free time, you can find Matthew spending time with his wife, traveling, playing video games, or cracking the occasional dad joke.

Join us at upcoming events!

Nosotros 2022

In partnership with Yeshiva University, we will be hosting an art exhibit showcasing the historic and modern connection between Latinos and Jews. This will be the 6th Nosotros we have hosted. Information coming soon!

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Get in touch. 

Jesse Rojo

Director of Philos Latino

jesse@philosproject.org