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As Evangelical Firebrand Hooks Up With Federations, Liberals Speak Out
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More in NewsPastor John Hagee, the firebrand evangelical Christian minister from San Antonio, Texas, had thousands of pro-Israel activists standing, clapping and chanting at this year’s annual convention of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.
Hagee’s virtuoso performance at the conference in March underscored his emergence as a linchpin in the growing political alliance between Jewish and evangelical pro-Israel activists. Less well known is that Hagee, who in February 2006 founded the first Christian pro-Israel lobbying group — Christians United for Israel — is working to extend his influence beyond power centers in Washington, to Jewish and evangelical communities across the country.
In little more than a year since its inception, Hagee’s Christian Zionist group — with an almost entirely volunteer staff of 13 regional directors, 46 state directors and more than 85 city directors — has hosted 40 dinners in cities nationwide, well-attended by Jews and evangelicals alike. To date, the events, billed as “Nights to Honor Israel,” have raised more than $10 million for charitable causes in the Jewish state.
Setting aside their initial skepticism — and taking Hagee at his word that he is not out to convert them — the heads of local Jewish federations have supported, or at least attended, the dinners.
“If you search through Jewish stories around the U.S., a lot of us have pieces of personal memory where non-Jews were there for us — not because they had a hidden agenda, but because they believed it was the right thing to do,” said Michal Kohane, the Israeli-born executive director of the Jewish Federation of the Sacramento Region. “There is a strong aspect of CUFI in which they are the descendants of that ideological concept.”
Just as liberals have criticized Aipac for giving Hagee the dais, they are now speaking out against the pastor’s grass-roots fundraising dinners. Most recently, a Democratic congresswoman from Minnesota, Betty McCollum, declined an invitation to attend an April 29 “Night To Honor Israel” in Brooklyn Park, a suburb of Minneapolis, citing what she called “Hagee’s extremism, bigotry and intolerance.”
Critics complain that Hagee’s hawkish, biblically based views on Israel do not serve the Jewish state, and that his conservative domestic agenda — including opposition to gay marriage, abortion and immigration — is squarely at odds with the liberal views of most American Jews.
“I don’t like that they would not like to see Israel trade land for peace, because in my view that’s a very important formula,” said Rabbi Jonathan Biatch of Temple Beth El in Madison, Wis. “The real bottom line is the fact that this organization would like to exacerbate tensions in the Middle East so it will lead to Armageddon.”
Biatch is among a handful of Reform rabbis who are opting out of the federations’ warm embrace of CUFI.
Over the past year, heated discussions over whether or not to participate in Hagee’s events have set the Internet list-serve for Reform rabbis ablaze.
Biatch spoke out against the alliance with Christian Zionists in a March 23 sermon to his 700-family congregation after he saw an ad in his local paper stating that “A Night to Honor Israel” was set to take place in Madison. In his address, Biatch also expressed concern over what he views as Hagee’s anti-Muslim rhetoric broadcast in speeches on the pastor’s Web site and elucidated in his books.
In Sacramento, Calif., the city’s largest Reform synagogue, Congregation B’nai Israel, also declined to participate in its local CUFI event, which took place last September. Moreover, several midlevel donors withdrew their financial support for the local Jewish federation as a result of its involvement with the area’s “Night to Honor Israel.”
The partnership “wasn’t something that everybody in the Jewish community had an easy time accepting,” Kohane said. “But it was just something we had to take the heat for.”
The evenings are designed to educate evangelicals, who number about 75 million in the United States, on what Hagee sees as a biblical imperative to support Israel with political action and open pocketbooks.
In most cases, in addition to the representatives of the local Jewish federation, the events draw a sampling of Jews in the community who are curious to know what motivates their newfound allies.
The recent “Night to Honor Israel,” held outside of Minneapolis, raised $100,000. In Sacramento, about 900 guests gave a total of $25,000.
The most lucrative evening, held in October in Hagee’s hometown of San Antonio, reaped $7 million.
The funds sometimes flow directly into the coffers of the Jewish federations. This past summer, when philanthropic efforts were focused on raising wartime aid for Israel’s embattled northern region, $1 million of the money raised in San Antonio was donated to the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston for the Israel Emergency Campaign.
Another $3 million went to an orphanage in the Galilee, and $1 million was donated to Nefesh B’Nefesh, an Israeli not-for-profit organization that helps Jews settle in Israel. Hagee and his wife, Diana, were recognized by the national body of federations, United Jewish Communities, as “honorary chairs” of the $350 million emergency campaign.
The senior religious leader of the 18,000-member Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, Hagee is also the author of several books on what is known as “end days” theology. His most recent book, “Jerusalem Countdown,” depicts a scenario in which Iran and a coalition of Islamic countries, led by Russia, will unleash a nuclear attack on Israel, leading to the ultimate battle of Armageddon. According to Hagee, this battle between what he terms the “Islamo-fascists” and the Christians and Jews is already upon us and will entail the loss of countless Israeli lives.
This is where liberal Jews run for the hills. Hagee’s political views come straight from a literal interpretation of the Bible, which includes the belief that all of Israel and the Palestinian territories was promised by God to the Jews. According to this view, laid out in “Jerusalem Countdown,” there is no room for negotiation with the Palestinians — whom Hagee lumps with all other Arabs (even those living in America) as Islamists acting on a Koranic mandate to slaughter infidels — and certainly no room to withdraw from the West Bank in exchange for a peace accord.
For 25 years, Hagee has been fundraising for the Jewish state through his television ministries and through his own “Night to Honor Israel,” planned annually with help from Aryeh Scheinberg, a San Antonio Orthodox rabbi. The two first met in 1981 when Hagee approached Jewish leaders in Texas to communicate his support for Israel’s bombing of the Osirak nuclear reactor in Iraq. While most rebuffed Hagee, it was Sheinberg who implored the Jewish community to give him a chance to prove that his agenda was not to proselytize.
Since that time, the two men have developed a close personal friendship and traveled to Israel together on multiple occasions, even praying side by side at the Western Wall. Scheinberg says he considers Hagee “like a brother,” adding that his own political positions, both on Israel and on domestic issues, are largely in line with the pastor’s.
The board of Hagee’s organization includes other prominent Christian conservatives, including the Rev. Jerry Falwell, founder of the Moral Majority, and Gary Bauer, former president of the Family Research Council.
But the organization’s executive director, David Brog — a Jewish political operative who last worked as Republican Senator Arlen Specter’s chief of staff — said that the domestic policy agenda of his group’s leadership should not be seen by Jewish liberals as an obstacle to forming a pro-Israel coalition.
“We are crystal clear that we are a single-issue organization,” said Brog, who is a relative of former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak and is also one of the Christian Zionist group’s few full-time staff members.
“CUFI doesn’t speak on the life issue, or the church-and-state issue,” Brog said. “If you want to work with us on Israel and very vociferously disagree with some or our board members on other issues, that’s fine.”
Some liberals, however, counter that bolstering religious conservatives in any way is a bad idea.
“To get in bed with the hard Christian right on Israel is a dangerous path,” said Daniel Sokatch, executive director of the Los Angeles-based Progressive Jewish Alliance. “This is a hard-driving, extremely smart and successful movement to essentially recast the U.S. as a Christian nation, and if Jews don’t think that empowering that group in American foreign policy isn’t part and parcel of empowering that group on domestic policy, they’re wrong.”
Comments
Betty McCollum is a long time basher of Israel she's the congresswoman who had a dust up with aipac. And the group Progressive Jewish Alliance,well it's an ultra left wing group which has done nothing to help Israel
The problem with Hagee is that he prays and therefore works for the wrong things. He prays and lobbies for war in Iran. He prays for the ultimate demise of the Jewish people - canon fodder - for gruesome Gotterrdammerung fantasies not unlike Hitler's imaginings in the 1920's and 1930's about Jews. He blames Jews for their own undoing in the Holocaust. He preaches hate for Muslims. He spreads lies about Islam. Why would Jews associate themselves with this madness? Do we need the money that badly? Associating with Hagee means being counters in his rehersal for our genocide! Read more on http://www.jewsonfirst.org/06b/cufi.html Rabbi Haim Dov Beliak co-founder of JewsOnFirst.org
Pastor Hagee is a great defender and friend of Israel who has raised millions of dollars for the Israeli victims of the Lebanon war. He loves the Jewish people and Israel.
Pastor Hagee's detractors are anti-Israel pro-Islamic propagandists. The Muslims are the ones committing gencocide against the Jews and admire Hilter. "Haim" is presenting blood libels against the friends of Israel to help anti-Israeli groups.
The Muslims are waging war against Israel and the Jewish people. The Christians are defending the Jews and will never help our enemies unlike some of the commentators here.
The problem with Hagee is that he prays and therefore works for the wrong things. He prays and lobbies for war in Iran. He prays for the ultimate demise of the Jewish people - canon fodder - for gruesome Gotterrdammerung fantasies not unlike Hitler's imaginings in the 1920's and 1930's about Jews. He blames Jews for their own undoing in the Holocaust. He preaches hate for Muslims. He spreads lies about Islam. Why would Jews associate themselves with this madness? Do we need the money that badly? Associating with Hagee means being counters in his rehersal for our genocide! Read more on http://www.jewsonfirst.org/06b/cufi.html Rabbi Haim Dov Beliak co-founder of JewsOnFirst.org
The problem with liberals is that they are liberals before they are Jews and the denigrating Mr. Hagee is just in that fashion. There is no such this as a progressive jewish alliance, what is actually is an alliance of left wing Israel bashers that call themselves jews for political protection. I am a Jew and I believe in Jewish theology and Halacha and I do not in any way believe that any moshiach has yet come to earth, the Christians have that belief an it is their right to believe it, I don't, What I do know that too often Jews are our own worst enemies, rhetorically speaking. The left wing zealots would do better to focus their energies on the Islamic fascists that are trying to kill us than to worry about whether we will see too many Christmas trees in December.
Anyone who gets into bed with Hagee and his treyf is naive at best, delusional at worst. They care not one bit for Jews and only spout pro-Israel rants because they're waiting for the apocalypse, the immolation of Jews and Israel, the end of days and the rapture. Science fiction? Sure, but these people are true believers and they hide their anti-Semitism behind a pro-Israel facade.
Shame on Steinberg and Brog - they're only in it for the money and since when can you divorce the pro-Israel stance from the fascism?
Liberal American Jews have it wrong. From my home in Jerusalem, I watched Hagee's address on the Internet and wept, because I was so grateful for his whole-hearted support. The notion of trading land for peace has proven to be a grave error. Haven't you noticed? They want to destroy us, not make peace with us; we give them land and all we get is weaker. Hagee does Israel a service by opposing such land give-aways.
The person waiting for the apacolypse is Ahmadina-ling. Anyone who doesn't see the threat of islamo-fascism to Jews (and non-Jews and gays and women) are the ones who are delusional. Israel is in mortal danger. I think it is the evangelicals who see the threat more clearly than anyone else including the delusional Jewish and non-Jewish liberals.
Oh please. He's a nut-bar. Grade A, and pass the sauce. How is it that a community that typically has the highest standards for almost everything is so willing to drop its shorts (and that's putting it politely) for the first sweaty fat guy that comes by with some money and box of tricks. Are we that desparate? And where does all that money go? In 2006, direct economic aid from the US amounted to $240 million, or about 0.15% of Israel's GDP. Israel's GDP is about $129 Billion. Israel could very easily live without the money Mr. Hagee raises. The money he does raise does not bolster Israel's national security posture or its economy- but simply funds bad behavior by people who are strangers to reason.
Oh please. He's a nut-bar. Grade A, and pass the sauce. How is it that a community that typically has the highest standards for almost everything is so willing to drop its shorts (and that's putting it politely) for the first sweaty fat guy that comes by with some money and box of tricks. Are we that desparate? And where does all that money go? In 2006, direct economic aid from the US amounted to $240 million, or about 0.15% of Israel's GDP. Israel's GDP is about $129 Billion. Israel could very easily live without the money Mr. Hagee raises. The money he does raise does not bolster Israel's national security posture or its economy- but simply funds bad behavior by people who are strangers to reason.
Oh please. He's a nut-bar. Grade A, and pass the sauce. How is it that a community that typically has the highest standards for almost everything is so willing to drop its shorts (and that's putting it politely) for the first sweaty fat guy that comes by with some money and box of tricks. Are we that desparate? And where does all that money go? In 2006, direct economic aid from the US amounted to $240 million, or about 0.15% of Israel's GDP. Israel's GDP is about $129 Billion. Israel could very easily live without the money Mr. Hagee raises. The money he does raise does not bolster Israel's national security posture or its economy- but simply funds bad behavior by people who are strangers to reason.
Pastor John Hagee's new Christian lobby for Israel is most welcome by all Israel supporters, but it is not the first Christian registered lobby in the country, as described in the article by Rebecca Spence on May 4th. Years ago, CIPAC Christians Israel PUblic Affairs Campaign was founded by Richard A. Hellman in Washington D.C.as a registered lobby with national membership. Its members from various states have come to D.C. to meet with members of the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives and their top aides. Mr. Hellman is well known on the Hill in congressional offices and spends a good deal of time there. He has been invited to speak at Jewish and Christian organizations, synagogues and churches and at national conferences all over the country.
Israel is fortunate to have Pastor John Hagee and Richard Hellman, Esq. as strong Christian friends and supporters of Israel.
Christians like Hagee support Israel far more then liberal Jews or the democratic party. Jews who believe in the Torah have much more in common with Hagee then with idiotic liberal Jews. That's why they are called Judaeo-Christian values. Liberal Jews don't really believe in their religion. They have adopted liberalism as their religion and liberal values are not consistent with Jewish values.
The following are liberal values that are not consistent with Jewish values as presented in the Torah.
1) Abortion on demand not done for health of the mother or fetus. 2) Opposition to the death penalty for evil murderers 3) Giving more rights to the criminal than the victim 4) Pacifism 5) Inability to recognize evil and have the courage to fight it. 6) Attempt to normalize deviancy (gay, transgender, etc) 7) Attempt to redefine marriage 8) Opposition to law abiding citizens arming themselves for self defense 9) Sexualizing our children at very young ages in schools 10) Moral relativism (rather than the absolute morality the Torah teaches us) 11)The desire to remove all vestiges of G-d/Ten Commandments/religion from public places 12) Equating human and animal life Etc.........
I am not saying that liberal Jews are any less Jewish then anyone else but they certainly don't believe in Jewish values. Believing Jews have much more in common with Hagee then with clueless liberals.
The "Reform" Jews don't like Pastor Hagee, or Reverend Falwell. I suppose they prefer Jackson, Sharpton and the churches which bash and divest from companies which do business with Israel. And as far as policies are concerned I'm not so certain that American Jews are in favor of either homosexual marriage or illegal immigration.
Pastor Hagee is correct that God promised a blessing to Abraham and "his seed." Pastor Hagee is wrong in understanding who "the seed" is. If you are a Christian, and believe the Bible, the "seed" is Christ, and those "in Christ" are "in the seed." Read Galatians Ch. 3 in context. Excerpts:
Galatians Ch. 3 <a href="http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=gal%203&version=31">http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=gal%203&version=31</a>
16The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say "and to seeds," meaning many people, but "and to your seed," meaning one person, who is Christ.
and
26You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.
Pastor Hagee is a Christian Preacher who doesn't even understand these fundamental teachings.
Signed, An Evangelical Christian (not a "liberal wingnut" ;-) ...Bernie <a href="http://www.freegoodnews.com/">http://www.freegoodnews.com/</a>
Let's not get hung up on the Christian Right and their domestic policy views here in the U.S. The dangerous part is that they base their "friendship" for Israel on their hopes that they can facilitate the Second Coming and Armegeddon. It is against their interests for there to be peace in the Middle East.
>>The recent “Night to Honor Israel,” held outside of Minneapolis, raised $100,000
A free will offering, along with $50,000 kicked in by Living Word Christian Center, raised more than $147,000 for the federations in Minneapolis and St. Paul. The event on Sunday night drew more than 3,200 people, the largest attendance ever for a Living Word event. Also, Living Word spent more than $100,000 on hosting the "Night to Honor Israel."
I welcome the Pastors support for Israel but I do not believe there can be peace with the palestinians until there are two states .The Jews have every right to live anywhere in Palestine but so have the Palestinian arabs. Since they cannot or will not live to-together the Peel commission plan in 1937 & UNSCOP's ten years later to partition Palestine is the only solution.However since Hamas & Islamic Jihad refuse to accept it how can there be peace ?
For if the Gentiles(Christians)have been partakers of their(Jews)spiritual things, their(Christians)duty is also to minister to them in material things.Romans 15:27 Yes we are true believers but we're not trying to usher in the end- that's going to happen anyway and only God the Father knows when. We are just trying to do as the Bible commands us.
I'll bet that 90% of those who are against a Jewish alliance with the fundamentalist and evangelical Christians still celebrate the American alliance with the Soviet Union during World War II. Like that one, this one is necessary.
So, someone who sees the Christianity fascists as the same brothers under the skin as the Islamo fascists, cannot be a strong supporter of Israel. I'm sure I'm not the only exception. Whack your kids and subjugate your wife for Christ/Allah. I just love all the liberal bashing going on. When you can't think of anything rational to add to the debate, just blame a liberal. And since when are Jews forced to choose between Hagee/Falwell or Sharpton/Jackson? The glass is neither half-full or half-empty...there is no glass.
Kellie-
You learn well from Pastor Hagee, repeating what he says about Rom. 15:27. However, you and Pastor Hagee don't understand it. Read the context. It is NOT about Christian support to Jews, but Christian support to Jewish Christians!
More context:
Rom. 15: 25Now, however, I am on my way to Jerusalem in the service of the saints there. 26For Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to make a contribution for the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. 27They were pleased to do it, and indeed they owe it to them. For if the Gentiles have shared in the Jews' spiritual blessings, they owe it to the Jews to share with them their material blessings.
...Bernie www.FreeGoodNews.com
I come from a Christian Zionist/fundamentalist background. When my parents got into it, they were enamoured of the left-wing Labour movement type of Zionism which a lot of progressive people in the Jewish community were into as well. There was so much excitement about the founding of Israel even though we had a pretty acute awareness of what was done to bring it about (and those who funded it) because people with Jewish ancestry were still into learning Hebrew and some of the rituals like the prayers. People like Hagee, however, are dangerous and VERY antisemitic to boot. I sincerely believe that the movement has been infiltrated by ex-Nazis/ white supremacists. It is distressing to see how the far right wing factions of both communities, even though they hate each other's guts, are working together to destroy our respective democracies both in the West and in Israel. They both desire the same thing, a brutal theocratic/royalist society and really are not far removed from some of the right-wing Islamic movements actually.
I regret what I wrote yesterday. It was goingto far to call Hagee a nut- name calling has no place in this discussion. I have been thinking- why do I have gut reaction that is so negative? I do not doubt that Hagee and his supporters are sincere and that their readingn of scripture is faithful according to this specific tradtion of reading. But I am uneasy because I keep on wondering: does this support come with strings? Does this support promote bad behavior? Israel is today an advanced nation with a robust economy. In the long run there will be a deal reached with the Palestinians and it must be reached before the Palestnians approach demographic parity or Israel will be transformed and we will find ourselves a minority in our own house. We Jews have always been smart enough to accomodate reality while holding to our identity and our values. Yesterday land was security. Today its Israel's ability to trade, to take inbound investment, to develop that are in the national interest. How then do we speak to Christian supporters of Israel?
I'm willing to believe that Hagee is sincere in his support for Israel. What troubles me is that we take millions of dollars each year from him and from others who believe, passionately, that we are damned to hell for all of eternity. So often, I hear Jews who are in favor of this alliance say, "What difference does it make? WE don't believe it." I can't understand this attitude; I can't understand why this doesn't bother more of us.
I have heard all the lies before. Christians hope Israel gets destroyed at the end of days. That just goes to show you how much of the Hebrew Bible the Reformists really know. Jerusalem will NOT fall again as Christians realize from the Hebrew text. There will be judgment on the whole world but it is Israel that will come out on top. Why do liberals never mention the horrific judgments due to the rest of the world? I know all my Zionist friends get pumped up when Israel beats back their enemies. We are pained to see Israel give away their land. Liberals attack us for believing in the scriptures. We only care what God thinks about us and our motives are pure and obedient to His word.We are Israel's friends and cheerleaders. How wrong it is to accuse good intentions for being evil. Let's get one thing clear; Christians know that Israel will survive but no place do we find such a promise for America. Stop twisting things and read up on your own prophets before making silly accusations. How foolish it is to reject honest friendship and embrace one's real enemies(Islam) as potential peace partners! Why don't you see the Muslims helping Jews in Israel if the grand plan is to gather them in one place to destroy them? They don't want to send money, they want to send bombs and rockets. How foolish can these liberals get? We are commanded to PRAY FOR THE PEACE OF JERUSALEM and the Islamists pray for Israel's destruction. Do you remember how God raised up Cyrus the Great for Israel's sake? Did the Jews of his day scoff at his decree to allow them to return to Jerusalem? No, they thankfully accepted his help and the second Temple was built. Liberals would have rejected Cyrus as a plotter with evil intentions and they would be wrong as usual.
A terrific article! I had no idea that Hagee's influence had started to trickle down into Federation campaigns. How could any Jewish leader in his right mind appoint Hagee as an honorary chair of the Israel emergency campaign??!
ANd the idea put forward by the group's director that Jews should ignore Hagee's views on other political/theological issues & focus only on his "friendship" with Israel is laughable.
Betty McCollum is a true friend of a peaceful Israel who has stood up to AIPAC bashing in the past which is why she's called names by AIPAC's supporters.
""Haim" is presenting blood libels against the friends of Israel to help anti-Israeli groups." Haim Beliak's Jews on First is the foremost national Jewish organization dealing with First Amendment issues including freedom of religion. He is an authority on the Christian evangelical movement. For example, his group has been quite active regarding the evangelical domination of religious life at the Air Force Academy. We should be thankful we have groups like his. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. I am neither a member of this group nor do I know Rabbi Beliak (except for one brief e mail exchange about Pastor Hagee).
I wish the "Jewish Liberals" would wake up and smell the coffee. Do they not see that what happened in Frace will happen world wide. Do they not see that Arabs do not want land for peace. What they want is to see ALL JEWS DEAD. Why are they so blind? Do they not see what is happening World Wide? Arab OIL MONEY buys people. And the ARABS want all JEWS DEAD.
Pastor Hagee may be Israel's most influential supporter. I cant recall either Spielberg or Streisand being so fervidly pro-Israel. Of course, Falwell was a huge fan of Begin, so this is nothing new. I was amazed when Bibi Netanyahu came to San Antonio and spoke at Cornerstone. Aside from Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, Christians have no greater Israel advocate than Pastor Hagee.
Right on the money. watch out for these people. they are dangerous. we could get lucky and they could all get raptured up. good riddance. they are antisemites, even tho they pretend otherwise.
The guy's done more for Jews and Israel than the entire concept of Reform Judaism, and certainly more than the idiots at the Progressive Jewish Alliance. Give him a little credit, and, perhaps, a modicum of gratitude.
From Rabbi Yehiel Poupko in Sh'ma Online (http://shma.com/index.phtml):
"Evangelicals are great supporters of our Jewish national identity as expressed in Zionism and as realized in the State of Israel, and not our friends in the matter of the faith of the Jewish people, Judaism. Mainline Protestants, many of whom are hardly friends of Israel as the expression of Jewish national identity, are on the other hand friends of the faith of the Jewish people, Judaism, because they have renounced and do not practice the mission to the Jews."
It grieves my heart to hear the anger and hate in these messages. Are hearts so hard that some Jews cannot accept love and help from people who share a different faith? Not everyone does good for alternative motives but purely out of the goodness of ones heart and as mandated by G-d. Elohim help us all.
Knowing who your friends are is a basic survival skill. The left-wing is NOT your friend. The reason the USA is the only friend for Israel is because of it's conservative born-again Christian core. There are too many know-nothings speaking nonsense out there.
Getting into bed with people who are among the worst haters on the planet is shameful for a people who so recently were the victims of people just like them. Taking money tainted by evil is aiding and abetting evil, not tikkun olam.
The Reform movement like most self-hating Jews always find blame when a strong hand in friendship is offerred to Israel; I remember all to well the Reform Movements support of the PLO when the wolf was at the door. We need all the friends we can get; eveyone has an agenda;mine is David's Israel for all the Jews even the self haters.
As a advocate for Israel, and a beleiver in G-d, I have to respectfully disagree with Daniel Sokatch. I would prefer a group like the Christian conservatives anyday over the embracing of the Radical Muslim groups that hide under the aegis of "solidarity". The PJA has yet to understand that regardless of the end of days theory of the Christians, as Elie Wiesel stated, if and when this happens, I will ask Jesus how many times he has been to Jerusalem, and based on his answer, I will determine my fate. I am worried about Israel TODAY, not later, and unless the Jews on the far left understand Radical Islam, we will not have the time to see the endgame.
Worrying about the Christian right's friendship and having such desire to give up Judea and the Shomron for nothing but Israel's peril are birds of the same feathers. Do you see any Muslim nations giving up land (and they have so much). Try preaching the Land for Peace concept to the Saudis or Iranians or even the Jordanians. If they would give the Jewish people several thousand square miles (only "Jew-dea" and the Shomron please), then we could consider them friends. Those who cry out Land for peace should begin by giving their homes and properties up to either Hamas, Hezbullah, or the PLO. But be sure to get your daughers out of the house before they are subject to sharia law unless you will be satisfied that they can no longer drive a car and may be divorced by simply having their belongings thrown in the street. The frienship of the Christian right can only help bring about a peace which can be won. The always failing "Land for Peace" fallacy can only bring about further wars which cannot be won and a "peace" of never-ending intifadas...such a punishment for Jew and Arab alike. Happily, the final word on this issue will not be issued by man or the UN but by the only energy believed in by believing Christians, Muslims, and Jews. When this problem is settled all Earthlings will know Hashem's will and question no more the ownership of the Land of Israel
In the article, sad to see any rabbi still clinging to the land for peace option. How much Jewish blood will it take for them to realize the only peace the Islamic radicals want is a piece of them and a piece of land.
Any Jew who wants to give land for peace is moron. There can not be two viable states. We are dealing with serial killers -plain and simple.The left wing loonies should find hole and get into it. BTW I'm seclure and right wing!Respectfully Daniel Bonca
Jews who are secure in their Judaism and who have raised their children to BELIEVE and LOVE Judaism have very little to fear from Christian evangelists. This fear of Christians stems from the fact that the majority of American Jews don't really believe in their religion which causes them to feel insecure and threatened. I recently met a couple who were Christian but who also believed in the Torah. They did not consider themselves Messianic Jews, but Torah believing Christians. They keep kosher and keep Shabbat, etc. They told me they enrolled in a Hebrew class at the local reform temple so they would be able to read the Torah in Hebrew. They were shocked that when they spoke to members of the congregation and asked them about certain passages in the Torah they were told not to take it so seriously. It was just a story, not really G-d given. They were shocked by how little the congregation knew about the Torah and how little belief they had. This unfortunately is typical of reform and the majority of conservative Judaism.
I wish liberal Jews were more frightened of radical Islam then with Christianity.
Three cheers for Christian Zionists. On Monday May 14 I will be a speaker at the Night to Honor Israel in Redding, CA. I'm glad to count members of the Christian Evangelical community among my friends. Do we agree on all issues? Of course not, but then again I don't always agree with my Mormon, Catholic, Muslim, Sikh, Hindu, Protestant or for that matter my Jewish friends. The Christian Zionists certainly have a different theology than I do, but so what? I'm not giving up my beliefs and neither are they. I see this as a great opportunity to create understanding and friendship. The importance of building strong connections among the supporters of Israel throughout the community is crucial. Last week I encouraged members of the synagogue in Redding to attend the Night to Honor Israel as well. I am usually only in Redding once a month, but will gladly spend an extra few hours of driving to be there for this event. Personally I have been involved with Christian Zionists for quite a while. In fact I was the first rabbi to speak from an Evangelical pulpit in Sacramento. Fortunately other rabbis have done so as well and Evangelical ministers have spoken in a Conservative synagogue. There are those who raise legitamate issues with regard to the history of Christian anti semitism and violence. My answer is that each generation begins a new with oportunity for change. However we as Jews have a long memory. While I beleive in the sincerity of my friends I also remind them that it will take several generations for the Jewish community to note and acknowledge a shift in Christian attitudes. I pray that my friends will be successful in their endeavors to prove this shift. In the mean time I plan to continue to work with these friends of Israel.
For those that would like to listen to the Pastor's speech use the link below.
http://www.jerusalemonline.com/specials12.asp
That is exactly the reason for the existence of an organization called Israel Christian Nexus that was created and promoted by the Promoting Israel Publicity and Education Fund(A CA non profit organization that was and is lead by Israel non-religious individuals which make it easy for them to call on secular ,non-religious and religious Israeli and Jews to get involved with this Fund and its different Israeli/Jewish activities and programs to reach hundreds of thousands of Israeli, Jews and Christians in the USA and over the world(Like helping to found the Yom Haatzmaut Festival in LA and other cities, helped in founding and establishing of the CIC (Council of Israeli Community, and the ICN (Israeli Christian Nexus which is growing and was approach by the CUFI organization to cooperate nationally and internationally and help to promote the Israel and Judeo/Chrisitian connection for the empowerment of the State fo Israel ( Especially at these difficult time of the growth of the Islamic Fundamentalism. world wide.
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I think Daniel Sokatch statement seems to be made in fear, of the fact that what Rev. Hagee says may very well be true and that empowering "that group" on domestic policy, maybe that is true too! But our (USA) political correctness is killing us. I praise Rev. Hagee that he can stand on his faith and belief and be the backbone this counrty needs. The Lord is coming no matter what. The Jewish people are the choosen people and we must support them now more than ever.
Praise God for the vision and obedience of these organizations.
I stumbled on the Jews on First website last night and have read quite a bit of their articles and even listened to a few of their audio files of their echo-chamber discussions and I have to wonder...
Liberal/Leftist Jews: For all your talk about dialog and understanding, have you actually ever talked to the individuals who hold onto the beliefs that you are critical of?
I was listening to Rabbi Paula Reimers who was decrying how people show so little respect for each other and if they would just listen and hold hands everything would be ok. And then when someone else would speak and talk about a conservative, you would hear her obnoxiously laughing in the background. Then someone would mention how their side needs to reach out to people in the Non-Jewish community... i guess to counter-balance the evil act of conservative Christians and Jews working together.
And who do they suggest they form such a significant alliance with? Muslims and Skihs (sp?).
Rabbi Paula Reimers was very excited about that idea. Though in another audio recording she was denouncing Christians for being against murdering underdevolped humans.. and that apparently Christians are just too alien to have any constructive dialog with.. so she's going to have her dialog with the Muslims.
Lady.. what drugs are you on?
And finally... I am so sick of hearing about the secret agenda of Christians to spend millions of dollars in charity in israel, just so that it could all be blown up in an genius plan to give charity so much that the Jews all die. Maybe the plan is to bury them in US Dollars?
Now then if we are to say that any party in the Middle east is actively working to bring out the end of the world who would it be?
Would it be Conservatives, who can see the obvious .. that Arabs want to destroy Israel, and they use all concessions by Israel to further that cause. And that they will not stop until they achieve their goal.
Because of this, conservatives recommend that Israel stop making more concessions. The consequences of these concessions are a further weaking of the security of Israel.
Now if we conservatives want to have all the Jews be killed.. don't you think we would be backing the Arabs?
If we wanted Jews to die, there no better way than to join with the Liberals/Leftists in having Israel reach a state of dhimmitude in service of a new Caliphate.
You Leftists are so incredibly stupid. YOU are the ones bringing about the End Time. YOU are the ones in alliance with the forces of Islam. Why don't any of you geniuses ever talk about the eschatology of Islam? Maybe it's a good thing you don't.. after all you know almost nothing about the Christian eschatology.
Rabbi Paula Reimers was SCARED because Christians are dicerning that world events are moving very rapidly... so what does she want? She wants Israel to give up more and more and more and more.
This is what the God of Israel has to say about the Left's dream of reaching "peace" (I call it hudna) with the Muslims. Who is the one advocating this.. It is the Left.
Isaiah 28:14 Therefore, listen to the Lord’s word, you who mock, you rulers of these people who reside in Jerusalem!
For you say,
“We have made a treaty with death, with Sheol we have made an agreement. When the overwhelming judgment sweeps by it will not reach us. For we have made a lie our refuge, we have hidden ourselves in a deceitful word.”
Therefore, this is what the sovereign master, the Lord, says:
“Look, I am laying a stone in Zion, an approved stone, set in place as a precious cornerstone for the foundation. The one who maintains his faith will not panic.
I will make justice the measuring line, fairness the plumb line; hail will sweep away the unreliable refuge, the floodwaters will overwhelm the hiding place.
Your treaty with death will be dissolved; your agreement with Sheol will not last. When the overwhelming judgment sweeps by, you will be overrun by it.
Pastor Hagee doesn't really represent mainstream Evangelical Christianity. Please read the "Open Letter" written to him: http://open-letter-for-pastor-hagee.org/
...Bernie http://www.freegoodnews.com/