Israel's Christian allies

Editorial

Jews in the Diaspora have struggled for more than half a century to build public support for Israel. In tangible ways – by raising money for the Jewish state – and in less tangible ways, such as slowly altering public opinion in Israel's favor, Jews have methodically raised knowledge and concern for Israel all over the world.

During the current conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians, that concern has been localized effectively by groups such as the Israel Action Team here in British Columbia, which is closely monitoring media reports and lobbying in favor of Israel at every opportunity. So, supporters of Israel should be thrilled to find they have some very influential allies who are preparing to go to the mat for the cause.

In the United States, some of the most powerful Christian groups and individuals are mobilizing to provide support for Israel. Ralph Reed, former executive director of the Christian Coalition, has teamed with an Orthodox rabbi, Yechiel Eckstein, to form Stand for Israel.

The Christian Coalition has been instrumental in mobilizing grassroots support for right-wing political causes, usually by working through existing church organizations. The Christian Coalition has taken over the Republican party organization in a number of states and redirected policy to their agenda, which includes opposing abortion, battling gay rights and encouraging prayer in public schools.

The Christian Coalition and its allies are an instrumental part of President George W. Bush's constituency, which seems to be one of the reasons for its new infatuation with Israel. People like Reed believe they can have a significant impact on the Bush administration's foreign policy if they turn their attentions to those issues in the same way they have stressed domestic affairs in the past.

The relationship between Jews and conservative Christians is a complex one, having in its history periods of great interreligious communication as well as notable abandonments, such as the behavior of some churches during the Holocaust and at other times of desperation. But there has been strong allegiance between the two groups. Here at home, the Canadian Alliance showed how conservative Christians and conservative Jews can come together on major areas of policy agreement. When this friendship became evident during the leadership of Stockwell Day, some commentators viewed the meeting of minds as a case of politics making strange bedfellows.

Leaving aside the glaring theological differences between Christians and Jews, there are many areas of agreement and one of those, it turns out, is Israel.

Christians, especially the conservative variety, have an abiding bond with Israel, both as a nation and as the Holy Land, where Christianity was born and where so many Christian icons remain.

Israel and Diaspora Jews should be happy to have this enduring connection, yet we should also be wary of hidden agendas.

Most Zionist Christians have come to their views honestly: Israel is a homeland for Jews and should be supported as such. Moreover, Christians have tended to pay close attention to Mideast developments over the decades since Israel was founded and a basic understanding of the region's history makes Israel's moral position obvious.

But there are Christians among the conservative ranks in the United States who have an overriding desire to convert Jews to Christianity. Some churches have explicit ministries aimed at converting Jews and go about their business with evangelical fervor. For some, converting a Jew holds even more cache than converting a non-believer: Judaism bothers some conservative Christians particularly because Christianity evolved out of the Jewish tradition and Jews are therefore viewed by some as merely incomplete Christians.

In Christian theology, too, there is a messianic strain that incorporates Israel as an example of the impending return of the Christian messiah, signalled by the ingathering of the Jewish exiles as one of the prerequisites for the Second Coming of Jesus.

At a time when Israel needs all the support it can get, we shouldn't reject the help of groups based only on their motivations for providing it.

Support for Israel can emerge from a number of sources among Christians, just as it does among Jews. Some people might have a political or military motivation for supporting Israel: Israel is the greatest ally the United States has in the region and it is the only democratic state there. This is a good reason to support Israel.

Others may support Israel because they have a Christian theological motivation. This, too, is valid. But it would be wise, if we are to enter into a long-term relationship with conservative Christians, to at least be aware that some of them may have a great love for Israel, but somewhat less enthusiasm for Judaism and the Jewish people.

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