A Mr. Popularity Contest

If a new Gallup poll is to be believed, Israel’s position in the eyes of American public opinion has never been better.

The survey found that a remarkable 69% of Americans have a favorable view of the Jewish state, while just 25% of those questioned said they had an unfavorable view of Israel.

By contrast, 62% of Americans view the Palestinian Authority unfavorably, with only 27% having a favorable opinion.

The poll also sought to gauge where Americans stand on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and there too Israel came out ahead, with an impressive 52% saying they sympathize with the Jewish state, while just 18% said they are more sympathetic to the Palestinian side.

What is truly extraordinary about the results is the fact that despite the widespread bias of the mainstream media, the overwhelming majority of Americans still side with Israel. It is almost as if the steady diet of anti-Israel propaganda being fed to the American public by various media outlets has little, if any, real impact on their world-view.

Indeed, even with all of the energy, funds and resources that the Palestinians have invested in cultivating greater support for their cause, they are still just about as popular as cod-liver oil or spoiled milk.

Of course, much of the bedrock support that Israel enjoys in America is thanks to the growing population of tens of millions of evangelical Christians, whose backing for the Jewish state is passionate, ardent and rooted in Biblical principles.

While some Jews still look askance at such support, it is time for us to put aside our suspicions and recognize the importance of US Christians and the sincerity of their stance. They have proven to be among the best friends that Israel has, and for that we should be grateful and appreciative.

Comments

[Rev. John D. Shook]

Thanks Michael for your views. They are surely appreciated.
Some devout Jews have a real problem with us Evangelical Christians and probably rightly so. It seems a great deal of suffering imposed on the Jews was done in the name of Christianity (The Vatican). I know it is very little that I can do to erase those persecutions but from my heart I truly appologize for every harmful thing done in the name of Christianity. I sincerely love and pray for the Chosen of G_d every day and just wish that the world could confess how blessed we are because of the Jews.
The world hasn't accepted the fact that G_d gave all the land of Canaan to the Jews for an everlasting possession from the River of Egypt to the Great River Euphrates.
I feel quite sure the Pope would like the Arabs to expell the Jews from Israel then he could hopefully install his warped doctrine from Jerusalem like the Vatican has always wanted but Islam is giving him quite a race for that.

[Rochelle Peterson]

If you are correct then what is GEORGE W's problem - he certainly seems to have flip flopped in a BIG WAY - isn't he part of the Christian Right?

[V. R. Sonti]

Mr. Freund:
The "support of and for Israel" you are talking about seems to accept THE SURRENDER OF MUCH OF ERETZ ISRAEL TO THE ARABS! Maybe I am wrong, but I AM TOTALLY CONFUSED.

The Rev. John D. Shook, above quotes Genesis 15:18 - but IT IS PRES. BUSH WITH THE FULL SUPPORT OF EVANGELICAL XTIANS -whi planning the give-away of much of the land God promised !

Pardon me; but I AM OUTRAGED AT THE LACK OF OUTRAGE !

[M. Hillson]

Dear V.R. Sonti,

How can we complain about George W. Bush if Ariel Sharon has the same problem - much more acutely.

[DevoraChaya]

Nu? If the goyim do or don't like us, what difference does it make to anything? As one more intimately familiar with the Christian Right than you are Mr. Fruend, I have to tell you that you and those who follow your line of thinking are making a big mistake. But what is else is new?

[Brana Lobel]

M Hillson,

I think we can all complain about whoever. I for one am nauseous about the Arutz Sheva article Sharon Family Scandals Buried in Favor of Pullout at url: http://www.israelnationalnews.com/news.php3?id=77322

This article quotes both named and unnamed sources, some apparently firsthand and others apparently not; if even a third of the article turns out to be true (Heaven forfend if the whole article turns out to be true) it is an outrage and a disaster.
Whatever the polls say, and whoever are the supporters or detractors of the Jews, we Jews have to help ourselves and each other as an AM. Let's hope that the majority of the Jews of Israel can and have figured out which way is up as the Americans have; if not, please, someone, educate them right away!

[DevoraChaya]

Brana Lobel, figure out which way is up "as the Americans have"??? If American Jews knew which way is "up", they would no longer be American Jews.

Spare me from American Jews who offer to take the splinter from my eye while walking around with a board in their own.

Plenty of Israeli Jews know not only which way is "up", but also which way is down, which way is right and which way is left. They are here on the ground doing everything that is humanly possible to do to save the situation. More than any of us can say for our brethren in the goldeneh medinah.

[Dennis Moran]

Thanks, Michael

To your readers: In the political game, there are Nazis who pretend to be leftists, leftists who pretend to be centrists, centrists who become anything that's convenient, and on. But it is axiomatic that a person's actions always reveal his nature, regardless of the subterfuge of political self-labeling. If one says he is a Christian-rightist but shows any disfavor to the Jewish people or Israel, then his actions become supportable only out of 'Mein Kampf' and not out of Scripture. There is no rocket science involved here.

I have a friend who is a Christian-rightist, who promotes the Jews as the Chosen of G-d, and the land of Israel as G-d's permanent gift to them. He joins Jewish organizations, and has helped to fund everything from Holocaust documentaries, to the resettlement of European Jews in Jerusalem (for which he received a personal letter of thanks from Ehud Olmert, then Jerusalem's mayor). He has even underwritten the cost of arming Jewish families. His support has been not only uncomprimising, but without condition: He does not proselytize, as he insists that G-d's redemptive plan for Israel cannot fail. He maintains that our priority, now, must be to protect Jews, and Israel, from all 'comers'. I agree with my friend 100%. I, too, am a Christian-rightist. Devora Chava has no 'intimate familiarity' with any of us. I challenge anyone, Jewish or Islamic, to state their REAL reason for castigating Mr. Freund for accepting our solidarity.

[DevoraChaya]

Mr. Moran---Your presumption to remark on my knowledge and experience without knowing me or my background speaks volumes about you.

Supporting the Jews' right to their own religion and heritage is a big step forward, no doubt about it. I wonder though how you feel toward those formerly of your brethren who have forsaken your false Messiah and have joined the Jews by covnersion. Do you have the same loving feelings toward them and the same acceptance of their choice that you do for those whom you expect to still embrace the false Messiah in the future? I wonder.

[Dennis Moran]

Mr. DevoraChava ---

In your first letter, you judged Mr. Freund's intelligence, and my loyalty to the Israeli cause, and found us lacking. I did not accept these judgements.

In your second letter, knowing more about me, you instead judged my religion, and found that lacking also.
I reject that judgement, as well.

But I respect your right to your sovereignity in any thoughts. It is this respect, perhaps, which makes us different. But it is our knowledge that Israel is a permanent possession of the Jewish people by an act of G-d, and our demand that the world honor it as such, that makes us the same.

[Alex]

Dear Mr Moran,

I congratulate you on your balanced and dignified reply to the above comments. while there is some apprehension amongst the Jewish people in enbracing the Evangelical Christians, I can only mention that none of my friends who had much contact with them have been pressured to convert. In fact some of them became closer to their Judaism as a result.

[DevoraChaya]

There are two major problems with the growing coziness between the followers of Yeshu and the Jews.

1. The Jewish embrace of Chr*stians is seen by them to presage the eventual Jewish embrace of Chr*stianity. It is a chillul Hashem for any Jew to do anything that would lead anybody to think he would abandon his own faith whether it is true or not.

2. When Jews imply by word or deed that they are in need of the Gentile's help or approval, it is (again) a chillul Hashem as the Torah teaches us that we have no need of anyone save our Father in Heaven.

3. Jews have a Divine obligation to enlighten the Gentiles about the Truth of the One G-d. Our differences are over very much more than whether the Messiah is coming for the first time or the second. Chr*stians by definition worship Yeshu as G-d in the flesh. This is the foundational teaching of their addition to the Hebrew Bible.

Prominent and respected rabbis in Eretz Yisrael have issued a psak prohibiting both interfaith dialogue and the acceptance of "Chr*stian-Zionist" gifts for the yishuvim.

Do a very simply internet search and read the content of their websites. You will quickly find that they condone the exression of love and friendship as a subterfuge for breaking down Jewish resistance with the aim of creating future opportunities to "share" their "gospel" message.

Again, whether a Jew is in any actual danger of converting is not the issue so much as the fact that his giving Gentiles to believe he might is a profound desecration of G-d's name.

Allowing a Gentile to believe his idolatrous worship of a dead Jew is ok with Torah Jewry is also a chillul Hashem for which we will all have to answer in the end.

[Brana Lobel]

Devora Chaya,

Mr Freund's blog was about a Gallup poll of Americans, not American Jews. I was responding to his blog regarding what (in general) Americans (in general) might be positive or negative about. More specifically, I was responding to his assertion regarding Americans (that is, some Americans) not buying media spin.

So, read my comment again. It did not read "American Jews", it read "Americans". The blog referred to the response of a representative sampling of the people of a country to Israel (whatever Israel means to that sampling, whether country, collection of people, Holy Land, all, none or some of above, or what).

So cool your jets (no, I don't think you're an airplane), and Shabbat shalom.

[DevoraChaya]

Brana Lobel---I was responding to your self-identification as an American Jew and your implied slur against Israeli Jews. After re-reading, I don't think I misunderstood anything.

If you really want to be an AM, you can start by saying "us" instead of "them."

[Andrew Hurley]

"They have proven to be among the best friends that Israel has, and for that we should be grateful and appreciative."

But according to Mr. DevoraChava it is evangelical christians that are the unfortunate ones: they are following a false messiah - so they are blind, and are following a blind messiah. They will not be able to help anyway. In a dark room, they are tripping over, falling down, and are confused.

But really, as Mr. DevoraChava says, who needs men to help, who has G-d? In the recent Parsha, we read that G-d was happy to make a great nation of Moshe. That is, a great nation from one man.

There is however, one who can help. Is it the Messiah to come that is the one who can help? But when will He come? What will he do? Who is he?

The writer of Mishlei (Proverbs) asks you Judah, a question, but do you know the answer?

"What is his name, and what is his son's name? Surely you know!"

Is his name the U.S.A? And his son's name George? Surely not.

You know that you don't need an evangelical to tell you anything, as Moshe has already told you and shown you many times who the Messiah is. Moshe is the greatest teacher of Messiah.

There is a greater danger than the danger of converting to christianity. A greater danger is to ignore what Moshe has said about the Messiah, and you yourself, Judah, follow a false messiah. Of course, leading gentiles to the false one also.

So please, please enlighten me about the one true G-d, and his son, for surely you know...

[Miryom]

Actually Devora is a woman, and not a mister. Devorah is Hebrew for Deborah, one of our first female judges and a wise woman herself.
While I do appreciate Christian Zionist support of Israel, I worry that the "Great Commission," is the basis of that support and is in fact a hidden agenda to convert Jews to Christianity.
We Jews have a covenant with God that is sacred as well as intimate. It is our personal relationship with our Father and King, The Holy One Blessed Be He. We do not want to convert to another religion, nor accept a human being as god.(God Forbid) To a Jew this is idolatry.
We Jews know that when our moshiach(annointed one) comes, we will all be transported to Israel, the third and final Temple will be rebuilt, there will be peace on earth, the sacrifices at the Temple will be started again, and no one will need to ask about God as knowledge will flow like water, and ten gentiles will grab the shirt of a Jew and go with us, because they have heard that God is with us Jews. The righteous dead will also be resurrected.
As much as Christians believe in Yeshu, We Jews know God, and we are sticking with Him(HKBH.)
If you love Israel, that's great. If you support Israel, that's wonderful and thank you. Please though, respect our choice to live and worship God as Jews just as our ancestors have for thousands of years.
Remember, respect is a two-way street.
Thank you very much for supporting Israel, and may God bless those who bless Israel, Amen.
Miryom

[Andrew Hurley]

Amen, Miryom.

My appologies to Devora, that was very bad manners.

It may be that the "Great Commission" as taught in churches is a hidden agenda for the support of Israel. You know, I don't like it when Jehovahs Witnesses try to give my children their teaching material, on my back doorstep, without my consent! I know how you feel... However, I wouldn't be so quick to say that they don't have a personal relationship with the same God, and that they follow a false messiah. Not if I listen to Moshe.

As you say, to worship man is idolatry. However, in defense of the evanjelicals, the messiah that the they worship is not just a man to them (like Shimon Bar Kosiva, or Shabbatai Zvi, or Lubavithcher Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneersohn), he is both G-d and man, of the order a Malki-Tzedek (a higher priesthood), otherwise they would not worship him either. To the evanjelical, the messiah's face will always shine, and never grow dim, and he will do all that you mention, and he will not have a veil over his face as Moshe did, but his presence will light up the whole of the city. He will be powerful, and rule with a rod of iron, and righteousness will prevail.

"We Jews have a covenant with God" Yes, and so does all the other descendents of Jacob and those who are 'strangers among them'. And where are these other brothers of yours Judah? They are part of the convenant too. And was Ruth a Jew?

When the J.W.'s came last year to my door to try to convert me to their teachings, all their arguments except the last, mostly from the five books of Moshe, had come to nothing in winning me over. The last argument they had was about this line from the 'Revelation to John' in their 'New Testament':

"I heard how many were sealed - 144,000 from every
tribe of the people of Isra'el:

From the tribe of Y'hudah 12,000 were sealed
... etc.
From the tribe of Binyamin 12,000"

I was told that the 144,000 weren't really Isra'el. I said, no, they are definately Isra'el. The persuasion ended. The J.W.'s had been coming past our house regularily, but after that, they did not come back.

How could they possibly convert me with arguments like that ... I had been studying Torah.

[DevoraChaya]

No apologies necessary Mr. Hurley. :-)

And thanks for making my point crystal clear:

"... in defense of the evanjelicals, the messiah that the they worship is not just a man to them ..., he is both G-d and man...."

[Dennis Moran]

I had nearly started an essay, and fortunately for everyone, I think it blew up on my computer.

In brevity: I, too, believe that G-d needs no help from anyone in assuring Israel's future. When G-d reveals Himself to any person, including a Gentile, then His promises to His Chosen, and His omnipotence to fulfill those promises, also become, to that person, the facts.

But G-d not only gives an awareness of Himself and His relationship with His people Israel, to a person who seeks Him. He authors a conscience to immediately go with it, regardless of a person's religious learnings, or lack thereof. For instance, it was never in Oscar Schindler's plan to bait Jews into defying an ordinance of G-d (by accepting a Goyim's help). Schindler was acting on conscience, the obligation from G-d to do whatever positive he could for anyone, including Jews and maybe especially Jews, in an extremely hostile environment. There was no malice. I am only suggesting here that it may be possible to over-think a situation - but it is nonetheless good to keep a guard up.
And the Jews are right in their trepidations about many of the 'Christian Evangelicals'. I think the Book of Mormon makes the Koran look like a sensible document, although I defend the Mormon's right to believe as they want.

As for Christ, I worship no mortal nor idol nor graven image. G-d has seemed as a burning bush that could speak, and as a man who could raise the dead. I put no constraints on G-d.

[Andrew Hurley]

There is a Jewish Rabbi who do not have an issue with G-d dwelling amoungst us, born of a closed womb. Possibly the greatest Jewish Rabbi who ever lived, who studied under Rabbi Gamaliel, the grandson of Hillel, when the second temple still stood. Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as for the Torah, a Pharisee.

Thank heavens for these Rabbis, and many that exist today, and a coming Messiah, who will teach the Torah of G-d, not the commandments of men.

As the Messiah says: "For if you were having faith in Moshe, you would have had faith in me: for he wrote concerning me."

[SawYourColumn]

Mr. Freund suggests that voters in Israel ask politicians to sign the equivalent of a "No New Taxes" pledge regarding not giving away (more) Jewish land. Problem: In the U.S.A. we vote directly for our representatives in Congress. We vote for Senators and Presidents by name.

Only with a system that involves at least SOME (if not all) of the members of the Knesset elected by NAME, so that those who break their pledge can be voted out, will the suggestion have at least some chance of success.