Mark J Pelavin
Response to Readers
Dear Mr. Pelavin,
I think you should accept those offers that are best for you from the Evangelical Christians and politely ignore those that are not.
As a Scot I come from a proud people and I am often reluctant to accept help if I suspect there are any catches to it. Anyway, I think we do things better ourselves. As an old Scots lifeboat prayer goes: “Praise the Lord - but row the boat.”
Moira Eicholtz
Thank you for your comment. I think there is a great deal of wisdom in your lifeboat prayer!
The challenge in this area is in identifying which offers are, in your word, “best” for our community, and for Israel. As I have argued, I think that policies that support the status quo are not “best” for Israel. As for “politely ignoring” other “offers,” it is not possible for me to separate the message from the messenger. So many in the Evangelical Christian community “support” Israel because of their literal interpretations of the Bible. Ignoring that seems, if you’ll pardon my saying so, to miss the boat.
Question 2
I hate to think there may be a litmus test about working with Evangelical Christians to support Israel, but in my opinion, there is.
Two questions come to mind, and if I feel comfortable with the answer, I could probably feel comfortable working with them for Israel:
How do you feel about the need for Jews to accept Jesus?
How would you feel if Israel negotiated with Arabs and it meant giving them some land in exchange for peace? (Some Christians insist, as do some Jews, that God promised us every inch of Israel, and that to lose any of it would be unacceptable).
I feel that, with answers to those two questions, I could choose to work or not work towards a common goal.
Burt Bachrach
Temple Emanuel of Baltimore
I, too, am generally uneasy about litmus tests, but as far as they go, I rather like yours! I might ask your second question a bit differently: Are they supportive of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?
Let me take this opportunity to be clear about something. I hope readers have not concluded that I believe it never makes sense for us to work with the Evangelical Christian community on Israel issues. For one thing, it cannot be said often enough that the Evangelical Christian community is a large and diverse one. I was impressed, for example, with the recent meeting some leading evangelicals had with Secretary of State Rice to encourage American leadership in the Middle East. (Read the article on beliefnet.com)
Question 3
It's nice that Christians support Israel. But Judaic and Christian beliefs based upon "saving your soul and Jesus" are diametrically opposed to one another and always will be. Beware of free gift offers. There's always some unforeseen penalty attached.
Gary Behun
There is some truth to this argument. However, if followed to its conclusion, it would suggest that we should never work with those for whom proselytism is part of their tradition. That is not what I am suggesting. I certainly believe we should work with other faith groups on common ground issues. I also think we need to join such alliances with our eyes wide open, understanding those with whom we are working. And that is why, in my comments, I have focused on the substance of my disagreements with many in the Evangelical Christian community, rather than on their motivation. |
Rabbi Steven Z Leder
Response to Readers
Dear Rabbi Leder,
1a. While I am a Zionist, if I were a voter in Israel, I would probably vote with either Meretz or with Labor. I see the Evangelical movement pushing support to the Right, often ignoring the rights of the Palestinians. I am not interested in starting Armageddon in the Land, rather I feel called upon to work for peace and to pursue it. I doubt that most Evangelicals share my views.
This is not really a question, more of a statement. It is a statement that probably applies to most Reform Jews. While it is true that most Evangelicals do not support your views about how to achieve peace, they do believe in supporting Israel's basic right to exist and Israel's right to support from the United States. They are willing to encourage millions of Americans to visit Israel. They are willing to work against anti-Israel candidates and for pro-Israel candidates. We will never agree with all or even most of their political views but we do agree with their most basic, fundamental views regarding Israel. Why isn't that enough? Ultimately, the rest needs to be worked out by Israelis in Israel anyway. Furthermore, if there is any hope of tempering the more politically conservative views of Evangelicals regarding Israel, that can only be done by being in an alliance of some sort with them rather than shunning them.
1b. I am a committed, involved Jew. I am also a gay man in a long- term relationship with another man. The Reform Movement and now even the Conservative Movement sanction and bless our marriage. It is the rare Evangelical who does so. Most of my experience in attempting dialogue ends when they tell me that I am Hell-bound unless I repent of my "choice" or "lifestyle." I fear that the price of the proposed alliance is a weakening of support for gay, lesbian and transperson rights. This has been a long, hard struggle within the Jewish community. I pray that I do not find myself again without a spiritual home.
A weakening of support for gay, lesbian and transperson rights from whom? Are you honestly suggesting that cooperating with Christian Zionists on those areas related to Israel which we can agree on will somehow persuade Reform Jews to adopt their homophobic views as well? Come on—let's give ourselves a little more credit than that.
1c. Finally, does not our tradition teach repeatedly about the need to guard ones self from too much association with bad companions? A person, a group or a movement is known by the company they keep. If we say, "but it's only an alliance on support for Israel," but are seen constantly in the company of those who oppose women's rights, gay rights, social and economic justice, and making peace between one human and another, then that person, group or movement brings a bad name upon itself.
Golem
Would you say this about Conservative or Orthodox Jews with whom you disagree over certain policies regarding Israel? Would you say this about your cousin, sibling, spouse, uncle or parents if you disagreed with them about one or more matters related to Israel or other aspects of a political, religious or social policy agenda? Just because someone has a different view than yours does not make them "bad companions." To make such a claim would be to evidence the very intolerance you fear in the Evangelical movement.
Question 2
Dear Rabbi Leder,
Thank you for your provocative contribution to the debate. I must say, however, that although the difference between an alliance and a partnership is perfectly clear to me, I am completely uncomfortable with the idea of allying with Evangelical Christians, for the reasons that Mr. Pelavin states. I understand your argument that politics makes strange bedfellows perfectly well, but I do not believe that we stand any chance of “influencing their more problematic views,” as you suggest in your second paragraph.
But I want to ask you something else: you say you have met with and eaten together with Evangelical Christians and that they began by saying Motzi. Don’t you find this strange? If you were to invite them to your house to eat, would you begin the meal with some sort of “Grace” that referred to Jesus? If you were to go to church with a friend would you also recite the Lord’s Prayer or the Credo, or simply stand politely with your head bowed (which for me is the appropriate behavior in such situations)?
Sincerely,
Elizabeth Gahbler
Beth Shalom Liberal Jewish Community
Munich, Germany
I would not invoke Jesus while dining with Christians because Christianity is not a part of Judaism. But one cannot deny that Judaism is a part of Christianity, at least in the sense that the Torah is shared by both faiths and therefore, at least to some degree, so too is Israel. Yes, it does make me uncomfortable to hear Christians saying Motzi in Hebrew and I discussed it with them. They were very clear with me in their view that Jews do not need Christianity to be complete as Jews, but that Christians do need Judaism to be complete as Christians. These are not Jews for Jesus or Messianic Jews, mind you. These are Christians who simply find certain aspects of Judaism relevant to them as Christians. Personally, after discussing it with them, I felt highly respected and appreciated as a Jew because they respect and appreciate Judaism as a foundation to their own faith. We could do a lot worse than having millions of Christians immersing themselves in the study of biblical Judaism as a way of deepening their faith. It sure beats Inquisitions, torture and blood libels.
Question 3
I think Jews should be very concerned about the inroads that Evangelical Christians are attempting to make. The actions are not because of some benevolent ideal; rather they are to hasten the so-called rapture when only good Christians will go to Heaven. Here in Virginia we have had to deal with a large evangelical church supporting Jews for Jesus to "save us from ourselves." Since few, if any, core social values of Reform Judaism are supported by the evangelical movement, I think that Reform Judaism should make an emphatic "Thanks but No Thanks."
Michael Baker
As I stated in my opening remarks, if I thought ignoring them, or a simple "Thanks but no thanks," would change the thinking of Christian Evangelicals, I would consider it an intelligent strategy, but it won't. There are 70 million of them and they aren't going anywhere. Furthermore, I think you make two mistakes here. Claiming that we share "Few, if any, core social values of Reform Judaism" with Evangelicals is just plain wrong. We do share one of the most important core values of Reform Judaism, or any other type of Judaism for that matter—namely, Israel's right to exist. Maybe that's not core enough for you, but it's core enough for me and for many, probably most Jews in America, Israel and the world. Secondly, if we are going to be effective in shutting down Jews for Jesus or Messianic Jews, it will require the cooperation of more mainstream Evangelicals. I have discussed this at the highest levels of leadership in the Christian Zionist movement, and there is a willingness to cooperate with us on this very important issue. It is one more reason why the smart move is to stay close and work with Evangelicals rather than sticking our heads in the sand and pretending they do not exist. |
