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Last update - 00:00 01/02/2008
Taking 'yes' for an answer
By Yechiel Eckstein
Tags: Jewish Agency 
 

In recent weeks, the historic agreement between the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ) and the Jewish Agency has been in the news. Now, Christians - through the Fellowship - will not only contribute funds to the Agency, they will, for the first time, have an actual voice on its executive board, together with the world Jewish community, as represented by the UJC, Keren Hayesod and the Zionist groups. While the vast majority of reports have been positive, some concerns have been expressed about this agreement that need to be addressed honestly and openly.

For instance, MK Colette Avital, who is frightened by the prospect of a growing right-wing influence over Jewish Agency decisions, has publicly stated that Christians do not belong on that organization's board and should not be partners with Jews in the Agency. But the new IFCJ/Agency agreement does not include the creation of a "Christian seat" on the Agency board. The "seat at the table" Christians are being given is figurative, not literal: There is no Pat Robertson or Billy Graham waiting in the wings to cast the deciding vote on critical issues of Jewish Agency policy.

As Fellowship president and an ordained Orthodox rabbi, I will continue to be the one sitting on the board and making decisions on the basis of what is good and right for Israel, the Jewish people and the Jewish Agency - as I have for the past seven years. It is important to remember that IFCJ support for the Agency is not new. Indeed, we have contributed over $100 million to the work of aliyah at the Agency over the last decade. Not only have I sat on that organization's board of governors since 2001, I have been one of a handful of non-voting observers on its executive board for the past two years.
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My new role as a voting member of the executive constitutes recognition at the highest levels of the Jewish establishment of the importance of evangelical Christian support for Israel. That is why it is historic: Finally, the Jewish community is acknowledging that evangelical Christians are our partners, not adversaries, in building and securing the Zionist dream.

But in some ways this misses the point. Even if a seat on the Agency board were made available to a Christian representative of IFCJ, our organization has always deliberately avoided involvement in partisan political issues. We don't take a position on abortion, or homosexuality, school prayer - or West Bank settlements. Our work is strictly intended to advance Israel's security and aliyah, to extend tangible help to all needy Israelis - men and women, secular and religious, Jewish, Christian, Muslim and Druze alike - and to Jews in need worldwide. Constructing thousands of bomb shelters and trauma centers in Israel's northern border region and in Sderot; operating shelters for battered women and youth at risk; feeding tens of thousands of children each day in Israel and the former Soviet Union; supplying the elderly poor with food, heating fuel and medicine - these are the types of life-saving programs we work to advance.

Responding to our new commitment to increase funding to the Jewish Agency over the next three years, critics have also accused IFCJ of "buying off" the organization. But over the years, IFCJ has helped literally hundreds of groups in Israel in addition to the Agency, including such organizations as the JDC, ORT, Hadassah and Chabad. We also give direct support to over 100 municipalities throughout Israel. Have they, too, all been "bought off"? None of these groups would compromise by accepting our help if IFCJ were, in fact, a threat to them, their work or fundamental Jewish values.

Then there is the old, thoroughly discredited claim that Christians only support Israel in order to return the world's Jewish population to Israel and hasten the return of Jesus. If this were true, how does one explain the fact that our Christian supporters give millions of dollars - sacrificially - to provide elderly Jews in the former Soviet Union with food, clothing, medicine and heating fuel? These Jews are too old and infirm to make aliyah. How does one account for the millions of dollars these Christians give to fund job training programs for Ethiopians, soup kitchens for the poor, after-school programs for youth in Israel, and so much more?

In my experience, the view that in supporting Israel Christians are furthering their own "end times" scenario is usually held by those who know nothing about real Christians and their theology, and who are, frankly, prejudiced against them. In fact, most of IFCJ's donors base their support upon the biblical call to bless Israel and support the Jewish people in their time of need.

There are many non-biblical reasons for their support as well. Most American Christians recognize Israel as America's most faithful ally, and sympathize with its position as the lone democracy in a sea of authoritarian Arab and Muslim states. They see that the United States' long-standing friendship with Israel is built on a foundation of shared values and common heritage. Those of us who have worked with them to support Israel for many years find the stereotypical portrayal of evangelicals as fanatical, uneducated and bent on enforcing their Christian will upon others, to be not only untrue but deeply insulting. Most of our donors give sacrificially - tithing their social security checks and forgoing vacations and other personal luxuries in order to help Israel and Jews in need. These good people need to hear us say "thank you," not to have aspersions cast upon their motives and character.

For 2,000 years we Jews have been lamenting the fact that Christians hate us. Today, there is an important segment of the Christian community - about one-third of the U.S. population, including its president - that is embracing us. They have proven time and again over the last three decades that their support for Israel is real, sincere and comes with no strings attached. And yet, there are still many in the Jewish community whose mistrust, suspicion and prejudice cause them to perceive Christian motives in the most sinister light possible. I guess there are those of us who just can't take "yes" for an answer.

Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein is the founder and president of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews.
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  1.   Thank you Yechiel Eckstein. Your true words needed and much 22:54  |  Virginia 02/02/08
  2.   It would not happen if your salary was 95% cut 23:23  |  Money talks 02/02/08
  3.   The Rapture 01:02  |  Peter 03/02/08
  4.   Strange that such US President portrayed by Rabbi Eckstein 03:17  |  Joseph . E 03/02/08
  5.   G-d Bless the Rabbi 04:07  |  Richard Allen 03/02/08
  6.   If all Orthodox rabbis were like R. Eckstein... 04:55  |  Wendy in Chicago 03/02/08
  7.   Traitor 05:09  |  Shachar 03/02/08
  8.   BEWARE OF BRIBERY FOR IT POLLUTES RIGHTEOUS WORDS 06:08  |  Ben K 03/02/08
  9.   IFCJ....YES? 06:15  |  Shlomo 03/02/08
  10.   Let Colette Avital... 06:22  |  MarkC 03/02/08
  11.   International Fellowship of Christians and Jews 07:00  |  Gina 03/02/08
  12.   Taking ` yes` as an answer 07:50  |  martin list, m.d. 03/02/08
  13.   "We take no partisan political position on issues" 12:07  |  Richard Silverstein 03/02/08
  14.   schachar 7 23:39  |  realism 03/02/08
  15.   Eckstein JAFI 07:41  |  Uri 04/02/08
  16.   I disagree completly with this evil man 21:29  |  Yechiel 04/02/08
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