Friends and Foes

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FRIENDS AND FOES: WHO’S WHO IN THE CHRISTIAN WORLD BY YITZCHOK ADLERSTEIN he young Rabbi Yonatan ond century continued to be fascinated became the de facto position of the Eibeschuetz watched from with elements of Jewish law and prac- Church in its interaction with Jews. This front yard as a drunken tice. The Epistle of Barnabas posited They paved a smooth path to rapacious Gentile peasant meandered down the that the old Biblical covenant with Israel Crusades, blood libels, host desecration street. Spotting little Yonatan, he faced had been replaced. Faith had largely pogroms, autos-da-fe, Courts of the him down from the walkway. “Hey Jew! replaced the need for fidelity to myriad Inquisition and forced baptisms. They What’s the difference between a pig and ritual requirements. More importantly, also prepared the ground for a smooth a Jew?” Our hero responded instantly, the Christian participants in a new transition to modern racial anti- “The fence!” covenant became the New Israel. Semitism when the Church lost much For hundreds of years, it was easy Approaches that taught that the old of its clout in more recent centuries. to tell the difference between the vic- covenant had either been replaced, or The weakening of the Church in tims and the victimizers. We Jews were had morphed into a new form, became the Reformation might have changed the pursued innocents; Christians, known as replacement theology, or things. Indeed, the early Martin Luther plainly put, were our tormentors and supersessionism. was conciliatory, even solicitous to the foes. Matters are no longer so simple. In Around the same time, Justin Jews. But when they didn’t convert in a world permeated with hatred of Israel, introduced the charge of collective guilt droves to his enlightened Church, he of meteorically rising anti-Semitism and for deicide. This charge would result in turned on them with a passion. In the an ascendant Islam suffused with more the spilling of oceans of Jewish blood, centuries that followed, Protestants, hatred of Jews than Nazi Germany, and enjoys popularity in many parts of who had been so careful to distance many Christians have become our most the Christian world today, as Jews are themselves from the practices of Rome, ardent supporters. Should we plod still collectively abhorred for the ulti- showed themselves to be faithful heirs to along as if nothing has changed? Chazal mate crime of history. centuries of Catholic animus toward tell us to “binu shenot dor vador,” which John (“Golden Tongue”) Jews. Chrysostom, fourth century, saw to it some have appropriately rendered as Modern Change “understand the differences between that not only would Judaism be rejected generation and generation.” We need to as a belief system, but that Jews would The Holocaust marked a new be reviled as a people. He described beginning in Christian relations with know who our friends are, and how far them as “most miserable of all men … Jews. Reflecting upon what had hap- we can or should trust those friendships. lustful, rapacious, greedy, perfidious pened, many people realized that We need to consider whether we are bandits … inveterate murderers, Hitler—while fiercely anti-Christian lulling ourselves into a premature sense destroyers, men possessed by the devil himself—had co-opted centuries of of security. On the other hand, we also … debauchery and drunkenness have hatred against Jews, and enlisted the aid need to recognize that if it is Hashem’s given them the manners of the pig and of eager allies among the populations he will that Esav’s stance toward his brother the lusty goat … pests of the universe.” vanquished who hated Jews more than Yaakov changes, we should not be There were, to be sure, often their Nazi conquerors. Wanting to dis- obdurate in accepting his friendship.1 major and minor figures in the Church tance themselves from the horrors of The Earlier Church who insisted upon humane treatment of genocide, churches began rethinking Jews. (While Crusaders, monks and the their attitudes toward Jews. Three ideas introduced early in rabble joined to plunder Jewish com- The most dramatic change Church history determined the course munities in their path, the majority of occurred in the Catholic Church, with of centuries of persecution of Jews. bishops during the First Crusade resis- the appearance in 1965 of an important Many early Christians in the sec- ted and protected Jews by giving them encyclical called Nostra Aetate (“In Our Rabbi Adlerstein is the director of interfaith refuge in their castles, or sequestering Times”). Because Catholics have a clear affairs for the Simon Wiesenthal Center in them in Christian homes.)2 Yet these line of authority, a formal policy stance Los Angeles. He is a member of the editori- three factors—replacement theology, has real clout. (So-called traditional al board of Jewish Action. collective guilt and demonization— Catholics, unhappy with the liberal ten- Winter 5767/2006 JEWISH ACTION 49 dencies of the last popes, broke away Precisely because Protestant For the purpose of this article, when we from Rome. Not unexpectedly, they groups are not beholden to a Vatican speak of Evangelicals we mean include some very anti-Semitic folks, that changes only glacially, Protestant Protestant churches that are theological- like Mel Gibson’s father, Hutton denominations have less trouble adjust- ly more conservative and traditional, Gibson, a notorious Holocaust denier.) ing their thinking when their members more intense in their demands on mem- We currently have no measure of are seized with a new spirit. Changes, bers and more spirited and dynamic how far these teachings have penetrated however, can come and go with equal than the more staid denominations on to the Church faithful. We do know speed. the Protestant left. that the official position of the Catholic The establishment of the State of Evangelicals are not at the end of Church changed remarkably from what Israel in 1948 vastly complicated mat- the religious spectrum. In worship, had been previously taught. Anti- ters. For some Protestants, particularly Charismatics are even more dynamic Semitism is regarded as a sin. The those in more conservative and funda- and spirited; in theology, there are fun- charge of collective guilt for deicide mentalist circles, the return of the Jews damentalist groups that are further to stands repudiated, and the debt the to their homeland meant witnessing the the right than Evangelicals. Church owes to the Jewish people is clear fulfillment of Biblical prophecy in It is also mistaken to view them as acknowledged, along with the their own day. If they could be of fur- preoccupied with proselytizing the immutability of the Jews’ own separate ther service to God by supporting and unbelievers. Technically, all Protestants covenant with God. The previous pope encouraging these Providential develop- are “evangelizers,” trying to teach their made much of this change concrete by ments, all the better. beliefs to every inhabitant of the globe, dramatic activity. His visit to a Rome For others, the establishment of including Catholics and Muslims. This synagogue took him only a short dis- the State was a huge problem. Some ret- is a bedrock principle for all Protestants. tance from his Vatican apartment, but it rograde thinkers in all groups of Those we call Evangelicals are simply was a trip that was two millennia in the Christianity simply could not come to more aggressive about this obligation,

JEWS TEND TO MAKE A NUMBER OF MISTAKES ABOUT EVANGELICALS. THEY SEE ALL EVANGELICALS AS SUPPORTERS OF THE JEWISH STATE. MANY ARE; MANY ARE NOT. making. He used that occasion to refer grips with a renascent Jewish nation. while many on the left argue that they to Jews not only fraternally, but as the Centuries of decoupling Jews from will make their best case for their beliefs “elder brothers” of Christians. Biblical Israel could not be easily over- by simply living fully according to their Protestants tried making their own come. Jews were supposed to dwindle principles and making a good Christian separate peace with Jews. More accu- and disappear, not make the desert impression upon others. rately, different denominations attempt- bloom. For others still the creation of Some groups have insisted that ed to accommodate Jews in different Israel meant a political headache, as Protestants must give up efforts at pros- ways. The most important of these they tried to protect traditional elytizing as a precondition to bridge accommodations was a deliberate muz- Christian interests in areas ruled by building with Jews. This is a serious zling of replacement and supersession Arab and Islamic governments. By far, error, and an insult to their convictions. talk. Protestants realized that if they however, the worst problem was Only those who do not take their own continued to read Jews out of the Bible, reserved for left-leaning denominations, faith seriously can speak in such terms; treating them as historical discards, which became more politicized and Orthodox Jews know that faith cannot there would be no conversation or dia- accepted a new Gospel of third-world, be bargained away. What Jews can get logue possible. Replacement theology anti-West thinking in which Israel was Protestants to understand is that target- was not quite buried, but it did go into one of the world’s devils. ing Jews as Jews, and offering them bait mothballs. Protestant literature began to that is neither Judaism nor Christianity underscore that the relationship God Evangelicals (i.e., “Messianic Judaism”) is reprehensi- had with the Jewish people was never Toward the other end of the ble. In some cases, Protestants can be abrogated, and that Christianity itself Protestant religious spectrum, a different convinced by Jews they have gotten to could not be fully understood without attitude prevailed. Evangelical support know that Jews are a poor choice for understanding its Jewish roots. for Israel is well known and established. specialized proselytizing because their

50 JEWISH ACTION Winter 5767/2006 own covenant with God makes them This is not true. Evangelicals are not thoroughly unfamiliar with the denomi- less of a priority than other groups, and locked into their current position. The nations of the Protestant Left. These are because two thousand years of history Bush years gave them much to ponder. the churches that helped create America has left them with a visceral contempt As their influence soared, they had to in Colonial times, and built it up in the for missionaries. consider how to translate their political two centuries thereafter: John Hagee, one of the most pow- currency into real buying power. To suc- Congregationalists, Lutherans, Episco- erful evangelicals in the country, pub- ceed politically, you need to build palians, Presbyterians and (later) licly admits that he is sometimes bridges to varied groups. Some Methodists. These are the groups that accused of being “soft” on proselytizing Evangelical leaders argue that they need put the “P” in WASP. Some of them Jews. His close friendship with his to be somewhat more muted in posi- carry on the legacy of aristocratic, estab- neighbor Rabbi Aryeh Scheinberg, an tions that damage relationships with lishment attitudes, which, disdaining Orthodox Jew in San Antonio, has diverse communities. If Christian immigrants and minorities, never taught him a few things about how Jews Zionism is such an irritant to many looked kindly upon Jews. react to Christians who wish to save Americans, perhaps they need to rethink Political leanings, however, have their souls. whether they have given Israel too free a changed. Episcopalians, they used to Jews tend to make a number of mistakes about Evangelicals. They see all Evangelicals as supporters. Many are; many are not. Those who call themselves premillenial dispensationalists (and they are the largest sub-group) are more likely to openly embrace Israel as the fulfillment of Biblical prophecy. There are plenty of Evangelicals, though, who do not have such leanings. Additionally, as in any non-Jewish community, old-fashioned anti-Semitism still thrives. We also think that Evangelicals support Israel because they hope to bring Armageddon closer in time, at which point all Jews will either convert or be killed, God forbid. This is a very common fallacy. If Israel-friendly Evangelicals prepared a top-ten list of reasons to support Jewish causes, their picture of the end of time might rank as number eleven. Evangelicals look for- ward to a Messianic Age, but very few believe that it is within their reach or duty to hasten it. Supporting Israel is Members debate replacing the Presbyterian Church’s 2004 Israel divestment resolution at the important to them because God’s PCUSA’s General Assembly in Birmingham, Alabama, on June 21, 2006. The 2004 resolution identified Israel’s “occupation” as “the root of evil acts committed against innocent people covenant with Abraham, as set forth in on both sides of the conflict” and called for a policy of “phased selective divestment” from com- Bereishit, explicitly promises that those panies that do business with Israel. who bless the Jews will be blessed them- Photo: Rachel Pomerance/JTA selves. Simply put, Evangelicals are being completely self-serving—in a laudable manner—when they militate ride. In order to prevent an erosion in quip, were Republicans at prayer. More for Israel. They take the Bible seriously, Evangelical support, we will need sus- recently, though, politics have swung and they wish to assure themselves a tained and assiduous Jewish effort. sharply to the left. A better description piece of God’s favor! today might be Michael Moore-Jesse Jews err in believing that they can Mainline Protestant Jackson Democrats at non-prayer. count on Evangelical support as surely Denominations Two themes contributed to the as indigestion after shemurah matzah. Most Orthodox Jews seem to be extreme makeover of the mainline

Winter 5767/2006 JEWISH ACTION 51 churches. Tradition, ritual and ceremo- Israel ease up on its “occupation” poli- lem. Churches constantly send them to ny gradually eroded in a post-World cies against the oppressed Arab peoples. work in the Middle East, servicing War II America, whose culture was It was almost as if Christian feelings of exclusively Arab populations, both increasingly open and liberal. While guilt about the Holocaust vanished Christian and Muslim. Many of these much of old-time religious practice was when it came to Israel. (In truth, some missionaries—highly motivated and led out to pasture, values persisted of the denominations realized the con- doctrinaire to begin with—return to the longer than do’s and dont’s. In the case tradiction, and formally declared that States having wholly embraced the of many pastors emerging from semi- reaching out to Jews and declaring their mindset of the clientele they served. naries in the fifties and sixties, one legitimacy as a people—which they very They become politicized warriors for Christian value in particular survived much wanted to continue doing—had the Palestinian narrative, never having the general devastation of the old order: nothing to do with recognizing the right heard the Israeli version. This problem taking up the cause of the powerless. of the Jews to some piece of disputed is worsened by key personnel of Arab Coupled with the movement of many geography in the Middle East.)4 Soon extraction among the paid professionals in academia and the power elite toward after Egypt’s Nasser threatened in 1967 in some of the churches. Egyptian-born liberal ideas and ideals, far-left politics “to drive the Israelis into the sea,” Victor Makari is the coordinator for became the unofficial catechism of Protestant theologians A. Roy and Alice Middle Eastern affairs for the churches that never had one before. The L. Eckardt diagnosed “a powerful ideo- Presbyterian Church (USA)(PCUSA) equation was a simple one. Power was logical affinity … between Christian and a vigorous voice against Israel. His bad, powerlessness was good. Satan predispositions and the annihilationist son serves in a similar capacity for two could be found not in the deadly sins, designs of the Arabs.” Whenever Israel other denominations. All of these but in the exercise of strength and secu- “is assailed … certain suppressed, denominations have passed horribly rity. Those who had strength were macabre elements in the Christian soul anti-Israel resolutions in the last two oppressors; stopping them became the are stirred to sympathy with the years. new work of the Lord. Power was seen assailants.”5 Unlike the Catholic Church, as vested in two entities in particular: Sympathy was generated from where the Vatican ultimately can deter- the United States and Israel. within the Mideast as well. In the late mine policy, the organization of Developments elsewhere helped nineteenth century, many groups insist- Protestant denominations is supposed to this along. The mainline denominations ed on some sort of presence in the Holy be bottom-up, rather than top-down. participate in a national umbrella organ- Land. Walk through Jerusalem, and you The leadership positions should theoret- ization called the National Council of will be struck by the variety of denomi- ically merely give voice to the will of the Churches, which in turn is a member of nations and governments that estab- people, rather than shape it. In practice, the Geneva-based World Council of lished churches, schools, hospitals and however, this is not the case—particu- Churches (WCC). The WCC has many other brick-and-mortar institutions. larly in regard to Israel. It is the national members in third world countries, Those who built them were moved leadership that runs the web sites, prints which tilted far left during the Cold more by mistrust of everyone else than the books and coordinates the national War, embracing socialist and revolution- by pure charity. Everyone wanted a lecture series. Mainline Protestants who ary politics, befriending the Soviet orbit stake in Jerusalem; in particular, no one turn to their churches for insight and (which included the Arab world) and wanted to be at the mercy of a compet- information about the Mideast have demonizing the West. Israel, with its ing group. While others, in time, lost been treated for many years to a steady meteoric rise to material success and its interest, church groups kept up their diet of anti-Israel propaganda. These close ties to the United States, was ties, and continue strong associations churches rarely, if ever, provide a main- roundly regarded as a colonialist garri- with branches of their own denomina- stream Israeli perspective.6 The material son state. tions, or a proxy presence through a they distribute is supersaturated with It is difficult to overstate the ani- related church. While this is perfectly imagery of the horrors of the “occupa- mus shown by the WCC toward Israel. understandable, it means that the coreli- tion,” the presumed culprit for every- While the WCC routinely expresses its gionists of American Protestants have thing that is wrong in that region. The concern regarding minority rights and the ear of the church hierarchy. When “apartheid wall” is a reflection of Israel’s humanitarian issues (except when church officials in the Middle East have colonialist-expansionist designs, not a crimes are committed by third world their own reasons for hating Israel (anti- non-violent measure for protecting countries themselves),3 it sat back in Semitism, Arab nationalism, fear of Israelis—Jewish, Christian and Arab— ominous silence each time Arab armies their new Palestinian masters), their from suicide bombers, whose havoc is threatened to drive Jews into the sea. It loathing for Israel takes a direct route to rarely described. When local churchgo- broke its silence only after Israeli victo- the heads of American denominations. ers hear speeches about the Middle East, ries, and then only to demand that Missionaries exacerbate the prob- they listen to Palestinians who have

52 JEWISH ACTION Winter 5767/2006 been quietly making their rounds for gap between the Presbyterian laity, who is not a myth, and they have become ten years, arousing sympathy and point- were opposed to the resolution, and more eager not to contribute to it. ing a finger at the Israeli oppressors. clergy, who supported it. The seminaries Some are even prepared to battle it. Denominations have teamed up with have been clearly effective in miseducat- The paid professionals in the hateful organizations, like the Sabeel ing a generation of pastors. national offices use their power effec- Ecumenical Liberations Theology Within this last factoid resides the tively to muffle these voices and quash Center, and its Protestant head Naim silver lining in a cloud of anti-Israel resistance. A UCC (United Church of Ateek. Ateek has said that he can accept bias. The thickness of that lining varies Christ) pastor, having served over twen- the reality of Israel, but not its right to from denomination to denomination, ty years at various pulpits, was repeated- exist, and has used blatantly anti- but exists in every one. Simply put, the ly nominated as a delegate to the Semitic imagery in his writing, like the people in the pews do not share the General Synod. He has been passed over ongoing “crucifixion” of the Palestinians views of their own leaders. The laity is every time—simply because the by Israel. His colleagues urge both a often more conservative and traditional entrenched hierarchy knows him to one-state solution (i.e., a single state than its national leadership and its local have right-leaning views (as do his con- whose nature would be determined by clergy. They mistrust such moves as the gregants), and it does its best to keep the majority of its citizens, namely consecration of gay marriage, and the such people out of the national assem- Muslims) and a return to supersession, substitution of Sophia (an old term blies. without which Palestinians suffer too meaning wisdom, but that smacks of In most cases, then, the substan- much, because Jewish historical claims heretical personification to many) for tial numbers of pro-Israel members have to the land are legitimated. God in worship, as an egalitarian con- not changed the direction of their Who provides the Jewish voice, cession. Literally millions of members movements. The Presbyterian Church— when one is even sought? Jewish leftists, and hundreds of churches have simply in a sense the most prestigious mainline

WHILE THE WORLD COUNCIL OF CHURCHES ROUTINELY EXPRESSES ITS CONCERN REGARDING MINORITY RIGHTS AND HUMANITARIAN ISSUES, IT SAT BACK IN OMINOUS SILENCE EACH TIME ARAB ARMIES THREATENED TO DRIVE JEWS INTO THE SEA.

full of scorn and derision for the Jewish walked out of their denominations denomination on the status ladder, and State, fill that role with alacrity. because of these leftward moves. Many overrepresented on Capitol Hill—is an What kind of guidance can traditionalists still remain. They are exception. As soon as the divestment Protestants expect from their local pas- often more conservative about the mes- resolution of 2004 was passed (by dele- tors? Nothing that would brighten the sage of the Bible, and about politics in gates who were not given an opportuni- picture. Pastors are trained in seminar- general. Many are enthusiastic support- ty to understand what was involved, ies, which are really liberal arts academic ers of Israel. They recognize the posi- and thought they were simply rubber- institutions. The virulently anti-Israel tions of their national spokespeople as stamping another pro-peace measure), atmosphere on so many US college morally wrong for its imbalance, and many Presbyterians swung into action. campuses is a manifestation of the gross pragmatically stupid for being off-put- They included lay people on the left tilt to the left in academia. The main- ting to Jews. (who simply thought the measure unfair line Protestant seminaries are part of the In my experience, one factor to Israel) and right, and pastors of some same phenomenon. The US and Israel stands out as most important. Many of the largest and most affluent congre- are pilloried daily; there are few oppor- Protestants simply want good relations gations, some of whom threatened to tunities to hear a different voice. with the Jewish people in general, as withhold funding to the national In August 2004 the PCUSA’s well as with Jewish neighbors, business church. Almost from day one, they gen- General Assembly passed a resolution in associates and, unfortunately, with inter- erated dozens of overtures from their favor of divestment from companies married relatives. In many cases, they local presbyteries to revoke or modify supporting the “occupation.” This was have learned from Jewish friends how the resolutions on divestment and con- followed by similar measures that were important Israel is to them, and how demning Israel’s security fence. These proposed, and in some cases adopted, distorted was their understanding of overtures would slow-cook over the next by every other denomination. A poll7 Middle Eastern history. They have come years, awaiting a vote at the next taken shortly thereafter showed a wide to realize that widespread anti-Semitism General Assembly in June 2006.

Winter 5767/2006 JEWISH ACTION 53 Defending Israel from the Pews

Disseminating the truth about the Committee to End Divestment Now, a very troubling,” Roberts says. “It didn’t Middle East conflict is what drives group of Presbyterians who came sit well with me … [or with the] others James Hutchins, the thirty-eight-year together to repeal the 2004 Presbyterian who sit in the pews.” old moderator of ucctruths.com, a web Church (USA) General Assembly’s call Roberts estimates that he spent site that is dedicated to presenting the for divestment from 1,000 hours working on “truth” to members of the United Israel. Interestingly, while this cause in the eighteen Church of Christ (UCC) on a whole Presbyterians who belong months prior to and host of issues. According to the site, the to The Committee to including the General national offices of the UCC “have shift- End Divestment Now Assembly in Birmingham ed away from the needs of the local have different views on in June 2006. church and have set on a course of dis- many other political and Established just honest political activism…. The purpose social issues, they never- over a year ago, of [ucctruths.com] is to … challenge theless united to “deci- Christians for Fair those in the national office to be honest sively overturn a bad poli- Witness on the Middle in their pronouncements.” A lay person cy on divestment and East, based in New York, decisively overturn a bad is a group of mainstream in the UCC, Hutchins, who lives in Jim Roberts is the chairman Cleveland where the UCC has its head- policy on the security Protestants and Roman barrier, and [achieve] suc- and organizer of The Catholics who have come quarters, feels that “Israel’s very exis- Committee to End Divestment tence is a justice issue.” Ucctruths.com cess with an overture together out of a growing clearly and unequivocally Now, a group that formed to sense of concern over the was created because of a “genuine con- oppose the Presbyterian cern about Israel, driven out of a sense labeling suicide bombings anti-Israel sentiments as a crime against Church’s call for divestment they have seen in the of justice,” says Hutchins. from Israel. Another Christian who has been humanity,” Roberts church, particularly explains. among “peace and justice actively fighting divestment is Jim When Roberts first learned about groups.” Fair Witness provides an “alter- Roberts, a professional mediator who the 2004 divestment call, it struck him nate voice … on issues related to the practices in Southern California and as wrong. “Whenever you are part of an conflict of Israel and its neighbors,” says Nevada. Roberts, who splits his time organization … that makes decisions National Director Sister Ruth Lautt, between San Diego and Idaho, is the without consulting everyone, that is who lives in Queens, New York. The chairman and organizer of The

A group of activists slowly coa- equals South Africa—the only country tenacity are an inspiration. lesced. They included pastors, attorneys, against which divestment is commonly In May, eleven of them organized writers, seminarians and ex-military thought to have worked. Such an iden- a weeklong trip to Israel. Most had been people. It would be hard to find a group tity would mean that the ugliness on there many times before, but they want- of more motivated clear-thinkers. They the European street and in the ed to focus this time on the arguments knew every argument used by the other American university, where Israel is seen that are so often brought up—the hor- side, and were armed with cogent as an illegal colonialist power, would rors of the “occupation” and the security responses. Taking up the cause of Israel penetrate to America’s heartland. Our fence—or not brought up at all—like became a large part of their lives. They activist friends were not motivated by the persecution of Christians in the correctly reasoned that the danger in the expectation that their efforts would Palestinian Authority by Muslims. They divestment was not in its economic grant them untold blessing through the invited three rabbis to accompany them. impact, although Palestinian activist old Abrahamic covenant, as would be As it turns out, all were Orthodox: groups shared an acronym—BDS, or members of churches much further to Rabbi Abraham Cooper, of the Simon boycott, divestment, sanctions—to the right. There was nothing in it for Wiesenthal Center; Rabbi Eugene Korn, describe their program of economic them, other than the conviction that a formerly of the American Jewish warfare. More dangerous was that it cre- moral wrong was in progress, and they Committee, and me. We were by no ated an identity in people’s minds. Israel wanted to help correct it. Their zeal and means the only people working on the

54 JEWISH ACTION Winter 5767/2006 group acts as an advocate within the morphed into anti-Zionism. been lobbying within our churches have members’ churches—they regard them- Hutchins sees the divestment issue been doing this for over twenty years,” selves as a “third voice,” not represent- as one of politics and leverage. “In my Sr. Ruth says. Until recently, however, ing the Israeli/Jewish side or the opinion [it is] politically opportunistic “no one has had the courage to stand Palestinian side. “There is an objective to be against us,” Hutchins says. up” and do something about it. truth and that is what we are looking “Domestically, political liberals view Though many agree that the for,” says Sr. Ruth, a sister of the St. divestment as a battleground issue divestment movement is losing steam, Dominic Order and a partner in a law against political conservatives [who have in the UCC “there are a handful of firm. a history of supporting Israel both polit- leaders who have proven that they are For Fair Witness, supporting Israel ically and financially]. As cynical as it is a matter of social justice. Sr. Ruth says sounds, I think for some liberals, ‘the determined to preserve the divestment she and her partners “feel called to do enemy of my enemy is my friend,’ in language in our resolutions at any cost,” this … it is a sacred duty that God has this case, Palestinians…. I can’t under- Hutchins says. “As we look to overturn given us.” She is quick to distinguish stand any other rationale of some liber- the UCC’s current resolution of her group and herself from Christian als—especially religious liberals—to ‘Economic Leverage,’ we expect very Zionists, who support Israel because of align themselves with violent groups heavy resistance since the UCC is, in theological reasons. “I don’t have a sin- known to have committed terrorist acts. reality, the last pillar of divestment in gle Christian Zionist in the organiza- “If I heard more Christian leaders US Protestant churches.” tion. We support Israel for … the theol- speak out in favor of Israel’s need to As for The Committee to End ogy of social justice…. This is an issue protect itself, I might genuinely accept Divestment Now, the group’s mandate of defending those who are oppressed.” their wish for peace in the Middle originally stated that it would dissolve Both Roberts and Sr. Ruth say they East,” Hutchins continues. “However, in July of 2006 when its goals had been couldn’t have accomplished as much as the level of anti-Israel language can only accomplished. However, that deadline they have without the help of so many lead me to believe that there is a politi- has been delayed, says Roberts. The members of their respective groups. In cal motive. It is sad; true Middle East mandate has been extended for two Roberts’ case, this includes people from peace should not be a political game.” across the country. While the divestment movement years, until the next General Assembly, One of the goals of Fair Witness, has fizzled especially since PCUSA’s “in order to monitor PCUSA’s compli- which makes its voice heard at press 2006 reversal on divestment, there is ance with the will of the General conferences and rallies as well as in much animosity toward Israel in Assembly as established in 2006.” workshops for local church groups, is to Protestant circles, and continued calls try to avoid the “sin” of anti-Semitism, for divestment. “We’ve got a long way Dassi Zeidel is assistant editor of Jewish which, Sr. Ruth claims, has recently to go because anti-Israel forces that have Action.

problem of Protestant divestment. A limited their remarks to two minutes. terrorists who beheaded his son—who host of other Jewish organizations—and Very few committee members, chosen effectively used the resolution to prove concerned Christians from other at random, had any historical back- to the Arab street that with time, even denominations—devoted much energy ground or context to the problem. The the Americans could learn the truth of to the issue, sometimes through other two-minute limit made it impossible to the Palestinian position. The strategies, such as continuing dialogue appeal to what we would call the histor- Palestinians themselves stayed away in with the Church leadership. ical “facts.” The most dramatic moment large numbers. They didn’t have to be In the end, however, it was came when James Woolsey, ex-director there to make their case. Their side was Presbyterians who turned the tide at of the CIA, took the mike. “My name is taken by Jews, manning booths, work- their June General Assembly in 2006, James Woolsey,” he said. “A vote for ing the crowd, all the while speaking up not their Jewish cheerleaders. After a divestment is a vote for Hamas.” It pro- against Israel. long struggle, a committee issued its duced audible gasps in the room, and The committee report acknowl- report, recommending action by the discomfort when he cogently explained edged faults in the process of two years entire assembly. Hearings were both what he meant. Professor Judea Pearl, earlier that led to the resolution, recog- public and private. The public hearings father of slain Wall Street Journal writer nized the pain it had caused the Jewish allowed absolutely anyone to speak, as Daniel Pearl, explained how divestment people and substantially changed the long as they signed up in advance and had empowered only one group—the wording of its economic policy to strip

Winter 5767/2006 JEWISH ACTION 55 it of the word “divestment.” Church Palestinians or Israelis, strengthens the has been serious erosion of commitment leadership tried several times to change hand of terrorists and eliminates any to Israel in these circles. Some rabbis it on the floor, but to no avail. In the role they may have as honest brokers in actively identify with far-left organiza- weeks and months that followed, they real progress in building bridges tions, and promote positions on Israel gamely tried to dilute the importance of between cultures on the grass-roots we would not want Christians to the vote, but this too has been coun- level. They may backpedal on divest- embrace. Others who are sympathetic to tered by the same group of activists who ment not because of love for Israel, but the State are hamstrung by laities so fought for Israel two years before. These so as not to embarrass political candi- divided about Israel that these rabbis friends deserve the thanks and acknowl- dates in their denomination. (Hillary consider it unwise to take a political edgment of all who love Israel. Clinton is a Methodist; a recent candi- stand that could alienate members of It is very unlikely that the victory date for state office in Connecticut who their congregations. Large groups make at the Birmingham General Assembly is a UCC pastor was sharply challenged public statements that try so hard for for his membership in a balance that their tepid rhetoric only church that has a terrible confuses Christians watching from the record on Israel.) sidelines. They can only wonder The bottom line is whether American Jews really support simple. We must offer the Jewish State with enthusiasm, and support to mainline whether they ought to do the same to friends, and seek to con- win their friendship. tain the damage of adver- More and more, it appears that saries. We have fallen the Orthodox community must play a behind many years large, if not dominant, role in any through inaction, while a action plan regarding Christian attitudes consortium of left-leaners toward Israel. and Palestinians have Moreover, committed Christians infiltrated the leadership are often more at ease and less self-con- Jews and Christians gathered at the Portland Convention of churches and their key scious with Orthodox Jews than with Center in Portland, Oregon, in July 2005, in a silent vigil for Israeli victims of Palestinian terror, while the Disciples of agencies, and have any other kind. To Christians on the Christ, who passed a resolution opposing Israel’s West Bank brought their message to right, Orthodox Jews share a belief in a security barrier, held their annual convention inside the center. local churches across God Who speaks to Man, Who makes The resolution followed other Protestant denominations consid- America. There is no His Will known through discrete texts, ering divestment from Israel. telling how successful we Who makes many demands of Man, Photo: Jewish Review will be, but no reason to including some he will not understand doubt that what has but must obey nonetheless, and rewards will be repeated with other denomina- worked in some places can work in and punishes him for his activities. In tions. While, as noted earlier, friends of many more. Find a church with a par- speaking with traditional Jews, commit- Israel can be found in every denomina- ticularly good record on Israel, and you ted Christians know that they will evoke tion, there are simply not as many of will usually find a Jewish group that has understanding rather than muted sneers them—or they have not found a way to reached out to its spiritual leader, or or paternalistic condescension when organize as well as the Presbyterians. congregants, or both. Sponsored trips to they speak of an afterlife, of God’s This is particularly true when their Israel are wonderfully effective. Providence, of the efficacy of prayer. church leadership still remains some- Members of those missions return with Even in liberal denominations, serious what tied to the old upper-class a profoundly changed view of Israel— thinkers—even those with whom we European hatred of Jews that has not her history, legitimacy, value to the disagree regarding many social issues— waned. The American Episcopalians, for United States—and her security needs. admire the depth with which halachah instance, are still bound to the British Who will take responsibility in explores contemporary issues, providing Anglicans, from whom they derived. this arena of our struggle for Israel’s well a nuanced framework in which to con- The other denominations, howev- being? Until now, the heterodox move- duct ethical discussion, as they struggle er, may learn from Birmingham that ments have been responsible for most themselves to find reliable moorings in a opening up arms of welcome to the contact between communities. There is changing world. American Jewish community while stab- no minimizing the good work that While serious Christians have an bing Israel in the back simply will not Reform and Conservative clergy and lay easier time speaking to Orthodox Jews, work. They may understand that divest- people have done, and in many cases, Orthodox Jews have a harder time than ment accomplishes nothing for continue to do in this arena. But there others speaking to Christians. We treat

56 JEWISH ACTION Winter 5767/2006 memory as a mitzvah, and the memory time, will bring up Israel, and will gain said. “When the next Holocaust comes, of two millennia of Christian mistreat- a new perspective. we’ve organized a network of homes ment casts a long shadow over any A coordinated effort of Orthodox across America that has pledged to attempt at rapprochement. Suspicion shuls, particularly in major cities, to become houses of refuge, to which Jews and fear that in the end we will be hurt open channels of communications with can flee and hide.” The thought is both has been bred into our community. religious groups, especially mainline appreciated for its sincerity and pro- Most of us (including this author) see a Protestant ones, could slow the foundly disturbing. Only Hakadosh firm barrier to interfaith theological dia- Palestinian juggernaut. Making tens of Baruch Hu can stay the hands of those logue. We make the mistake of thinking thousands of new friends would be who would destroy us. Our chief con- that any meaningful contact with wonderful, but may not be necessary. cern must always be to secure His pro- Christians falls under the same rubric. We need to create and strengthen tection through our prayers and mitzvot. Meeting with local Christians is enough friends in different churches so He also, however, asks us to act within not the same as interfaith dialogue, that their national leaders cannot have the parameters of “natural” forces. At especially when rabbis do not take part. their way without a fight, without some other times in history, we gratefully (Rabbanim can accomplish much by people rising to the mike and pointing accepted hands of friendship proffered private, discreet friendships with to institutionalized hostility to Israel, by important non-Jews, such as Christian clergy. Especially outside of and the price that will be exacted for it. Antoninus, whose relationship with

MAINLINE PROTESTANTS WHO TURN TO THEIR CHURCH FOR INSIGHT AND INFORMATION ABOUT THE MIDEAST HAVE BEEN TREATED TO A STEADY DIET OF ANTI-ISRAEL PROPAGANDA.

New York, many more are doing this Fliers urging boycotting Caterpillar, Inc., the than is generally realized.) Virtually Illinois-based heavy machinery company that every rav I have spoken to has instantly sells bulldozers to the Israeli army. Caterpillar recognized the distinction. To be sure, has been one of the main targets of the there are weighty halachic issues that Presbyterian Church (USA) divestment cam- paign. Fliers are from CATdestroyshomes.org, a must be carefully addressed. Meetings site maintained by the San should take place in neutral locations, Francisco-based Jewish like a Starbucks, to avoid the halachic Voice for Peace (JVP), a issue of entering a church. Astute think- fringe group that strongly ing must create protocols regarding endorses divestment from Israel. refreshments, so that no element of kashrut be compromised. It must be made clear that theological issues are Rabbi Judah the Prince not what the proposed meetings are helped bring the about—they are about people learning Mishnah to publication, more about their neighbors. and Johannes Reuchlin The contacts are easy to set up. This is within of the fifteenth century, Church groups often seek new activities our grasp. whose intervention res- for their members. A shul member can The first cued the Talmud from call or write, suggesting that as neigh- time I met a the pyre. bors, members of each group should get group of Is there a com- to know each other. An offer to meet in Christian sup- pelling reason to act dif- order to educate one’s Christian neigh- porters of Israel, one saw ferently today? JA bors about Israel will probably not be as my unease, and tried assuring me of her successful. When people meet, topics of group’s deep affection for the Jewish Notes interest to both will come up. The people. “We are not going to allow what 1. See Netziv, Ha’amek Davar, Christian attendees, in the course of happened in Germany. No way,” she Bereishit 33:4.

Winter 5767/2006 JEWISH ACTION 57 2. Edward H. Flannery, The Anguish and is not to be validated theologically.… of the Jews: Twenty-Three Centuries of Further, because land is God’s to be given, it HOLD Antisemitism, rev. (New Jersey, 1985), 91- can never be fully possessed.… The Hebrew 93. prophets made clear to the people of their own THE 3. In 2004, The Institute on Religion day as well, indeed, as any day, that those in and Democracy, an umbrella group of con- possession of “land” have a responsibility and DATE servative elements within the mainline obligation to the disadvantaged, the oppressed, churches, issued a revealing report on four and the “strangers in their gates.” God’s justice, years of human rights advocacy within these unlike ours, is consistently in favor of the pow- denominations. The following is taken from erless (Ps. 103:6). Therefore we, whether the report’s executive summary: Christian or Jew, who affirm the divine prom- TH Overall, criticisms of Israel amounted to ise of land, however land is to be understood, 109 37 percent of the ninety-seven human rights dare not fail to uphold the divine right of the Anniversary criticisms offered by the churches during those dispossessed. We have indeed been agents of the years, only slightly higher than the 32 percent dispossession of others. In particular, we confess of criticisms leveled at the United States. The our complicity in the loss of land by OU remaining 31 percent of criticisms were shared Palestinians…. We disavow any teaching by twenty other nations. For every one criti- which says that peace can be secured without National cism of any other foreign nation, one criticism justice through the exercise of violence and ret- was made of the United States and one of ribution. God’s justice upholds those who cry Dinner Israel. Nearly all churches demonstrated this out against the strong…. “Land” is understood focus on the United States and Israel in their as more than place or property; “land“ is a legislative actions, their statements, their news biblical metaphor for sustainable life, prosperi- sources or all three. ty, peace, and security. We affirm the rights to As a result, nearly three out of four these essentials for the Jewish people. At the human rights criticisms were made of nations same time … we affirm those same rights in designated as free (mostly the United States the name of justice to all peoples. and Israel) by the Freedom House assessments. THE NEW 5. A. Roy Eckardt, Elder and Younger Those rated not free totaled 19 percent of criti- Brothers: The Encounter of Jews and cisms, while partly free nations totaled only 8 YORK Christians (New York, 1967), 172. percent of criticisms. Of the fifteen worst 6. See, for example, the Episcopal human rights offenders in the world, only five HILTON Church’s timeline of the Middle East at were criticized by the churches during the four- http://www.episcopalchurch.org/1866_1904 year period studied. Regions like the Middle East (apart 1_ENG_HTM.htm, which omits almost all from Israel) and Central Asia (former Soviet important context and balance. In 1948, the SUNDAY War of Independence creates 650,000 republics) were the most notable areas ignored TH by the churches in their human rights advoca- Palestinian refugees—but no mention of the MAY 20 cy. Partly free nations, where church influence expulsion of Jews from Arab lands. In 1967, might be most effective in widening the limit- Israel conquers the Golan, Sinai and the 2007 ed civic space already open to indigenous West Bank and creates 600,000 more Christians and other citizens, received the least refugees—but no mention of the threats to attention. drive Israel into the sea that precipitated Israel’s defensive action. Israel “invades RECEPTION AT 5:00 PM 4. A 1987 document, A Theological Understanding of the Relationship Between Lebanon” in both 1978 and 1972—in nei- DINNER AT 6:00 PM Christians and Jews (Presbyterian Church ther case are the waves of terrorist attacks [USA], Louisville) outlined the struggle and from the north mentioned. In 2002, “the the substance of one church’s attempt to reoccupation of Palestinian territory arrive at a new understanding and apprecia- begins”—once again, without mention of tion of the Jewish people. Its section on the suicide bombings that led to them. Israel shows how difficult it can be to bal- Israel is portrayed almost uniformly as the ance competing interests, and how unsatis- big bully on the block. fying the conclusions can be to both 7. http://www.pcusa.org/today/ Christians and Jews. Here are a few quotes: department/go-figure/past/2005/gf- The State of Israel is a geopolitical entity 0605.htm. 58 JEWISH ACTION Winter 5767/2006 Winter 5767/2006 JEWISH ACTION 59