Rachel

Tabachnick

With friends like these

Jews

and Christians, Democrats

as

to

l increasinglyinked right-wing political agendasin

Israel is

the United States. This situation has been exacerbated as controond Jewish holocaust before Jeversial American broadcaster sus returns. Survivingews J must Glenn Beck has tried to remake accept Jesus before 1000-year himself into Israel's champion. Christian Utopia,uled from Jer Beck, who is currently Israel in rusalem, can begin. to lead his "Restoring Beck's cultivation of Israeli Courage" in rally Jerusalem, has become in marginaland toxic figure the United States. So much so that Fox News ended his daily show earlier thisyear. Beck has used his media platforms to promote secular antiSemitic conspiracy theorists and e evangelicalnd-times prophets. What these two groups have in common is an obsession with Jews and the belief that Jews control and manipulate the lives and destiny non-Jews. of Although Beck is convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Saints (Mormonism), Latter-day he has developedclose ties with who are group of evangelicals career Christian Zionists. Beck headlined this year'sconference of Christians United for Israel (CUFI), founded by televangelist John Hagee. Hagee had appeared several times on Beck's show, inone where theyspeculateluding ed the earth as we know itwould end within 20 years. Beck's embrace by Israeli leaders is further indication to Americans that support for Israel is becoming linked to an extreme U.S. TV commentator Glenn Beck speaking the Knesset last month. to political agenda in the United States. This threatens to alienate tried to make himself into Israel'schampion

Republicans. this Ironically, alienation of Israel is seen by Christian Zionists as fulfilling end-times prophecy, which, theyclaim, requires sec-

and

leaders follows, step by step,the instructions Christian Zionists have used to gain access to Jewish communities and leaders. One of the most popularof these manuals is the 2001 book, "Your People Shall Be My People,"y Don Finb to. Finto's network of evangelists is encouraging churches around the world to "bless Israel" by supMessianic Jewish minisporting tries and proselytizing Jews. His

book has been

promoted internationally, includingy directors of b

Hagee'sCUFI.

Finto's book provides instructions to: )1void overt proselytiz- rative in which Jews hold power a over the future of Gentiles. ing, )2 ocally v repent of the Holocaust, tellJews that Christian One week before announc)3 Zionist support is modeled after ing his candidacyfor president, the biblical story of Ruth with Texas Governor Rick Perry led no attached, and eman in sta)4 strings all-day prayer rally dium in Houston. Don Finto led phasizethat Christian Zionists are Israel'sonlyfriends in an in the prayer for Israel and openly called for Israelis and all Jews to accept Jesus in order to bring "a great revival to the entire world." m Fortunately,ost Christians today do not accept this intero pretationf the bible and do not believe they must convert Jews or promote the evangehzationf o Israel in order to bring about on Christian Utopia earth. Unforsome Jewish leaders are tunately, determined to help Glenn Beck and Christian Zionists camouflage their attack on Jews and Judaism, that apparently believing thisisin Israel's best interest. Judgingfrom the warm reception Beck received at the Knesset last month, many Israeli public are unaware of just how figures problematiche is. If many of them decide to participate his in Jerusalem rally,hey risk ident Israel with all he repretifying sents. Israel's relationship with mainstream Jewish-Americans will suffer immense damage, as will itsinternational image. The writer is an independent researcher specializing in Christian Zionism in the United
States

hostileworld. creasingly Simultaneously these evangelistselp to foment hostility h toward Jews by teaching nar-

AP

Beck,

marginaland

toxic

has figure,