■ 19 January 2011 | 5:00 AM
Bridge over troubled waters
On Jan. 12, I attended a meeting at the Jewish Community Center in Virginia Beach that, had I not been there to observe with my own eyes and ears, I would not believe could happen.
The speaker was Victor Styrsky, Eastern regional coordinator for Christians United For Israel, a group that supports Israel on its merits and the Jewish people in general. I came to understand that these Christians are supporting us as an integral part of their religion, without any apparent agenda at all other than their desire to learn, understand and accept our similarities and differences as children of the same God.
As a Jew, I'm more used to experiencing organized Christian indifference at best, or the Presbyterian Church's recent decision to join the divestment campaign against Israel while continuing to fund messianic efforts to target Jews for conversion, or the hate-filled ranting of the Westbury Baptists who picketed Temple Israel not that long ago.
To be in a room full of Christian leaders who were not only willing to accept me as a Jew with no strings attached but to love me for being a Jew touched me very deeply. I have heard stories of righteous Gentiles who helped save Jews from the Holocaust, but I was pleased if not amazed to be in the company of a loving group here in Hampton Roads interested in overcoming some of the misunderstanding and even hatred that has existed between our two religions.
Their next local program will be March 6 at the Founders Inn.
Arthur H. Rosenfeld
Norfolk
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Don't be fooled.
While I welcome friendship and understanding among all people, those Israel loving Christians are just giving their support because they believe it is necessary for the return of their messiah after which you and I will no longer be of use unless we convert. Anyone who really cares about Israel or Jews would want to see a more just Israel without the terrible racism, human rights abuse, and increasing apartheid that only makes it and us less secure. Blind support of militant Zionism isn't a sign of honest friendship.
Don't be Fooled
Al, I DO understand your reluctance to believe these guys mean what they say, and I'm obviously not going to change your mind with my still limited knowledge of this group. However, I hope that Dennis Prager, a very knowledgeable Jewish talk show host, lecturer, and co-author of two well reviewed books on Judaism and Anti-Semitism might have more credibility for you. I recently watched his 30-minute talk about CUFI on you tube, in which he addressed all the issues that you have raised, and I was impressed by what he had to say.
He started his talk with these words. taken directly from the transcript: "This will help you understand why there is resistance in Jewish life to your magnificent outreach to the Jewish community. Jews don’t trust anybody. I do but most Jews don’t. There’s a voice in most Jews when they meet a Christian — if there were another Holocaust, would this person be a persecutor, a bystander or a rescuer?
"They don’t tell you this. They won’t tell you this. It sounds sick.
“Whenever I’m in your company, I believe I’m with rescuers.”
You can review this talk yourself at http:lukeford.net/blog/?p=19644
Let's communicate again after you hear this for yourself.
Your broad brush of bigotry
is an outrageous and insulting accusation by someone that often professes his own enlightenment on these pages. You have no idea of the motives of Christians, especially those bridging the religious gap between Judaism and Christianity. Yet, once again, you speak as if you've met every gentile and know factually what's in their heart. And this is what passes as tolerance. Shameful!
Without casting aspersions
based on your postings,you are hardly the person to be accusing anyone of intolerance.
Really, I don't recall ever
commenting as enlightened or tolerant. I don't espouse broad or even narrow acceptance of any position because of political correctness. I base my support on the side of the issue that appeals to my sense of justice, values, beliefs and fairness. But I certainly have a clearer understanding of your loathing for Christians and the constant attack against us. So let me ask you; should we not have armed and supported Israel during her 6 wars since independence or was that just pandering to militant Zionism? Has our support for Israel been just a ploy by the majority Christian population to garner the Lord's acceptance because we can show God we demonstrably (albeit, fraudulently) supported the Jewish people and Israeli Nation (but not really, we're just good at hoodwinking Jews and even God Himself)? So I'm my brothers keeper, unless of course he's a Jew, then I'm only his keeper to endear myself to God (then I can drop him like a bad habit after I receive God's approval). Is that really the motives and conduct you assign to Christians?
Bridge over troubled waters
Look up "Replacement Theology" on the Internet. Those Christians who believe that God replaced the Jews with the church after we rejected Christ may well think or act the way that you suggest. However, those Christians who reject this theory are open to the fact that Jesus lived and died as a Jew, and that Judaism is the respected base that Christianity was built on. They want nothing from the Jews other than to accept their apology for the terrible things that were done to Jews by Christians, and they are actively working to undo as much damage as they can. Give them the chance to do this.
That's a good thing
I am glad that people of different faiths can overcome the past and learn to accept and respect each other but you were talking about "Christians United For Israel which is another thing entirely. Israel is a country Judaism is a religion they are not synonymous. Support of another country is a political agenda which is what I was pointing out. I can reach out to Muslims seeking mutual understanding without avowing support for Iran or Saudi Arabia.
Israel, a state AND a people
If you read the literature of Christians United For Israel, you will see as I did that these Christians think of Israel in the biblical sense, and the same way that Jews did before the state was declared in 1948. We referred to ourselves then, and still sometimes now, as "the children of Israel", and I see CUFI working to support BOTH the state AND the people. I agree that Jews have been fooled by temporary Christian support over the ages, but why not give these folks the benefit of the doubt and not reject their overture of friendship and support out of hand?
Bridge over troubled waters
Look up "Replacement Theology" on the Internet. Those Christians who believe that God replaced the Jews with the church after we rejected Christ may well think or act the way that you suggest. However, those Christians who reject this theory are open to the fact that Jesus lived and died as a Jew, and that Judaism is the respected base that Christianity was built on. They want nothing from the Jews other than to accept their apology for the terrible things that were done to Jews by Christians, and they are actively working to undo as much damage as they can. Give them the chance to do this.
Strange and illconsidered Bedfellows
It should be further noted that "Christians United For Israel" is led by none other than John Hagee, known more for extremist, intolerant ideas than for his love of Jews. His organization brings our old friends in the right-wing Evangelist community to the fore in rabid support Israel's worst policies. Your reference to his eschewing of "Replacement Theology" lets me know that you are more than a little involved in this organization.