"A bond that will last for generations": the cooperation between the pastor and the Jewish-American leader and their commitment to Israel | Israel today

A Christian priest, a Jewish leader and an Israeli journalist enter the room and talk.

This is not a joke, nor is it a routine event, but at the beginning of the week we met in Jerusalem.

John Hagee is one of the most influential priests in the United States, and perhaps in the Americas in general. The war in Ukraine raised Heigy two million dollars to help rescue and bring Jewish refugees to Israel. Last week he spent a night at Ben Gurion Airport to "watch with his own eyes the arrival of refugees from the plane. It was exciting," he says.

Honline and Heine, this week, Photo: Naama Stern

On Sunday, he received two awards for his work for Israel, one from the Begin Heritage Center and the other from the Great Synagogue.

In both cases, his friend Malcolm Honlein, who serves as president of the Great Synagogue in Jerusalem, awarded him the decorations.

The 82-year-old pastor was very excited.

The collaboration between him and Honlein, one of the most prominent leaders of American Jewry in the last 50 years, was born in the late 1980s. "I had concerns and there were fears.

This is not an obvious relationship, but after 30 years, I can say that there was not even a single moment of tension.

I have never regretted it, "says Honline, a kippah wearer whose children and grandchildren are yeshiva students.

Interview with John Hagee and Malcolm Honline // Photo: Yoni Rickner

While Jewish-American leadership ties with pro-Israel Christians have long become routine, many in the country are still reluctant, despite the growing importance of the evangelical movement in shaping Israel-US relations and strengthening American commitment to Israel.

US administration on the way to a new agreement with Iran?

The Bushhar nuclear reactor ,, Photo: AFP

The US administration is about to reach a new agreement with Iran, with the aim of preventing it from reaching a nuclear capability.

Is this the right policy?

Hagee: "The Biden administration's policy is very weak, and President Biden is doing everything he can to make it worse. The current policy will end with one day, in mystery and surprise, Iran will have a bomb. Because Iran is breaking all the rules. The United States, led by Biden, Turns Iran and Russia into a partnership, by continuing to buy gas from Russia, and Russia is using this money to finance the attack on Ukraine.

Would you as a partner want a nation whose extremist Muslim leaders want to kill every Jew on European soil?

I can think of nothing that will make believers rise up against the current presidency more than that. "

Honlein: "I still hope there will be efforts to make the seemingly sensible agreement a little more sensible, and that Iran will not receive tens of billions of dollars to arm its sponsors. "They will look for other allies, including Iran."

Spiritual fusion

For many in the Israeli public, even such a status of a leading Christian priest, sitting with a Jewish leader, in this case Orthodox, is unnatural and even illogical.

So what does this mean when talking about the Judeo-Christian tradition?

Hagee: "I could write a book on this question ... The collaboration began with my appeal to the Orthodox rabbi, Arie Sheinberg (rabbi of the San Antonio Peace Texas Congregation, who passed away less than a year ago, etc.).

He became the most precious friend I ever had.

I proposed cooperation between Christians and Jews.

It was 1981 and both parties thought I was crazy.

I went to meet the Jewish Federation, they were scared.

But there was a spiritual fusion between me and Rabbi Sheinberg.

I explained that I wanted to protect the Jewish people, and not harm them, that Israel is not a political issue but a biblical one, which begins in the book of Genesis, when God gave the Land of Israel to the people of Israel.

"The first joint evening we held in honor of Israel, despite all the misunderstandings, was a huge success. But, there was also a threat from neo-Nazis who claimed to be planting a bomb. I told my wife that evening that we would continue to hold a tribute to Israel until these neo-Nazis got used to it. "The message in every way possible. Lectures, videos, instruction books, I went from place to place and from country to country, and it caught on exceptionally. I think these ties, between evangelicals and Orthodox Jews, will continue for future generations, just as we do at the moment."

What will you say to Jews who are still afraid of you?

Hagee: "That the evangelical movement does not want to convert you. If missionaryism was our mission, then we are the most failed organization in the world ... we are spiritual brothers, sons of one spiritual father, Abraham. And we work for a common goal, according to the Bible," And I will bless you with your blessings, and curse your light.

The commandment examines us according to our attitude toward the Jews.

We are on the right side of history and on the right side of Scripture.

People who worry about things that happened a hundred years ago (referring to Messianic-Christian movements, etc.) should turn a page.

Malcolm, as you know, even secular Jews have difficulty with this cooperation.

How do you calm them down?

Honline: "I think it is precisely among seculars that there is greater concern than cooperation. But my answer to them - look at what is happening. There is a proven track record of success over several decades. Doubts about the past are understandable, and they have historical justification. But change needs to be noted.

"There is a pragmatic issue here, not just religious. We need coalitions in the fight against anti-Semitism and activity for Israel, and here you have tens of millions who support you. Will we turn our backs on them?"

No longer rival religions

In your vision, Christianity and Judaism are no longer rivals, but cooperating religions?

Honlein: "We respect each other and each other's beliefs, how does that not mean we agree on everything. When the Messiah comes, we will ask him if he was in the past Jesus. If so, we will apologize, and if not, they will apologize. But seriously, "What we have in common is much broader than what separates. In all my years of activity with the pastor, I have not encountered anything that would challenge my Jewish principles, as an Orthodox Jew. And it must be said that sometimes their standing for the State of Israel is stronger than we stand."

Hagee: "In the Bible they were never competing religions.

There were people who distorted them for their own purposes and turned them into competitors, but they were antisemitic.

When Jesus brought Christianity to us, saying that 'Jews will have salvation,' many Christians simply ignored it.

But what does Judeo-Christian mean?

Judaism does not need Christianity to exist.

Christianity, on the other hand, cannot explain its existence without Judaism.

So we are connected from the root. "

According to some surveys, the younger generation in the evangelical community is less committed to Israel than the parent generation.

is it true?

Hagee: "It's all a matter of exposure. Our schools have 700 students and staff who sing Jewish songs, and celebrate Jewish holidays. 23,000 young people come to our church, and they and all our youth departments are well acquainted with Jewish songs, Jewish traditions and so on. Because they were educated To respect the Jewish people. "

One of the highlights of my life

One of the historic moves that Heigi has played a significant part in is the US recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel - an event in which the combination of his strong religious faith, support for Israel and his political power was well expressed. Crucial dinner, July 2017.

Convinced to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, former President Trump, Photo: AP

"My wife and I paid a private visit to the White House. He came in, applauded, and was very pleased. After a few minutes he raised the issue, 'What are we doing with the issue of Jerusalem?' He replied, 'Many leaders in the world have told me that if I do, war will break out.' I thought the exact opposite would happen. ' "History should move forward and start making peace with people who want it. Do it, and let them (the Palestinians) adapt."

"And I added: once every 50 years, the Jubilee year is celebrated in Israel (according to what is said in the Torah, etc.).

1917 was a jubilee year in which the Balfour Declaration was presented.

In 1967, the Six Day War broke out, doubling Israel's territory, and Jerusalem was reconnected to the Jewish state.

"And here we are in 2017. It's a jubilee year, and you, Mr. President, are the only person on the stage of history who can make this thing happen. And if you do, you will live a political eternal life." "I'm not. A few weeks later, he recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and later moved the embassy. I was invited by Ambassador David Friedman to the ceremony, and it was one of the highlights of my life."

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