As a political consultant, I often am perplexed at the attitude of the Jewish community to many of the conservative causes that I work for. As one who works for The Moledet Party, Zionist Organization of America and many others, at no time I have been so perplexed as in my current position as Media Director for The Christian Coalition of America.
As Israel faces terrorist bombings day after day, Anti-Semitism like we haven't seen since World War Two, assimilation and so many other evils, Abraham Foxman and many others tell us "Beware of the Christians, they want you to convert." As one who speaks with the Coalition's President ten times a day and maintains a working relationship with Pat Robertson and all of the leading Evangelicals in the United States, I can personally tell you that never once has the leadership of the Coalition asked me to convert. The leadership of the mainstream evangelical community is very sensitive to this issue, and while they choose Jesus as their savior, they understand that we don't.
Our response to this fear of them coming to get us should be to encourage further Jewish education to our youth. If we educate our children at an early age, teach them to fear G-d, celebrate holidays and don tefillin, no one will be able to convert us or bend us from our views. Instead of worrying about what "they" are doing, let's look inward. Encourage Jewish values in schools, send your children to day school and to learn in Israel.
The whole world is trying to kill us, and these folks care for Israel and raise money, that, both Israel and the Jewish people needs. Would we rather that the Christian movement shunned us as so many others do?
As I managed the hundreds of media correspondents, and made statements on behalf of the Christian Coalition countless times this past weekend at the organization's annual conference, I felt at home, and in fact more at home than I do in many Jewish events. I sat and saw individuals who urged their lawmakers to fear God and to say "This is our land and we will think of God when we make decisions." Imagine if of the leaders of Israel only said the same things? Could one imagine if Abe Foxman and the Jewish leaders of this country followed the laws of our Holy Torah and urged people to be closer to the Torah?
Prayer in school, In God we trust and Pro-family judges scare us? The politicians and clergymen there, white and black, from all over this great country, spoke of the need for the Christian Community to support not only Israel, but also to support prayer. I wholeheartedly agree that those who fear God are better people, and will make this country better.
The Christian Coalition has 2 Million pro-family supporters, and have influence in the White House. I know on a first hand basis that their Pro-Israel rally this past weekend at which 10,000 people attended had more influence on The White House and world leaders than the Jewish community's pro-Israel rally did a few months ago. One Christian rally does more than 100 Jewish rallies.
The truth of the matter is that before many Jews read the Torah, they read the party line of the Democratic Party (or the Labor Party in Israel) which is their Bible. Their Judaism consists of a pro-homosexual agenda, raisingt axes and opposing anything which favors a large family, essentially all things which our Torah opposes, if they would care to read it. Perhaps the issue and the problem which the Jewish community needs to address is why they are so liberal that the Christians who recognize and respect God everyday scare them so much. Could it be that the ?God? of the Jewish people so often seems to be liberal values, instead of traditional Jewish values?
Many of those liberals are on the frontlines of those telling us to beware of the Christians, that they are the exact same people who told us to "give Arafat a chance", despite the fact that he had killed more Jews than anyone since Hitler. Oslo was a disaster, but in the interest of liberal values, we were told, give it a chance, yet, when the Christian Coalition and evangelical community want to help us politically, give money, travel to Israel, and have real influence in the White House, we shun it.
The Christian Coalition of America is one of the most potent political forces in this country, and I am proud to work for them. As a God fearing Jew, I see eye to eye with them, not only on their Israel agenda, but also on their pro-family agenda, and urge the rest of the Jewish community to join me, and utilize real politick when analyzing their support. Pass the bible, pass the ammunition, and pass the Christians your tickets to Israel, for while we condemn them, they are going and spending money keeping Jewish families safe and financially secure in the Jewish state. When the other issue comes up, let's deal with it. Till then, urge them to support us and let's help them.
Shame on us for questioning them. We have Farrakhan, Arafat and the European Union. Do we need to question the one community who wants to help us? I for one will continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with the Christian Coalition, work for them and push the Israel and Pro-family agenda, which despite Abe Foxman's misgivings, is in fact in the best interest of the Jewish community.
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Ronn D. Torossian is a political consultant