This week, the 39th World Zionist Congress is meeting in Jerusalem from October 28-30. One of the parties has submitted the following resolution to be decided upon by the gathered members from around the world. It reads:
Strengthening Relations with Christian Zionist Allies
Whereas, from the very inception of the Zionist movement, faithful Christian allies have played a pivotal role, beginning with Rev. William Hechler who supported Theodor Herzl at the dawn of political Zionism, continuing through the devout Lord Arthur Balfour, whose declaration paved the way for Jewish sovereignty, to President Harry S. Truman who was the first to recognize the reborn State of Israel in 1948, and extending to the millions of Christian Zionists worldwide who, until today, stand unwaveringly with Israel even as other allies have faltered and turned against Israel;
and Whereas the Torah affirms the role of the Nations in assisting the return of the Jewish people to their ancestral homeland, as it is written: “Behold, I will lift up My hand to the nations, and set up My banner to the peoples; and they shall bring your sons in their arms, and your daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders” (Isaiah 49:22);
and Whereas Aliyah and the Ingathering of the Exiles, are among the foremost goals of the World Zionist Organization and the National Institutions, and Christian Zionists have proven to be vital allies in this sacred mission;
and Whereas Israel’s enemies are actively working to undermine Christian support for the Jewish state, and proactive cultivation of the next generation’s commitment to Israel is required to ensure the strength of this critical alliance and its impact on diplomatic affairs in support of Israel, at a time when Israel faces unprecedented challenges;
Therefore, the Zionist Congress XXXIX resolves to:
1. Express profound gratitude to Christian Zionists for their steadfast friendship and solidarity with the Jewish people and the State of Israel;
2. Support the strengthening bonds with Christian Zionists worldwide, including initiatives to welcome them to Israel;
3. Establish a formal department within the World Zionist Organization dedicated to Christian Zionist cooperation, ensuring ongoing dialogue and coordination;
4. Prioritize educational outreach and engagement with young Christians through targeted programs, digital initiatives, and youth leadership development, including programs such as a “Birthright”-style experience for young Christians;
5. Encourage shlichim (emissaries) from the National Institutions to engage with Christian Zionist communities, teaching Bible, Hebrew, and the history of Zionism;
6. Actively fight the persecution of Christians in the Middle East, as a moral responsibility and a natural outgrowth of Jewish-Christian solidarity;
7. Create recognition programs to honor outstanding Righteous Gentiles and Christian Zionist leaders who have significantly advanced Israel’s cause;
8. Expand opportunities for Christian volunteers to serve in Israel, in fields such as agriculture, as a living expression of Isaiah’s vision of the Nations of the world aiding Zion.
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With all due respect toward the peoples of the world, is the wording of these proposals in the best interest of the Jewish State? Should it not be amended? In my humble opinion, this strengthening of relations and potential flood of Christian involvement in Israel could lead to their influencing Israeli society.
While Christian political support in the USA is most welcome, it is known that Christian organizations also grant large sums of money to a wide variety of causes in Israel, including the Jewish Agency, Nefesh b’Nefesh, Lone Soldiers, olim, hospitals, emergency health-care units, settlements, development towns, political parties, pro-Israel activists, and more. Is this a healthy thing? Do we want to promote more of the same?
Should we take money from Christian organizations? That is one of the crucial questions. Other concerns are possible, such as intermarriage when Christian volunteers meet Israeli Jewish girls. And let’s not forget the possibility of missionizing which is already rampant in the Jewish State.
Regarding the question of receiving financial support from Christians, the late Chief Rabbi, Rav Avraham Shapira zts"l was firmly against it.
And Rabbi Shlomo Aviner, shlita, writes:
“Christian organizations and churches are exploiting the war against us to channel hundreds of millions of dollars to the IDF. And why is that? As is well known, Christianity has a long-standing goal: to Christianize all of humanity - and especially the Jewish people.
“Why specifically the Jews? Because when the Nation of Israel refused to accept Jesus, the Christians declared that they had replaced Israel - that they are the ‘true Israel,’ Verus Israel - what is known as the ‘Replacement Theology’
“Here is how they carried out this mission:
Stage One: The Inquisition and executions. Thank God, that did not succeed.
Stage Two: Forcing Jews to attend church sermons in order to convince them. Thank God, that too failed.
Stage Three: Our current stage - distributing vast sums of money to various needy people and organizations, in order to draw them emotionally closer to Christianity.
“Of course, the great Sages of Israel forbade this absolutely. This prohibition appears in the Torah, the Mishnah, the Talmud, the writings of the Rishonim and Acharonim - yet the lure of money is very powerful. Therefore, hundreds of leading Rabbinic authorities in our Land have published sharp proclamations against this practice.
“Unfortunately, even that did not completely stop it - for example, with regard to the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, the Church of the Eagle’s Mount, and others. As mentioned, the love of money blinds.
“Certainly, it is a great mitzvah to help our soldiers. But as is well known, one may not perform a mitzvah through a transgression. On the contrary - the Christian enemy is even more dangerous than the Arab enemy: “Greater is one who causes another to sin than one who kills him.”
“It goes without saying that these Christian organizations do not hide their purpose when speaking amongst fellow Christians - to bring Jesus into homes as the 'Redeemer' and 'Savior.'
“Invariably, one sin leads to another. For instance, one of the directors of ZAKA traveled to America for a Christian prayer ceremony in a church. He even embraced a Christian woman pastor who had brought money to meeting. She shouted enthusiastically: ‘Jesus is coming!’
“Therefore:
A. It is forbidden to accept Christian money or equipment.
B. Whoever has already accepted such funds must return them.
C. If that is impossible, he must throw them away.
“A story is told of Rabbi Yehoshua Leib Diskin, zt”l. A donation in dollars arrived for the Diskin Orphanage. He was concerned and instructed that it be put aside. When a second donation came, he gave the same instruction. When a third donation arrived, this time explicitly mentioning the name of Jesus, he ordered that it be thrown away...
“Therefore, we remind all our brothers and sisters, the House of Israel: It is forbidden to accept Christian money, even for the sake of our soldiers.
“We believe in God. He will not abandon us.”