The New Christian Zionism and the Jews: A Love/Hate Relationship

Vice President Mike Pence shakes John Hagee’s hand and delivers remarks at the Christians United for Israel Washington Summit in Washington, D.C. Monday, July 8, 2019. (Official White House Photo/Flickr)

In late October, Holocaust survivor and Nobel Peace laureate Elie Wiesel addressed a Christians United for Israel (CUFI) event hosted by John Hagee at his Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, Texas. The event, broadcast internationally on GodTV, featured Hagee presenting $9 million in donations to 29 Israeli and U.S. Jewish organizations. Hagee, a prominent televangelist and author, prophesies that apocalyptic wars and the return of Jews to the holy land will precede the return of Jesus and his thousand-year reign.

Wiesel joined a list of Jews and Israelis who have shown no discomfort in being central to another’s apocalyptic vision. Supporting Hagee are groups like the American Israel Political Action Committee, which hosted him as a keynote speaker in 2007, and Israeli ambassador Michael Oren, who attended a CUFI summit in July.

Meanwhile, a different kind of “pro-Israel” gathering took place across the country. J Street, a “pro-peace, pro-Israel” lobby group, held its first national conference in Washington, D.C., featuring panels with American, Israeli, and Palestinian speakers. The event, held at the Grand Hyatt, explicitly aimed to challenge “right-wing Christian Zionists”—the very group Elie Wiesel was addressing.

J Street’s leaders are not the first in the Jewish community to resist Christian Zionism, a movement that ties the State of Israel to end-times prophecies. Rabbi Eric Yoffie of the Reform Judaism’s Religious Action Center has called for rejecting alliances with Christian Zionists for Israel’s sake. However, there has been limited education within the Jewish community about these beliefs. Some Jews avoid criticizing Christian Zionists due to concerns over interfaith relations, though Christians often criticize figures like Hagee.

Their activism is driven by beliefs about the End Times. Traditional fundamentalist leaders of the movement argue that the return of Jews to the Holy Land is essential for these prophecies. This belief shapes their political and religious engagement, influencing both domestic and international policies. The tension between these groups highlights differing views on the role of Israel in global religious and political contexts.

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