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No room for evangelicals By Colette Avital Tags: Israel, Jewish Agency  Since its inception in 1929, the Jewish Agency has played a crucial role, first, in the creation, and later, in the development, of the State of Israel. After statehood was declared in 1948, the Agency spearheaded the ingathering of Jewish immigrants, and it has played a crucial role in the physical building-up of the country and the galvanizing of its identity. The contribution of the Jewish Agency to the strengthening of Israel, to Jewish education and to our ties with Diaspora Jews has been immeasurable. In recent years, the Agency has continued to demonstrate to both the Israeli public and to Jews the world over that it still has a vital role to play. Its performance in times of crisis made it the object of admiration. For the Jewish Agency is, by definition, a global partnership between the Jews of the world and those living in Israel: between the World Zionist Organization, the United Israel Appeal (UIA), the United Jewish Communities (UJC) and Keren Hayesod. The various bodies and individuals comprising the Agency's leadership are meant to ensure a wide representation of Jews the world over. These, in turn, coordinate their actions with the government of Israel. The stated missions of the Jewish Agency are currently: the encouragement of aliyah, of Jewish-Zionist education and of Jewish solidarity. I was therefore surprised to discover, not long ago, that the Agency has decided to name Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein to its executive board. Rabbi Eckstein, an honorable man whose good deeds are well-known and publicized, has made it his business over the years to raise funds from among evangelical Christians in the United States. It is thanks to the large contributions of the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ), the organization he founded and heads, to the budget of the Jewish Agency that he was invited to join its leadership. Advertisement Let me be clear: I have no objection whatsoever to Rabbi Eckstein as an individual, nor do I doubt his sincerity or devotion. My objection to his appointment is not personal. I do, however, find it highly objectionable that an organization such as the Jewish Agency, with its glorious tradition, should choose to put a representative on its executive board because of the money he collects. Why not substitute the entire board with big donors? More important, in my mind, is the fact that the money so generously provided comes from evangelicals, whose views and purposes are, alas, well-known. Throughout my life and diplomatic career I have fostered warm and friendly relations with many Christian individuals and religious leaders. Wherever I have served, I have always strived for a rapprochement between Christians and Jews. Yet I find the idea of evangelicals donating large sums of money to Israel disturbing, both because of their belief in the "Second Coming" and because of their stated mission: "We know that we must wait for God to bring about the fullness of the kingdom at Christ's return." Allow me to explain. In a survey conducted some time ago by Time/CNN, over one third of America's 40-50 million evangelical Christians said they support Israel because they believe the Bible teaches that Jesus cannot return before the Jews possess their own state in all of the Holy Land. They believe that the nation of Israel will play a pivotal role in the unfolding of "end-time" events. In the past decade, such Christians have become some of Israel's best friends. With my own ears, I have heard them passionately declare that Israel should not be allowed to abandon one inch of territory, since this is God's will. These dispensationalist evangelicals are staunch supporters of Rabbi Eckstein's IFCJ. Moreover, in their commitment to keep Israel strong and moving in the directions prophesied by the Bible, they support some of the most extreme elements in Israeli society. By aiding these groups both financially and morally, they try to help create the future they envision. As is true for many Israeli citizens, I feel very uneasy, to say the least, when their money buys a seat on the executive board of the Jewish Agency. MK Colette Avital (Labor) is a member of the parliament's Committee for Immigration, Absorption, and Diaspora Affairs. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Passover in Damascus Syria's 100 remaining Jews say they feel free to celebrate Passover openly. Shanghai surprise A Jewish couple in Shanghai weds inside a synagogue for the first time since WWII.   1.   crocodile tears 11:11  |  Bonnie 01/02/08   2.   We Should Accept Their Friendship- Not Their Money 11:35  |  Yishai Kohen 01/02/08   3.   Evangelicals support of Israel = Israel`s end 11:39  |  David 01/02/08   4.   Not so hasty Colette 11:51  |  Natallie Durson 01/02/08   5.   no room for evangelicals 12:11  |  jeb 01/02/08   6.   "and there were sealed a 144000 of all the tribes of Israel" 12:16  |  mary for jews 01/02/08   7.   Avital should rather disclose Israel-haters funding Israeli Left 12:23  |  Absolute Sweden 01/02/08   8.   Evangelical Donations and the Policy of Schnurr 12:25  |  Eli 01/02/08   9.   David is absolutely right 12:45  |  Miriam Seshadri 01/02/08   10.   Embarrassment 12:54  |  rcl 01/02/08   11.   thank you colette! 12:55  |  eric 01/02/08   12.   Of course, Either Jews convert or they are put to the swords 12:56  |  El-Birawi 01/02/08   13.   America Must Elect and Evangelical Christian President . 13:18  |  Joseph . E 01/02/08   14.   They don`t like Jews, but LOVE Israel, the Greater version. 13:38  |  Daniella Harter 01/02/08   15.   Is Christ really about to return soon? 13:40  |  Michael 01/02/08   16.   colette avital has no reason to worry 13:47  |  jeb 01/02/08   17.   Horror story 13:59  |  Esther 01/02/08   18.   Evangilical support for Israel 14:21  |  Hilda 01/02/08   19.   there are other reasons to be wary of evangelicals 14:26  |  Ben 01/02/08   20.   So, who cares what they `believe`??? 14:47  |  Nechama 01/02/08   21.   Was She the one contending for Presidency ? 14:51  |  Joseph . E 01/02/08   22.   evangelicals 14:56  |  j10 01/02/08   23.   How Strange That Colette is Protesting such Evangelical Support 14:57  |  Joseph . E 01/02/08   24.   The demise of Judaism are their goal 15:15  |  Samantha 01/02/08   25.   Return evil for good 15:20  |  Martin 01/02/08   26.   Knock your friends, help your enemies 15:28  |  sarahchabrowe 01/02/08   27.   Educating Esther 15:41  |  Yishai Kohen 01/02/08   28.   MK Collette is working against Jews for Jesus for years. Shame 15:45  |  Yaakov Sullivan 01/02/08   29.   3 Absolutely true! Avital has always been... 15:47  |  bat yam 01/02/08   30.   #15 . I hope Christ will return soon and we make peace between us 15:48  |  Yaakov Sullivan 01/02/08   31.   What about people how desecrate the Sabbath?? 16:07  |  Dr Lisa 01/02/08   32.   Israeli left should stop accepting donations from EU 16:08  |  Herbert Kaine 01/02/08   33.   Michael, #15, thank you 16:09  |  nina 01/02/08   34.   wrong evangelicals okay. leftist self hating jews NO! room for 16:49  |  ralph 01/02/08   35.   I AM CHRISTIAN 16:52  |  jose marcio 01/02/08   36.   sad, isn`t it? 16:55  |  Daniel 01/02/08   37.   to # 27 - educating Esther 17:02  |  Daniel 01/02/08   38.   Wake Up And Smell The Coffee Secular Folks 17:11  |  Yosemite 01/02/08   39.   Christian support for Israel 17:15  |  Maurice 01/02/08   40.   Re repetitious Yishai #27 17:31  |  Esther 01/02/08   41.   Logical: Israeli - Arab Alliance 17:49  |  st dortenik 01/02/08   42.   Evangelicals 17:52  |  Shmuelshachor 01/02/08   43.   What To Do About Evangelicals 17:53  |  Yosemite 01/02/08   44.   Ingrate - Idiotic Ingrate 18:02  |  Tod Zuckerman 01/02/08   45.   Response to Ben 18:05  |  Jill 01/02/08   46.   You want us to refuse money? 18:10  |  Simon 01/02/08   47.   no room for evangelicals? 18:27  |  G.George Duraisingh 01/02/08   48.   Contextualizing the Evangelical contribution 18:38  |  David Hoffman 01/02/08   49.   G_d`s Granted Israel to Hebrews, Not Jews 19:19  |  DoubleClick 01/02/08   50.   Unreliable friends 19:37  |  Colin Wright 01/02/08   51.   # 12 El Birawi.....How many world citizens 19:40  |  Lynn 01/02/08   52.   Can we hate Christian Zionists without being antisemites? 19:41  |  Chanalau, Tova 01/02/08   53.   Israelis & the Jewish Agency 19:45  |  Lev 01/02/08   54.   Beyond Himmler`s dreams 20:02  |  W 01/02/08   55.   Evangelical Zionists better than self hating Jews 20:06  |  David 01/02/08   56.   Nice try once again #28 & 30 faux Sullivan 20:24  |  Yaakov Sullivan 01/02/08   57.   Israelis "disturbed" by money? 20:26  |  tadchase 01/02/08   58.   International Fellowship of Christians and Jews 20:41  |  Gina 01/02/08   59.   evangelicals 20:42  |  Nelda 01/02/08   60.   Evangelicals 21:09  |  Jonathan 01/02/08   61.   in the world of donations, the big money getter is KING 21:12  |  dav zee 01/02/08   62.   El- Birawi who supports suicide bombing of Israeli settlers 21:26  |  Gina 01/02/08   63.   Elderly Soviet Jews 21:31  |  Ethel 01/02/08   64.   #37 Colin Wright 21:39  |  New World 01/02/08   65.   #41 Chanalou 21:41  |  Hazlitt 01/02/08   66.   Christian Support for Israel 21:43  |  Gina 01/02/08   67.   they helped some Jews come from Iran 21:44  |  Ethel 01/02/08   68.   Any sponsoring of an apartheid state is disturbing 21:52  |  John 01/02/08   69.   Charity 21:52  |  Ethel 01/02/08   70.   The Christian Things They Do 22:01  |  Realist 01/02/08   71.   Re Yishai #27.....yet again!! 22:08  |  Esther 01/02/08   72.