Josh Reinstein - Titus, Trump and the Triumph of Israel: The Power of Faith Based Diplomacy

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Titus , Trump

and the

Triumph of Israel

The Power of Faith-Based Diplomacy

Titus , Trump

and the

Triumph of Israel

The Power of Faith-Based Diplomacy

JOSH REINSTEIN

Copyright Josh Reinstein

Jerusalem 2020/5780

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be translated, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without express written permission from the publishers.

Scripture quotations are modified from The Holy Scriptures According to the Masoretic Text , published by the Jewish Publication Society in 1917.

Cover Design: Leah Ben Avraham/Noonim Graphics

Typesetting: Optume Technologies

ISBN: 978-965-7023-31-0

135798642

www.gefenpublishing.com

Printed in Israel

Library of Congress Control Number: 2020910370

I dedicate this book to my loving wife, Rebekah

There are many women of valor, but you have surpassed them all.

(Proverbs 31:29)

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When I was seven years old, I attended a Jewish day school in Dallas, Texas. One day, in our Torah class, we learned that during the famous Exodus from Egypt, many of the Israelites didnt depart with Moses and the rest of their people. They instead opted to stay in Egypt. Apparently they preferred the familiar life and culture there, even though it was bitter and repressive, to the unknown sojourn in the wilderness.

As a young boy, I couldnt fathom the idea: How, after witnessing ten plagues wherein everyone was awestruck by Gods wonders and miracles could there be Jews who chose to remain behind, enslaved and disconnected from their peoples destiny? That bothered me.

The feeling of shock persisted. Even while watching reenactments of the spectacular events in movies like The Ten Commandments , I immediately thought about that group of Jews who never left Egypt. And each year on Passover, while sitting with family and friends to commemorate our ancestors freedom from slavery, it again bothered me.

When I was thirteen, I flew to Israel for the first time. I couldnt wait to finally set foot in my homeland, the place that Moses had begged God to enter. After arriving at Ben Gurion Airport, we drove up to the hills of Jerusalem and into the city. One of the first places we visited was Kikar Zion, the main square in downtown Jerusalem. As I stepped off the bus, I was immediately captivated by the scene in front of me.

Thousands of Jews from different cultures and countries America, France, Russia, Ethiopia were gathered in one place, ambling through the ancient cobblestone streets, shopping at Judaica stores, snacking at sidewalk cafes while the sounds of sidewalk musicians filled the air. This biblical city, the heart of Israel, had become a bustling, vibrant metropolis. Instantly, it was clear to me that God had led us back to Israel, and the predictions in the Torah were being fulfilled in my lifetime. But instead of being overjoyed, I was saddened the exact opposite of the feeling I had anticipated when arriving. I couldnt contain my emotions and began to cry.

The reason I was so upset was that I felt that my family, and all the people I knew, were like those Jews who had stayed in Egypt even after God had performed miracles in front of their eyes. In this case, the Jews in America were unable to partake in this new chapter of history, to witness what God was doing for His people in Israel. As a result, they lived a life detached from this reality, far away from the wonders unfolding in the Golden City of Jerusalem.

In that moment, I realized that if you dont look at the world from a biblical point of view, you may miss the story. From that point on, I made it my life mission to move to Israel, and I worked to get back there until I finally made aliyah in 1999.

In 2004, when I started the Knesset Christian Allies Caucus, I aimed to get more people not just people who read the Bible to start looking at Israel through a biblical lens in order to better understand the dynamics in the Middle East. More practically, my objective was to mobilize Christians growing concern for Israel by creating a framework for political action. This initiative gained momentum, resulting in a shift from spiritual support into worldwide political support.

While observing this recent change in the diplomatic landscape through interactions on my TV show, Israel Now News , and while speaking to various groups across the world, I realized that many issues needed to be clarified. The questions came from all sides. Many Christians didnt understand the Jewish perspective. Some were confused about why many traditional Jews keenly collaborated with Christians on worthwhile projects, while Reform Jews, although proud of their Judaism, seemed to work more readily with Muslims than with evangelical Christians.

From another angle, Jews were observing the increasing wave of Christian kindness and enthusiasm to help Israel but were ignorant about the theological motivations behind it. Why, they wondered, are some churches the biggest supporters while others are virulently anti-Semitic, even divesting from Israel? Also, many Jews who supported Israel were not entirely aware of the powerful connection they felt toward the land. They innately comprehended it, aware that just three generations ago, most of their grandparents were religious and that without their ancestors allegiance to the Bible and their traditions, Judaism would not have survived. But they still needed to clarify their current relationship to the state within a modern context.

On a broader scale, people were puzzled by certain groups, whose ideology should have resulted in strong advocacy for Israel but who instead tried to condemn it. Why, for example, is much of the liberal media so biased against the most liberal country in the Middle East? Their views on a multitude of policies from individual rights to gender equality to freedom of speech seem to align with those of Israel, in contrast to the Arab regimes. Yet instead of seeing Israel as a model to promote freethinking and tolerance, that portion of the media relentlessly and irrationally blames Israel for any conflict, while remaining silent about the bloodshed endorsed by its Arab neighbors. Similarly, many university campuses, the centers for Western education and enlightenment, have become breeding grounds for bigotry filled with angry students picketing, shouting, and protesting this tiny country that thrives amid third world chaos.

Another issue at the forefront of the confusion was the new wave of Christian concern for Israel, resulting in political support. How did this all come about? Most outside observers see only the results but miss what drives the actions. For example, many people know about anti-BDS (boycott, divestment, and sanctions) legislation but dont understand where it came from. And if such a large percentage of the Jews in America are liberal and dont support President Donald Trump, why then is he so supportive of Israel?

President Trumps recent decision to move the United States embassy to Jerusalem really threw people off. Since the time of its conception in Congresss 1995 Jerusalem Embassy Act, the embassy move has been endorsed by Jewish organizations. But for more than two decades, it had been delayed by Republicans and Democrats alike. And when Trump decided to make the move, the ceremony in Israel was attended by seven hundred Christian leaders but only a handful of Jewish leaders. How did this become a Christian issue? people began asking me. Where were the heads of the major Jewish organizations?