Ezra Taft Benson and the State of Israel - Brandeis Institutional ...

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Benson, “I want you to pray to God that he'll spare me for a few more years. I'm writinga history of the Jewish people, and it will take time to finish it.” 167As noted in chapter two, this tendency for Benson to align his religious andpolitical views, and even to some degree project them onto others, was pronounced, butnot unexpected. Nor was this aspect of his perspective entirely unique. In fact, it appearsthat he shared and perhaps even acquired some of his thinking from like-mindedChristian organizations that sought to legitimize Israel's existence in the Christian mind.Among Benson's papers at the Eisenhower Presidential Library is a section entitled“Jewish Literature.” 168 The name is a bit misleading, as it contains relatively little actualJewish literature, and a great deal of Christian literature about the Jewish State. Onebooklet contains several articles from various American Christian leaders who traveled toIsrael in 1949 and published their perceptions of the State, and its right to exist. Many ofBenson's views, which will be explored subsequently, echo the sentiments expressed inthis Christian Report on Israel. 169 The articles feature such titles as, “This Have IWitnessed,” and “Religion in Israel,” and promote American Christian notions of Israel'screation and legitimacy, evidencing the emerging Judeo-Christian solidarity mentioned inchapter two. Mart explains that, while Israelis generally viewed themselves as“pragmatic moderns,” 170 American Christians were entirely captivated by the religious167168169170Benson, “Message to Judah,” 2.Noted in chapter twoThe title of the booklet is “A Christian Report on Israel.” However, publishing information is notincluded in the microfilm copy, so citation is a bit complicated. A brief search did not produce itssource, but it can be found in Ezra Taft Benson, Papers, 10:29, “Jewish Literature,” EisenhowerPresidential Library (Abilene, Kansas).This is, of course, not meant to downplay Israelis' belief in their divine right to the land, despite theirsecular leanings. I merely mean to emphasize the difference between Christian perceptions and the waymost Israelis viewed themselves in the early days of the State.54
heritage of the Jews, and the implications of a Jewish State. 171One article in theChristian Report, “Promise of the New Israel,” epitomizes the Christian viewpoint ofIsrael as not only fulfillment of prophecy, but also led by inspired and religious leaders –certainly an element of utmost concern as Americans anxiously observed signs ofspreading Communism. The author of the article, Spencer Irwin, notes that Israelis“profess their belief in God, their acceptance of miracles. . . [and have been] restored totheir ancient land. . . which bore the first great truths.” 172He continues, “What the newIsrael is doing, to state it bluntly, is putting God into politics. The rest of the world, overconfident,eschewing any consideration of great truths, finds its world tumbling about itsears. Once again a way is being evolved on the sacred soil of the Near East.” Anotherarticle, by John Paul Jones, called “By What Right,” examines the legitimacy of Israel'sentitlement to the land that so many people call holy and claim as their own. Heconcludes that, because Judaism has always been tied to the land, unlike Islam andChristianity, it has the greater claim. He says, “Judaism is different from either Islam orChristianity in its relationship to Palestine. With Israel the central belief is in the divinerevelation of a way of life to be lived by people in community . . . Separated from the landof revelation after a thousand years, and scattered over the earth, the Jew has neverceased to remember Zion save when he has lost or surrendered his religion.”Various themes evoked in this booklet would be repeated again and again inBenson's comments on the State of Israel, along with notions unique to his own religion,such as the role of Latter-day Saint prophecy in bringing about the long-awaited171172Mart, “Christianization of Israel and Jews,” 115-116.A Christian Report on Israel 39, from Ezra Taft Benson, Papers, 10:29, “Jewish Literature,”Eisenhower Presidential Library (Abilene, Kansas).55
Page 2 and 3:
AcknowledgementsI am indebted to Pr
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Table of ContentsIntroduction - 1Ch
Page 6 and 7:
elationship in any depth.In researc
Page 8 and 9: friendships with various Israeli le
Page 10 and 11: Joseph Smith taught that Latter-day
Page 12 and 13: Gentiles, and it will be again inha
Page 14 and 15: for their long suffering. Yet, he,
Page 16 and 17: focus on both the fulfillment of pr
Page 18 and 19: Smith and Brigham Young, as previou
Page 20 and 21: Smith, the members of the group “
Page 22 and 23: Jews.'” 46Benjamin further descri
Page 24 and 25: Chapter 2: Benson's Religious Leade
Page 26 and 27: audiences. The first, called, “Je
Page 28 and 29: Benson's sense of kinship for the J
Page 30 and 31: eturn of the Jews to the land of Pa
Page 32 and 33: general mention of his efforts at s
Page 34 and 35: Or perhaps it did not aid in his ap
Page 36 and 37: about Jews and Israel, throughout t
Page 38 and 39: and Peter Grose describe the frustr
Page 40 and 41: Israel's victory in the Six Day War
Page 42 and 43: the Messiah. Indeed, both Benson an
Page 44 and 45: those visits, as opposed to those o
Page 46 and 47: U.S. agricultural products on credi
Page 48 and 49: The American public, though divided
Page 50 and 51: States.” 133Indeed, a Gallup poll
Page 52 and 53: with Britain and France, for their
Page 54 and 55: many Americans that Israel was now,
Page 56 and 57: those experiences to give validity
Page 60 and 61: gathering. Some of those themes inc
Page 62 and 63: Ben Gurion and Levi Eshkol, both of
Page 64 and 65: sending “two Mormon Books,” and
Page 66 and 67: Yet Ben Gurion's next letter, dated
Page 68 and 69: on this occasion with Shimon Peres
Page 70 and 71: cultivate land for crops in the 194
Page 72 and 73: attitude in the Synagogue Light art
Page 74 and 75: United States, his views on Israel
Page 76 and 77: eminded the host that he had not be
Page 78 and 79: Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and
Page 80 and 81: "Though Thy servant is now far from
Page 82 and 83: BibliographyAlteras, Isaac. Eisenho
Page 84 and 85: Madsen, Truman G. “Mormon Attitud
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