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

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elationship in any depth.In researching Benson's relationship with the Jewish State, I found that he indeeddid have a profound admiration and love for the Jewish people and their homeland, andthat, like my own experience, his views were heavily influenced by the notions ofprevious leaders of the Church. Yet, he is unique in that, unlike any Latter-day Saintapostle or leader before him, he developed lasting friendships with various Israeli leaders,and his political position made him a highly visible emissary of Mormon goodwill towardtheir Jewish siblings in the House of Israel.The following work attempts to illuminate the role that Benson played, and thesingular relationship that allowed him to do so. My research was somewhat constrainedby the fact that the Church history department would not release Benson's personal filesthat surely would have contributed additional insight. Given the controversial nature ofBenson's strong anti-Communist stance, this is understandable, but I do hope to begranted further access and continue my research in the future. In any case, what I didfind I display here, and hope it enlightens and fills, at least partially, the gap inscholarship that currently remains regarding the Latter-day Saint leader Ezra Taft Bensonand his relationship with the State of Israel.2
Chapter 1: Mormon BackgroundOutside of the Mormon world, the name Ezra Taft Benson probably no longerrings many bells. Half a century ago, however, Benson would have been a recognizedname to anyone familiar with the White House, as he served for two terms as Secretary ofAgriculture under President Dwight D. Eisenhower. He was a somewhat controversialleader and is generally remembered for his zealous antagonism toward any kind ofsocialist policies, including a determined dislike for Communism, an attitude that wonhim various friends and enemies in the political world. Yet in the religious world Bensonis remembered much more for his work as an apostle in the Church of the Jesus Christ ofLatter-day Saints (also known as “Mormon”). For many members of the Church,Benson's legacy includes, among other things, his passionate support for the newlycreatedState of Israel. Yet, in contrast to his widely noted anti-Communist sentiments,Benson's relationship with Israel, while often mentioned in biographies and otherwritings about him, has remained largely unexamined.This unique relationship developed in two ways: first, through Benson's religiousbackground and perceptions that consistently eqated the formation of the State of Israel asfulfillment of prophecy, which perceptions he likewise carried into his Church andpolitical leadership; and second, through Benson's experiences as a member ofEisenhower's cabinet and his visits to Israel in that capacity. Benson was fond of his3
Page 2 and 3: AcknowledgementsI am indebted to Pr
Page 4 and 5: Table of ContentsIntroduction - 1Ch
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 58 and 59:
Benson, “I want you to pray to Go
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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