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

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cultivate land for crops in the 1940s. 192Like Benson a decade later, Lowdermilk wasparticularly and passionately supportive of the emerging Jewish state, amidst a relativelyhostile government (with the exception of Truman himself). He saw in the Jewishsettlements “the most remarkable devotion to reclamation of land that [he had] seen inany country of the New or Old World,” and rejoiced in Zionist aspirations to restore theland to its biblical fertility. 193Benson's rhetoric is similarly generous regarding Israel's increasing agriculturalstrength, and is perhaps the greatest evidence of the way his political perceptionsreflected his religious ones. His support of Israel was not only founded on religiousconvictions, but was also reinforced as he witnessed the “desert bloom,” in furtherfulfillment of prophecy. Within his report on his November, 1957 trip as AgricultureSecretary is an intriguing comment. He says, “The Israelites are making remarkableprogress in developing their resources” (italics added). His use of the term “Israelites”instead of Israelis is compelling, exhibiting his manifest view of Israel as modernfulfillment of ancient prophecy. The rest of his assessment is likewise significant.“There was sharp contrast between the economy and agriculture and that of Jordan andother Middle Eastern Countries. In Israel much is being done to develop the resourcesavailable.” 194 As noted, this association of Israel with biblical import caused him to viewIsrael much more favorably than its Arab neighbors. Another quote earlier in the reportagain reveals Benson's contrasting views of Israel and other countries in the region, as hecomments on the progress of the modern “Israelites.” “Tel Aviv appears to be a very192193194Oren, Power, Faith and Fantasy, 439-440.Oren, Power, Faith and Fantasy, 439-440.Ezra Taft Benson, 1957 Report on Foreign Trips, Ezra Taft Benson Papers, Eisenhower PresidentialLibrary (Abilene, Kansas).66
modern, bustling, progressive city. Israel is attempting to become the industrial center ofthe Middle East. The people appear to be extremely industrious and forward-looking.” 195And finally, toward the end, he summarizes his impressions thus: “The continuedprogress in fulfilling the Biblical prophecy of making the desert bloom as the rose inIsrael is remarkable.” 196Yet Benson's agricultural praise wasn't limited to confidential presidential reports.In his 1960 Stake Conference 197 address, he claims, “. . . It is a land promised to a certainsegment of our Father's children. Those children are gathering there now in fulfillment ofprophecy. The prophecies are being fulfilled before your very eyes. The hills longdenuded of vegetation, land that was desert, is now blossoming.” 198 Likewise, in a 1958article in JTA, the Secretary “Lauds Israel's Farming Progress.” 199He states, “It isabundantly evident that Israel is making outstanding progress in developing the countryand lifting the living standards of its people through vigorous and imaginativedevelopment of its agricultural and industrial potentials through the democratic process.”He continues, “Through determination and unrelenting labor, and under some greatdifficulties, the people of Israel are accomplishing big things.” Benson again reiterateshis hopeful attitude toward Israel in a similar newspaper article in 1960, after his secondvisit to Israel. Here he calls Israel a “growing, dynamic” nation, and says it “must bevisited to be fully believed and appreciated.” 200He adds further confirmation to this195196197198199200Ezra Taft Benson, 1957 Report on Foreign Trips.Ezra Taft Benson, 1957 Report on Foreign Trips.See chapter two for an explanation of “Stake Conference.”Benson, Stake Conference Address, 8.“U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Lauds Israel's Farming Progress,” JTA, April 18, 1958,http://archive.jta.org/.“Benson Returns to U.S.; Says Israel Is 'Growing, Dynamic' Nation,” JTA, August 18, 1960,http://archive.jta.org/.67
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AcknowledgementsI am indebted to Pr
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Table of ContentsIntroduction - 1Ch
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elationship in any depth.In researc
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friendships with various Israeli le
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Joseph Smith taught that Latter-day
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Gentiles, and it will be again inha
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for their long suffering. Yet, he,
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focus on both the fulfillment of pr
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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 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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