Yaakov Ariel

How Are Jews and Israel Portrayed in the Left Behind Series

Page 6 of Left Behind introduces the readers to the first Jewish character in the novel and in the series at large: Chosen by a major journal as its “man of the year,” Chaim Rosenzweig is a scientist-wizard whose secret formula has helped turn Israel into a thriving nation.1 When a journalist for the Global Weekly interviews Rosenzweig, a major Russian attack on Israel takes place. Jews and Israel loom large in the novel and its sequels, and one cannot but notice their important role. Jews are neither ordinary figures nor incidental characters in the novel; nor is the State of Israel just one commonwealth among many. The Jews in the Left Behind series come to represent something much larger than their individual selves, just as their country plays a crucial role in the unfolding of the eschatological drama.

Christianity through Reform Eyes: Kaufmann Kohler's Scholarship on Christianity

In the early twentieth century, Kaufmann Kohler, one of the outstand ing leaders of Reform Judaism in America, wrote a series of articles on Christianity for the Jewish Encyclopedia. Using the opportunity to present his views, he wished to educate Jews as to the nature of Christianity and its relation to Judaism.1 Kohler also hoped that Christians would read his work and thus encounter a Jewish view of Jesus, early Christianity, and Jewish-Christian relationships. In his opinion it would offer Christians a more comprehensive and sound picture of their own tradition and would bring them to change their views on Judaism and Jews. He believed that the scholarly view on the rise of Christianity and of Judaism would eventually determine the amount of tolerance and acceptance Jews could expect to enjoy in Christian societies.

Israel in Contemporary Evangelical Christian Millennial Thought

Abstract Israel and the Jewish people play a central role in the millennial thought of evangelical Christians. Drawing on older Christian messianic elements, as well as introducing new concepts, evangelicals have looked upon the Jews as historical Israel and at Palestine as ground zero of End-Times millennial events. Beginning in the nineteenth century, evangelicals have become actively involved in attempts to build a Jewish commonwealth in Palestine. They have looked upon the building of a Jewish state as a “sign of the time,” an indication that the current era is ending and the messianic events are about to occur. Especially in the aftermath of the 1967 war, evangelicals have become ardent supporters of Israel, turning in effect into a pro-Israel lobby in Washington and, at times, in other capitals too. Although evangelical Christians are engaged in extensive missionary work among Jews, an unprecedented cooperation has developed between groups of evangelicals and Orthodox-nationalist Jews. Among the mutual projects is the attempt to build the Temple in Jerusalem in preparation for the events preceding the arrival of the Messiah to earth.

A Source of Legitimacy: Evangelical Christians and Jews

Evangelical Christians have derived a great amount of reassurance from what they have considered to be stepping stones on the way to the kingdom of God on earth. This article tracks the mutual dependency of Jewish and evangelical Zionists, from the beginnings of political Zionism up to present-day Israel. It demonstrates that the encounter between evangelicals and Jews involved more than political support and the exchanges offered legitimacy in cultural and spiritual realms as well. It shows how the developments in the life of the Jewish people, in particular the rise of the Zionist movement, the establishment of Israel in 1948 and the Israeli successes during the 1967 war, have worked to offer validation of their faith and their reading of scriptures, their understanding of history, and, by extension, their worldview.