JCRC Finds Ally in Evangelical Pro-Israel Advocacy Giant
The Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) of Greater Washington and Christians United for Israel (CUFI) are embarking on a strategic relationship in Israel advocacy.
“We are limited demographically,” said JCRC Executive Director Ron Halber. “We can’t be everywhere fighting every battle. We need friends.”
Halber was joined for a Jan. 9 interview at his office in Rockville, Maryland, by CUFI’s co-executive director, Shari Dollinger; national outreach director and eastern regional coordinator, Pastor Victor Styrsky; and communications director Ari Morgenstern. The interview was one of several sit-downs the JCRC arranged for the group, including meetings with The Jewish Federation of Greater Washington, the Men’s Club at the Bender JCC, local professionals in the philanthropic and advocacy spheres, and the JCRC board.
Halber stressed the importance of Jews coming to understand that the evangelical community largely shares a love for Israel and truly wants to support and protect Israel. “For Jews on any side of the political spectrum, suspicion of Christian outreach is understandable due to years of persecution and evangelizing… it’s 100 percent natural to be suspicious. We have to be willing to overcome our suspicions,” Halber said.
Though CUFI’s Dollinger is Jewish, she has been focused on Christian support for Israel for over 20 years. Her journey began when, as a junior at Brandeis, she interned for Sen. Sam Brownback of Kansas and her “eyes were opened to the deep of support for the Jewish State from the Christian community.” In February 2006 in San Antonio, Texas, she recalled being part of the founding of CUFI. Pastor John Hagee called together 400 leading evangelicals — pastors of megachurches, TV empires, and ministries. Pastor Hagee, one of the most influential evangelicals in America, heads a church numbering over 19,000 members and is CEO of Global Evangelism Television. Pastor Hagee is also the national chairman of CUFI.
Read More: KOL HaBirah
