Why Feiglin Didn’t Back Beck

By Shmuel Sackett

International Director, Manhigut Yehudit

It has been a pleasure – and an absolute breath of fresh air – watching Glenn Beck on FOX these last few years. He is clever, outspoken, unafraid and extremely in line with my way of thinking. Over these last few years, I have forwarded many clips of Beck’s show to Moshe Feiglin, who enjoyed them immensely. Moshe appreciated Beck’s candor and, above all, his honest and direct approach. He thanked me each time I sent him those clips and was excited when I told him that Beck was planning a trip to Israel.

If that’s true – which it is - why did Moshe Feiglin write a very strong article against Glenn Beck’s recent Israel trip… and why did I agree with each and every word he wrote?

It all comes down to two simple words: Friends and Location. Allow me to explain.

This event proved that Glenn Beck’s trip to Israel was about a lot more than just Glenn Beck. From all the years that I watched and enjoyed his show the one word that Beck said thousands of times – over and over again – was “truth”. And since Glenn Beck wants to hear and speak only the truth, allow me to continue.

Glenn Beck is at his best when he is alone. The camera focuses on him and he speaks from the heart. However, when he came to Israel he did not come alone. He brought with him some friends and featured them as keynote speakers in his program. His opening event was held in Caesarea under the title; “The Courage to Love”. At that event, Pastor Mike Evans was given the spotlight. Evans spoke about his Jewish mother (you know what that makes him…) and how much love he has for the Jewish people. Yet, his title is not “Rabbi” Evans, it is “Pastor” Evans. What he did not say was that he is a “Jew for Jesus”. In 1977 TIME magazine featured him in a major story called “Yeshua is Messiah”. While he brilliantly guarded his words, his speech was really all about how a nice Jewish boy found Jesus and still manages to love the Jews and the Land of Israel.

Another speaker at Beck’s first event in Israel was Pastor John Hagee. This guy is a master at saying all the right things and getting Jews to give him huge standing ovations. I was at the AIPAC conference when Hagee spoke. He told 7,000 Jews how there are two ways to live their lives; “The Torah way or the wrong way!” These 7,000 Jews – mostly very secular in their level of observance – rose to their feet and cheered. In Israel, during Beck’s event, Hagee continued with his masterful words; “We don’t place our trust in Washington, we place our trust in God!” Wonderful words from an eloquent speaker! Once again, the crowd cheered. But, as Glenn Beck taught me, let’s push all the makeup and decorations aside and get to the real, pure truth.

John Hagee has indeed poured millions of dollars each year into Israel. It has been reported that he gives between $10-15 million each year to various charitable causes across the country. Yet, not every body who he offers money to accepts. Immediately after the terrible slaughter of the 8 beautiful students from Mercaz HaRav, Hagee offered $100,000 to the Yeshiva only to have it turned down by the Rosh Yeshiva, HaRav Yaakov Shapira. That money could have been put to wonderful use and could have forged a lasting partnership between the Yeshiva and Hagee but HaRav Shapira refused. He did that because he understood that John Hagee isn’t as innocent as he looks and isn’t as wonderful as he sounds. Hagee is very active with DayStar television – a 24/7 Christian missionary television network, as well as being a proud full-fledged supporter of Maoz Israel, one of the largest missionary ministries against Jews in Israel. The “John Hagee Today” show is one of the most popular programs on DayStar. Thanks to the enormous money being poured into Israel every year by Hagee, this missionary channel is now available as part of the basic cable tv package in Israel and is now in over 500,000 Jewish homes. I want you to read this next sentence carefully; Because of Hagee’s donations, over 500,000 Jewish homes – representing well over 2,000,000 Jewish souls - have the ability to watch missionary television 24 hours a day in Israel. Yes, his words at AIPAC were sweet and his line about trusting God and not Washington is incredible but I beg you… do not fall into this trap. Do not sell your birthright for a bowl of red lentils because the guy says things you are dying to hear.

These two men, Pastor Mike Evans – a Jew for Jesus – and Pastor John Hagee – endorser of DayStar missionary television – were the main speakers at Glenn Beck’s opening event in Israel. That is not the Glenn Beck I watched on FOX all those years. This has become something else and I urge you to open your eyes and see it.

There’s one more reason why Moshe and I stayed away from the Beck events in Israel. I mentioned the “friends” reason above and now I will tell you what I meant when I wrote “location”.

Had Glenn Beck come to Israel alone and had his event been in the Jerusalem Convention Center or the Jerusalem Theatre or outside in Jerusalem’s largest park, Gan Sacher, Moshe Feiglin would have been in the front row! But that’s not what happened. While all other entertainers and television personalities would have chosen one of the three venues I just listed, Glenn Beck did not. He chose – of all places – to have his main event; “The Courage to Declare” at the Southern Wall of the Jewish Temple Mount. Why? Let me give you some background.

As Beck was preparing for his August event, he appeared six weeks before in a live broadcast from the Jewish Temple Mount. During that “warm-up” event, Beck theatrically showed his audience how in that very place, Jesus overturned the tables of the Jewish money-changers who served the pilgrims to the Bet Ha’Mikdash (the Holy Temple). He neglected to mention how this one act by Jesus created one of the most anti-Semitic Christian legends of all times and how millions of my brothers and sisters were slaughtered because of that very legend.

By having his main event at this location, Glenn Beck was not showing his support for the Jewish people… regardless of what he said. Life has taught me to put far more emphasis on people’s actions than their words and this was not an act of solidarity it was an act of conquest. Too many nations falsely lay claim to the Temple Mount and we cannot allow ourselves to be so naïve as to think that these nations are really our friends. The Temple Mount is the holiest place on earth for the Chosen People and it represents Hashem’s one and only earthly abode. We must guard that place with our lives and we dare not allow any one to lay claim over it in any way, shape or form.

I understand why so many good Jews embraced Glenn Beck’s Restoring Courage events. With so much negative media around the world and with “Israel bashing” becoming the world’s most popular sport, it certainly is sweet to see a major figure come to Israel’s defense. Yet, I implore each of you to wipe your eyes and see what is really happening. You are being conned. You are being swindled by master orators who speak deceit but cover it with honey. In your haste to find a friend you have blinded your eyes to what Beck himself focuses on every day; the truth.

People tell Moshe Feiglin that he must embrace the support from the 50 million plus Evangelical Christians in the USA. Let me state – loud and clear – that Moshe Feiglin welcomes their support and urges them to get involved in the battle for a strong state of Israel. The one thing that he has stated time and again is that if they really want to help Israel, they will follow our lead and do as we instruct them. Fulfilling the famous verse of “I will bless those that bless you” does not mean coming to Israel and throwing around money in order to gain influence. It means doing one thing: Blessing the Jewish people by doing as they instruct you.

Feiglin urges Evangelicals to help fight the anti-Israel battle on college campuses, in Washington and in the media (such as what Glenn Beck did so successfully). With all due respect to this very important community, we do not want their charity. Furthermore, we do not want them sending Jewish Pastors who sing praises to a false Messiah nor holding events that undermine the exclusive Jewish ownership of the Temple Mount. That is not “blessing Me so I will bless you”… it is the complete opposite.

Moshe and I have told this to many Christians and the honest ones embrace us. In case you think we are anti-Christian – which is not the case at all - consider this one final point: The guest speaker at Moshe Feiglin’s Manhigut Yehudit annual dinner in New York this past year (March 2011) was… an African-American Christian Pastor!

Not backing Beck was a difficult decision, but when we saw the truth – and we urge you to search for that every second of the day – we “restored our courage” and told people what they needed to hear.

May Hashem give us the strength to remain honest in the battle for authentic Jewish leadership and may we always fulfill the Talmudic teaching; “Better to be considered a fool your entire life by man, than evil – for one moment – by G-d.”