A Match Made in Heaven: American Jews, Christian Zionists, and One Man's Exploration of the Weird and Wonderful Judeo-Evangelical Alliance [Hardcover]

Zev Chafets (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 9, 2007

Over the course of an extraordinary year, Zev Chafets—former New York Daily News columnist and onetime director of the Israeli government press office—traveled the world to explore the improbable confluence of Jews and evangelicals. He spent quality time with Jerry Falwell, visited Jewish cadets at West Point, attended the world's biggest Christian retail show, embarked on a road trip with the rabbi with the largest gentile following since Jesus, journeyed to the Holy Land with a band of repentant Christian pilgrims, and broke bread with George W. Bush and five hundred fellow Jewish Republicans.

A Match Made in Heaven is the penetrating, engaging, and often hilarious narrative of Chafets's determined quest to get to the root of a very serious question: Why do evangelicals support Israel so strongly? Equal parts history, comedy, travelogue, and political tract, it is a smart and adventurous odyssey along a rapidly changing religious and political border.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In this provocative study, Chafets, a journalist and former Menachem Begin press secretary, explores American evangelical support for Israel. Chafets interweaves reflections on the history of American Christians' embrace of Israel with contemporary reporting, visiting places like Jerry Falwell's Liberty University and tagging along on an evangelical tour of the Holy Land. Perhaps his most important point is that, despite American reporters' claims that only Israeli fanatics have accepted evangelical support, in fact "mainstream Israel" has welcomed the alliance. Chafets argues that especially in a time of war, American Jews need to realize that it is "Muslim fascists," not evangelical Christians, who are Israel's enemy. He acknowledges that much Christian Zionism includes belief in an end times scenario in which Jews don't fare well, but asks why Jews should care so much about their place in Christian eschatology, since Jews reject Christian accounts of the end times tout court . Altogether, Chafets's portrait suggests a great gulf between American Jewry and Israelis, and also points to great diversity of views among American Christians: liberal Protestants tend to be more equivocal in their support of Israel. This intensely readable book, which ends with a warning that evangelical enthusiasm for Israel ought not to be taken for granted and is sure to spark heated debate. (Jan. 9)
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About the Author

Zev Chafets is a founding editor of the Jerusalem Report magazine and the author of nine books of fiction, media criticism, and social and political commentary. He splits his time between Tel Aviv and New York.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 240 pages
• Publisher: Harper (January 9, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060890584
• ISBN-13: 978-0060890582
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,700,635 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Zev Chafets is the author of eleven books of fiction, media criticism, and social and political commentary. He is a frequent contributor to The New York Times Magazine and a former columnist for the New York Daily News.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining look at a serious issue, April 15, 2007

By 

Pieter "Toypom" (Johannesburg) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: A Match Made in Heaven: American Jews, Christian Zionists, and One Man's Exploration of the Weird and Wonderful Judeo-Evangelical Alliance (Hardcover)

This absorbing book examines Jewish-Christian relations under the headings: Among The Christians; Is It Good For The Jews? and Afterword: Wartime. The variety in the narrative which jumps from history to current affairs to personal experiences and interviews, all infused with the author's witty and irreverent style, makes it a highly enjoyable read.

In chapter 1 Chafets recounts his hilarious childhood experiences with religion in Pontiac, Michigan. In 1967 he moved to Israel where he lived for 9 years before settling in New York with his family. The rest of Part One deals with subjects as diverse as the first Jews to come to America, the philo-semitism of the Puritans, the history of Christian Zionism with reference to William Blackstone and the Balfour Declaration, and US foreign policy towards Israel after World War II.

It was interesting to learn that there are warm relations between Israelis and Christian Zionists, where the issue is not even controversial. This contrasts sharply with the political divide between Jewish Liberals and Evangelical Christians in the USA. Chafets provides outspoken but sympathetic portraits of Christian leaders and institutions like Jerry Falwell and Liberty University, and Pat Robertson and Regent University.

His description of a pilgrimage in Israel with a group of Christians is moving and sometimes quite hilarious, and includes several thought-provoking interviews where the Israelophile Christians speak for themselves. There is no stereotyping and the perspectives and opinions of the individuals concerned are presented with empathy.

In the chapter Revenge Of The Mainline, the author explores the history of the World Council Of Churches and its hostility to Israel, liberation theology and the conflicting attitudes of the evangelicals and the liberal mainstream churches towards the Jewish homeland, including the divestment attempts within the Presbyterian and United Methodist churches.

Part 2 opens with the history and work of Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein's International Fellowship Of Chistians and Jews and then looks at Abraham Foxman of the Anti Defamation League and his hostile stance against the Christian Right. Next Chafets investigates the rising tide of anti-semitism worldwide and the recent spate of books attacking Evangelical Christianity with their scaremongering theme of a "theocracy" in the USA.

In the chapter titled The Iraq War And Its Aftermath, he points out the convergence of views between people like Walt & Mearsheimer, Jimmy Carter and David Duke. He could also have mentioned Pat Buchanan. Other topics include AIPAC, relations between US administrations and Israeli leaders since the 1970s and the aforementioned partisan divide. As the author puts it: "Jews are Democrats, Israelis are Republicans."

The main policy differences seem to be abortion, gay marriage, the issue of proselytising and the idea of Armageddon. I found the account of the visit of Rabbi Eric Yoffie to Liberty University in 2005 highly amusing, especially Yoffie's discomfort when Falwell used the word "barbarian" during an interview. Finally, Chafets observes that in their support for Israel, Christian Zionists are completely immune to the ideas of "progressive" intellectuals and European "sophisticates" or accusations of dual loyalty. This is significant.

The Afterword provides a vivid picture of Israel during the 2006 Hezbollah War; Chafets and his family were there. In the USA, most of the anti-Israel voices came from the Left. John Hagee's Christians United For Israel was the first to hold a pro-Israel rally in Washington, Pat Robertson visited Israel and Evangelical support for Eckstein's IFCJ soared to record highs. The book ends with the observation that the Judeo-Christian alliance does not require Jews to become Republicans or Christians, but that better understanding and more mutual respect would be beneficial. This highly entertaining and thought-provoking work concludes with an index.

Standing With Israel

Why Care about Israel?: How the Jewish Nation Is Key to Unleashing Gods Blessings in the 21st Century

Power, Faith, and Fantasy: America in the Middle East: 1776 to the Present

Christian Attitudes Towards the State of Israel

Ruth & Esther: Shadows of Our Future

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars SUPERB, January 23, 2007

By 

ATTICUS (NEW YORK, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Match Made in Heaven: American Jews, Christian Zionists, and One Man's Exploration of the Weird and Wonderful Judeo-Evangelical Alliance (Hardcover)

Chafets' book does not provoke, as some reviewers have alleged; it explains the relationship between Evangelicals and Jews/Israelis and does so with marvelous wit and understanding. Chafets is a subversive writer drawing in the reader with personal (and very funny) anecdotes before getting down to serious business. His of course is not a topic for every reader but if it comes close to your interest zone, you will be informed and entertained. Highly recommended.

16 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good journalism on a hard topic, January 12, 2007

By 

Richard S. Mitnick (Highland Park, NJ USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Match Made in Heaven: American Jews, Christian Zionists, and One Man's Exploration of the Weird and Wonderful Judeo-Evangelical Alliance (Hardcover)

This is a hard topic. Do Jews embrace adherents to a theology which says we will burn in hell? Is their money worth it? Is it philosophically O.K.? Zev Chafetz is a journalist. This book reads like good journalism. It flows. The text is compact and efficient, without being dry and lifeless.Chafets is not a novelist, not a theologian or historian. His book never suffers from the pecularities of those arts. Chafets mentions Gershom Gorenberg's book "End of Days", which I believe is a very important book, and a book which goes in a totally different direction.I am philosophically opposed to the marriage of the Christian Right and Israel. Chafets almost has me when he brings up the "dual covenant" idea. But it just does not come off. The thinking in this book represents the thinking of the Israeli and American Jewish leadership. Chafets ask, why should Jews care about Christian end time theology when we do not accept Christianity as our faith? That is the standard line. Take the money and run. But one of these days, when one of us is looking for a bank loan, and we are asked if we have "gotten right" with Jesus, or our kid is in need of a good school guidance counselor, and we are asked if we have Christ in our home, then we are going to care what they think.

I enjoyed this book a lot. I bought three copies to give to Jewish and Christian friends.