In honor of Sukkot, the Israel Allies Foundation (IAF) published its annual list of Israel’s Top 50 Christian Allies. “The diverse list spans many continents and denominations, and includes prominent leaders such as Pastor Larry Huch of Dallas and Joni Lamb of Daystar, together with representation from Hollywood, including Pat Boone and Chuck Norris,” it states in a press release.
“The diverse list spans many continents and denominations, and includes prominent leaders such as Pastor Larry Huch of Dallas and Joni Lamb of Daystar, together with representation from Hollywood, including Pat Boone and Chuck Norris.”
Israel Allies Foundation
Former political leaders who supported Israel are also among the honorees, such as former Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper, former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo, and former US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley. The IAF list, which can be seen here, also features pro-Israel media personalities such as Mike Huckabee, Earl Cox, Chris Mitchell, Paula White and Christine Darg.
The list includes lesser-known leaders such as Michael Evans Jr., president of the Friends of Zion Museum in Jerusalem, and Reverend Otsuka of Japan, a Presbyterian pastor who heads the Holocaust Education Center, which educates Japanese children about the Holocaust.
Sukkot and Christians
Bible-believing Christians feel especially close to Sukkot, which they refer to as the Feast of Tabernacles because of the verse in Zechariah 14:16 that foresees a time when individuals from all nations will come to Jerusalem to celebrate the holiday.
In a typical year, thousands of Christians from all over the world travel to Israel to celebrate Sukkot and hold festive parades and events in Jerusalem.
“Recognizing the invaluable work of our Christian supporters is an important display of our hakarat hatov (gratitude) toward them,” says IAF Director Josh Reinstein. “Each and every one of them serves as an example of the far-reaching impact faith-based diplomacy for Israel has – from a local to an international level. It is Christians, not countries, that we can count on to always stand with Israel. During this Sukkot season, we are proud to honor these men and women whose faith has inspired their actions in support of Israel.”
The IAF is an umbrella organization that coordinates the work of 50 Israel Allies Caucuses around the world, which includes over 1,200 legislators, in order to mobilize political support for Israel based on shared Judeo-Christian values. This network includes the Knesset Christian Allies Caucus, the Congressional Israel Allies Caucus, and the European Union Parliamentary Israel Allies Caucus.
“The IAF considers the moving of the US, Guatemalan and Honduran embassies to Jerusalem as direct results of the Christian politicians who have advocated for these issues as well as the Christian voters who demonstrated that these issues will impact the direction of their vote,” the press release states. “Christian leaders who were selected to be a part of this exclusive list conveyed their deep support for the State of Israel stemming from their faith.”
In response to being chosen, Tre Pennie, a former Dallas police sergeant and congressional candidate, says: “My love for Israel and the Jewish people has been woven into the fabric of my being since I was a child. My grandmother was a strong Southern Baptist who believed that Jews were ‘God’s chosen people,’ and she was fond of their support of blacks during the Civil Rights movement. She trusted that I would never forget and I never did.”
Pastor Sandor Nemeth, founder and senior pastor of Faith Church in Hungary, says: “For me, standing with the modern State of Israel and supporting the Jewish people in general comes naturally, and should be reflected in the life of every Bible-reading, God-fearing Christian believer worldwide a self-evident reality. And what a blessing it is to see the fulfillment of the Zionist dream, the prosperity of Jerusalem, and the mutual benefit these relations bring to the nations globally!”