Heard Zev Chafets speak to members of the Republican Jewish Coalition at the offices of Skaden Arps in Times Square. I didn't expect to like his talk because I was angry at him for the poor way he handled what was supposed to be the Jewish response to a Mearsheimer and Walt interview on the Brian Lerher show. His talk basically was to promote his book about evangelical christian support of Israel and why the Jewish community has responded to this group with suspicion and hostility.

My opinion of him did not improve based on a number of things he said. There was some hostility he expressed toward a conservative rabbi in Pelham who would not accept his children for membership because they are the product of his mixed marriage the non- believer daughter of a Pentacostal Christian. He described himself as a non-believer, so it behooves me he would want to raise his children as Jewish. Seems like a pretty conflicted guy. Suprisingly he sold out the box of books he brought with him to a group that appeared to be largely modern orthodox. If you want read a more detailed profile of him you can find it here.

I heard Zev Chafets last night as well, and my impression is completely different from Paul's. I have to first qualify and state that I didn't hear his interview about Mearsheimer and Walt with Brian Lerher, so I can't comment on that, or take it into any kind of assessment.

And while of course Chafets was there to promote his book on Evangelical Christianity's support for Israel, (and nothing wrong with that), he had I believe good reason to write it and promote it As he pointed out, either 60 or 70 million Evangelicals reside in the U.S. They are the biggest support group for Israel in the world and he thinks American Jews, by and large, are too worried about them. After living among Evangelicals for a year he concludes that there is nothing to worry about regarding their relationship to Jews and Israel. He believes they have basically given up the idea of converting Jews, and they don't base their support for Israel on that. Their commitment to Israel is bible based, some particular portion of Genesis about G-d granting the land of Israel to the Jews. He told a little story about Jerry Farwell when Begin was Prime Minister. Farwell thought Begin was going to visit his University on some particular day, and he had the whole student body, Evangelicals all, thousands of them, ready to line up on the road and sing Hatikvah. Go find thousands of "liberal" Jews in New York who know the words, I don't and I may even have mispelled Hatikvah, I'm not sure. He also pointed out that Bush, an evangelical, has been a strong supporter for Israel from day one. (I would argue that Bush has made many mistakes, but he is certainly better than say, oh Jimmy Carter, or Bush the elder).

Chafets would like to caution Jews to recognize that the Evangelicals are a big support for Israel, and in this increasingly anti-Semitic world, and it should go without saying, that it is unwise for Jews such as Abe Foxman to go on a jihad (my word not Chafets') against Mel Gibson, or the ACLU, which has a large Jewish representation, to always be challenging the public religiosity the Evangelicals put forth. Kind of like biting the hand that feeds you. Though he made sure to state there may be times to make a public fight.

I don't think Chafets described himself as a non believer, though I may be wrong. He identifies himself as Jewish, else why raise his kids as Jewish? And he certainly never called himself an atheist, though he clearly changed his line about his wife who he first called a Pentacostal Christian, but then said she described herself as an atheist. And he lived in Israel for 33 years, and still has a home there. So if he is an atheist, he's a pretty pro Israeli and Jewish one. He reminded me of the kind of New York Jew that once seemed to predominate in NYC - tough, pro Israel, smart. If he goes to synagogue or not - well some people judge and that is their choice, I don't.

It wasn't surprising to me that he sold a lot of books there. His little talk and Q & A were very well received.