I heard this NPR story this morning as I made pancakes:
"Seven thousand evangelical Christians from nearly 100 countries are in Israel this week to show support for the Jewish state.[...]The evangelical Christians in colorful costumes wave flags, sing and dance — marching as part of the city's traditional parade for the Jewish holiday of Sukkot...Wearing large styrofoam cowboy hats and beaming with joy, Sandy and Greg Cassee from Amarillo, Texas, said this was their first visit to Israel.”
You know, to me, nothing quite says "zman simchateinu!" like a large styrofoam cowboy hat. On the other hand, I should point out that the wearing of large styrofoam cowboy hats in observance of Sukkot has about as much to do with Jewish tradition as premillenial dispensationalist Christian Zionism does with anything Jesus ever taught, so I guess there's a certain symmetry there.
The article is worth reading (or listening to). TAP contributor Gershom Gorenberg is quoted in regard Christian Zionists' support for Israel in relation to their belief that Jews and Judaism will eventually disappear. --Matthew Duss
