Quick, can you name the largest pro-Israel organization in the United States? No, it’s not B’nai Brith, the Jewish National Fund or Zionists of America. It’s Christians United for Israel (CUFI).
This past January, CUFI claimed it had become the largest pro-Israel organization in the U.S. and one of the leading Christian grass-roots movements in the world. In a statement, CUFI claimed it has more than 2 million people on its email list.
The man responsible for spearheading this movement? John Hagee. Hagee founded CUFI in 2006 and continues to serve as its national chairman. Each year more than 5,000 vocal and passionate Christians gather at “A Night to Honor Israel,” held at Cornerstone Church in San Antonio, which Hagee pastors. When Hagee speaks, Israel listens—and also attends. Israel’s consul general, presidents of national Jewish organizations and many other Jewish leaders regularly link arms with Hagee and the army of Christians he’s mobilized.
“Not only have you stood up for Israel,” Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Hagee, “but you have inspired others to stand up as well.”
“Never in the history of my people have I witnessed such an event as this,” said Holocaust survivor and Nobel Prize winner Elie Wiesel at a CUFI event.
A fifth-generation pastor, Hagee is the 47th descendent in his family to preach the gospel since the first ancestor immigrated to America from Germany. John Hagee Ministries broadcasts in more than 190 countries and has distributed more than $85 million in aid to Israeli and Jewish charities, including giving millions to bring Jews home to Israel. Hagee’s book, Jerusalem Countdown, made USA Today’s best-seller list, and his book Four Blood Moons made the New York Times best-sellers list.—Diana Scimone
