Jewish Group Partners with Evangelicals for Popular Study Tours
by Jim Fletcher
Posted: September 2, 2011
Robert Abrams is an accomplished and sophisticated man. He lives in New York, and in his 15-year stint as that state’s attorney general, he saw power up-close. He is also a vice-president with the America-Israel
Friendship League (AIFL—www.aifl.org), an innovative and powerful conduit for effecting positive change in the world, particularly in the Middle East.
It’s easy to imagine the urbane settings that make up Abrams’ world. Yet he has been blessed with another gift: friendship and understanding among evangelical Christian supporters of Israel.
His work in coordinating and participating in study tours of Israel, with American influencers, is critical in the drive to eliminate false perceptions of the Jewish state. Abrams in particular works with educators and political figures who are able to see Israel as it really is. These “study tours” have proven to be a spectacular success.
“People come away amazed that a small country in the face of existential threats can grow and build a nation with such institutions as universities, hospitals, and cultural networks,” explains Abrams.
J.B. Van Hollen, attorney general for the state of Wisconsin, made an impression on Abrams during a recent tour, when he did a scripture reading at the Sea of Galilee. Abrams found that moving, and with the AIFL’s growing partnerships within the pro-Israel evangelical community, it is a scene sure to be repeated often. Study tours are underway, with more planned for 2012.
“This is an important component of the work of the America-Israel Friendship League,” Abrams says. “We’ve been doing this work for decades and it’s extremely important because it gives Americans a greater insight into life in Israel and to have a firsthand look. Reading about it is one thing, but being there, seeing it with your own eyes and having direct contact with people where you can ask questions and get direct responses, there’s nothing like it.”
With his experience as the state of New York’s top law enforcement officer, Abrams saw early on in his work with AIFL that it would be beneficial to bring fellow AGs to Israel.
“People come with distorted, stereotyped views and that’s because of the way the media focuses on Israel,” he says. “They focus very often when there’s conflict. So people think Israel’s a war-zone. They are astonished to see how peaceful it is!”
Study tour participants are able to “meet with officials of the government, meet with academics, come in contact with ordinary citizens,” Abrams notes. Ranging from larger groups to smaller, more intimate groups, for example, there are opportunities even to go into Israeli homes and see up-close the people and how vibrant the culture is.
“My daughter and son-in-law and four grandchildren live in Jerusalem. When I take delegations of attorneys general to Israel, they come for Friday night Sabbath service. My son-in-law, a rabbi, Rabbi Ian Pear (founder of the congregation Shir Hadash), meets with the delegation beforehand and explains what the Friday night service is all about, and gives context to the prayer and sermon they are about to hear.” Afterward, Abrams notes the joy and delight among participants.
“Because it is a very spirited service [at synagogue], with the melodies and spontaneous dancing—we link arms, dance around near the Torah—there is a lot of joy attached to the service.”
After the service, the delegation walks to Rabbi Pear’s home for dinner. This is a key—and often emotionally charged—time of fellowship, something evangelicals are quite familiar with in their own faith communities. This writer can attest to the spirit of fellowship and even kinship that we receive from our Jewish brothers and sisters in such environments. That, coupled with the amazingly different perspective that comes from actually visiting the country, provides a genuine blessing of hope in what the AIFL and representatives like Abrams provide.
In fact, the group is staunchly behind their friends, the evangelicals (and even many mainline and Catholic folks, who recognize the true nature of Israel). AIFL President Harley Lippman is a superb spokesman for the group, articulating the importance of standing up for Israel, particularly at this moment.
Chairman Kenneth Bialkin somehow finds time to be accessible, even as he directs his law firm from the rarified air of New York City. Dr. Charlotte Frank, who has devoted her professional life to education, is also heavily involved in trips to Israel, as is Dr. Alex Grobman, AIFL director.
Abrams provides a key element to the AIFL agenda, which is summed-up in the mission statement: “Building friendship based on common values.” His work in bringing delegations to Israel has become so popular, the group is making a strong push to increase its visibility by expanding to individual evangelicals who support Israel.
Abrams says there are “all kinds of groupings of people” who participate: elected officials, superintendents of schools, writers, business leaders, ethnic leaders. The groups see the country’s beaches, restaurants, cultural events, historical sites, of course. It is an all-encompassing tour, with the added feature of meeting with influential people in Israel.
“Israel has such a booming, thriving economy, that business leaders are interested in meeting some of the enterprising entrepreneurs,” Abrams says. “It’s a very inventive society, on the frontier of technology, and so these kinds of groups have been organized over many years.” He also said that many of the groups he brings are quite interested in seeing how “a great democracy protects its citizens in an era of terrorism.”
In practical terms, Israel has proven to be very effective in combating terrorism, and this also fosters “a tremendous admiration” for this small country. Abrams and his friends well understand that Israel’s form of government, economic success, infrastructure, and the people themselves are a success story unlike any other. The AIFL also brings home the revelation that in Israel, Jews and Arabs do work together and co-exist. He recounts that when his daughter gave birth in Jerusalem’s Hadassah Hospital, the hospital served Jews and Arabs. This is a story not widely known, especially as portrayed by the media.
“The peaceful co-existence that we see day in and day out is something you don’t hear about often,” Abrams recounts. “When I took my grandchildren to the zoo, it was apparent. People are people. At the zoo, there are Arab families and Jewish families…they all want the same thing, to enjoy the day with their families!”
That type of scene is probably not of interest to CNN, but it is one that visitors on AIFL study tours will enjoy immensely.
In the end, the work of Abrams and AIFL involves a whole host of things, centered around the linking of groups and individuals who otherwise would not interact. Yet, Abrams sums-up the real power behind a study tour of Israel:
“It is a nation reborn.”
And that, ladies and gentlemen, will resonate with all of us long after the struggles and conflicts in the Middle East are over.
A nation reborn.
It’s time you visited!
(If you’d like more information about participating in one of these amazing tours of Israel, contact Jim Fletcher at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )