Ezra Taft Benson and the State of Israel - Brandeis Institutional ...

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Table of ContentsIntroduction – 1Chapter 1: Mormon Background – 3Chapter 2: Benson's Religious Leadership and Israel – 20Chapter 3: Benson and Israel in the Political Arena – 41Epilogue – 71Appendix – 73Bibliography – 78iv
IntroductionMy interest in Jews and the State of Israel grew almost imperceptibly throughoutmy life, until I enrolled in a semester study abroad at the Brigham Young UniversityJerusalem Center for Near Eastern Studies. I was fascinated by everything I saw andlearned in Israel, but I was not fully aware to what extent my experiences growing up amember of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had influenced myperceptions. My family is not particularly connected to the Near East, nor does it holdany important political or religious standing in the Church. But from my Latter-day Saintculture and heritage I gained a sincere interest in the Jewish people and their destiny asGod's Covenant people. By the time I left Israel after my semester studying there, I knewit would be a central aspect of my life from then on.One of the people whose teachings most influenced my developing interest inIsrael and the gathering of the Jews was the prophet Ezra Taft Benson, who was the firstChurch prophet I remember. I grew up hearing stories of his time as Secretary ofAgriculture, and especially of his unfailing support for the State of Israel. But I hadnever come across any book or even article that described his relationship with the Statein any detail. When I began to explore my own genesis in Near Eastern studies, I becamecurious about what experiences had been central to President Benson's views on the Jewsand Israel. Yet, while his deep interest in the Jewish State is mentioned frequently inbiographies and other publications about him, I could find nothing that expounded his1
Page 2 and 3: AcknowledgementsI am indebted to Pr
Page 6 and 7: elationship in any depth.In researc
Page 8 and 9: friendships with various Israeli le
Page 10 and 11: Joseph Smith taught that Latter-day
Page 12 and 13: Gentiles, and it will be again inha
Page 14 and 15: for their long suffering. Yet, he,
Page 16 and 17: focus on both the fulfillment of pr
Page 18 and 19: Smith and Brigham Young, as previou
Page 20 and 21: Smith, the members of the group “
Page 22 and 23: Jews.'” 46Benjamin further descri
Page 24 and 25: Chapter 2: Benson's Religious Leade
Page 26 and 27: audiences. The first, called, “Je
Page 28 and 29: Benson's sense of kinship for the J
Page 30 and 31: eturn of the Jews to the land of Pa
Page 32 and 33: general mention of his efforts at s
Page 34 and 35: Or perhaps it did not aid in his ap
Page 36 and 37: about Jews and Israel, throughout t
Page 38 and 39: and Peter Grose describe the frustr
Page 40 and 41: Israel's victory in the Six Day War
Page 42 and 43: the Messiah. Indeed, both Benson an
Page 44 and 45: those visits, as opposed to those o
Page 46 and 47: U.S. agricultural products on credi
Page 48 and 49: The American public, though divided
Page 50 and 51: States.” 133Indeed, a Gallup poll
Page 52 and 53: with Britain and France, for their
Page 54 and 55:
many Americans that Israel was now,
Page 56 and 57:
those experiences to give validity
Page 58 and 59:
Benson, “I want you to pray to Go
Page 60 and 61:
gathering. Some of those themes inc
Page 62 and 63:
Ben Gurion and Levi Eshkol, both of
Page 64 and 65:
sending “two Mormon Books,” and
Page 66 and 67:
Yet Ben Gurion's next letter, dated
Page 68 and 69:
on this occasion with Shimon Peres
Page 70 and 71:
cultivate land for crops in the 194
Page 72 and 73:
attitude in the Synagogue Light art
Page 74 and 75:
United States, his views on Israel
Page 76 and 77:
eminded the host that he had not be
Page 78 and 79:
Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and
Page 80 and 81:
"Though Thy servant is now far from
Page 82 and 83:
BibliographyAlteras, Isaac. Eisenho
Page 84 and 85:
Madsen, Truman G. “Mormon Attitud
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