About 800 people cheered speeches, clapped to music, and celebrated a new era of Christian - Jewish relations on Sunday night. Eager African-American children and elderly Jewish Holocaust survivors waved Israeli and American flags. Whites, blacks, Asians and Hispanics basked in a glow of brotherhood. (See the previous story in this storyline.)

The event was Sacramento’s fourth annual Night to Honor Israel, sponsored by Christians United for Israel (CUFI), and held at the Radisson Hotel. CUFI rejects anti-Semitism, and specifically abhors the Church-sponsored anti-Semitism of the past, such as the Crusades, the Inquisition, pogroms, and the Holocaust.

As the audience took their seats, a series of short videos were projected onto large screens. Shortly after 7 p.m., a modern version of the Sh’ma, an ancient Jewish prayer, filled the large ballroom. This unique rendition incorporated sounds as diverse as bongo drums, and represented musically the diversity of the group and its message.

Ammi Racket, a 13-year old student at Arden Middle School, then sounded the shofar, which is an ancient instrument made from a ram’s horn and dates back to Biblical times. When we think of playing the “horn” today, we think of trumpets, but when Joshua brought down the walls of Jericho, his army’s horns were shofars. It is surprisingly difficult to play well. Ammi played it well. He “brought down the house,” if not the walls.

Scattered throughout the evening, sets of music were provided by Wild Branches, a 14-piece Christian band. In explaining their band’s name, these multiracial musicians cite passages from Romans which metaphorically speak of Gentiles as “wild branches” grafted onto Abraham’s tree.

After the Sh’ma and the Star Spangled Banner came a haunting rendition of Hatikva, the Israeli national anthem.  (Youtube has the performance of Hatikva from Wild Branch's earlier incarnation at Sacramento's first Night to Honor Israel.) Wild Branches played several sets of Old Testament psalms and passages put to music, along with traditional Jewish songs of celebration.

Rabbis representing the three strains of Judaism (Reform, Conservative, and Orthodox) spoke, along with several Christian pastors. Rabbi Reuven Taff of Mosaic Law Congregation expressed their shared sentiment when he said, “Historically, we Jews have had few friends in this world, and the more grave our situation, the more scarce those friends seem to be — which is why I’m here tonight to say...to you, my Christian brothers and sisters, God bless you and God keep you.”

All speakers delivered a message of Christian-Jewish unity, a denunciation of anti-Semitism, the hope that these two peoples of the God of Abraham are, after 2000 years, finally getting it right and were literally changing history before the eyes of the audience.

The keynote speaker was David Brog. Although an observant Jew, he is the executive director of “Christians” United for Israel. The first part of his speech dealt with efforts to demonize and delegitimize the nation of Israel. He focused on two accusations: that Israel is a usurper of Arab land and that there would be peace if only Israel weren’t so stubborn. He disputed both allegations with detailed historical explanations.

In the second part of Brog’s address, he traced the lineage of Christians United for Israel -- from 19th century Christians who rejected replacement theology*; to Righteous Christians of the 20th Century who risked their lives to shelter Jews during the Holocaust; through 21st Century Christians who coalesced into CUFI. Audience members laughed at his wit, and wept at his poignant observations on the history of anti-Semitism and the new era which CUFI seeks to inaugurate.

Having met the expenses of staging the event, CUFI solicited donations for two projects: combating anti-Semitism on college campuses and integrating Ethiopian Jewish refugees into Israeli life. Pastor Glen Cole referred to the historical shame of taking people from Africa and bringing them to slavery. He then contrasted that legacy with the Israeli endeavor to take them from Africa and bring them to freedom. The audience responded with over $12,000 in donations.

Ironically, the five Jewish speakers (the three rabbis, a secular activist, and even CUFI’s executive director) all related similar personal journeys to CUFI. Every one of them had started with extreme suspicion toward CUFI’s motives. Was there some sinister, hidden anti-Semitic agenda, they wondered? Are they out to convert us? Are they simply using us to hasten an Armageddon? Will there be positions on social issues that run counter to liberal Jewish thinking? Are they interfering in Israeli politics?

Yet, after carefully evaluating all the evidence, each one arrived at the same conclusion. CUFI is what it claims to be.

* Replacement theology is the belief that, when Jews failed to acknowledge Christ as the Messiah, all of God’s love for and promises to the Jews were replaced by love for and promises to the Church. Israel became synonymous with the Church, instead of with the Jews.

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Author's Disclosure: The author’s personal journey is similar to that of the Jewish speakers at this event. Though not a member of CUFI, he became a supporter and participant.