, Columnist
How Billy Graham Made Israel OK With Evangelicals
Other than one awkward conversation with Nixon, the preacher was a steadfast friend of the Jewish state.
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When Billy Graham brought his evangelistic crusade to the Holy Land, in the spring of 1960, he was already a world-famous figure. But not in Israel. People here had never seen him on television because in those early days of socialist austerity there was no television. Even if there had been, Graham, who died last week, wouldn’t have appeared. Attempting to convert Jews was (and remains) taboo.
Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion authorized rallies in Arab Christian venues, including Jerusalem’s towering YMCA building. Graham wanted to speak in Tel Aviv as well. Allowing that could have forced the Ben-Gurion’s Orthodox coalition partners to bring down the government.