The Bridge Builder

by Daniel K. Eisenbud at the Jerusalem Post

Over 30 years ago, Dr. Mike Evans – a devout American-Christian Zionist leader, multiple New York Times best-selling author and renowned Middle East expert – struck an unlikely yet powerful and enduring friendship with then-prime minister Menachem Begin. That friendship transformed the relationship between Evangelical Christians and the State of Israel forever.

“He asked me why I came to Israel,” Evans says of his first meeting with Begin in 1979. “At first I couldn’t answer him. A couple days later, I knew the answer.

“I made a call to Reuben Hecht to ask if I could meet with Begin again the next day because I knew why I came. Begin took the meeting, and this time when he asked me, ‘Why did you come?’ I said, ‘To build a bridge.’” He says Begin initially laughed, saying sarcastically, “You want to build the Brooklyn Bridge?” Evans replied, “No, to build a bridge between Christian Zionists who believe in the Bible and the Jewish people. A bridge of light.

“Lovely,” Begin said. “I get it. Let’s build a bridge together.”

To read the balance of this article, go here.