Mark Powers: With friends like Elwood McQuaid.
changed in 1973), the group was creat-
ed to bring aid "to persecuted Hebrew
Christians and Jewish refugees in Eu-
rope and throughout the world in their
darkest hour of need," according to a
Friends of Israel brochure. "The gen-
erous, loving gifts of God's people allowed
the physical needs of the ravaged to be
met and, more importantly, provided
the vehicle for the faithful proclamation
of the gospel of salvation."
But it was a 1970 tour of Israel that
"revolutionized my thinking."
During the trip, Dr. McQuaid came
to see that Christians neither under-
stood nor related positively to Jews.
On a second visit to Israel, where he
was doing research for a book, he be-
came certain his future lay in helping
the Jewish people.
In 1977, Dr. McQuaid left his pastoral
work to begin serving full time with the
Friends of Israel. In 1989, he was named
executive director.
As head of the New Jersey-based
group, Dr. McQuaid oversees the
Friends' radio broadcasts that reach 40
countries, a summer studies program
in Israel, a one-year Institute of Bibli-
cal Studies and a magazine, Israel My
Glory, that covers everything from the
Holocaust to anti-Semitism (labeled "Sa-
tan's lethal weapon").
Dr. McQuaid believes a key part of his
job is working with fellow Christians.
He has made numerous speeches at
churches and before Christian groups,
where he decries anti-Semitism both
within his own constituency and amid
radical organizations throughout the
world.
He has been an outspoken critic of the
Aryan Nations and neo-Nazis, "these
kook elements that claim to be Chris-
tians." By being so public about his dis-
dain for such groups, both he and his
supporters "have publicly put our lives
on the line for the Jewish people."
The Friends of Israel is "not associat-
ed with any ministry," Dr. McQuaid
says, though it is a proselytizing orga-
nization committed to bringing the mes-
sage ofJesus "to Jewish people and their
gentile neighbors."
Dr. McQuaid wants it known, how-
ever, that by "proselytizing' he's not talk-
ing about forced conversions or pogroms.
Instead, he says, he has been "com-
missioned by Christ to make him known
to Jews and gentiles. What they do with
that message is between them and Cod."
At meetings with Jews, Dr. McQuaid
isn't hesitant about bringing up the
name ofJesus. In fact, he says, being di-
rect is the only way Jews and Christians
can really have any kind of dialogue.
A lot of Christians have gone into in-
terfaith talks "with a white flag in our
hand, making sure no one even hears
the name 'Jesus,' " he says. "I think you
should state your case up front and then
deal with it."
Dr. McQuaid did just that when he
began mustering Friends' support
around Holocaust Memorial Day.
In the March 22 letter, he was di-
recting supporters to "go and demon-
strate the love of Christ," he says. "Our
people were saying to the Jewish com-
munity, 'We're standing here to help
you,' and to anti-Semites, 'We're stand-
ing with the Jewish people.' "
The word "convert" never even came
up in regard to survivors, he says, and
he certainly had no plans to "bludgeon
down people who already have been
traumatized."
"We are not undercover agents for Je-
sus," he says.
Not that Dr. McQuaid would have a
problem if Holocaust survivors did be-
come Christians. While he acknowledges
that "millions of Jews find fulfillment in
Judaism," Dr. McQuaid says he has seen
many survivors who "live under the
trauma of the Holocaust," who remain
suspended in the horror of the past, un-
able to move out from the tragedy. Cer-
tainly Jesus would be of great comfort
to them, he suggests.
Take the case of "Zvi."
Zvi is a Holocaust survivor who "found
Jesus Christ" after the War of Inde-
pendence and now lives in Jerusalem.
Zvi has a regular column in Israel My
Glory, where he recounts his efforts to
bring the message ofJesus to Israelis.
In the April/May 1993 issue, Zvi tells
of meeting with a group of students from
a yeshiva (which he incorrectly describes
as an "ultra-Orthodox religious school").
They are coming door to door to check
mezuzot and arrive at Zvi's front steps.
He invites them in.
"The most important thing is to know
that your heart is kosher," he tells them.
At the end of his story, Zvi implores
readers to pray with him on behalf of
the boys and their rabbi, "that the Lord
will open their eyes to the emptiness
of their vain traditions. As the Lord Je-
sus said, 'For what shall it profit a man,
if he shall gain the whole world, and lose
his own soul?' "