David Sher’s ComebackTown for a better greater Birmingham

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Today’s guest columnist is Richard Friedman.

During my long tenure as Executive Director of the Birmingham Jewish Federation, an Israeli Consul General told me something I’ve never forgotten. “You know,” he said. “We consider Alabama the most pro-Israel state in the country.”

There are reasons — ranging from religious ties, to admiration for Israel as a democracy, to the country’s determination not only to survive but also to thrive, to its accomplishments as a fountain of innovation.

Alabama is heavily Christian and the ties between the Christian community, especially the Evangelical community, and Israel that have flourished over the decades have been heartening. They believe the Bible affirms the inextricable link between the Jewish people and the Land of Israel and know that the roots of Judaism and Christianity converge in this tiny, holy piece of land 6,500 miles away.

There are Christian groups in Alabama doing remarkable work for Israel; aiding its citizens, advocating in Montgomery and Washington, DC, donating dollars and praying daily for the well-being of the Jewish state.

Alabama officials at every level of government — from the U.S. Congress to the governor’s office to the state legislature to local mayors and town councils — have supported Israel; issuing proclamations, taking legislative action, promoting ties between the two countries and visiting Israel multiple times.

They admire Israel’s willingness to stand up to terror and understand that Israel faces security challenges no other country encounters. They marvel at the fortitude it takes for Israelis to go about their day to day lives in the face of a nuclear threat from Iran and missiles from Hamas and Hezbollah.

They also know that Israel is an outpost of democracy and America’s best ally in one of the world’s most turbulent and strategically important regions. Yes, Israel’s democracy goes through spasms, just like our country and other democracies. Yet, it endures and retains its vibrancy.

Alabama first state to call for the establishment of Israel

Alabama’s support for Israel has important roots. In 1943, as the Jews of Europe were being murdered by Hitler’s Nazis and desperately seeking refuge in their Biblical homeland, Alabama, through a unanimous vote by the Legislature, became the first state to call for the establishment of a Jewish country in the Biblical homeland of the Jewish people.

For decades, organizations, such as the Birmingham Jewish Federation, have reached out to the broader community, explaining why Israel is an asset to the U.S. and encouraging Alabamians to visit Israel. The Levite Jewish Community Center’s recent Jewish Food and Culture Fest, which was coupled with a celebration of the 75th anniversary of Israel’s rebirth as a modern Jewish state, drew 2000 people, many of them not Jewish.

During my work as Jewish Federation director, part of my job was to educate about Israel. I appeared many times on call-in radio, spoke widely to churches and civic groups and wrote extensively in the Birmingham News and on Al.Com. No matter the forum, people were hungry for information, wanting to learn more.

Thanks in part to the support Israel has received from our state over the decades – and from the American people overall – this tiny country has flourished. Now, as Israel celebrates its 75th anniversary, its achievements are a miracle.

This country of 9 million people – a population slightly larger than Alabama and Mississippi’s combined — has become a world leader in technology, medicine, agriculture, defense, cybersecurity, water management and other important fields. Its know-how and relationships with companies, universities and communities throughout our state have benefited Alabamians.

Returning after a 2022 trip to Israel for HBCU presidents, Dr. Charlotte Morris, president of Tuskegee University, told Southern Jewish Life magazine, “The trip gave me an opportunity to explore collaborations between some of the things we are doing here at Tuskegee and institutions in Israel. Israel has super expertise in advanced technology, agriculture and the sciences. I wanted to make sure we explored these areas.”

Being in Israel also affected the Tuskegee president as a Christian. “I am a Bible scholar. I don’t know any other way to describe seeing places I had studied in the Bible other than ‘Wow!’” she said.

As Israel continues to celebrate its 75th anniversary, I say Todah Rabah – “Thank You” in Hebrew — to my fellow Alabamians. I think that Consul General, who believed Alabama was the most supportive state in the union, may have been right.

And that makes me proud.

Richard Friedman is the retired executive director of the Birmingham Jewish Federation. He is currently associate editor of Southern Jewish Life and Israel InSight magazines.

David Sher is the founder and publisher of ComebackTown. He’s past Chairman of the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce (BBA), Operation New Birmingham (REV Birmingham), and the City Action Partnership (CAP).

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