A Match Made in Heaven: American Jews, Christian Zionists, and One Man's Exploration of the Weird and Wonderful Judeo-Evangelical Alliance

Zev Chafets
Harper Collins (2007)
ISBN 9780060890582
Reviewed by Richard R. Blake for Reader Views (3/07)

Zev Chafets writes with the easy flow of a well-informed journalist with years of experience and expertise in the arena of Israeli politics and government.  “A Match Made in Heaven” focuses on the American evangelical support of the nation Israel.

Chafets maintains that Israel needs friends and asserts that the mainstream in Israel rely on and appreciate evangelical support, contrary to the views of American journalists. He takes the stance that in recent years Evangelical Christians, as well as American Jews, have become a major influence on the continuing support of United States to Israel.

Chafets’ position in the book represents the viewpoint of Israeli and American Jewish leaders.  He discusses issues of eschatology of the Christian faith as it relates to the development of the “end times.”

His analysis includes the urgency for Israel to look at the Muslim fascists not the evangelical Christian as the “enemy.”

He warns the liberal American Jew to guard against being suspicious of evangelical support “based on stereotypes, knew-jerk partisanship, or simple prejudice.” He suggests they take a closer look at Christian Zionism, especially in a time of Muslim terrorism and war.

Although not as outspoken as Jerry Falwell, nor as charismatic as Pat Robertson, I consider myself a born-again evangelical.  I found Chafets’ barbs stinging, humorous and often pretty accurate. Chafets understands the tenets, claims, and practices of the evangelical Christian faith better then many professed adherents.

“A Match Made in Heaven” should grab the attention of both the American Jew and the conservative evangelical Christian.  Chafets’ writing is thought-provoking, succinct, entertaining, and exemplifies good journalism.

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