John Hagee Ministries continued a decades-long trend at this week’s 34th Annual Night to Honor Israel held in San Antonio, Texas, on October 25. Having already donated more than $95 million to Israeli and Jewish causes, Hagee Ministries continued its tradition to publicly stand with Israel.
A Night to Honor Israel has become an important expression of Christian solidarity with the State of Israel and the Jewish people. Started by Pastor John Hagee in 1981, it was meant to be a one-off event recognizing the daring mission ordered by then Prime Minister of Israel Menachem Begin to successfully destroy Iraq’s nuclear reactor, which was in the hands of then Dictator Saddam Hussein.
Following the mission, for which Hagee believed Israel “did the world a favor,” he was shocked to find that global media, including within the United States, condemned Israel and the IDF’s action instead of praising them for their success. Thus, A Night to Honor Israel was conceived.
The event turned into an annual national and global happening when Hagee received personal death threats, with some even going so far as threatening to blow up his building.
“I decided we were going to hold this event to honor Israel from here until eternity and until people get used to it,” Hagee stated in 2013.
Among the recipients of this year’s Hagee Ministries love and generosity is Heart to Heart Israel, an organization which provides support for Israel’s national ambulance, EMS and blood service.
At the Night to Honor Israel, Pastor Hagee announced the donation of his ministry’s ninth ambulance for Israel. Before the event however, Hagee dedicated his ministry’s eighth sponsored ambulance, which is set to join the seven previous ambulances already in service in Israel. These first seven ambulances have treated more than 36,000 patients throughout the country.
“Jewish tradition embraces the concept of ‘pirsum mitzvah’, the publication and enhancement of a Biblical obligation, such as to bless Israel,” notes Jonathan Feldstein, Director of Heart to Heart Israel. “I want to shout out to the world the good that Hagee Ministries does for us.”
As a result of Hagee’s generous support, several other ministries have donated ambulances of their own, which have already treated more than 100,000 people. “Not only is accessibility to a fully outfitted ambulance a matter of life and death, donating to Israel’s national ambulance, EMS and blood service highlights the mandate to bless Israel,” says Feldstein.
Citing the terrorist attack earlier this year on one of the previously donated Hagee Ministry ambulances, Hagee shared, “If an ambulance is attacked, we will donate a new one.”
