Oklahoma is poised to become the next U.S. state to officially recognize the biblical names “Judea and Samaria” in government documents, following an important August 2023 meeting between Governor Kevin Stitt and Rabbi Tuly Weisz, founder of Israel365.
Governor Stitt’s 2023 Meeting with Rabbi Weisz Laid Groundwork for Historic Name Change
During that meeting at the Governor’s residence, Rabbi Weisz explained the biblical and historical significance of the region commonly referred to as the “West Bank.” When Governor Stitt expressed particular interest in understanding the strategic importance of the territory, Rabbi Weisz improvised a solution.
“I realized I needed to show him a map to explain the strategic importance of the territory,” Rabbi Weisz recalled. “I asked for a piece of paper and pen and on the spot drew a picture of Israel, outlining the Biblical heartland and the famous heritage sites that run from north to south, from Bethel down to Bethlehem.”
The impromptu drawing made such an impression that Governor Stitt signed the hand-drawn map—a keepsake Rabbi Weisz says he has “always treasured, and even more so, now that Oklahoma is taking significant steps to recognize the significance of Judea and Samaria.”
That educational conversation has now borne legislative fruit. Senate Majority Floor Leader Julie Daniels, R-Bartlesville, has filed Senate Bill 2153, which requires Oklahoma state agencies to use the historically accurate names “Judea and Samaria” instead of “West Bank” in official government materials.
“I introduced Senate Bill 2153 to correct the record and affirm the historic and biblical connection of the Jewish people to Judea and Samaria,” Leader Daniels said. “A term created in 1948 for political reasons should not be allowed to erase the true name of the biblical heartland of the Jewish people. Judea and Samaria are not modern political inventions. They are referenced throughout Scripture and central to Jewish history for thousands of years.”
Senator Daniels is working with Yigal Dilmoni and Rafi Lazerowitz from the American Friends of Judea and Samaria (AFJS) on the legislation. Lazerowitz praised the effort as part of a broader movement to ground policy in historical truth.
“American citizens—Jews and Christians alike—are united today in their support for the State of Israel and in safeguarding Judea and Samaria as an inseparable part of it,” Lazerowitz said. “We express our deep appreciation to Majority Floor Leader Julie Daniels and her colleagues in the Oklahoma Legislature, who are working not only to strengthen Israel’s security, but also to educate the younger generation in the United States to move away from false and politically driven terminology, reconnect with the Bible, and use language grounded in truth and justice.”
Daniels said her work last session helping pass Senate Bill 991, which created an official definition of antisemitism, brought this issue to light. “The truth matters,” she said. “The words and terms used to define and influence thinking about the Jewish people and the State of Israel must be truthful.”
Her bill closely mirrors federal efforts to return the U.S. to using historically accurate terminology when referring to this culturally and strategically significant region. Oklahoma joins Arkansas, which has already enacted similar legislation, as part of a growing movement among U.S. states advancing policies rooted in historical truth and biblical values.
Rabbi Weisz reflected on Oklahoma’s leadership: “Oklahoma is blessed with incredible leaders, such as Julie Daniels and Governor Kevin Stitt. Their commitment to truth and their willingness to stand with Israel in meaningful ways demonstrates the kind of principled leadership that can make a real difference.”
