There are moments when you leave a gathering feeling not simply encouraged, but genuinely inspired. Less than three years after the greatest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust, and amid a worldwide resurgence of antisemitism, attending Christians United for Israel's annual conference was one of those moments. This is not simply because CUFI is home to millions of admirers and supporters of the beleaguered Jewish community, but because of the courage found among them.

When antisemitism is surging around the globe, Jewish students are harassed on college campuses, and synagogues require heightened security, the easy course is to keep one’s distance. Some would even call that prudent. CUFI celebrates those who do just the opposite, who lean in against those who threaten us. CUFI’s founder and creator, Pastor John Hagee, put it this way: “If a line has to be drawn, draw it around Christians and Jews. We are united."

Since launching “A Night to Honor Israel" in 1981, Hagee has built what has become one of the strongest and most consequential pro-Israel movements in America. Millions of faithful Christians have chosen not merely to express sympathy for Israel or the Jewish people, but to stand with us publicly, consistently, and unapologetically.

Walking through the conference halls, I met pastors, students, community leaders, military veterans, and families from across America. They were motivated not by politics, but by deeply held moral conviction. They spoke about Israel as America's democratic ally, and the shared Biblical values that have shaped Western civilization. They spoke about religious liberty, human dignity, and the ties between Christians and the Jewish People.

Standing with Israel is no simple matter, especially for young students; it can invite criticism, targeted vandalism, and social ostracism. The conference featured panelists from CUFI High School and CUFI on Campus, who offered personal accounts of the consequences they faced for standing with Israel and against antisemitism.

Pastor Russell Johnson leads a church in what he described as “the People’s Republic of Seattle." When he decided to hold a “Night to Honor Israel" with CUFI, he said, they “had protesters in the service, in the parking lot, and all around the building." But it was more than worth it, he said, to host Pastor Hagee, whom he called “a hero of mine," and to stand with “the most free, prosperous, and equitable ally that America has ever had in the Middle East."

In an age where many are eager to lecture Jews about what our security should look like or how Israel should defend itself, these men and women came simply to stand with us. They understood that after October 7 and its aftermath, solidarity is not merely symbolic. Rivkie Feiner, an Orthodox Jewish woman attending CUFI the first time, said that she “was very impressed at how unabashedly loud and proud they are in their support of Israel and the Jewish community" - and that she wished all Jews would display the same confidence and commitment.

The Torah teaches the importance of hakaras hatov, the obligation to recognize and acknowledge those who do good for us. We cannot take such friendship for granted.

Throughout our history, there have been moments when others remained silent in the face of antisemitism. And for nearly two millennia, organized Christian support for the Jewish people on this scale would have been unimaginable. Whatever our theological differences, this partnership represents one of the most remarkable developments in modern Jewish-Christian relations; millions of Christian Zionists are choosing courage, and we should thank them for their support and their bravery.

That does not erase the deep theological differences between our faiths, nor should it. We remain distinct religious communities with different beliefs and traditions. But friendship does not require uniformity, and mutual respect does not require agreement.

In fact, Pastor Hagee proudly recounts how the “Night to Honor Israel" might not have gotten off the ground, were it not for the early and vocal support from a local Orthodox rabbi, who recognized his sincerity and became a close colleague and friend. There was only one Orthodox synagogue in San Antonio, Texas, in 1981: Congregation Rodfei Shalom, led by Rabbi Aryeh Scheinberg, ob"m. When Hagee encountered suspicion from officers of the local Jewish Federation, it was Rabbi Scheinberg who posed a simple question: “but what if he’s a good person?"

That CUFI is represented by good people was evident throughout the conference. They view the rise of antisemitism as not merely a Jewish problem, but a warning sign for society itself. They know that hatred directed toward Jews never remains confined to Jews, but is the first symptom of a deeper moral sickness that eventually threatens everyone’s freedom.

That understanding should give us confidence. It means millions of Americans recognize that supporting Israel is about more than foreign policy. It is about defending the principles of liberty, religious freedom, and democracy that benefit all people.

America itself has long been blessed by this partnership between faithful Jews and Christians. Together, we have defended religious liberty, strengthened families, supported charitable institutions, fought poverty, opposed totalitarian ideologies, and advanced the timeless belief that every human being is created in the image of God.

Those shared values are worth preserving.

The enemies of Israel are loud. The antisemites dominate too many headlines. Social media often magnifies the ugliest voices in our society.

But they do not speak for America.

In a media environment that often amplifies division, outrage, and conflict, gatherings like the CUFI conference remind us that another story is unfolding across America. It is the story of millions of decent people who reject hatred, reject antisemitism, reject terrorism, and refuse to abandon Israel. And it is the story of those who look past our differences to unite behind common goals for America, Israel, and the world.

That story deserves to be told.

The Jewish people know that our ultimate security rests in the protection of the Almighty. But we are also compelled to show hakaras hatov-to recognize and thank those through whom He blesses us. To CUFI, and to those of every faith and none who stand for Israel when it is costly, who speak plainly where others hedge, and who keep the moral line between those who defend life and those who glorify hatred, thank you.

Your friendship is seen, your support is felt, and your advocacy makes a difference. Because of friends like you, the Jewish people know that we are not alone.

Rabbi Yaakov Menken is Executive Vice President of the Coalition for Jewish Values