Celebrating America’s Biblical Heritage
This year, the United States of America is celebrating 250 years as an independent nation. This is a milestone well worth recognizing. America’s presence and might have been a great blessing to this world.
This sentiment is contentious today, but it is the truth: Nations and peoples across the globe have benefited from the wealth, stability and security America has brought. One nation in particular has had a uniquely special relationship with America. I believe this relationship—a brotherhood, really—is one of the oldest and most important relationships that exists between two nations, historically and strategically. Since the founding of the modern nation of Israel, America has been one of Israel’s greatest supporters.
In fact, America was the first nation to publicly recognize the newly formed Jewish state in 1948. Minutes after David Ben-Gurion announced the establishment of the State of Israel as an independent nation, United States President Harry S. Truman said: “I had faith in Israel before it was established; I have faith in it now. I believe it has a glorious future before it—not just another sovereign nation but as an embodiment of the great ideals of our civilization.”
This is an opinion that most of America’s presidents since that time have held.
Richard Nixon said, “Israelis have shown qualities that Americans identify with: guts, patriotism, idealism, a passion for freedom.” Gerald Ford believed America’s “role in supporting Israel honors our own heritage.” Jimmy Carter said that America and Israel share “a special relationship.” With few exceptions, America’s leaders have sought to defend and support the Jewish people.
Israel is one of the few nations listed as a “major non-nato ally.” “Israel has been the largest cumulative recipient of U.S. foreign aid since its founding, receiving over $300 billion (adjusted for inflation) in total economic and military assistance,” the Council on Foreign Relations wrote on Oct. 7, 2025. Since 1948, America has been committed to Israel’s security and welfare; it has been committed to the defense and support of the Jewish people.
America has been incredibly generous with many nations. But why is its relationship with a small nation in the Middle East so deep and unique? This is one of the subjects we explore in this issue of Let the Stones Speak.
In a way, the answer is simple: Israel’s history is America’s history. America’s identity—morally, ideologically, politically, philosophically and theologically—can be traced to the Holy Land—to Jerusalem.
America and Israel’s special relationship stems from, as President Ford highlighted, a common heritage. The Judeo-Christian values from the Hebrew Bible are at the very core of America’s founding 250 years ago.
Melanie Phillips, acclaimed journalist and Jerusalem resident, explained it well: “The values that everybody in the West [especially America] holds dear or purports to hold dear … are biblical values. And so the West’s onslaught on itself has been in effect an onslaught on biblical values. Few people understand the immense importance of those values of the Hebrew Bible to the West, civilization and greatness.”
It’s important to consider the history of this relationship, and America’s deep historic connection to Israel, because it appears the America-Israel brotherhood is flagging.
When U.S. President Donald Trump was re-elected, people in Israel rejoiced. Banners throughout Israel displayed statements of congratulations. Outside the U.S. ambassador’s residence in Jerusalem, a 20-foot-tall banner read, “Welcome Back, Dear Friend.”
President Trump’s first term, it seems, was the high point of the relationship. Relations between Washington and Jerusalem today are much more volatile. In America, support for the Jewish state is declining, even among Christians and others who have traditionally cherished Israel.
This is a reality that is making headlines. On July 7, Haaretz published an article titled “The ‘Special Relationship’ With the U.S. Is Gone, and Israel Isn’t Ready for What’s Coming.” “In a nutshell, the era of the ‘special relationship’ is over,” wrote David Rothkopf. “While Israel will probably remain a U.S. ally for the foreseeable future, it will almost certainly receive much less support ….
“It will be more akin to other important international friendships the U.S. has, with countries like France or Germany, where cooperation and collaboration are sought but where periodic chills are also expected.”
What a sad reality. Israel is the only functioning democracy in the Middle East, yet it is the most persecuted. And the superpower and brother that it once could rely on for security is chilling the alliance and proving itself increasingly unpredictable.
There are several reasons for America’s growing apathy toward Israel. But one major reason is this: Americans are forgetting, and even demolishing, their history and identity. This sad trend brings many tragic results, including the destruction of the enduring and exceptional brotherhood with the Jewish state.
In order to preserve who we are, we must know and value who we are. We must remember our heritage. America was founded on Judeo-Christian principles. It was founded on the Hebrew Bible. This is the heritage America and Israel share. This is the source of our bond.
Why should Americans continue to deeply treasure their relationship with Israel? It’s simple really: When we support and defend Israel’s identity, we are supporting and defending America’s history and identity.