The Galilee Gulp
First I thought it was a piece of spam, or some sort of internet prank, but, no, the press release was for real: Israeli wines for Christian consumers. Haroz Vintners, located in the heart of the renowned Norcross, Georgia Wine Country, is evangelizing like crazy for its Grapes of Galilee line of wines (Cabernet, Merlot, Chardonnay) made from grapes grown near the shores of the Sea of Galilee in northern Israel. And their target audience: Christians, especially Catholics in the US.
“I hope to provide a way to strengthen the bond between Israel and many other people through bringing wine from Galilee to the houses of the Christian community,” says Adam Haroz, who founded the company along with his father. The inspiration was apparently a trip to Israel on which Haroz noticed the fondness of Christian travelers from the US for "holy water” from the Jordan River; it was a small step from holy water to what Advertising Age dubbed “Divine Wine.”
The labels feature Jesus in action shots, including the memorable walking-on-water episode. The back label includes a brief sketch of His exploits in the Galilee region, with the appropriate New Testament chapter and verse references. The Government Warning is standard stuff, with no mention of miraculous powers.
Commentary on the wines in the press and blogs so far has had some fun with the analogy between the Jesus brand and the profusion of “critter” wines, mainly from Australia, sporting lovable varmints on the labels. All of which misses a more fundamental point: how the Grapes of Galilee project embodies the peculiar, twisted relationship between a segment of fervent Christians in the US, who are fanatical fans of Israel, and a segment of Israelis, equally fervent about ties with US Christians.
The way this international odd couple works goes like this. Israelis, especially hawkish ones, are always on the lookout for supporters in the US, Israel’s chief international patron. They have found a huge reservoir of Israel-worship among US Christians, particularly evangelicals, Catholic and Protestant, and have created a sizable market in tourism and Holy Land gee-gaws, into which Grapes of Galilee fits nicely. (The focus on Catholics in particular comes because they are more likely to pop a cork than their abstaining Protestant brethren.) The reason so many Christians are juiced about Israel is that their reading of the Bible indicates that the world is going to come to an end (soon) when everything blows sky-high in that very spot; so the more tensions get cranked up in the Middle East, the closer is that happy day of Armageddon. The Christian half of this partnership rarely mentions their conviction that when the Rapture does finally arrive, all the Jews will burn in Hell; that kind of sentiment isn’t good for business.
Meantime, Cheers! Or perhaps, Lechaim!
My inaugural address at the Great White Throne Judgment of the Dead, after I have raptured out billions! The Secret Rapture soon, by my hand!
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Posted by: Secret Rapture | October 08, 2007 at 06:17 AM