Jewish Bible scholar Dr Joel M. Hoffman has told USA Today’s affiliate the Reno Gazette-Journal that there is “no way” a book dedicated to current US President Donald Trump’s deeds could be added to the Jewish or Christian Bibles, dismissing an idea recently floated by Israeli-American philanthropist Miriam Adelson.
“Many timeless and invaluable books were cut from the canon to create the Bible as we know it (both Jewish and Christian), and even some of the books that are in the Bible almost didn't make it”, he said, referring to his work "The Bible's Cutting Room Floor".
He noted that he cannot think of any attempt to create new biblical books, since the Bible was compiled over a thousand years ago. However, he mentioned many "false messiahs" who have presented themselves this way in order “to perpetrate a fraud” or who have “convinced themselves of their own near divinity”, arising in “turbulent times” and leaving behind “terrible damage and misery”.
Dr Joel M. Hoffman expressed the opinion that Adelson’s point was rather that “Jews should embrace President Trump”, as she believes that he can save them.
In her column for the Las Vegas Review-Journal, co-owned by Miriam Adelson and her husband Sheldon Adelson, she insisted that the incumbent US president “should enjoy sweeping support” among American Jews, noting that it’s odd this has not been the case, considering all he has done for Israel.
“Scholars of the Bible will no doubt note the heroes, sages and prophets of antiquity who were similarly spurned by the very people they came to raise up. Would it be too much to pray for a day when the Bible gets a ‘Book of Trump’, much like it has a ‘Book of Esther’ celebrating the deliverance of the Jews from ancient Persia?” she wrote.
The philanthropist and GOP donor, who was presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom last year, pointed to the biblical character of Esther: the legendary heroine saved the Jewish people from Persian ruler Ahasuerus and his adviser Haman, who was planning to kill the Jews in the realm, which is now Iran.
In May 2018, the Trump administration relocated the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and recognised the Holy City as the Israeli capital. While Israel praised the move, Palestinians subsequently rejected Washington’s unilateral mediation efforts in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
This past March, Washington also acknowledged the occupied Syrian Golan Heights as Israeli land. Tel Aviv, which considers the Golan Heights its territory, welcomed the move and praised Donald Trump for signing the executive order. It even built a village in the Golan Heights and named it after the US president.
