Pat Boone Celebrates Israel's 70th Anniversary

ISRAEL
“I’ve been involved with Israel for much of my adult life,” says Pat.  He has hosted CBN sponsored partner tours.  He also worked with the International Fellowship of Christians and Jews to bring Jews back to Israel so much that he was named the Christian Ambassador of Tourism which is a position without any governmental authority.  In 1959, Pat was at the height of his career when the movie, “Exodus” starring Paul Newman, was in production.  The main song had no lyrics, so he contacted the publisher of the movie score to inquire about writing lyrics to it.  Pat was told that previous lyrics had been submitted but were rejected.  One day, his wife, Shirley, asked Pat to help with Christmas decorations as he was listening to the record over and over.  All of a sudden the words began forming in his head.  Quickly, he reached for something to write on and scribbled the lyrics down.  As he turned the paper over, Pat realized it was a Christmas card.  He sent the lyrics in and they were accepted!  Pat recorded it and since then it has become the second Jewish national anthem.  “It’s the best record I’ve ever made but I got divine help doing it,” he says.  His version charted #64 in 1961. The lyrics are:

This land is mine
God gave this land to me
This brave, this golden land to me
And when the morning sun
Reveals her hills and plains
I see a land where children can run free
So take my hand And walk this land with me
And walk this lovely land with me
Though I am just a man
When you are by my side
With the help of God, I know I can be strong

So take my hand
And walk this land with me
And walk this golden land with me
Though I am just a man
When you are by my side
With the help of God, I know I can be strong
To make this land our home
If I must fight, I will fight
To make this land our own
Until I die, this land is mine

Several years ago, Pat went to Israel with Governor Mike Huckabee and presented the original framed Christmas card with lyrics to the Yad Vasham, the World Holocaust Remembrance Center in Jerusalem.  It’s displayed on the wall of the Righteous Gentiles alongside Oskar Schindler.  “This is one of the main accomplishments in my life,” says Pat.  “It’s an honor to have written what is considered the second Jewish national anthem and to help bring Jews back to Israel from all over the world.”  He like many other believers knows we are getting closer and closer to end times as the world chooses sides for and against Israel. Pat is taking another tour of Israel in May 2018.  He plans on producing a TV special there along with two concerts in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.  He hopes to have both Christian and Israeli artists to perform.  For more information, please visit www.PatBoone.com.