Stephanie Peck
Theodore Hall, a non-Jewish, Vietnam veteran, says he learned everything about God from Israel. He attended church as a child, studying the Bible and the chosen people.
With his love for the State of Israel, he says he can’t sit in the background at this time, doing nothing. That’s why, on Monday, Oct. 16, he presented United Jewish Federation of Tidewater with an unusual donation: bundled $1 bills, totaling $1,000.
Hall’s commitment to Israel stems from various experiences. For example, he recalls when three young activists were murdered during the Civil Rights movement. Among them were a Jewish man and a black man who were helping African Americans in Mississippi register to vote. “They were killed trying to help someone else,” says Hall.
His love for the Jewish people continued when Thurgood Marshall, arguing in front of the Supreme Court in 1940, relied on the help of Samuel Friedman, a Jewish attorney.
“My van has an Israeli flag, and people are shocked that I’m a black person,” he says.
Hall credits Israel and its intelligence for saving lives during his war days, including action in Vietnam. He says he is tired of the media bashing Israel, stating that Israel did not bomb the hospital in Gaza.
“I would do anything to benefit Israel,” he adds. “Please let me know how else I can help.”