May 18, 2026

Trump reads Bible passage for ‘Rededicate 250’ prayer event in Washington D.C.

Addressing a crowd of thousands, President Donald Trump read a Bible passage at the “Rededicate 250” prayer event on the National Mall in Washington D.C.

As part of the ongoing, nationwide celebrations for America’s 250^th anniversary, the all-day Sunday event hailed itself as a “national jubilee of prayer, praise and thanksgiving,” and featured a number of Republican politicians, faith leaders and others scheduled to speak.

In a pre-recorded video, Trump read a Bible passage from the book of 2 Chronicles concerning King Solomon’s dedication of the temple and God’s response. Solomon, the successor of King David, was a king in ancient Israel known for his wisdom, as well as for building the ornate temple and royal palace in Jerusalem.

“‘I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself for a house of sacrifice…if my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land,'” Trump said, quoting chapter 7 of 2 Chronicles.

Retrieved May 18, 2026, from Trump reads Bible passage for ‘Rededicate 250’ prayer event in Washington D.C. – One America News Network

 

Rabbi’s anti-antisemitism message sparks applause at DC rally

Rabbi Meir Soloveichik received strong applause after condemning antisemitism during a major prayer rally on Washington’s National Mall marking America's 250th anniversary.

The only non-Christian speaker at a mass prayer rally on the National Mall on Sunday was an Orthodox rabbi who got the crowd applauding against antisemitism.

Rabbi Meir Soloveichik leads New York City’s Congregation Shearith Israel and is a senior fellow at Tikvah, the conservative Jewish think tank. He also sits on the Religious Liberty Commission that President Donald Trump convened last year.

Speaking to the crowd who had assembled for a rally on the National Mall called “Rededicate 250" that aims to put faith at the center of celebrations to mark this year’s semiquincentennial of the United States, Soloveichik described the Jewish history of one of the country’s most iconic songs.

“God Bless America" was written by Irving Berlin, who, as a child, witnessed his home village in Russia being burned in a pogrom and wanted to thank the country that gave him refuge, Soloveichik explained. He said that decades after writing the lyrics, Berlin resurrected them as the Nazis expanded their ambitions in the late 1930s, premiering the song on the radio the day after the Kristallnacht pogrom in 1938.

“At the very moment when darkness deepened abroad, America raised its voice, united in the song that Irving Berlin wrote," Soloveichik said. A few moments later, he noted, “The prayer that is ‘God Bless America’ was carried by American soldiers who defeated evil, liberating Europe and the world. And it is a reminder as hatred of Jews makes itself manifest again that antisemitism is utterly un-American."

The line drew substantial applause, according to multiple videos of the event.

Retrieved May 18, 2026, from Rabbi’s anti-antisemitism message sparks applause at DC rally | Israel National News

 

Human rights group honors Judeo-Christian civilization in Portugal

Former MEP Says Judeo-Christian Values Are an Antidote to Wokeism

The International Observatory on Human Rights (OIDH), based in Portugal, paid tribute yesterday to the historic role Christians and Jews have played, both with its spiritual center in Jerusalem, in shaping modern civilization, and many of the principles that underpin our society today.

The tribute came on the same day that US President Donald Trump marked as a pivotal and historic day for strengthening Judeo-Christian values in the United States. Marked by a massive "Rededicate 250" rally, the event forms a central part of the administration’s planning for America’s 250th anniversary celebrations and seeks to symbolically "rededicate" the nation by bringing faith and God back to the center of public life.

The tribute, formally presented to Bishop D. Manuel Linda of Porto and to the President of B'nai B'rith Portugal as a historical acknowledgement, highlighted how concepts rooted in Jewish and Christian tradition and partnership have shaped modern civilization.

The tribute also recognized Jerusalem, the capital of the State of Israel and a spiritual center for Jews and Christians worldwide, as a symbol of the shared historical and cultural roots that continue to influence global civilization.

"Today we are paying tribute to Judeo-Christian Civilization, from which the modern vision of human dignity and justice has been derived," said Dr. Luis Andrade, President of The International Human Rights Observatory. "Judeo-Christian Civilization reminds us that Jerusalem, Israel’s capital and the spiritual homeland of Jews and Christians worldwide, remains a shared cultural and religious foundation linking both the West and Eurasia."

OIDH further stressed that technological and economic progress alone cannot guarantee a stable or just society without a strong ethical foundation guiding it. Affirming that Judeo-Christian Civilization recognizes the deeply intertwined histories of the United States and the Russian Federation, shaped by Christian heritage and the enduring contributions of influential Jewish figures such as Haym Salomon and Horace Günzburg. Both nations were influenced by Jewish entrepreneurship and the lasting cultural and moral impact of Christianity.

Dr. Jose Ribeiro e Castro, President of the Historical Society of the Independence of Portugal and former Member of the European Parliament, spoke about the competing force of "wokeism" during his remarks.

Retrieved May 18, 2026, from Human rights group honors Judeo-Christian civilization in Portugal | Israel National News