Actress Patricia Heaton is on a mission to stand up for the Israeli people, remaining steadfast in her opposition to Hamas, terror, and negative narratives permeating university students’ hearts and minds.
Listen to the latest episode of “Quick Start” 👇
“The Everybody Loves Raymond” star told CBN News she decided to take action after going on social media in the wake of Hamas’ Oct. 7 terror attack against Israel and “seeing horrendous videos of terrorists butchering Israeli civilians, children, babies, the elderly — families being burned alive, people being beheaded.”
These horrific scenes left Heaton “shocked.” She initially recalled assuming the “rest of the world would be outraged.” Instead, she was rocked by the “silence” she observed as well as disturbing support for Hamas.
Some of the patterns of conversation and behavior on college campuses, in particular, left her stunned.
“Campuses exploded in pro-terrorist rallies with printed signs, and flags, and keffiyehs, all at the ready — immediately afterwards,” Heaton said. “And I thought, ‘Why is this any different from the Holocaust? Why is this different from Paris when the editors of the Charlie Hebdo newspaper were slaughtered?'”
She said the world “rose up in protest” in those instances but that Israel was somehow treated as an enemy after Hamas’ deadly assault.
“I just thought, ‘Something has to be done here,'” Heaton said, explaining how she partnered with a friend to launch the Oct. 7 Coalition, a “network of Christians standing visibly and vocally against the rise of antisemitism” in America.
Ultimately, the actress said she felt the Lord pressing her up to the plate to try and make an impact.
“I felt God calling me to do something,” she said, noting her friend Elizabeth Dorros co-founded the organization alongside her. “We just were answering a call that came to our hearts.”
“The Middle” alum said the organization is standing up to a rising tide of misinformation and chaos.
“There’s been a lot of propaganda being seeded through universities, through institutions, by people whose salary is paid by Iran, by Hamas, by Hezbollah, by Qatar, to brainwash and propagandize people into thinking that Israel is an occupier of Gaza, even though they left there in 2005,” Heaton said.
In addition to advocating for the truth, Heaton is gearing up for the “Deborah Rising” conference, which will be held in Israel May 17-24.
“Deborah was the only female judge in the Old Testament, and it was her wisdom that helped save Israel from its enemies,” Heaton said. “And, so, we feel like we want to bring women together — Jewish and Christian — to exchange our own experiences about our faith, how our faiths combine and cross over, and what we can receive from each other.”
Speakers at the conference and tour will hear different Bible interpretations and perspectives and build friendships with one another. Ultimately, they will take a stand against antisemitism and support Israel.
“Sometimes, it’s scary to think you’re standing up against this overwhelming wave of hostility and aggression, but actually we are in the majority,” Heaton said. “Most people want to live in peace. Most people do not want to kill Jews or kill Christians, and we just have to stand up and say it.”
And that advocacy has helped Heaton grow deeper in her Christian faith.
“My faith has been deeply enriched because Judaism is our root,” she said. “That’s where Jesus was planted, and He was Jewish. And so, to be among the Jewish people, to get their viewpoint, to get their history.”
Heaton said a recent trip to Israel — her first time in the country — was life-altering, especially considering the region’s history and its significance to Christianity.
“This is an important time for Christians to really step into that river and become a part of the people of God in a very active way,” she said.
Find out more about the “Deborah Rising” conference.
***As the number of voices facing big-tech censorship continues to grow, please sign up for Faithwire’s daily newsletter and download the CBN News app, developed by our parent company, to stay up-to-date with the latest news from a distinctly Christian perspective.***