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The International Christian Embassy Jerusalem continues to be instrumental in helping bring Ethiopian Jews back home to Israel. (ICEJ)
ICEJ Outlays Masssive Funding for Ethiopian Jewish Aliyah
Following the Israeli government's recent decision to renew the aliyah of Ethiopian Jewry, the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem recently handed over to the Jewish Agency the funds needed to sponsor the first wave of over 500 new immigrants arriving from this ancient African community.
Last month, the ICEJ handed over $500,000 to Keren Hayesod to cover the aliyah flights of the first wave of 523 Ethiopian Jews, as well as to sponsor flights for another 104 Jewish immigrants coming soon from France and the Ukraine. The first families of Ethiopian Jews are expected to start arriving in Israel by Sukkot, in time for the ICEJ's annual Feast of Tabernacles celebration in mid-October. Over the coming months, the Christian Embassy also is aiming to raise enough funds to sponsor the entire first year of renewed Ethiopian aliyah, set at some 1,400 persons, as well as additional monies to assist with their absorption into the country.
"Our Christian supporters have always been generous and enthusiastic in giving towards our aliyah projects, especially when they take on such a humanitarian mission as this renewed Ethiopian return," said Dr. Jürgen Bühler, the ICEJ executive director. "These are people who are endangered by tribal conflicts and unrest while also suffering through times of severe drought and flooding. But now they will be lifted out of difficult and impoverished conditions, and finally be reunited with their families already in Israel."
Dr. Bühler also noted the ICEJ's commitment to the absorption phase for Ethiopian Jews, since it has proven to be as important as the actual move to Israel due to the large adjustments in language, culture and education these communities must make. Bühler said the cabinet decision to bring home the last of the Ethiopian Jews also is a further sign that Israel is not a racist or apartheid state. He added that even African Christians have been responding generously over recent weeks to contribute towards this aliyah effort from their continent.
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1989, the ICEJ has assisted nearly 120,000 Jews in making their way home to Israel from all over the world. This represents an investment of over $50 million in aliyah efforts, with most of the assisted Jewish olim coming from the former Soviet republics but also thousands from Western Europe, North and South America, the Bnei Menashe from India, and the Kaifeng Jews from China.
David Parsons is a spokesperson for the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem.
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"The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light" ... (Is. 9:2, MEV).
The common application of Isaiah 9:2 is a spiritual one in which the "people who walked in darkness" are those who lived prior to Christ and without knowledge of His saving power. While that is a valid spiritual application, this verse is actually referring to the people of a specific geographical area: the land of Zebulun and Naphtali, known as the Galilee of the Gentiles.
Upon them a great light would shine when, according to verse 6, "unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given." Jesus is the light that would one day shine upon the Galilee, according to Isaiah.
Jesus' Ministry in Galilee
Galilee had become largely Gentile after 722 B.C. when Assyrian forces exiled most of the Israelites and replaced them with pagan and idolatrous Assyrians causing spiritual darkness to fall over the region. While many Jews had returned to the area and repopulated it over the centuries, significant idolatry remained and was encouraged by subsequent Greek and Roman invaders.
In chapter four of his gospel, Matthew explains that Jesus conducted the bulk of His ministry in the Galilee in fulfillment of Isaiah 9:1-7. Just as Jesus' birth in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2) and His return from refuge in Egypt (Hos. 11:1) was a fulfillment of prophecy, so was his upbringing in Nazareth (Matt. 2:23) and subsequent ministry in the Galilee.
Jesus traveled throughout the Galilee healing all manners of sickness, opening blind eyes and deaf ears, raising the dead and casting out demons. It was on the Sea of Galilee that He performed two of His most dramatic miracles: stilling the storm and walking on the water.
Walking Where Jesus Walked
Tourists today can visit the archeological remains of some of the cities in which Jesus ministered. The remains of the first-century synagogues in those cities are of the most exciting finds, because one can be fairly certain Jesus visited, and even preached in, them. Both Mark and Matthew say that He preached in all the synagogues of the region.
The synagogue visible today in Capernaum dates to the third century, but it is built over the remains of the first-century synagogue that Jesus likely taught in. Another incredible find there is the possible home of Simon Peter. We know Jesus visited this home and on one occasion healed Peter's mother-in-law of a fever. It is even possible He lived there while in Capernaum.
Mark 1:29 tells us that Peter's home was very near to the entrance to the synagogue. Archaeologists have uncovered a first-century home in that area with a number of indications to its historical significance. The house had 11 coats of plaster on the walls indicating it was a special place that had been well cared for over a long period of time.
The threshold stone is broken but never replaced indicating someone important may have stepped on that stone, and numerous pieces of wall plaster have writing on them referring to Jesus as Lord, the Most High, the Savior, and Messiah, while three of them mention Peter himself. A fifth-century church was built over the site indicating it was known by the locals as Peter's home which had been frequented by Jesus.
In nearby Magdala, a first-century synagogue has been uncovered where visitors can see the very floor Jesus may have walked on. Another exciting find in that synagogue is an altar or stone table that is the earliest known artistic depiction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem. Jesus probably rested the Torah scroll upon this stone table as He taught.
The Three Impenitent Cities
While these archaeological finds are exciting and help us to imagine the life and ministry of Jesus, they are also a stark reminder of what happens when light is rejected. Darkness remains.
Matthew refers to Capernaum, Korazin and Bethsaida as the cities in which most of Jesus' miracles were performed. Yet, Jesus rebuked these three impenitent cities and said that if the mighty works which had been done in them were done in the Gentile cities of Tyre and Sidon, or the sinful city of Sodom, they would have repented. He then declared that judgment would result and Capernaum would be "brought down to Hades" (Matt. 11:20-24).
All three cities were destroyed by a series of earthquakes between the fourth and eighth centuries and remain in ruins to this day. What a powerful reminder of Jesus' words that "of everyone to whom much is given, much will be required." Those privileged to have enjoyed the light of His presence in their midst, and witnessed the miracles He performed, would suffer judgment for rejecting that light.
To better understand the words of Jesus one must read the Scriptures in their geographical, historical and cultural context. Thankfully, the Israeli government safeguards archaeological finds and holy sites, so Christians can visit them and not just recount, but experience, the words and ministry of Jesus on a whole new level.
Susan M. Michael is US Director of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem www.icejusa.org. This article is seventh in a series to introduce Israel and various biblical sites of interest to the Christian reader. For information on ICEJ tours to Israel:www.icejusa.org/tours
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Will our nation and our churches pass the Israel Test? (iStock photo )
The Rest of the Hanukkah Story
The story of Hanukkah takes place during the period between the Old and New Testaments, when Antiochus IV Epiphanes became the King of the Hellenistic Seleucid Empire. While the Hellenization of the region, including Judea, already threatened the survival of the Jewish religion, Antiochus seemed obsessed with ensuring the demise of the Jewish faith and thereby, the future of the Jewish people.
He not only murdered the High Priest, Onias III, but he slaughtered 40,000 inhabitants of Jerusalem. All sacrifices, the service of the Temple and the observance of the Sabbath and feast days were prohibited. The Temple was dedicated to Zeus, the Holy Scriptures were destroyed, and the Jews were forced to take part in heathen rites.
In his attempt to destroy every trace of the Jewish religion, the final assault was the slaughter of a pig on the sacrificial altar of the Temple, thereby desecrating it. The Maccabean family, from the priestly line of Aaron, led a revolt against this evil ruler and miraculously experienced victory after victory over the mighty Greek forces, until at last the Temple could be purified and its services restored.
As I noted in my article "What Jesus Understood About Hanukkah," the revolt against the forces of Hellenization actually saved the Jewish people from extinction because they would have assimilated into the pagan culture around them. This preservation of Judaism and the rededication of the Temple helped set the stage for the birth of Jesus into a traditional Orthodox Jewish home in Judea. It is no surprise that He went to the Temple for Hanukkah—the Feast of Dedication—in John 10.
The End of Antiochus and His Empire
But there is more to the story. The rededication of the Temple took place on the 25th day of Kislev, which was Dec. 14, 164 B.C. Within weeks, if not days, the evil Antiochus IV Epiphanes died suddenly. The Greek historian Polybius said that Antiochus was on an expedition to the eastern part of the empire to rob another temple when he died of a sudden illness and "certain manifestations of divine displeasure."
Polybius hints at the very real possibility that the king suffered judgment by God. Whether he understood it to be the God of the Jews we do not know. The noncanonical book of 2 Maccabees claims that he did. But his sudden death is just one example out of many of the demise of those who have come against the Jewish people. Upon the king's death, the Seleucid kingdom began to weaken and fell into irreparable decline.
The Israel Test
The Bible is clear that God will judge the nations over their treatment of the Jewish people. Both Old and New Testaments teach this, and the principal has been played out over and over throughout history.
The most obvious explanation is the Jewish people are very special to Him. He did not just choose them, but created them through Sarah, who was past child-bearing years, and He takes their treatment by others very seriously.
More than this, God uses Israel to test the hearts of the nations, thereby exposing either their goodness, which leads to blessing, or their evil intent, which leads to judgment. Some have likened Israel to litmus paper that when dipped into water shows whether the water is acidic or alkaline. Israel exposes what is in the heart of people.
George Gilder, a venture-capitalist businessman, proposes in his book The Israel Test that Israel presents a moral and ethical challenge to the world and therefore has become the ultimate fault line. At the root of the Israel Test is the knowledge that Israel is contributing more to the human cause through its scientific, technological and financial advances than any other country in the world, except the U.S. He predicts that over the next two decades, Israel will grow into the dominant economy in the Middle East and one of the most productive economies in the world.
This is the test that Israel presents to the world: What is your attitude toward people who excel you in the creation of wealth or in other accomplishments? Do you aspire to their excellence or do you seethe at it? Do you admire and celebrate exceptional achievement or do you impugn it and seek to tear it down?
God is using Israel to test the hearts of the nations, and their future will be determined by how they respond. Could it be that the same test is at operation within the church?
In Romans 11, the apostle Paul addresses the attitude of the Roman church toward the Jewish people. He warned the believers to make sure their attitude was humble and honoring of the Jewish people. He even cautioned them about possible judgment by God if their attitude was not right. A church that honors its Hebraic roots, as wild branches that are grafted into the olive tree, receives great strength and nourishment. To dishonor the very root that supports our faith brings spiritual decline and even death.
Antiochus IV Epiphanes failed the Israel Test and his kingdom is long gone. Others throughout history have also fallen short on the test and experienced decline and extinction. My prayer is that our nation and our churches pass the Israel Test, exhibiting good hearts, and experience the many blessings God has promised.
Susan Michael is the U.S. Director of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem icejusa.org.
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Netanyahu: 'Israel Has No Better Friends' Than Evangelicals
Black lights and sensational music. Dancing. Prayer. Charity. A march of thousands of colors from more than 80 nations—a march in solidarity with Israel. In essence, it's Jerusalem's Christian Zionist Super Bowl.
Such was the scene of the 36th annual Feast of Tabernacles conference and celebration, hosted by the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ) from Sept. 27-Oct. 1. The event brought more than 5,000 people to the Israeli capital, including more than 50 pro-Israel Christian parliamentarians and government officials from more than two-dozen countries. Several African nations sent a large delegation of cabinet ministers and members of parliament (MPs) to officially represent their countries.
According to Dr. Jurgen Buhler, executive director of ICEJ, the median age of attendees was between 30 and 40. The weeklong festivities mark Israel's largest annual event for tourists and the largest solidarity mission to the Jewish state this year, injecting an estimated $16 million into the Israeli economy.
In a video speech Sept. 29, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the Christian Zionist attendees for their "unfaltering, enthusiastic support [of Israel] over the years."
"Israel has no better friends around the world," he said.
Similarly, Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat said, "Not everyone in the world seeks the best for Jerusalem. There are people that challenge our history. Sometimes, we feel alone. ... Your friendship is warming our hearts. I want to thank you for your prayers and your unprecedented support and passion."
In a speech that pulled heavily from the Torah, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin spoke to thunderous applause. He said his Jewish ancestors of 2,400 years prior could not have envisioned the ingathering to Jerusalem of Jews from around the world—from Russia, Ethiopia, North America, Morocco, to build farms and villages and make the desert bloom.
"Yes, my dear friends, the return to Zion is not just the redemption of the Jewish people alone. It should give hope to all mankind. Indeed, it would change the world. ... Thank you for standing with us. Pray for the people of Jerusalem—may it prosper. God bless," said Rivlin.
The focus of this year's Feast was "The Evangelical Revolution and its Potential for Israel," and conference sessions honed in on the impact rising evangelical support could have on the Jewish state—politically and economically.
According to an ICEJ backgrounder, among the estimated 2 billion Christians in the world today, as many as 700 million are considered evangelicals, and it is the fastest-growing stream of Christianity. If current trends continue, there will be an estimated 1 billion Evangelicals within the next 20 years.
"This all holds great potential for the nation of Israel in political, diplomatic, and economic terms, as a substantial majority of evangelical Christians tend to hold favorable views of Israel," ICEJ said in a statement.
Evangelical Christianity emerged out of the Protestant Reformation in Europe in the 16th century. When Martin Luther translated the Bible into common German (and others later into other common languages), it allowed Christians to discern for themselves whether official church teachings were truly aligned with God. Many of these nascent church movements also rediscovered the individualist experience of being "born again," the hallmark of evangelism today.
Rev. Dennis Balcombe, the longest-serving Western evangelical missionary to China, explained that a movement of underground evangelism in China that grew from a few thousand faithful some 45 years ago now boasts an estimated 130 million followers.
"There are more Christians in China than in North America," Balcombe said. "China's doors are opening. The Lord said, 'Behold, I have set before you an open door.' ... The people of China are tired of Communism or persecution, of being beaten by the police, of prison. Now, many leaders are turning to Jesus Christ."
It is estimated that 30 percent of China will be evangelical within 30 years.
In India and Africa, too, the evangelical movement has taken root. According to Dr. Vishai Mangalwadi, India is now home to more than 100 million Christians. Within 20 years, India is likely to be 20-percent Christian.
The most dramatic growth in the evangelical movement is occurring within what some call the "Global South"—Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia. The continent of Africa alone has seen a dramatic increase in Christian identification, from 10 million Christians in 1900 to 493 million in 2010. The projected growth in Africa is expect to exceed 1 billion evangelical Christians by 2050.
How has this happened? According to Nanasso Amina, a Feast of Tabernacles delegate from Cameroon, the vehicle is "friendship evangelism."
"We win their confidence and then present Christ to them," she told JNS.org.
This "friendship evangelism" was the impetus for a controversial statement by Israel's chief rabbis shortly before the ICEJ-hosted Feast. In a letter dated Sept. 3, Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi David Lau and Sephardic Chief Rabbi Yizak Yosef accused the annual celebration by evangelical Christians in Jerusalem of being an effort to convert Jews to Christianity. They called the event "spiritually dangerous."
Like the rabbis, Ruth Guggenheim—executive director of Jews for Judaism, an organization that seeks to counteract proselytizing—was wary of the Feast's intentions, saying, "There is a tremendous power in being immersed in their prayer services. 'Davidic dance' programs and various workshop festivities can be very seductive and overwhelming." She added, "All one needs to do is Google 'Messianic Judaism Israel' and you will see the level of sophistication and number of [websites] directly targeting Jews for conversion."
But David Parsons, ICEJ's media director, countered Guggenheim's assertion by explaining that evangelicals make up less than 1 percent of Israel's population and that their missionary activity mainly target the Muslim-Arab population.
Dr. Naim Khoury, a pastor in Bethlehem, said he has seen more "Arabs and Palestinians open to the gospel" in recent years. He noted that conversions to Christianity need to take place covertly and that most individuals who chose faith in Jesus leave the disputed territories for abroad, where they can live freely. He noted that when a Muslim chooses Christianity, it is often based on a spiritual reflection.
"They reflect on what is happening in the Middle East, the terrorism, and they question their faith," he said.
Leading up the Feast, ICEJ responded to the chief rabbis' letter by stating that the organization "has always respected and upheld the laws of the State of Israel, including those covering missionary activities, and it is regrettable that the Chief Rabbinate acted solely on the misrepresentations of those bearing false witness against us."
Former Knesset member Rabbi Dov Lipman, who spoke at the Jerusalem conference, said he has learned over the years that Israel is not only isolated, but doesn't have many friends around the world—and that it has found a stalwart friend in the evangelical community.
"I believe that the way Israel can win in the public diplomacy war in South America, Africa, Europe" is to engage the Christian community, "and we have to embrace that relationship," said Lipman.
In Lipman's estimation, Jews have the right to be both "suspicious" and "skeptical" of evangelical support. But "if we pull away from that and focus on what we share, this could be the most important relationship for Israel," he said.
Several Pacific Island nations showed their religiously motivated support for Israel in recent years through their pro-Israel voting patterns in the United Nations General Assembly. Two years ago, Nigeria, for the first time in its history, abandoned its traditional pro-Palestinian position at the U.N. when the Palestinian Authority sought to secure statehood in the Security Council. Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan made a decision to abstain from the deliberation, playing a role in keeping the Palestinian from attaining enough votes to force a U.S. veto of the statehood measure.
"The vast majority of Zionists around the world are not Jewish, but Christian believers in the Bible that want to stand with Israel," said Calev Myers, founder of the Jerusalem Institute of Justice. "We need to equip them. It is much better for a blue-eyed, blond girl from Sweden to deliver the message of Israel and defend us abroad than for Israelis to try to defend themselves."
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Why weren't Israelis like Benjamin Netanyahu brought in to help broker the Iran nuclear weapons deal? (Reuters file photo )
Two out of every three Americans, and 75 percent of Israelis, are opposed to the administration's deal with Iran because it does not block the world's No. 1 sponsor of terrorism from acquiring nuclear weapons. On the contrary, it legitimizes the very nuclear program Iran denied they had, and allows for their full acceptance as a nuclear state at the end of the agreement
There is a very good possibility that in early September, Congress will be able to muster the votes to at least bring about a show down with the administration, if not actually produce a veto-proof majority vote. One thing is for sure, during the week of the vote, the halls of Congress will be filled with thousands of American citizens lobbying their members of Congress against the deal thanks to a number of groups planning lobbying days, press conferences and rallies then.
Opposing the deal is one thing. But, the question that everyone wants answered is: What is the alternative? Its opponents say the alternative is to broker a better deal. However, the fact is that the American negotiating team will not be able to broker a better deal unless they learn to negotiate like an Iranian.
The Middle-Eastern Shuk
Most Middle Easterners can negotiate Americans under the carpet, because they literally grow up negotiating everything, from the cost of fruits and vegetables in theshuk (market) to higher-priced items like appliances and home goods. Americans only negotiate when they purchase a car or a house. So, what can we learn from the Middle-Eastern shuk?
No. 1: Never pay the stated price. A shopkeeper will not quote the price that he expects you to pay but an inflated price that leaves room for negotiating. Never agree to the stated demand. Always offer less.
No. 2: Never start where you want to end. Once a price has been stated, respond with an offer that is so ridiculously low that it is embarrassing. This is where many Americans stumble, because they do not want to look like they are cheap, nor do they want to insult the poor merchant. But if you do not counter low, you will end up paying too much.
No. 3: Make them think it really hurts. Middle Easterners love to play along with their opponent by telling how much the counter offer hurts while displaying great emotion and perhaps emphatic gestures. Compare this to the average American who usually avoids any display of emotion. They are not used to such reactions, so they will quickly give in and pay the high price thinking they may have insulted or hurt the feelings of their negotiating partner.
No. 4: Don't trust your opponent. Americans are at heart a very honest people, and look down on any type of lying. So, they assume everyone else is telling the truth like they are! In the Middle East though, truth can be sacrificed to achieve the goal of leaving the negotiations with honor and respect back home. Therefore, don't believe everything your opponent says.
No. 5: Be prepared to walk away. When the stakes are high, and the deal being brokered is just not good enough, then the buyer has to be willing to walk out the door. The merchant knows then that he has lost the sale, and he will run after the buyer with a new offer. Being too eager to make a deal is perceived as weakness and will be taken advantage of. Always be willing to walk away.
Only those privy to the negotiations know how well or how poorly the American team did. But, based on their eagerness to close a deal, and the response of the Iranians, who said they got everything they wanted, it appears the American team was out-negotiated.
To broker a better deal with Iran, perhaps we should consider bringing in the Israelis to negotiate for us. They have much more experience in the Middle Eastern shuk.
Susan M. Michael is U.S. Director of the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, icejusa.org.
“Behold how good and pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!” (Psalms 133:1)
A massive lobbying campaign is building a groundswell of support across the United States to urge Congress to kill the nuclear deal recently signed with Iran. The campaign warns that the Islamic Republic, which is the largest funder of global terrorism, cannot be trusted, and that it will attempt to make good on its promise to bring death and destruction to both Israel and the United States.
The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews (IFCJ), the world’s largest organization of Christians who support Israel and the Jewish people, is behind a campaign called “No Nukes for the Mullahs.”
The campaign encourages members of the organization to contact their senators and representatives in Congress and indicate their disapproval for the Iran deal. “No Nukes for the Mullahs” outlines six main reasons as to why the deal is bad and dangerous to both Israel and the US.
The campaign is being promoted across various forms of social media, television, and radio, and aims to reach tens of millions of people across the country. “If the agreement is ratified, Americans will – for the first time in a generation – understand what it means to have a credible threat of annihilation looming over the heads of our children and grandchildren, and in that way will understand better than ever the threat that hangs over Israelis everyday,” said IFCJ founder and president Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein.
“Both Christians and Jews must unite in order to counter the threat of radical Islam. We need that unity now more than ever to fight off the virulent hatred and violence threatening both our faith communities. A nuclear Iran would be a disaster of catastrophic proportion for the entire free world,” he said.
The effort by the IFCJ is joined by the efforts of other large influential Christian lobbyist groups already present in Washington. Christians United for Israel (CUFI) launched its own campaign in an attempt to get Congress to block the deal. The International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ) has organized an international campaign urging that a firmer stand be taken with Iran.
Gary Bauer, the US Undersecretary of Education in the administration of former president Ronald Reagan, spoke to a small group of reporters at CUFI’s annual Washington Summit last month. Bauer said that because the Iran nuclear deal has failed to meet the Obama administration’s own stated standards, CUFI would take strong action to prevent the deal.
“We’re going to go all out, as challenging as it will be, to get the 67 votes that we will need in the United States Senate to nix the deal,” he said. 67 senatorial votes against the agreement will enable Congressional rejection of the deal to override a presidential veto.
“Even though it’s Christians United for Israel, really at the end of the day it is about the United States, too… Israel and the United States are the two pillars of Western civilization, and that civilization is under attack,” said Bauer.
Read more at http://www.breakingisraelnews.com/46963/american-christians-uniting-israel-against-iran-biblical-zionism/#Uf6YPh3meYXvDVpH.99
The relentless persecution of Jews worldwide is tragic. (Reuters file photo)
Exodus 17 tells how Amalekites, descendants of Esau's grandson, attacked the children of Israel in the desert of Sinai during their exodus from Egypt. This unprovoked attack was especially serious and the Israelites battled all day, only achieving victory at nightfall.
In response to this demonstration of cruelty, the Lord told Moses that he would blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven. Moses later recounted: "The Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation" (Exodus 17:16). Amalek's attack on the children of Israel was now a perpetual war between him and the God of Israel.
Amalek was not just a foe, but a genocidal one, so in Jewish tradition the Amalekites came to represent the archetypal enemy of the Jews present in generation after generation. It is interesting to note that some one thousand years later, in the book of Esther, the arch villain Haman was an Amalekite who led the plot to kill the Jews.
The Longest Hatred
This evil pursuit of the Jewish people has continued for millennia, which is why historian Robert Wistrich calls anti-Semitism "the longest hatred." Every time this genocidal hatred seems to be dying out it reinvents itself with a different look and a different name. But the goal is always the same: to rid the world of the Jewish people.
In the ancient world, classical anti-Semitism was a clash between pagan rulers, who demanded obedient homage, and their Jewish subjects, who would only worship and obey the God of Israel. The Jewish people could not bow down to earthly leaders, and were bound by the Sinaitic Law to certain behaviors and observances that set them apart and incurred the wrath of their rulers.
Religious Anti-Semitism
After the rise of Christianity, the problem did not go away. It is a travesty that anti-Semitism was then found in the heart of Christian Europe. Indeed, in the annals of those who persecuted and hated the Jewish people are professing Christians. Space does not permit a full treatment of this sad story, but centuries of state and church-backed denigration, persecution, forced conversions, and expulsions actually paved the way for the Holocaust.
Proof of this is found in the fact that Martin Luther's anti-Semitic writings were published and distributed by the Nazis in order to justify their anti-Jewish laws and eventually their extermination program. Hitler admitted as much when he told two Catholic Bishops who questioned his policy that "he was only putting into effect what Christianity had preached and practiced for 2000 years."
Racial Anti-Semitism
The form of anti-Semitism found in Nazi ideology was not based on religion, however, but on racial theories about the superiority of the Aryan race. Whereas Christianity had sought the conversion of the Jews, and state leaders had sought their expulsion, the Nazis sought the "final solution to the Jewish question," the murder of all Jews and their eradication from the human race.
The good news is that these older forms of anti-Semitism are socially unacceptable in the 21st century. Religious bigotry and racism are frowned upon and are antithetical to the prevailing ideologies of globalism and secularism.
Political Anti-Semitism
The bad news is that Israel, a Jewish nation-state, is also antithetical to both globalism and secularism. Therefore, the modern form of anti-Semitism that has found a stronghold and large-scale acceptance today is political. It is against the Jewish state and is called anti-Zionism.
There is still religious anti-Semitism, but this time it is found throughout the Muslim world and is responsible for the genocidal rhetoric emanating from Iran. Muslim anti-Semitism, however, is tolerated by anti-Zionist Western leaders who blame it on Israeli policies.
Not all criticism of Israel can be considered anti-Semitic. However, criticism of Israel becomes anti-Semitic when it delegitimizes the state and questions its right to exist, when it uses anti-Jewish rhetoric and stereotypes or compares Israelis to Nazis, when it judges Israel by a different standard than for any other nation, and when it becomes an excuse to attack local Jewish individuals and institutions.
During the 2014 war in Gaza, a defensive war on Israel's part to prevent further missile launches from Hamas, there were attacks on synagogues and Jewish citizens in France, refrains such as "Jews to the Gas" in Germany, the use of swastikas at anti-Israel demonstrations, and anti-Semitic caricatures in newspapers and social media.
While America is a safe-haven today for Jews fleeing Europe, low levels of anti-Semitism here should not be taken for granted. As American Christians, we should take every opportunity to stand in solidarity with the Jewish community, attending their Holocaust remembrance events, and teaching our children to recognize anti-Semitism and take a stand against it.
This generation's battle is not so much with the Amalek of old, and its pagan, Christian or racial anti-Semitism, but with the Amalek of today—the rabid anti-Israel movement that demonizes the Jewish people and nation while excusing Muslim anti-Semitism. This one is on our watch, and it is our responsibility to stand against it.
Susan Michael is the U.S. Director for the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem www.icejusa.org and creator of IsraelAnswers.com. The ICEJ is bringing Holocaust education to Christians worldwide through its partnership with Yad Vashem, Israel's Holocaust Memorial.
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“I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Genesis 12:3)
Thousands of Christian Evangelists wave their national flag along with the Israeli one as they march in a parade in the center of Jerusalem, marking the Jewish holiday of Sukkot or the Feast of the Tabernacles. October 14, 2014. (Photo: Nati Shohat/Flas90)
Against the backdrop of growing threats facing Israel at home and abroad, one of the fastest-growing ethnoreligious segments in the U.S. is stepping up its support for the Jewish state.
At the forefront of the interests of America’s Hispanic Evangelical Christian population is the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference (NHCLC)/Conela. Claiming to represent more than 100 million Hispanic Evangelicals in the U.S., NHCLC/Conela is now beginning to wield its considerable influence for the purpose of standing up for Israel.
NHCLC—which earlier merged with Conela, a Latin American organization that serves more than 500,000 Latin churches across the world—states that its vision is to “exercise prophetic leadership by reconciling the vertical and horizontal planes of the Christian message, sanctification with service, conviction with compassion, the image of God with the habits of Christ, holiness and humility, John 3:16 and Matthew 25, and the prophetic with the practical.”
The organization adds that it is looking to “enrich the narrative of American Evangelicalism by replacing the media exacerbated image of angry white evangelicals who oppose everything to a convicted yet compassionate multi-ethnic kingdom culture community committed to sharing truth with love.”
“We seek to combine the message of Rev. Bill Graham of salvation with that of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s march of prophetic activism,” Rev. Dr. Samuel Rodriguez, president of NHCLC/Conela, told JNS.org.
“That being said, our commitment to the Jewish people and Israel is also without compromise.” he said.
According to a recent Pew Research Center survey, Hispanics are one of the fastest-growing segments of the Evangelical Christian population, with 16 percent of American Hispanics identifying as Evangelical in 2013, up from 12 percent in 2010. Similar trends have developed in Latin America, where Protestants now make up 19 percent of the population, with 69 percent of them belonging to Evangelical churches.
These “Evangelicos” have an above-average enthusiasm for their faith. They display this fervor by attending church services, praying more, and strongly adhering to moral teachings, according to Pew. This Hispanic Evangelical surge has come at the expense of Roman Catholicism, which traditionally has been the faith of the vast majority of Hispanics and has historically shaped their outlook.
As the leader of one of the largest Hispanic organizations in the U.S., Rev. Rodriguez has spoken at the White House and frequently consults with federal legislators from both parties on such issues as social justice, the Latino community, and values.
Support for Israel has become a key aspect of the mission of many Evangelical Christian organizations, as is the case for the Evangelical movement as a whole. While Rodriguez said that most Hispanic Evangelicals are “absolutely committed to Israel,” he is concerned about the surge in anti-Semitism in the Latino world, especially among the younger generation.
While Latin America is home to many large and prosperous Jewish communities, most anti-Semitism in the region comes from the traditional sources based on prejudices inherited from Europe, especially from the Spanish Inquisition, as well as modern anti-Semitic and anti-Zionist rhetoric promoted by far-left elements like former Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez.
Rodriguez said the mainstream media’s portrayal of Israel is one of the main culprits behind opposition to Israel among the younger demographic, especially in light of the recent summer war in Gaza—which sparked upsurge in anti-Israel and anti-Semitic attacks around the world, including in Latin America.
“Many Latinos have in essence absorbed the mainstream media message that Israel is an aggressive, antagonistic force in the Middle East, where Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank are suffering at the hands of Israel,” said Rodriguez.
“Most Hispanics want to do justice and they want to align themselves with those who are marginalized and suffering. So they see the Palestinian community as suffering at the hands of the Israeli government,” he said.
In order to combat this, Rodriguez has formulated a two-pronged approach.
“My job is to convince young Latino people that supporting Israel actually works for the good of all in the Middle East,” he said. “First by affirming the nearly 150 million Latino Evangelicals across the world in their commitment to Israel, then by elevating what we currently have in our community to teach about Israel to the wider Latino community.”
In order to spread this message, Rodriguez said it is important to “speak the truth about Israel” in order to counter the lies being spread about the Jewish state in the mainstream media.
“Israel is the sole democracy in that part of the world and a safeguard for religious pluralism. … When I go to Israel I meet with Christian, Muslim and Jewish leaders. Israel is not persecuting Christians and Muslims. Israel is providing a space under democracy for religious pluralism to serve as an antidote against secular or even religious totalitarianism. Israel is not the problem, Israel is the solution,” he said.
NHCLC/Conela recently formed a partnership with the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem (ICEJ), one of the largest Christian Zionist organizations in the world. Since 1980, ICEJ has hosted the annual Feast of Tabernacles celebration in Jerusalem to coincide with the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. This year, the event drew more than 5,000 Christians from 80 countries.
Rodriguez sees the partnership with ICEJ and the Feast of Tabernacles as a rallying point for Hispanic Evangelicals to come to Israel every year and experience the country.
“The Evangelical movement has experienced tremendous growth in the Latino world over recent decades and it is exciting to see their support and enthusiasm for Israel,” ICEJ Executive Director Dr. Juergen Buehler told JNS.org.
“It is an indigenous expression of solidarity based on solid biblical grounds, and we are thrilled that our annual Feast of Tabernacles will be a channel for these Hispanic Christians to convey their love and concern directly to the Israeli people,” added Buehler.
In light of the recent surge of Palestinian terrorism and rioting in Jerusalem and across Israel, Rodriguez said that Israel and Jews can count on the support of Hispanic Evangelicals.
“My message to Israel and the Jewish people is that there is a Hispanic Christian community emerging that will not abandon Israel or the Jewish people,” he said. “We will build a firewall against anti-Semitism, and we will do that with integrity and compassion.”
JERUSALEM, Israel -- Israelis, both Jews and Christians, are mourning the loss of Pastor Myles Munroe and his wife, killed in a place crash Sunday evening in the Bahamas.
"Myles Munroe was a key leader of the global evangelical movement, with a big heart for Israel," the International Christian Embassy Jerusalem said in a statement. "His tragic passing is a loss for Christians and for the Jewish people he loved."
Knesset Christian Allies Caucus Director Josh Reinstein remembered Munroe as a true friend of Israel.
"His faith and love of Israel was an inspiration to all of us," Reinstein said. "Israel had no better friend, and the Knesset Christian Allies Caucus was honored to work with him."
There were no survivors of Sunday's plane crash. The Lear jet exploded on impact when it collided with a crane at the Grand Bahamas Shipyard on its landing approach.
The Bahamian government also expressed its condolences over the tragic loss of Pastor Munroe, his wife and the eight other passengers, which included several senior members of Munroe's ministry.
