Olivier Melnick

March 26, 2019 By Olivier Melnick Leave a Comment

Zionism: What it is and what it is not!

The word “Zionism” can have either a positive or a negative connotation attached to it depending on who you are asking for a definition. When hard-pressed, most people, from either side of the spectrum have a difficult time clearly defining the word, yet it doesn’t stop them from using it. On one hand, the proponents of Zionism will define it using phrases such as “Right to the Land”, “Law of Return”, “Re-establishment of a Jewish homeland”, “Revival movement” or even “Repatriation to the ancestral homeland.” On the other hand, its foes will not hesitate to equate Zionism with “Colonization”, “Apartheid”, “Ethnic cleansing”, “Racism”, “Imperialism”, “Occupation” and “Human rights violations.”

There are many definitions of Zionism. A succinct and clear one goes like this ” Zionism is the national movement for the return of the Jewish people to their homeland and the resumption of Jewish sovereignty in the Land of Israel.” ‘

Anti-Zionists will often accuse Israel of ethnic cleansing. Ethnic cleansing or genocide is the intentional organized mass murder to eradicate a people group. The Armenian Genocide and the Holocaust both qualify as ethnic cleansings. In 1947 there were about 1.2 MM Arabs in British Mandate Palestine. Today, there are about 6 MM Arabs in the whole land, including 1.8 MM in Israel alone. There are more Arabs in Israel today than before 1947. This is the opposite of ethnic cleansing. Incidentally, there are still less Jewish people in 2019 than there were prior to the Holocaust. Zionism IS NOT ethnic cleansing!

Anti-Zionists will also accuse Israel of being an Apartheid State. Apartheid was South Africa’s way of keeping blacks and whites separated, and as such, it forbade blacks to eat in white restaurants or cafes, attend white schools or universities, be treated in white hospitals, live in white neighborhoods and serve in the white government. Israeli Arabs are full citizens who do not experience any of the restrictions that were known to South Africa, they even serve in the Knesset (Israeli Parliament.). The only difference is with citizens of Gaza and the West Bank, but THEY do not want to be Israeli citizens. Zionism IS NOT Apartheid!

Historically, we must go back to the Haskalah, or Jewish enlightenment that started in the late 1700s. The Jewish Maskilim “Enlightened Ones” led an intellectual movement promoting liberalism and freedom of thought. The hope was the emancipation of European Jews and equality in the various countries where they lived. It failed! The 1880s saw the beginning of the Russian Pogroms (government-sponsored riots) against Eastern European Jews. Various Aliyot or waves of immigration started to take place from Europe to the Land that was then still called Palestine.

But anti-Semitism didn’t stop at Eastern Europe. In 1894, French Captain Alfred Dreyfus was falsely accused of treason, stripped of his rank, imprisoned on Devil’s Island, and eventually vindicated. The Austrian journalist, Theodor Herzl covered the trial in Paris and became rapidly convinced that Dreyfus had been framed and that Jews had no future in Europe. Two years later he published “Der Judenstaadt.” In 1897, at the 1st Zionist Congress in Basel, Switzerland, Herzl declared “At Basel, I founded the Jewish State…Perhaps in five years, certainly in fifty, everyone will know it.” Incidentally, 1897 plus 50 takes us to 1947 which is when the United Nations voted for the partition of British Mandate Palestine, leading to the 1948 birth of modern Israel.

The fascinating birth and growth of Zionism couldn’t have happened without contributions by key figures such as Eliezer Ben Yehuda who singlehandedly developed modern Hebrew from the liturgical tongue of the Scriptures. Chaim Weizmann was also instrumental in helping WW1 efforts and became close to British officials which led to the pivotal moment in Jewish history, the 1917 Balfour Declaration, telling the world that Jews had a right to their ancestral homeland. It was followed in 1920 by the San Remo Conference where 53 out of 61 countries of the League of Nations gave the rights to “Palestine” to the Jews and established an international legal precedent. Before long, the modern State of Israel was born on May 14, 1948, and since that day, it has been at war with its neighbors.

Is Zionism biblical or is it a valid thorn in the flesh of Palestinians who lived in and owned the land way before the Jewish people? Not everybody will use the Bible to validate Zionism, but since one of the main themes of God’s word is Israel, it sheds some light for us, as we can see in the Torah:

• The land belongs to God first and foremost: Leviticus 25:23
• God made a covenant with Abraham promising a land, a seed and a blessing: Genesis 12:1-3
• The land has specific boundaries: Genesis 15:18-21
• God’s covenant was reconfirmed through Isaac, Jacob and his 12 sons: Genesis 26:2-4, 28:13, 50:24
• God cares about the land and will bless/discipline Israel for obedience/disobedience: Deuteronomy 11:8-17
• The land is promised based on God’s character and not Israel’s performance: Deuteronomy 7:7-9
• God told Israel to conquer the land: Deuteronomy 9:3
• Israel’s exact boundaries are controlled by God: Deuteronomy 2:3-5, 16:19
• The Babylonian captivity didn’t annul the oath made by God: Leviticus 26:41-45

Additionally, the Prophets tell us of the glorious future of Israel:

• Israel will never be destroyed because of God’s promise of eternal protection: Jeremiah 31:35-37
• God promised Israel a New Covenant when He will remember their sins no more: Jeremiah 31:31-34
• Israel’s glorious future includes a final restoration to the land: Ezekiel 39:25-29
• Israel’s glorious future is secure because of God’s character: Ezekiel 36:22-28

Simply put, anti-Zionism IS anti-Semitism repackaged. From the biblical record, it can easily be argued that God Himself was the first Zionist, but He also doesn’t want for anybody to perish, and He certainly has the same love and compassion for Jews and Arabs, and so should we. Being a Zionist doesn’t mean that one is a racist or a colonizer. Not historically, and certainly not biblically. Being a Zionist doesn’t mean that one is anti-Palestinian but sadly, the opposite is seldom true!

March 11, 2019 By Olivier Melnick Leave a Comment

The “Greedy Jew” is Alive and Well!

Some of history’s oldest canards are against the Jews. One of these, that we can find towards the top of the list, is the myth of the “Greedy Jew.” During the Middle Ages, Christians were allowed to borrow money ONLY from Jews, who in turn would collect the money back with interest. Various European monarchs started taxing the Jewish moneylenders on their profit. Taxes kept increasing, so the Jewish moneylenders had to keep pace and increase their interest rates. The process went on for a while and gave birth to the myth of the “greedy Jew.” Some Jewish moneylenders did raise their rates too high trying to take advantage of needy Christians, but they were not in the majority and ended up with a poor reputation in both the Christian and Jewish communities. These few happened to be greedy first and Jewish second. By the end of the thirteenth century, Jews had been expelled from France, England, and most of Germany, mostly because of issues in money lending.

Amazingly and shamefully, the myth of the greedy Jew has survived into the modern age. It is pervasive across generations and cultures. The Jews are repeatedly accused of trying to take over the world, owning the banks and financing political moves to Israel’s advantage, as we have recently seen in the anti-Semitic diatribes dispensed by newly elected Democrat Congresswoman from Minnesota, Ilhan Omar.

To understand the extent of the “Greedy Jew” canard, we must look at a recent incident that took place in Aalst, Belgium during a yearly street carnival dating back to the Middle Ages. It includes parading floats with music on various themes. This year’s float from the group Vismooi’ln was titled “Sabbath Year 2019”, which according to the builders of the float was decided based on the fact that they might have to take a break from the Carnival in 2020 because of its rising cost. What followed was outrageously anti-Semitic.

The front of the float included two giant caricatures of orthodox Jews with streimels (Jewish fur hats) on their heads, side curls and long beards. The facial features included mean looks and large crooked noses (another anti-Semitic stereotype.) Adding insult to injury, the two giant puppets were standing, surrounded by bags of money at their feet and money coming out of their coat pockets (yet another anti-Semitic stereotype.) There were also over a dozen people dressed up as Orthodox Jews, gyrating on the second float with a very apparent lack of respect.

We are seeing anti-Semitism becoming institutionalized in Europe as it has been in the Middle East for quite a while now. There are good reasons to believe that the virus of Jew hatred will also continue to spread further into America. The Belgium carnival raises several questions:
• What went through the mind of the people who came up with the theme for that float? What was their motive, and how can they possibly say that anti-Semitism wasn’t even on their radar?
• Why would people want to join that float, dress as caricatures of orthodox Jews, dance and sing and humiliate the Jewish community? What is the fun in that, unless you want to target a specific group?
• How could people on the streets take part in the celebration and laugh at the whole float?

What troubles me even more, is the fact that in 2010, the Aalst Carnival became part of the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. UNESCO proudly claims that “constantly recreated by new generations, the ancient carnival’s collective laughter and slightly subversive atmosphere celebrate the unity of Aalst.” That they would consider this year’s float only “slightly subversive” says a lot. Does it also mean that Aalst unites in an anti-Semitic approach? UNESCO did condemn that particular float, yet if they have any shreds of integrity left, they should remove the carnival from their list immediately, but why would they, when they also list the Temple Mount in Jerusalem as a Muslim holy site with no Jewish connection? Ethically speaking, UNESCO should have removed the carnival in 2013 after a float was done in the image of a German cattle car with Jews and had people dressed as Nazi SS officers walking on both sides of the train.

Once again, and this time around the world, the bystanders are quickly becoming co-perpetrators in a myriad of anti-Semitic acts because, in 2019, anti-Semitism has become the new normal. Please join me in speaking up and educating. Let us all be the abnormal ones!

February 12, 2019 By Olivier Melnick Leave a Comment

Not Exactly “A Pope for All Seasons!”

In the story “A Man for All Seasons” based on the life of Sir Thomas More, the hero is portrayed as a man of principle envied by many of his contemporaries, including some of his rivals. Sir Thomas More was once described in those words:” “More is a man of an angel’s wit and singular learning. I know not his fellow. For where is the man of that gentleness, lowliness, and affability? And, as time requireth, a man of marvelous mirth and pastimes, and sometime of as sad gravity. A man for all seasons.” Many around the world today see the current Pope as a man for all seasons, but are they right in their assessments and how does it all line-up with Scripture?

The Pope just co-signed a document with Al Azhar Grand Imam Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb (once named “the most influential Muslim in the world”), titled “Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together“. Ecumenically speaking, the document is a dream come true for mankind, and many have described it as a “historical breakthrough“. I would venture to say that it might be a “biblical breakthrough,” but not necessarily for the same reasons.

The document says of God “He is the Creator who has formed us with His divine wisdom and has granted us the gift of life to protect it. It is a gift that no one has the right to take away, threaten or manipulate to suit oneself. Indeed, everyone must safeguard this gift of life from its beginning up to its natural end. We, therefore, condemn all those practices that are a threat to life such as genocide, acts of terrorism, forced displacement, human trafficking, abortion, and euthanasia.”

The Pope might be thinking that because God created all men equally (a biblical view that I share with him), Grand Imam Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb shares his views, but just because the Grand Imam signed the document doesn’t mean that he will uphold it.

Further down, the document speaks of freedom of religion: “Freedom is a right of every person: each individual enjoys the freedom of belief, thought, expression and action. The pluralism and the diversity of religions, color, sex, race, and language are willed by God in His wisdom, through which He created human beings. This divine wisdom is the source from which the right to freedom of belief and the freedom to be different derives. Therefore, the fact that people are forced to adhere to a certain religion or culture must be rejected, as too the imposition of a cultural way of life that others do not accept.”

Here we see that the Pope is taking a pluralistic position demanding that all men respect one another regardless of their beliefs since “The pluralism and the diversity of religions, color, sex, race, and language are willed by God in His wisdom, through which He created human beings. The proverbial roads that all lead to Rome are no longer sufficient, now they all need to also lead to God. The same god for Roman Catholics and Muslims, that is!

As a matter of fact, Grand Imam Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb is on record for taking a position that is in direct opposition of the document he co-signed. He recently said “Those learned in Islam [al-fuqaha] and the imams of the four schools of jurisprudence consider apostasy a crime and agree that the apostate must either renounce his apostasy or else be killed. Additionally, in a 2013 interview on Egyptian TV, he said that Muslims “suffer from global Zionism and Judaism” and “You shall find the strongest among men in enmity to the believers to be the Jews and the polytheists.” Statements like that would disqualify him from even being considered as a signatory on the “Document on Human Fraternity and World Peace.”

Furthermore, he even refused to say that the Islamic State (ISIS) were not true Muslims, but in this case, I agree with him. I am under the conviction that if a Muslim were to take the words of the Qur’an literally, they would have no choice but to kill infidels and apostates…Jews and Christians alike. The vast majority of Muslims are nominal Muslims who are not necessarily well versed in the Qur’an and as a result, they “cherry pick” verses that they wish to apply. This can be said of all religions indiscriminately.

So, how can I possibly say that this might be a biblical breakthrough? Because from the standpoint of the upcoming eschatological one-world order, this is 100% in line with biblical prophecies. The one-world government is becoming more of a reality each day, and it will undoubtedly include a one-world religion (Revelation 13:11-18.)

The Pope might be blinded by wishful thinking and a pluralistic, postmodern view of religion. The immediate future looks like global dhimmitude to Islam, but the end of the age will be more tragic for many. It will only bring two options: We either worship the prince of this world and end up with him in the Lake of Fire (Revelation 20:10), or we worship the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob through Yeshua the Messiah, and we spend eternity in His presence. Even the Pope isn’t exempt from making that ultimate choice. He is also responsible for leading billions to the true God. Maybe it’s time for the Pope to reset his GPS (God Positioning Satellite)!

January 26, 2019 By Olivier Melnick Leave a Comment

Holocaust Remembrance Day is Everyday!

Every year, On January 27, the whole world commemorates the horrors of the Holocaust by observing International Holocaust Remembrance Day. This anniversary was set-up by the United Nations and is different from the yearly Yom HaShoah (Day of the Catastrophe) that takes place in Israel in the spring. We live at a time of history when the remaining survivors of the Holocaust are in their late eighties and older, and their number is dwindling down. Soon after World War Two, the “NEVER AGAIN” motto arose and has been the on-going creed for those who want the Holocaust to be remembered. In 2018, the World Jewish Congress initiated a Hashtag campaign asking people to post photos and videos of themselves on all social networks with the hashtag #WeRemember. They are repeating the same campaign in 2019. While the concept is commendable since the memory of the Holocaust must be preserved at any cost, I fear that it might also create a certain shallowness that could diminish the weight of that memory.

Many people post pictures of themselves with a sign showing the hashtag, and they get a feeling of righteous indignation against hatred. They feel like they are part of a broad community of people holding virtual hands to speak up against the Holocaust and antisemitism, and in a small way, they are, but unfortunately and for most, the remembrance dissipates soon after. We live in a new world where we communicate with few words, symbols and emojis. Texting is the main way of communication between people. When it comes to communication in the 21st Century, we want it now, we want it fast and we want it short…very short!

Unfortunately, there is no way to remember the Holocaust in a couple of words, but there are several things one can do to dig deeper into the archives of history and learn about the Jewish catastrophe. I have listed them below in what I believe is their order of importance:

Listen to a Holocaust survivor: This is a very effective way to learn about the event from a first-hand witness. The challenge is that in 2019, their number is exponentially reducing by virtue of their age. Most of today’s survivors would have had to be young teenagers or younger during the Holocaust which took place over 75 years ago. If you know one or are invited to hear one, I recommend you seize the moment. Additionally, the staff at Shadows of Shoah brings many testimonies from survivors on video, and by virtue of that medium, renders their unique stories eternal. The Steven Spielberg Shoah Foundation also has over 50,000 video testimonies of survivors, one of them being my dad Georges Melnick.

Visit a Death Camp: In November of 2010, I traveled to Krakow, Poland to visit the remains of Auschwitz-Birkenau where my maternal Grandfather Maurice Weinzveig was taken by the Gestapo, from Paris in the Summer of 1942. The Death Camps are some eerie monuments left over from one of the darkest periods of mankind’s history. If at all possible, everybody, and most definitely every Christian should walk through one of them once in their lifetime.

Visit a Holocaust Memorial Museum: The biggest and most elaborate of them–Yad Vashem–is located in Jerusalem. I make a point of taking the people there each time I lead a tour to Israel. It is a must! It is a difficult visit punctuated by visual and audio markers that will undoubtedly leave an impression on you for many years, well beyond the posting of any hashtag, and that is what the world needs. There are other Holocaust Memorials, several in the United States. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington D.C. or the Simon Wiesenthal Center/Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles are just two of them. The list is much longer and warrants several different visits if possible.

Read an account of the Holocaust: There is a tremendous collection of Holocaust literature in many languages. From survivors’ accounts to biographies, historical accounts and even poems. Every human being should read the short but life-altering account of Elie Wiesel’s time at Auschwitz-Birkenau with his father when he was only 15. As told in his autobiography Night, his story of resilience and survival against all odds is very dark. A detailed and accurate account of the Holocaust can be found in Lucy Dawidowicz The War Against the Jews or in The destruction of the European Jews by Raul Hilberg.

Historians and scholars alike often speak of pre-Holocaust and post-Holocaust Jewish history, and this for a good reason; the Holocaust is the most important marker on the modern timeline of Jewish history. Speaking of it for one day is a good habit for a commemoration of the event, but letting its reality inhabit our memories will help us beyond the ephemerous impact of a hashtag. The Holocaust is tightly weaved into the fabric of Jewish history, and reducing it to a hashtag could rip our Jewish heritage beyond repair, not to mention pave the way to completely forget it and even deny it ever happened. We have to do more, and we have to do it more often!

It is our duty as human beings to remember the Holocaust, share its history with the future generations and speak-up against those who deny that it ever took place. The lessons learned from the Holocaust say much about evil and human nature. We need to be reminded every day about the possibility of such a catastrophe to re-occur. Yet, in the midst of all this, our God is all powerful and all loving.

In all their affliction He was afflicted,
And the angel of His presence saved them;
In His love and in His mercy He redeemed them,
And He lifted them and carried them all the days of old.
Isaiah 63:9

January 23, 2019 By Olivier Melnick Leave a Comment

The Pervasiveness of BDS in American Politics!

Over the years I have tried to expose the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement known as BDS. In its modern version, BDS is only 14 years old, but the concept is much older, and it could be argued that Kristallnacht, the November 1938 “Night of Broken Glass” in Germany, was an early, rather successful attempt at BDS against the Jewish people.

I have also repeatedly stated that there is nothing wrong with boycotting, in and of itself. The concept is actually very commendable as it is an expression of one’s deep convictions against a person, place, organization or any other entity that promotes ideas one cannot support. Many of us actually boycott without necessarily calling it by that name. Some will “boycott” R movies, others will boycott alcohol, while others will boycott a specific artist for the message they spread. We all do it. The challenge rests on the integrity we display as we boycott. We shouldn’t claim to boycott R movies or a specific brand and then watch some R movies or buy some items made by that brand. Boycott is only ethical when it is done with integrity. It’s all or nothing, so let’s be careful before we commit! That is the biggest problem with the BDS movement, and it is identifiable on two levels.

First, BDS proponents are very inconsistent with what Israeli products they boycott. If a product or technology comes from Israel but doesn’t really create a huge inconvenience, BDS people will denounce and boycott with a lot of fanfare. On the other hand, if the technology is a big part of their life, like cell phone, computers, thumb drives, etc, hypocritically, there’s no boycott. Case in point, Mahmoud Abbas recent case of severe pneumonia successfully treated by an Israeli doctor.

Secondly, the very people who choose to boycott Israel will then turn a blind eye on a myriad of countries and/or entities that are blatant human rights abusers and violators such as China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, Gaza, and others. BDS proponents are not interested in facts. If they were, they would actually support Israel. This in no means is an attempt at exonerating Israel from any responsibilities in the Middle East crisis, but a genuine desire for balance and fairness and an unbiased approach to the issue. Instead, we see how pervasive the BDS movement has become in the last few years, and how widespread it has developed across all segments of the population, and particularly, how it has started to infuse the fabric of US government.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that the UN has looked at Israel through the biased lens of the Palestinian narrative, fueled by a postmodern approach to truth and social justice. More resolutions have been passed against Israel than any other country combined that are UN members, and this by a long shot. The UN is no different with BDS. It identified 206 companies that according to them are doing business illegally in Israel as they stated: “The violations of [Palestinian] human rights associated with the [Israeli] settlements are pervasive and devastating, reaching every facet of Palestinian life. Owing to settlement development and infrastructure, Palestinians suffer from restrictions on freedom of religion, movement and education; their rights to land and water; access to livelihoods and their right to an adequate standard of living; their rights to family life; and many other fundamental human rights.

Looking at that statement, it is blatantly lying about the Palestinian freedom of religion and education, by simply turning factual truth on its head. Palestinians do not suffer from restrictions on freedom of religion. On the other hand, try to freely and safely express yourself as a religious Jew in the “Palestinian territories” Good luck with that!

Zooming in on the US government, since the November 2018 Mid-Terms, things are not looking up as several new members of Congress are strong vocal supporters of BDS.

Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib of Michigan said “I personally support BDS” and refuses to go on an organized trip to Israel for freshman members of the US government, but instead, she organizes a trip to the West Bank.

Congresswoman Ilhan Omar of Minnesota also supports BDS. She said, “I believe and support the BDS movement and have fought to make sure people’s right to support it isn’t criminalized.”

Then you have the newest and youngest member of the US Congress, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez who also will not join the AIPAC trip to Israel. In a recent interview, she was quoted saying, “I also think that what people are starting to see at least with the occupation of Palestine is the increasing crisis of humanitarian condition. And that to me is where I tend to come from on this issue.” She has not made a clear statement in favor of BDS yet, but I fear that her disdain for Israel might soon show her true colors.

Additionally, there seems to be some kind of political infatuation between the New Democrats (read “Progressive Left”) and the woman behind the “Women’s March”, Linda Sarsour, who for several years now, has promoted radical Muslim agenda. Additionally, she has been known to show respect and admiration for the antisemitic leader of Nation of Islam, Louis Farrakhan. Miss Sarsour is very bold in her defense and promotion of the BDS movement.

The Jewish advocacy group Stand With Us produced a short document explaining what BDS is all about, titled “Explaining the BDS Movement: BDS the New Antisemitism”, well worth the read.

The BDS movement has patiently picked up momentum in fields such as entertainment, business, Academia and even Evangelicalism. Somehow, it transcends all segments of American Society and even dangerously spreads to the global community. With this new crop of Mid-Terms Representatives in the US government added to an already existing group of anti-Israel politicians, it looks like the BDS movement just entered a new phase. A government-sponsored delegitimization of Israel could be on its way and the hatred that it promotes could easily grow exponentially. Freedom of Speech allows us to reach out to our politicians and voice our disagreements…Time to speak up! Better yet, find-out who boycotts Israel and boycott them!

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