Zionism

May 27, 2019 By Olivier Melnick Leave a Comment

The Time to be a “Righteous Gentile” is Today!

After the Second World War, as Europe was coming to grips with the horrors of the Holocaust, it became evident that while most of the world turned its back on the Jewish people, some people found it in their hearts to help. While it was expected that Jewish people would help their own–and they did–help also came from Gentiles. By 1953, only six years after the war, Israel, then a modern nation since 1948, decided to start gathering information about those Gentiles who helped Jews during the Holocaust years. Gentiles became recognized as “Righteous Among the Nations” based on three criteria as they helped Jews during the war years. First, they were not Jewish. Secondly, they acted risking their own lives and finally, they received no money in exchange for their deeds. In 2019, there are less than 27,000 Righteous Gentiles whose names Yad Vashem recognizes worldwide. In the scope of the six million innocent Jewish victims of the Nazi Death Camps, this is a drop in the ocean. But what about modern-day Righteous Gentiles? Do they exist? Who are they, and where are they?

In light of antisemitism’s global rebirth, we need modern-day Righteous Gentiles more than ever before. I am convinced that at the rate Jewish hatred is growing, it won’t be long before the global Jewish community will need help from outside once again. In some ways, we are already there when we consider the attacks in Pittsburg, San Diego, New York and the numerous–almost daily– incidents in Europe. How can we identify The Righteous Gentiles of today?

They read their Bible and they believe God’s plan for Israel
Anytime one reads their Bible, not trying to allegorize the stories that God gave us, they cannot help but discover a theme throughout its pages: Israel and the Jewish people–from early in Genesis all the way to Revelation, and almost on every page of the Bible. This is not to say that one must read their Bible to love the Jewish people. There were and still are many people who might not be religious or have any spiritual connection, and yet, have nothing against the Jewish people. People of good will have always existed. Yet, I do believe that modern Righteous Gentiles will have a greater propensity to help Jewish people if they read their Bible. Taken literally, the story of Israel and the Jewish people is based on promises and covenants made between the God of Israel and various leaders of Israel. Except for the Mosaic Covenant (parallel to all the others AND conditional), these covenants are all connected, unconditional and based on God’s unchanging character.

They love the Jewish people
Today’s Righteous Gentiles, biblically motivated or not, simply love the Jewish people. They recognize Israel’s existence against all odds and often contrary to human logic. There are a lot of Bible believers that could be called Christian Zionists. They believe in God’s plan for Israel and in the restoration of the Jewish people in the land of Israel in the End-Times (Ezekiel 36-37). To an extent, that return to Eretz Yisrael has already begun and Bible believers live with a great expectation of God’s fulfillment of His promises. When one believes in the God of the Bible, it is hard not to love the Jewish people.

They live their Bible
One important aspect of the Righteous Gentiles is that they not only believe the Bible, but they also live it daily. While no Bible believer is made instantaneously perfect by following the teachings of Yeshua of Nazareth, they are encouraged to live for Him and through Him. As a result, Righteous Gentiles strive to apply biblical principles to their own lives, just like the people of the French village of Le Chambon did during World War Two. Somebody once said, “Preach the Good News every day, if necessary, use words!” Our actions ought to be enough to demonstrate what we believe and why we believe it. Words are good but actions are better!

They will take risks to protect the Jewish people
To that extent, Righteous Gentiles will not hesitate to, again, help the Jewish people when the time comes, and the time is coming! There is no doubt in my mind that even though the Bible is replete with God’s promises for Israel and the Jewish people, things are going to get worse before they get better. Righteous Gentiles took great risks eighty years ago to hide, protect and save Jews. Today’s Righteous Gentiles are ready to do the same, but most Jewish people are not aware of it. Jewish people today need to be made aware that there are Gentiles who are their friends. Not every Gentile is an antisemite! Yet it is becoming increasingly difficult for Jewish people today to know where to turn for help and who to trust.

If you are a Gentile today, ask yourself these few questions, and if your answer is YES, then you might be a Righteous Gentile awaiting his/her call to reach out to God’s chosen people.
• Do you believe the Bible’s promises for Israel and the Jewish people will be fulfilled literally?
• Do you believe the Jewish people are at risk again?
• Are you willing to take risks to help your Jewish friends?

While I do not believe that Bible believers will go through the horrors of the Great Tribulation, in Matthew 25:40, we see how serious Yeshua is about the way Gentiles should treat Jews. At the end of that seven-year period of perilous times, Gentiles who would have survived the Tribulation and helped Jews in the process, will be recognized by King Yeshua, “The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.'” These Righteous Gentiles will not earn their entrance into God’s Kingdom because they protected Jews during the Tribulation, but their actions will simply demonstrate that they had become believers during that time, leading them to make the right choices.

The time to be a Righteous Gentile is today. Unbeknownst to them, the Jewish people are counting on you!

May 8, 2019 By Olivier Melnick Leave a Comment

Six Reasons to Celebrate Israel’s Independence Day!

While last year was the memorable 70th anniversary of the birth of the modern State of Israel on May 14, 1948, every new anniversary is a reason to celebrate. This year is no different!

We celebrate because of Israel’s survival

In her entire history, Israel has been the epitome of survival. From the moment That God created a people, gave them a land and a law, Israel became a prime target in the world. From Pharaoh who didn’t know Joseph to Haman to the Amalekites, the Bible is already replete with Israel’s foes. Post-biblical history continues to trace the lineage of the Jewish people as it is punctuated by acts of anti-Judaism and anti-Semitism, going from verbal to violent to lethal, peaking with the Holocaust. In spite of all the anti-Semitic hatred, Israel has survived. In spite of all the wars against her from 1948 to today, and miraculously, Israel has survived. In spite of the current waves of terrorism, Israel will survive because Israel’s complete annihilation would make God a liar and covenant breaker (Jeremiah 31:35-37.)

We celebrate because of Israel innovative spirit

When the Jewish people started to organize under the leadership of Theodor Herzl and Chaim Weizmann in the late 1890s, survival was of the essence, but creativity went hand in hand with the spirit of survival. Zionism was the catalyst to a mass migration to the land of our ancestors. From a place of rocks, desert and almost no vegetation, Israel has become one of the world’s foremost providers of fresh produce. Drip irrigation was an Israeli invention out of necessity. Much more has come to our modern world from Israeli ingenuity. It makes the job of the proponents of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions Movement (BDS) very complicated if they choose to be ethically consistent, but they seldom do!

We celebrate because Israel is the only democracy in the Middle East

This little sliver of land the size of New Jersey almost becomes a drop of water as one places it within the whole ocean of Arab countries surrounding her. Muslim governments vary from somewhat moderate to fully Sharia compliant. Women, homosexuals and even people of other faiths are often abused verbally AND physically, with their rights taken away from them. The one country in the Middle East where Arabs and Jews can actually coexist (at least from an Israeli perspective), is Israel. There are even Arabs as members of the Knesset (Israel Parliament.)

We celebrate because Israel is a safe haven for the Jewish people.

Jewish people have been in the Diaspora (Dispersion), since the destruction of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem in 70 AD. We can be found just about anywhere in the world, even though there is only 15 million of us. Yet, it is becoming increasingly evident that the only safe haven for Jewish people worldwide is Eretz Yisrael. Anti-Semitism is on the rise everywhere. Jews are being killed in Europe, the Middle East and even America, simply for being Jewish. Nevertheless, God promised that the Jews would return to the Land of Israel ( Ezekiel 37), and we are seeing it happening in our lifetime.

We celebrate because of God’s promises to Israel

Some people believe in God while others don’t, but that doesn’t prevent God from keeping his promises for Israel, and they are numerous:

• God made a covenant with Abraham: Genesis 12:1-3

• God gave specific boundaries: Genesis 15:18-21

• God’s covenant was reconfirmed through Isaac, Jacob (Israel) and his 12 sons: Genesis 26:2-4

, 28:13

, 50:24

• Israel will never be destroyed because of God’s promise of eternal protection: Jeremiah 31:35-37

We celebrate because of Israel’s glorious future promised by God

As bleak as the present looks, especially from a human perspective, Israel has a guaranteed glorious future, and that is indeed a cause for celebration.

• 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

Happy Independence Day, Happy 71st Birthday and Am Yisrael Chai!

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!

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 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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