Appeasement Archives - The New Antisemitism

December 29, 2022 By Olivier Melnick 7 Comments

Orthodox Rabbis Confirming End-Times Prophecy?

An article emerged a few days before Christmas claiming that “Rabbis Bring Jesus Home for Christmas.” Naturally, it got my attention. Not to mention the fact that several people sent the article to me and expressed their excitement after reading it. Over two dozen orthodox rabbis from around the world issued a joint statement “calling for a renewed look at Jesus, Christians and the New Testament faith. ” Frankly, I live for moments like these, so my initial reaction was a joyful surprise. Are some orthodox rabbis truly accepting the Messiahship of Yeshua (Jesus)? Have these men become Messianic believers? Could this be the start of a revival within the global Jewish community? The conclusion might surprise you!

The article was written by an Israeli Jewish believer in Yeshua, David Lazarus, who mentioned Yeshua several times. It quotes the rabbis saying, “Jesus brought a double goodness to the world,” further claiming that Yeshua “strengthened the Torah of Moses.” Lazarus quoted other parts of the Rabbis’ statement that clearly indicated the desire for true rapprochement between Christians and Jews. Considering the times we live in, this could be very good news. This will certainly not eradicate antisemitism since the longest hatred–a spiritual battle generated and fueled by Satan–will not come to an end until Yeshua returns at the end of the seven-year Tribulation. Can it help in the healing of Jewish/Christian relations? Absolutely, and this alone is a reason to rejoice!

My intention is not to burst the bubble of hope created by the statement, but before Israel-loving evangelicals rejoice, we might want to take a look at the statement itself. While it offers many positives, they are not necessarily what Christians might think. It was spearheaded by a commendable organization called the “Center for Jewish–Christian Understanding & Cooperation.” In their mission statement, they declare the following, “Now that we as a people and a nation have returned to history, and the Christian world is beginning to recognize the continuing legitimacy of its elder brother’s covenant, grafting itself onto us as a branch is grafted to the roots, we must each complete our return to God, join hands and bring a religion of love, morality, pluralism and peace to a desperate, thirsting world. ” Additionally, the statement dates from 2015. I am not sure why it was quoted as if it was recent, but it raises some very important questions that still need to be addressed.

The goal is to work towards rebuilding Jewish/Christian relations. While they certainly do not speak for all Jewish denominations across the spectrum, being a group of orthodox, pious Torah scholars pushing for a better world through mutual acceptance certainly deserves our attention. The topics discussed in their statement include Judaism, Christianity, God, Jesus and antisemitism. Here are some of the points they make that are worth analyzing to understand their desire further. The statement divides into seven articles, each worth mentioning. The bold part summarizes the main point made in the statement, followed by my analysis.

1. Failure of Jews and Christians to reconcile after the Holocaust created fertile soil for antisemitism to grow: The Holocaust (Shoah) remains a unique defining catastrophe on the timeline of Jewish history. While it is true that 2,000 years of animosity and violence coming from the Church were a major factor leading to the death of six million Jews (among other groups), not all perpetrators were Christians. In fact, it could be argued–maybe in another article–that none of the perpetrators and bystanders of the Holocaust were true Christians. Nevertheless, the abysmal divide between Christians and Jews that resulted from the Holocaust allowed other enemies of the Jews to contribute further to the erosion of Judeo/Christian relations. So, in a sense, it is true that this loss of trust resulted in further damage.

2. The Second Vatican Council (1965) contributed to a reconciliation between Jews and Christians: This was a milestone for the Catholic Church. Finally, after more than 1,900 years, it was officially declared that the Jewish people shouldn’t be held responsible for the death of Christ. This has indeed led to more interfaith dialogue and well-needed healing between Jews and Catholics.

3. The emergence of Christianity is G-d’s way to separate partners, not enemies: 19th-century British prime minister Benjamin Disraeli once said that “Christianity is Biblical Judaism fulfilled.” What a simple but powerful statement! Unfortunately, a theological wedge was placed between Jews and Christians. It progressively grew and separated the two. In their statement, the contemporary rabbis quote respected giants of Judaism, Maimonides (Rambam) and Judah HaLevi as their inspiration to accept Christianity as a valid religion. The signatories further declare, “Now that the Catholic Church has acknowledged the eternal Covenant between G-d and Israel, we Jews can acknowledge the ongoing constructive validity of Christianity as our partner in world redemption, without any fear that this will be exploited for missionary purposes.” The goal is clear from the statement, it is “world redemption,” also known in Judaism as Tikkun Olam. Not to be missed is the last part of that paragraph stating that the signatories do not fear Christian conversion due to this new relationship. Would all Christians truly adhere to a complete cessation of sharing the Gospel for the sake of reconciliation? This might be too broad a statement.

4. It is G-d’s desire for Christians to be loving partners: I couldn’t agree more with that part of the declaration. Bible-believing Christians have no choice but to love and support the Jewish people (Genesis 12:1-3; Psalm 83:1-5). The way Christians express their love may vary, though. It can go from regular prayer for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6) to humanitarian help to sharing the Gospel. Yet, it would seem that sharing the Gospel with the Jewish people didn’t make the cut on the list of proof of why Judaism and Christianity should work together. I tend to believe that the acceptance of Yeshua’s free gift of salvation through His death and resurrection for our sins IS the ultimate way to love the Jewish people.

5. Jews and Christians have more in common than what separates them: The rabbis continued by listing what connects Jews and Christians “The ethical monotheism of Abraham; the relationship with the One Creator of Heaven and Earth, Who loves and cares for all of us; Jewish Sacred Scriptures; a belief in a binding tradition; and the values of life, family, compassionate righteousness, justice, inalienable freedom, universal love and ultimate world peace.” The reason we speak of Judeo/Christian ethics is that the same principles are at the foundation of Judaism and biblical Christianity. We truly have much to gain in mutual acceptance. It will lead to cooperation and Christians and Jews are now at a crossroads where working together can only strengthen us against the enemy.

6. A true partnership doesn’t negate differences; it embraces them: The statement continues by clearly speaking of two different religions for two different communities, allowing for God to “employ many messengers to reveal His truth.” This is where I get nervous because this sounds like there is more than one way to get to G-d. Is the G-d of Judaism the same G-d found in Christianity? Well, if we believe that “Christianity is Biblical Judaism fulfilled,” the answer must be yes! But do we get to G-d the same way? It seems that within Judaism, we strive to keep Torah to hopefully be accepted by G-d. In contrast, within Christianity, we strive to serve and obey G-d after He accepted us in His family through Yeshua’s sacrificial death and resurrection. These are theological polar opposites.

7. Christians and Jews can redeem the world: In their concluding paragraph, the signatories boldly declared, “In imitating G-d, Jews and Christians must offer models of service, unconditional love and holiness. We are all created in G-d’s Holy Image, and Jews and Christians will remain dedicated to the Covenant by playing an active role together in redeeming the world.” This, again, is the concept of Tikkun Olam. It speaks of redeeming or repairing the world to make it a better place for all mankind. While the concept is very commendable when one reads the whole counsel of G-d, the narrative leads us toward a universal need for a redeemer for mankind. That redeemer came two thousand years ago in the person of Yeshua, who paid the ultimate price by dying for our sins (Isaiah 52:13-53:12). So, in the spirit of Tikkun Olam, only Yeshua can repair the world, and He will do just that at His Second Coming.

So, where does that leave this group of rabbis who are desperately trying to usher in a genuine reconciliation between Christians and Jews? There is nothing wrong with their noble effort. This will help both communities fight bigotry and antisemitism together better. Yet, this is not the same as claiming Yeshua as the Messiah of Israel and Savior of the world, which the article never does. By calling for more common ground between the two communities, this group of orthodox rabbis might help soften the hearts of many Jewish people towards Christians and biblical Christianity. Still, they never claim that Yeshua is the Messiah.

Could it be that these honorable Jewish men from all around the world are setting the stage for the coming of the 144,000 Jewish men who will play a key role in sharing the message of salvation during the Great Tribulation (Revelation 7)? Without setting dates but looking at work events through the lens of end-times prophecies, it is entirely possible that some of them might even be part of the 144,000 unbeknownst to them as of yet.

No matter how you look at it, this statement seems to be another piece in the end-times puzzle, and the final picture is becoming so clear!

November 23, 2022 By Olivier Melnick Leave a Comment

Maybe Dave Chappelle Understands the Jews… Kinda!

You do not have to look hard to find antisemitism in the news daily. Lately, it has been out of the mouth of several American celebrities (Kanye West, Kyrie Irving and Dave Chappelle). I could make the observation that all three celebrities who lashed out at Jews are African Americans, but that would defeat the purpose of this article as I would try to turn a mere assumption into a fact.

Kanye West lashed out the worst, using multiple antisemitic tropes, which cost him and his career dearly. Kyrie Irving decided to promote an antisemitic movie claiming that black people are the real Jews and Dave Chappelle used 15 minutes of an SNL opening monologue to come to the rescue of the two others.

Antisemitism can be spewed in so many forms. It can be the obvious death threats such as “Jews to the camps” or “Hitler didn’t kill enough,” but it can also be in the form of a trope against the Jews and presented as fact, such as “the Jews are greedy and they control the banks,” “the Jews control Hollywood” or “the Jews want to control the world.”

The fact that some antisemitic words are not calling for physical harm on Jewish people doesn’t guarantee that the Jewish people will be safe because the words of one can quickly become the deeds of another (see the correlation between Martin Luther and Adolf Hitler. Outside of the 2,000-year-old accusation of deicide as in “the Jews killed Christ,” the most enduring lie against the Jews is that of world control through the banking system, politics and even Hollywood.

One of the most printed and distributed pamphlets to that effect is the 1904 hoax known as The Protocols of the Elders of Zion, compiled by Russian Sergei Nilus, who stole the idea from two French playwrights. The protocols were supposed to be the minutes from meetings of a group of Jewish influential leaders plotting to take over the world. The pamphlet has long been debunked as a hoax, but that doesn’t stop people from still using it and even selling it on Amazon. With or without the pamphlet, the trope endures. Is there any truth in that accusation?

First, Let’s bring some perspective to the notion that the Jews want to control the world before we see if there is any truth to that statement. If one were to say, “the French want to control the pastry world, I hate the French,” or “the Italians want to control the fashion industry, they should be decimated.” Would anybody believe take those statements make any sense? Of course not, because in reality, the French are really, really good, if not the best at pastry, and the Italians have an incredible sense of fashion. Those are facts, and nobody cares to argue against them because they are not jealous but instead, they desire to buy or learn how to make French pastry or acquire fine Italian garments.

So, what is the big deal with the Jews wanting to control the world? First, we absolutely don’t want to control the world, Hollywood or the banks; but if people could be led to believe it, that would easily justify all the hatred and violence against us. The truth is Jews are disproportionally represented in Hollywood, the Banking community, the medical field and the legal community. We cannot deny that there are a lot of Jewish doctors and lawyers in the world, but why should that be a problem or a threat? If they are competent, that should be all that matters.

Jewish people are usually very shrewd businesspeople, not stingy, not money hungry, simply good with handling money, but even then, such a statement is not an absolute truth, so a blanket statement should never be made either way. Jewish people have always enjoyed learning, so acquiring knowledge, be it biblical, legal, medical, financial or other, is always a welcome challenge to the Jewish community. Yet, that too isn’t 100% true of all Jewish people, so let’s not be dogmatic about it either.

Another area where you find a lot of Jewish people, is the Nobel prize category. In the last 120 years, the Nobel Prize has been awarded to more than 900 individuals or organizations, and over 210 of them have been Jewish. That is over 23% of the entire Nobel prize pool of people and organizations Yes, I agree…that’s a lot, especially considering that Jewish people make 0.02% of the world population. Does that mean that Jewish people control the Nobel Prize as well? Nonsense! Again, knowledge and innovation are two areas where Jewish people excel, and the results are more inventions and accomplishments brought on by Jews. The world is a better place because of the Jewish people and their innovations. Take for instance the polio vaccine. It was invented by Jonas Salk and saved millions of people. Was he one of too many Jewish doctors?

Being disproportionally represented is not the same as wanting to control everything. If we look hard enough, we can certainly find Jews who are control freaks, stingy, greedy and fame hungry. But all these character traits exist not because these people are Jewish but because they are people. Generally speaking, people are flawed, even if they are exceptionally gifted at what they do. It is called the fallen human nature, and yes, I must bring God into all this because He is at the root of it all, but not in a bad way!

Starting with Abraham in Genesis 12, God formed a people group through Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and his twelve sons. We know this people today as the Jews. Through the Jews, the world would get the Bible, the Messiah and the Kingdom of God. That was God’s choice, so maybe we should leave the Jews alone and take it up with God? God’s archenemy, Satan, knows what happens when the Jewish people call upon His son Yeshua, he (Satan) is finished, so he has no choice but to try to destroy the Jews.

If the French or the Italians were in the way of Satan’s position of power in this world, it is after them that he would spend all his energy, but God chose the Jews, thus Satan will concentrate all his irrational creativity against the Jews.

So, how does that work with West’s, Irving’s and Chappelle’s comments? If I can say so without making people upset, I tend to agree with their assessments about the disproportional representation of Jewish people in these fields, but, not for the same reasons. If the world would simply accept the fact that there are a lot of Jewish doctors, lawyers, financiers and actors AND embrace them for their talents, gifts and ingenuity, the false narrative of Jewish world domination could disappear and a recognition of our talents without the world’s jealousy would do us all a lot of good.

I think it is time to realize that there are more Jewish people in influential positions that people care to admit, but not to take over the world, but rather, to make it a better place. In Judaism, it is known as Tikkun Olam (repair of the world), and if a better world could be brought on by mankind, the Jewish people would most definitely play a big part in it. I happen to believe that only Mashiach (Yeshua of Nazareth) can and will bring the perfect world when He inaugurates the 1,000-year Messianic Kingdom before the Eternal Order. Until then there is no harm enjoying what the Jewish people have provided to the world over the centuries. Let us turn jealousy into gratefulness because the Jewish people don’t want to control the world, we just want people to enjoy it more. What’s wrong with that?

November 14, 2022 By Olivier Melnick Leave a Comment

How Do We Fight Satanic and Irrational Antisemitism?

There is no lack of organizations dedicated to fighting antisemitism on a global scale, and with the continued increase in Jew hatred, it is a good thing. Yet, I believe that when it comes to fighting antisemitism, there is a fundamental aspect of the fight that is vastly misunderstood. The reason why it is misunderstood is simply that those who fight against antisemitism often do not take into consideration the spiritual component of the oldest hatred. They truly believe that men and women of goodwill can prevail against this xenophobic virus. While I believe people can fight racism successfully and even eradicate it if they want to, it is different for antisemitism.

Antisemitism includes racism but is not the same as racism; it is a bit more complex to define. My standard definition for antisemitism is as follows: Antisemitism is the irrational, satanic hatred of the Jewish people and Israel, characterized by thoughts, words and/or deeds against them. I have yet to see a definition of antisemitism that includes the words “satanic” or “demonic”. That aspect of the problem is seldom, if ever, mentioned. I must admit that even in my case, it is not until recently that I felt the need to include the word “satanic” in my definition, but it is a key, if not THE key component. The reason is simple, and it is found in the Bible.

God has Israel and the Jewish people at the core of His plan for mankind. Genesis, the first book of the Torah and the Bible, has 50 chapters. The first 11 chapters cover mankind in general and the next 39 cover the Jewish people from Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph. God’s plan for the Jewish people is not an afterthought. The Jewish people wrote our Bible, gave us the prophets and Yeshua the Messiah came from Israel in His humanity. Of all beings, Satan knows that very well and he understands the ramifications of Yeshua’s first and second comings. The bottom line is this, planet earth can only have one ruler: Satan or Yeshua, and the Bible tells us that it will not bode well for Satan. He wants to destroy all that is special to God. As a result, the Jewish people and Israel have been on top of his list for a very long time. He wanted to stop Yeshua’s First Coming (Genesis 3:15) and corrupt the race through which Messiah would be born (Genesis 6:1-8). He failed! Even Yeshua’s death was part of the plan to pay for humanity’s sins. Yeshua is soon returning, and Satan is very scared because he knows what this means.

When at the end of the seven-year Tribulation (also known as the Time of Jacob’s Trouble), Israel will realize that Yeshua is indeed the Jewish Messiah and Savior of the world, and the Jewish people will call upon Him corporately (Zechariah 12:10). It was Yeshua who declared to Israel that His return was dependent upon their crying out to Him “Baruch Haba Bashem Adonai,” in Matthew 23:37-39 ³⁷“Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were unwilling. ³⁸Behold, your house is being left to you desolate! ³⁹For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’”

Satan knows that time is coming, and he is about to get “fired” (pun intended!). He continues to do everything he can to denigrate, demonize and decimate the Jews so that he can keep his position of “Prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:1-2). This is the ONLY reason antisemitism exists and this is why I am convinced from a biblical perspective that it will not cease but only increase until Yeshua Sar Shalom (Jesus the Prince of Peace) returns. So, why fight it if the battle is pointless? We fight it because it is our duty to do so regardless of the immediate outcome, and the battle is far from pointless. In fighting, we might expose the lies to others that have been swayed away from support of Israel and love of Jewish people. We might never change the minds of the most virulent antisemites–Yeshua will handle them personally–but we can still influence those who are confused, uneducated and open to change.

I have yet to find a better system to expose antisemitism than the three Ds developed by Russian refusenik turned Israeli politician and activist Natan Sharansky. He posits that the best way to expose antisemitism is to see if any actions or words delivered fall into one or more of these three categories: Delegitimization, Demonization and Double Standards. These three feed off each other and are not that complicated to identify. Sharansky helps us in exposing the problem, but what we need is a solution.

Once we see that an action or words falls in any or all of the three Ds, I would like to suggest three more Ds to help us work toward a solution. Remember that the solution is not going to be a complete eradication of antisemitism. That will only happen when Yeshua returns at the end of the Time of Jacob’s Trouble and takes over.

Diagnose: Using the three Ds litmus test, we must DIAGNOSE the issue and clearly determine if it qualifies as antisemitism. Dislike of a Jewish person or criticism of Israeli policies might not always be driven by Jew hatred. It might be honest and justified once we study the facts and the motives behind any move. For instance, one criticizing someone like George Soros or Chuck Schumer, for whatever reason, doesn’t necessarily qualify as antisemitism just because they have Jewish ancestry.
Determine: Once the issue is diagnosed as antisemitic, it is time to DETERMINE what course of action is necessary. Should we speak up? Should we write to, email or call local or national leaders and politicians geographically connected to the issue at stake? Should we correct the offender? Should we educate others with the truth and debunk the lies? Should we reach out to the victim(s) and voice our concerns and support? Frankly, all the questions raised above are actions to take and will always be based on a specific situation. The key is to do something!
Defend: People are quick to speak up and express their indignation, and that is good. What about coming to the defense of the Jewish people in question? If you are looking for a biblical mandate to do so, start with Genesis 12:3 and bless the Jewish people, continue with Psalm 83:5 and understand that the enemies of Israel are the very enemies of God and finish by applying the principle of the Sheep in Matthew 23:31-40. When our Jewish friends need us the most, it will be time to move from “Praying for the peace of Jerusalem” to ” Protecting the children of Jerusalem”. The proverbial rubber is about to meet the road. Get ready to rescue your Jewish friends.

We might never completely eradicate antisemitism on this side of eternity, but we cannot ignore it. If it seems to fit Delegitimization, Demonization and/or Double Standards, we must Diagnose, Determine and Defend. Your Jewish friends and family might be in for a surprise, but Yeshua isn’t expecting any less of us because the last thing He desires from believers is to sit on the fence as we wait for His return.

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers,
against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
(Ephesians 6:12)

October 4, 2022 By Olivier Melnick 3 Comments

JUDENFREI Coming Soon to a Town Near You!

When Hitler wanted the “Aryan race” to dominate Europe, he used the now debunked law of Eugenics. On one side of the coin was this description of the perfect race; blond hair, blue eyes, perfect size nose and ears. On the other side of the coin was the Jew, a subhuman race akin to vermin and destined for complete destruction to save the world of its “grip.”. Hitler was obsessed with getting rid of the Jews, not only in Germany but all of Europe and the rest of the world if he could. His ultimate goal was a Jundenfrei Europe, a European continent free of Jews at any cost, and six million later, he almost succeeded! The Nazi term Judenfrei described the attempt to achieve “the final solution to the Jewish question.” At first, but not for long, the Jews were ostracized, demonized and expelled. Eventually, when a community had gotten rid of all its Jews, it was Judenrein or Jew-free. But, this was never enough for Hitler and the Nazi regime. The complete annihilation of the Jews was the goal…One Judenrein at a time!

When looking at the concept of Judenfrei, it is crucial to consider that it didn’t happen as an isolated incident but was part of a very precise, organized and structured agenda of death. The Holocaust, A systematic, willful attempt at exterminating all of European Jewry, can be divided into four main periods of a few years spanning from 1933 to 1945. Legislation from 1933-1938 (The Nuremberg Laws), Criminalization of Jewishness from 1938-1939 (Kristallnacht: The Night of Broken Glass), Isolation from 1939-1941 (Ghettos) and Annihilation from 1941-1945 (Death Camps.) Judenfrei was part of the agenda of death. It was just one step on the path to total annihilation. It described an area that had been “cleansed” of its Jews in the same way that a pest control inspector would declare your home free of vermin. Cafés, restaurants and other businesses advertised to the outside crowds that they proudly were Judenfrei.

Judenfrei or Judenrein didn’t come to a halt when the war ended in 1945. The concept was picked up by many Arab and Muslim countries that have made life impossible for Jews and forced them to leave. Several countries currently have dwindling numbers of Jews, even down to the single digits. Sometimes the Jews are forced out and sometimes they leave on their own. All this being said, there is nothing positive about Judenfrei.

So, when the University of Berkeley in California decided to develop “Jewish Free ” zones on campus, I cringed! To be exact, nine different Law Student Groups at the University of California, Berkeley School of Law are modifying their by-laws to make sure that Jews are excluded. They want to ensure that speakers promoting Israel or Zionism are never invited anywhere or anytime on campus. The law groups are Berkeley Law Muslim Student Association, Community Defense Project, Law Students of African Descent, Middle Eastern and North African Law Students Association, Asian Pacific American Law Students Association, Queer Caucus, Women of Berkeley Law and Womxn of Color Collective. How in the world do we get the Queer Caucus and the Muslim Student Association to get along when they are on two opposite sides of the ideological spectrum? Oh Yes, I remember, “the enemy of my enemy is my friend!” It is also important to understand that Berkeley as a school doesn’t endorse that decision.

Some of the language used in the revision of the bylaws is very concerning, as they state, “ in the interest of protecting the safety and welfare of Palestinian students on campus [insert organization name] will not invite speakers that have expressed and continued to hold views or host/sponsor/promote events in support of Zionism, the apartheid state of Israel, and the occupation of Palestine. This sounds like the pro-Palestinian students are at risk for their safety when a pro-Israel group or speaker is active on campus. It also accuses Israel of apartheid, which frankly is an outright lie that those promoting it rarely if ever take the time to go to the Land and observe how Arabs and Jews actually co-exist and work together in Israel. They also intend to promote BDS (Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions) against Israel, as well as equip people on how to properly boycott Israeli products, companies and personalities. Erwin Chemernsky, the Dean of the Berkeley Law School is Jewish and he is even a progressive Zionist. By the new standards of the Law Scool bylaws, he would be forbidden to speak at any events; how is that going to work?

What we really need to see is real dialogue from both sides. There used to be a time when people with differing views could dialogue freely, agree on some and disagree on some, but keep a respectful attitude towards each other. On a university campus, when the next generation is being groomed and equipped to be the leaders of tomorrow, what are were teaching them when we call Jews occupiers, colonizers and human rights violates. Incidently, if a Jewish student wants to contribute to the dialogue at a pro-Palestinian gathering, they are quickly booed and often escorted out. I know it first hand because I was the recipient of in sults at UC Irvine in California several years ago when I attempted to participate to the dialogue and ask a question.

When Berkeley Law students call for a Jew-Free Zone, not only do they infringe on freedom of speech, but they commit antisemitism and encourage others to do likewise. If this is not reversed, other schools will follow suit and then other organizations. This is a little spark that could very rapidly lead to a forest fire. Considering how many of the current events parallel the gruesome agenda of Nazi Germany in the 1930s and 40s, when we hear that a school wants to be Jew-Free, we should be outraged, speak up and come to the defense of our Jewish friends. Remain silent and soon enough the Jews in your town will be no more. British commentator Melanie Phillips was spot on when she declared, “For American Jews, the writing is now on the wall in neon lights!” This is enough to make Martin Niemöller turn in his grave.

First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.

—Martin Niemöller

September 2, 2022 By Olivier Melnick 2 Comments

You say “ZIONISM” like it’s a bad word!

For most people, Zionism is either a word they can hardly explain or has become akin to a cuss word, but what is Zionism? In light of the recent 2022 125th anniversary of the First Zionist Congress, it is essential to understand the term and its implications. Depending on our understanding of the term Zionism, our understanding of Israel’s right to exist will vary. We can look at the definition from the Jewish Virtual Library for Zionism as: “The national movement for the return of the Jewish people to their homeland and the resumption of Jewish sovereignty in the Land of Israel. ” Yet, even with a definition, we must go back in history to track the progress made by Jewish people that lead to the birth of Zionism.

In the late 1700s, there was a movement in Europe known as the Haskalah (enlightenment) which ended in the 1880s. Its leaders promoted a movement based on liberalism and freedom of choice in the hope of seeing the beginning of the emancipation of European Jews as well as their equality wherever they lived…It failed! Then in the late 1800s, came the pogroms (government-sponsored riots) against Eastern European Jews. Leo Pinsker, one of the leaders of the haskalah, got very discouraged. In his 1882 book “Auto-Emancipation” he wrote, “Indeed, what a pitiful figure we cut! We are not counted among the nations, neither have we a voice in their councils, even when the affairs concern us. Our fatherland–the other man’s country; our unity-dispersion; our solidarity – the battle against us; our weapon – humility; our defense – flight; our individuality – adaptability; our future – the next day. What a miserable role for a nation which descends from the Maccabees! … Happily, matters stand somewhat differently now. The events of the last few years in enlightened Germany, in Romania, in Hungary, and especially in Russia have effected what the far bloodiest persecutions of the Middle Ages could not. The national consciousness which until then had lain dormant in sterile martyrdom awoke the masses of the Russian and Romanian Jews and took form in an irresistible movement toward Palestine.”

Within 15 years came the Dreyfus Affair of 1894. French Captain Alfred Dreyfus was falsely accused of treason, stripped of his rank, was imprisoned on Devil’s Island, but eventually vindicated and reinstated. The Jewish journalist from Austria, 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” (The Jewish State) in which he wrote, “The idea I have developed in this pamphlet is an ancient one: It is the restoration of the Jewish State. . . The decisive factor is our propelling force. And what is that force? The plight of the Jews. . . I am profoundly convinced that I am right, though I doubt whether I shall live to see myself proved so. Those who today inaugurate this movement are unlikely to live to see its glorious culmination. But the very inauguration is enough to inspire in them a high pride and the joy of an inner liberation of their existence.”

In 1897, the First Jewish Congress was convened in Basel, Switzerland. Theodore Herzl expressed something that some have called prophetic. He said, “At Basel, I founded the Jewish State. If I said this out loud today, I would be answered by universal laughter. Perhaps in five years, certainly in fifty, everyone will know it.” Fifty years after the First Zionist Congress was November 29, 1947, when the UN General Assembly voted in favor of partitioning Palestine, putting in motion the re-birth of the modern state of Israel that took place on May 14, 1948. In the decade following Herzl’s death, the Zionist influx continued in the Holy Land, and about 100,000 pioneers lived there. Times were hard, workdays were long, and poverty was rampant, but the spirit of hope kept Zionism alive. On the eve of World War One, Zionism had become a reality, a fragile one, but a reality, nonetheless.

Then, in 1917, the Balfour declaration was another milestone in the process of the re-birth of Israel, followed by one of the best-kept secrets in the history of the Jewish people, the San Remo Conference of 1920, when a legal precedent was made and the rights to Palestine were given to the Jewish people. It also gave the rights to the rest of the Middle East to the Arabs. It established an international legal precedent that superseded any later declaration, even the United Nations didn’t have the right to change it in 1947 had they wanted to. Eventually, on May 14, 1948, Israel was reborn as a modern nation. Even with all this, there is a growing faction of people seeing Zionism as colonialism which according to the dictionary is, “domination of a people or area by a foreign state or nation: the practice of extending and maintaining a nation’s political and economic control over another people or area.” There are several reasons why Zionism is not colonialism or occupation historically speaking:

• The Land of Palestine is the land of Israel with a different name: It is time for people to accept the fact that the word Palestine was simply a name change forced on Israel by Roman emperor Hadrian to further humiliate them after the failed Bar Kochba revolt of A.D. 135. IT IS NOT STOLEN LAND! The stamps, coins, newspapers, passports and other things that said “Palestine” prior to 1948 all had the initials of the two Hebrew words “Eretz” (land) and “Yisrael” (Israel) stamped on them. Nobody argued about Palestine being another name for the geographical area of Israel until Yasir Arafat came onto the political scene and created displaced people with stolen land. Please people, do your homework!

• Israel is not committing ethnic cleansing: Ethnic cleansing or genocide is intentional organized mass murder to eradicate a people group. The Armenian Genocide and the Holocaust qualify as ethnic cleansing. In 1947 there were about 1.2 MM Arabs in British Mandate Palestine. Today, there are more than 6 MM Arabs in the whole land, including about 2 MM in Israel alone. There are more Arabs in Israel today than before 1947. This is the opposite of ethnic cleansing. On the other hand, there are still fewer Jewish people in 2022 than there were prior to the Holocaust.

• Israel is not 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. The only difference is with citizens of Gaza and the West Bank, but THEY do not want to be Israeli citizens.

There are also several reasons why Zionism is not colonialism or occupation biblically speaking:
• The land ultimately belongs to God: “The land, moreover, shall not be sold permanently, for the land is Mine; for you are but aliens and sojourners with Me. (LEVITICUS 25:23)

• God gave the land to the Jewish people with very specific boundaries not to be abused: “You have circled this mountain long enough. Now turn north, and command the people, saying, “You will pass through the territory of your brothers the sons of Esau who live in Seir; and they will be afraid of you. So be very careful; do not provoke them, for I will not give you any of their land, even as little as a footstep because I have given Mount Seir to Esau as a possession.” (Deuteronomy 2:3-5; 16-19).

• God Covenanted with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob for the land: “Joseph said to his brothers, “I am about to die, but God will surely take care of you and bring you up from this land to the land which He promised on oath to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob.” (Genesis 12:1-3; 15:18-21; 26:2-4; 28:13)

• God told Israel to conquer the land: “Know therefore today that it is the Lord your God who is crossing over before you as a consuming fire. He will destroy them and He will subdue them before you, so that you may drive them out and destroy them quickly, just as the Lord has spoken to you. “Do not say in your heart when the Lord your God has driven them out before you, ‘Because of my righteousness the Lord has brought me in to possess this land,’ but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is dispossessing them before you. It is not for your righteousness or for the uprightness of your heart that you are going to possess their land, but it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord your God is driving them out before you, in order to confirm the oath which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.” (Deuteronomy 9:3-5)

Under Zionism, Arabs who live in Israel are treated equally and with respect, so to be a Zionist doesn’t require being anti-Palestinian, or anti-Arab to be more precise since the Palestinian people are all Arabs dressed in a false “Palestinian” cloak of oppressed victims. Israel welcomes Arabs in all sectors of society, from public servants to doctors to Knesset members. Why won’t Palestinians do likewise? Zionism is not a dirty word; it is the essence of Jewish resilience in light of centuries of persecution. As for me, I would rather be on God’s side and since God was the first Zionist, so will I be, so pick your side and accept the consequences!

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