Tag Archives: antisemitism

August 1, 2024 · 9:00 AM

The Time to Stand against Antisemitism Is Now!

We continue to see antisemitism on the rise, especially οn college campuses! Hillel, the main Jewish campus organization worldwide, recorded a total of 1,810 reported antisemitic incidents on college campuses since October 7, which is a 700 percent increase compared to last year.1

This is a matter of grave concern as students look forward to beginning a new semester at universities across the country. Christian students often set up book tables and find ways to introduce their ministries to new students. The pro-Israel and Jewish Christian groups on campuses will be reluctant to be out-front and vocal because of the possible intimidation and opposition by pro-Hamas groups on campus. They need our help and prayers!

But, the problem is not limited to the campus. It seems to be happening everywhere. May I take a moment of your time and tell you about my heart and concern over this growing wave of anti-Jewish and anti-Israel sentiments sweeping across our country and so much of the Western world? 

THE PERNICIOUS NATURE OF ANTISEMITISM

From a biblical point of view, antisemitism is a hatred aimed at destroying Jewish people. 

The Hamas rallying cry “from the river to the sea” is a twisting of Genesis 15:18, which promises the land to Abraham’s descendants “from the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates.” So, from river to river, God promised the land of Israel to Jewish people by covenant. As believers in God’s Word, we have no other choice but to affirm what He has already promised. 

If we support those seeking the destruction of Jewish people or the removal of Jewish people from the land of Israel, then we are working at cross purposes with God. Instead, let us make certain we are partnering with God in every way, including His plan for Jewish people. Let us love what He loves and speak out against what He hates!

Once again, we are not calling all Christians to support every Israeli policy or military action, but rather simply to advocate for Israel’s right to exist as a sovereign nation. We do believe God gave the land of Israel to Jewish people, but we realize war is hard on everyone. Mistakes are made. But, remember, Israel is defending herself against Hamas, who initiated the conflict by storming Israel with close to 4,000 terrorists who set out to murder, kidnap, and brutalize innocent Israelis. 

Those condemning Israel’s wartime behavior seem to have lost sight of October 7! If not for this Black Sabbath, Israelis and Palestinians could have continued the process of trying to work out a reasonable peace and relationship. Hamas destroyed what so many tried to build through peaceful means. And in the process, their behavior has brought terrible damage to their own people, whom they use as human shields. Hamas’ leader, Yahya Sinwar, openly admitted Palestinian civilian deaths is part of his agenda. As the New York Post reported,

Hamas’ top official in Gaza, who helped mastermind the Oct. 7 terrorist attack, coldly admitted he sees the deaths of Palestinian civilians as “necessary sacrifices” to keep its war against Israel raging. . . . Yahya Sinwar lauded his efforts in stalling cease-fire talks. . . . “We have the Israelis right where we want them,” Sinwar said in a message to Hamas officials meeting with Qatari and Egyptian negotiators.2

What a terrible statement for a leader to make about his own people who are suffering!

And now it is not only Israelis and innocent Palestinians who are suffering because of the actions of the Hamas leadership, but Jewish people everywhere are now the subject of a new wave of antisemitism raging like a fire across the globe!

We must put a stop to antisemitism!

A COALITION AGAINST ANTISEMITISM

We held a significant event on Broadway, in Manhattan on June 20 to oppose antisemitism. Hundreds of people attended and made a commitment to do something about the rise of antisemitism. This was a first step in our efforts to fuel a movement of loving support on the part of Christians for their Jewish friends and neighbors.

Now I am asking you to do the same!

We are building a Coalition Against Antisemitism. This effort is especially designed to enable followers of Jesus to make a difference by becoming better informed and taking a more active role in this spiritual battle for the souls of Jewish people. 

We cannot underestimate the importance of providing Christians with a spiritual and biblical foundation for their prayers and actions. Just imagine how Jewish people will feel about Christians and may even take a new and different look at the gospel message because of a Christian’s love and concern, especially after centuries of anti-Jewish attitudes and actions by so-called Christians. My beloved community and God’s chosen people need to see a church in love with the Jewish Messiah and ready to stand with His kinsmen according to the flesh! 

The following statement will form the basis for this new Coalition Against Antisemitism, which we hope and pray will capture your heart and the hearts of believers in Jesus across our country. Please read the statement prayerfully and ask the Lord to help you find ways to support Jewish people during this time of need. 

THE COALITION’S FOUNDING STATEMENT 

  1. Antisemitism is spiritual in origin. When God chose Jewish people to accomplish His purposes on earth, the devil selected Jewish people as well and has sought to destroy this nation. 
  2. Antisemitism became embedded in the church from the fourth century onwards as many Christians took a negative view of Jewish people. 
  3. Antisemitism was linked to Christian political entities, which formulated various anti-Jewish policies during the medieval period. 
  4. Antisemitism became an essential part of Islam as the Muslim armies conquered the Middle East and parts of Western Europe. 
  5. This theologically-fueled disdain for Jewish people ultimately influenced a more virulent form of racial antisemitism, culminating in the Holocaust. Jewish people today often understand modern antisemitism as stemming from the negative views of Jewish people in Christian cultures. 
  6. Antisemitic conspiratorial views spread throughout the world during the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Various population pockets around the world accepted these lies. 
  7. The founding of the modern State of Israel in 1948 became a focal point for Islamic antisemitism, which already had a long history in the annals of classical Islamic writings. This hatred has turned especially volatile and violent during the last few decades, erupting into the massacres of innocent Jewish people on October 7, 2023. . . .3 

THE PRAYER

Would you also pray the following prayer:

Oh God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and Father of our Messiah Jesus, I ask You to bless and protect Your chosen people and to bring peace to all who live in the land of Israel. By Your Spirit, please guide me to find ways I can help support Jewish people during this season of rising antisemitism. Use me, Lord, through my congregation, small group, my family, and wherever I have influence for You to inspire others to love Jewish people. Lord, may I be Your instrument of mercy, grace, and love to bring help, comfort, and protection to all the children of Jacob in the Holy Land, the United States, and around the globe.

In the name of Yeshua, Amen.

Thanks so much for caring!

Mitch
(Romans 10:1)

P.S. Pro-Hamas activists and their sympathizers are targeting Jewish students around the globe. Many students are cautious, fearful, and concerned about their freedom of expression in their public identification as Jewish people, or as friends of Israel and Jewish people around the world. 

Students, parents, and grandparents, let us encourage them to stand for the Lord and Jewish people during this difficult moment!

Endnotes

1 “Antisemitism on College Campuses: Incident Tracking from 2019–2024,” Hillel, last updated June 17, 2024, https://www.hillel.org/antisemitism-on-college-campuses-incident-tracking-from-2019-2023/. 

2 Ronny Reyes, “Hamas Leader Yahya Sinwar Believes Palestinian Deaths Are ‘Necessary Sacrifices’: Leaked Messages,” New York Post, June 11, 2024, https://nypost.com/2024/06/11/world-news/hamas-leader-yahya-sinwar-believes-palestinian-deaths-are-necessary-sacrifices/. 

3 To read the full statement and join the Coalition, go to http://www.opposeantisemitism.com. 

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June 15, 2024 · 9:00 AM

Christians against Antisemitism

I have been pondering the touching story in the New Testament about the Roman centurion who asked Jesus to heal his servant (Luke 7:1–10). As the story progresses, we discover this centurion was noteworthy for his surprising love for Jewish people, which led him to build a synagogue for the Jewish community of Capernaum (Luke 7:5).

Perhaps the centurion saw the dimming spark of God’s presence in the Galilean city, which Jesus Himself chided for its lack of spirituality (Matthew 11:23). Conversely, Jesus commended the words and actions of this centurion who had come to love the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

I find the Roman centurion to be an inspiration! He loved the God of Israel, the Messiah of Israel, and the people of Israel.

While Jewish people today do not usually require Christian help to build synagogues, we do need help fighting the increasingly virulent antisemitism not seen since the Holocaust. Additionally, our not-yet-believing Jewish people need to hear the gospel message so they, too, can powerfully encounter Jesus the Messiah, the Prince of Peace.

A PROMISE

We live in a world overwhelmed by spiritual, moral, and political confusion, which is why it is so important to see life through the lens of Scripture. For example, though more than 60 percent of Christians above the age of fifty believe the land of Israel belongs to the people of Israel, our younger generation of future leaders in the church are not as certain. The number of those believers under forty who support Israel drops down to below 50 percent! However, when we read about God’s assurances to Abraham and his descendants and the Abrahamic promise to create a people destined to live in the Promised Land, we are clear on this fundamental truth: God gave the land of Israel to His chosen people.

In Genesis 12:1–3, we learn this promise is without conditions and free of time parameters. The fulfillment of the promise depends upon the power of God rather than the capabilities of humankind. Jewish people were created for a holy purpose and mission to bless the world. God said directly to Abram, “I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed” (Genesis 12:3, emphasis added). God created Jewish people for the sake of the Gentiles!

A PEOPLE

The very creation of the people was a miracle. Abraham and Sarah were beyond childbearing age, yet God supernaturally intervened to create Isaac, who was the first fruits of God’s promise to Abraham.

God promised no one would ever destroy this people. Numerous nations tried to destroy the people of Israel, but God would not allow it and kept His mighty hand upon them (Jeremiah 31:35–37).

A PLACE

The boundaries of the land given to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob are outlined in Genesis 15:18: “On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, ‘To your descendants I have given this land, from the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates.’”

The answer to those who question if Jewish people have a right to the land is to believe this passage and take it literally—as far as the great river, the river Euphrates.

The cry of anti-Israel protesters, “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free,” opposes what God promised in His word. As faithful followers of Jesus and those who believe the Bible, we reject the slogan entirely as it displaces Jewish people from the very land God Himself promised!

The tension in the Middle East will never subside until those involved in the conflict recognize the biblical promises of God to Jewish people and take them to heart. God pledged ownership of the land to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Any efforts toward reconciliation apart from this promise will ultimately fail.

We do not wish to debate whether 1948 was a human act or accomplished by the power of God. We understand the current conflict is complex, yet at the heart of the issue is the question of whether the land of Israel belongs to the people of Israel by virtue of God’s covenant with Israel. If we read the Bible literally and come to the conclusion that He gave this land—with the Genesis 15 boundaries—to Jewish people, then we must support the right of Jewish people to live in the land God established for His chosen people.

A PURPOSE

God promised Jewish people would live in the Holy Land and be a blessing to the nations. Isaiah predicted shalom (peace) would come to the Middle East: “In that day Israel will be the third party with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth” (Isa 19:24).

Jewish people will enjoy an enduring peace when the Prince of Peace reigns on His rightful throne. This hope reminds me of the temporary nature of all earthly conflicts, which the Messiah Himself will one day resolve.

A PRAYER WITH A PROMISE

The prayer we should pray throughout the Israel-Hamas conflict is the one for peace the psalmist penned in Psalm 122:6–7: “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: ‘May they prosper who love you. May peace be within your walls, and prosperity within your palaces.’”

This prayer includes a promise: Those who love Jerusalem will prosper. The Hebrew word shalah, which is translated as “prosper,” refers to a sense of inner peace, as those who pray for peace will experience peace in their lives as well.

The peace we enjoy in our relationship with God is a foretaste of the global peace God will bring to the world when His Son returns to reign on His rightful throne. He is the Prince of Peace and will remove the curse of sin at the heart of the current conflict. He will bring humanity back to the peace Adam and Eve experienced in the Garden of Eden. The prophet Ezekiel mentioned a future day when the nation of Israel will turn to the Lord, and the land will be “like the garden of Eden” (Ezekiel 36:35).

A PLEA: FOR CHRISTIANS TO OPPOSE ANTISEMITISM

I am hoping both local churches and individual Christians will boldly pray against and actively oppose the rising global antisemitism. Our 130-year-old ministry is here to inspire you to pray for, support, and act on behalf of Jewish people by opposing antisemitism.

Jewish people need our help today!

SEE SOMETHING . . . SAY SOMETHING: A CALL TO ACTION

How can we stand by and watch Jewish people suffer at the hands of modern-day Hamans and Hitlers? Antisemitism is anti-gospel and anti-God. It is antithetical to God’s promises found in Scripture. The problems in the Middle East cannot be solved by removing Jewish people “from the river to the sea.” The beginning of any diplomatic solution must be to allow Jewish people to live safely and peacefully in the land God promised to His chosen people.

Let me be clear: We believe the gospel is the only ultimate hope for Jewish people, Arabs, and all who seek authentic and enduring peace.

So, how can we be part of the solution to this seemingly insoluble problem?

The first step is to turn to the Lord in prayer and intercession and then view the conflict through the lens of Scripture. Our actions must begin with prayer because this battle is a spiritual one, and prayer puts us in the right relationship with the One who made these promises. The Scriptures provide the understanding we need to propose workable solutions because they are in sync with God’s eternal purposes.

Then, like the centurion, we ought to find ways to bless Jewish people, as blessing the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob will lead to blessings for the world. If we support those working toward the destruction of Jewish people and their removal from the land of Israel, then we are working against the eternal purposes of God (Acts 5:39)!

Let us join the Holy One in blessing Israel, Jewish people, and all men and women who are created in the image of God and for whom Jesus died.

Thank you for caring, praying, and supporting the 130-year-old work of Your Mission to the Jewish People.

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May 15, 2024 · 9:00 AM

Say “No” to Antisemitism!

As the war in Israel continues, our hearts go out to those suffering due to the actions of Hamas and Hezbollah! The impact of the conflict now stretches across the globe. It has caused the rise of new challenges for the worldwide Jewish community and for Your Mission to the Jewish People, as you can see from the following reports about the growing number of antisemitic incidents in the United States. Sadly, I am certain further events will have transpired by the time my letter crosses your desk or kitchen table. Yet, the pro-Hamas protestors act as if October 7 never happened!

THE CHILLING TRENDS

The Anti-Defamation League, the world’s leading organization tracking and opposing antisemitism, reported in early January, 

In the three months since the Oct. 7 massacre in Israel, U.S. antisemitic incidents have skyrocketed, reaching a total of 3,291* incidents between Oct. 7 and Jan. 7, according to ADL’s (the Anti-Defamation League) preliminary data. This represents a 361-percent increase compared to the same period one year prior, which saw 712 incidents.

The preliminary three-month tally is higher than the total number of antisemitic incidents tracked in any year in the last decade, except for calendar year 2022, when the total number of incidents reached a historic high of 3,697. Since Oct. 7, there was an average of nearly 34 antisemitic incidents per day, putting 2023 on track to be the highest year for antisemitic acts against Jews since ADL started tracking this data in the late 1970s.1

Although these statistics are from the United States, this dramatic rise in antisemitic incidents is global, especially affecting Western countries where you might not expect this dramatic rise in Jewish hatred.

I am especially astounded by the antisemitism currently raging in England. According to the Community Security Trust, which gathers information on antisemitism in the United Kingdom, there were 3,328 incidents of abusive behavior, 266 assaults, 305 threats, and 182 acts of damage and desecration throughout 2023. The charity said there was a total of 4,103 antisemitic incidents in the United Kingdom in 2023, up from the previous annual record of 2,261 in 2021.2

Similar occurrences of antisemitic hatred were recorded in Canada and Australia, home to hundreds of thousands of Jewish people.

MY FAMILY’S STORY

My maternal grandparents emigrated from Belarus to the United States to escape the everyday horrors of antisemitism. Little did they know the most extreme, diabolical, and destructive expression of antisemitism would soon come from Germany, one of the most sophisticated and Christianized countries in Western Europe.

My grandparents left their homes and families behind because of the attacks against Jewish people (called pogroms), which motivated them to make the dramatic move to an unknown country! Like so many Jewish people, they were desperate to get away from those who sought their destruction and build a better life for their children. They willingly left the land, language, and life they knew to live in a land built upon freedom of religion.

The United States still had some restrictions prohibiting or limiting Jewish people at colleges and fraternal organizations and in certain professions. But my grandparents could still own property, get a better education, and enjoy opportunities in their new homeland they could not get in Europe.

COUNTERING THE CURRENT WAVE OF ANTISEMITISM

So much of the current wave of antisemitism is rooted in the belief in Israel and Jewish people in general as aggressors. We would not suggest every criticism of the policies and actions of the State of Israel, valid or not, springs from the poison of antisemitism. Yet, from what we have seen taking place across the United States, anti-Zionism and the belief Israel is an illegitimate state is often fueled by antisemitism.

I am sorry to say Jewish students on our university campuses are feeling the brunt of a growing, unreasonable anger and hatred. They are often targeted by Hamas sympathizers, who are abetted by administrations at various—and not just “elite”—schools, which seem to look the other way and tolerate targeted protests.

One of the groups countering the growing antisemitism on campuses across our country is the Brandeis Center in Boston—part of the enduring legacy of the first Jewish Supreme Court Justice, the late Louis Brandeis. He was a staunch supporter of Jewish rights and the State of Israel. The Brandeis Center plays a vital role in opposing antisemitism on campus.

Let me give you a couple of examples of what they are doing:

The Brandeis Center and Jewish on Campus (JOC) filed a joint complaint with the U.S. Dept. of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR) on behalf of numerous Jewish students at American University (AU) who have been assaulted, threatened, harassed and intimidated in dormitories, classrooms and campus spaces. According to the complaint, AU was fully aware of the pervasive and hostile environment for Jewish students, and not only ignored it, in some cases, it chose to subject Jewish whistleblowers to harassment and disciplinary proceedings.3

And further,

In another story, on the downfall of Harvard’s and UPenn’s presidents and the double standard applied to Jewish students by campus Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs, Marcus [president of the Center] stated: “DEI offices have often acted as if Jewish Americans were outside their scope of responsibility.” When Jewish students go to DEI offices seeking support, “they will receive a cold shoulder from administrators who are quicker to support members of other groups such as African American, Hispanics, or gay or lesbian students.”4

Whereas we hope all those who feel the pain of discrimination and prejudice will find help, the overt dismissal of Jewish student concerns is intolerable and unfair. I believe followers of Jesus need to spring into action on behalf of Jewish people.

SHOULD CHRISTIANS OPPOSE ANTISEMITISM?

We must ask ourselves the question: “Is opposing antisemitism a spiritual duty for all believers in Jesus?”

Today’s antisemitism, seen in synagogue shootings, attacks on a kosher market in France, the taking of hostages at a synagogue in Dallas, and through the growing presence of antisemitism on social media, is no longer merely latent. To a large degree, tensions in the Middle East have exacerbated this growing antisemitism.

However, we would be mistaken in thinking this “oldest hatred” did not exist prior to October 7 or before Israel became a modern state.

After October 7, it did not take long for antisemites to begin targeting Jewish people in the United States, Germany, England, and across the globe. It is apparent their hatred of Jewish people was not new, and the events of October 7 simply sparked what was already there, causing it to rise to the surface. Really, the opposite should have been the case. It is also remarkable how quickly Hamas sympathizers swept the atrocities committed by the terrorist organization on October 7 under the rug.

Jewish people worldwide are now the objects of anger and contempt by these same sympathizers. It seems as if any Jewish event on campus and in various communities is subject to the wrath of radical and violent advocates who believe their mission is to remove Israel “from the river to the sea.”

This terrible surge of global antisemitism needs to be stopped. First, by our prayers, followed by our actions.

THE SPIRITUAL DIMENSIONS OF ANTISEMITISM

The roots of antisemitism remain deeply woven into our culture and those of many Western countries, as well as those nations part of the Arab world. Yet, the problem goes deeper than this!

As I have mentioned in the past, the root of antisemitism is profoundly spiritual.

We affirm God chose Jewish people to be His people and to accomplish His purposes (Genesis 12:1–3). At the exact moment God made a covenant with Abraham and his descendants, the devil chose Jewish people as his target throughout the ages. The devil hates God, our Messiah, the Bible, and Jewish people.

As believers in Jesus, we must support Jewish people globally, even if we have political disagreements with the modern State of Israel. Affirming God’s chosen people is a personal duty for all Christians and requires our standing against antisemitism.

In light of God’s far-reaching purposes for the global Jewish community, we have no option other than to find ways in this hateful environment to defend and protect Jewish people and to oppose antisemitism wherever we see it today.

Thanks for your love, prayers, and support for Israel and Jewish people—and all who are oppressed by Hamas—especially for the hostages held in Gaza since October 7. The next section of the newsletter will offer some practical suggestions for ways Christians can support Jewish people and oppose antisemitism.

Endnotes

*Note: This is preliminary data. An earlier version of this press release was updated on January 17, 2024 to reflect the latest findings.

1 “U.S. Antisemitic Incidents Skyrocketed 360% in Aftermath of Attack in Israel, According to Latest ADL Data,” ADL, January 17, 2024, https://www.adl.org/resources/press-release/us-antisemitic-incidents-skyrocketed-360-aftermath-attack-israel-according.

2 Yoni Gordon-Teller, “Antisemitic Incidents 2023,” Community Security Trust, 2024, https://cst.org.uk/data/file/9/f/Antisemitic_Incidents_Report_2023.1707834969.pdf.

3 “February 2024 Brandeis Brief,” Brandeis Center (blog), February 8, 2024, https://brandeiscenter.com/february-2024-brandeis-brief/.

4 “February 2024 Brandeis Brief.”

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May 1, 2024 · 4:22 PM

Campus Antisemitism on the Rise

On May 14, 1948, Israel declared itself a modern nation. This joyful event is celebrated by the Jewish community every year on May 14. It is called Israel Independence Day (Yom Ha’atzmaut), but this does not mean Israel had never been an independent nation throughout history, including the biblical story.

As Mark Twain wrote so many years ago,

The Egyptians, the Babylonian, and the Persian rose, filled the planet with sound and splendor, then faded to dream-stuff and passed away; the Greek and the Roman followed, and made a vast noise, and they are gone; other people have sprung up and held their torch high for a time, but it burned out, and they sit in twilight now, or have vanished.

The Jew saw them all, beat them all, and is now what he always was. . . . All things are mortal but the Jew; all other forces pass, but he [the Jew] remains. What is the secret of his immortality? 1

The secret to Jewish people’s survival, of course, is God’s faithfulness to His glorious promises for Israel as a land and a people. As the prophet Jeremiah wrote,

Thus says the Lord, who gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar; the Lord of hosts is His name: “If this fixed order departs from before Me,” declares the Lord, “then the offspring of Israel also will cease from being a nation before Me forever.” (Jeremiah 31:35–36)

I view 1948 as the year when Israel “reasserted” her independence as a nation. As students of the Bible, and especially those who cherish prophecy, we believe the events of 1948 were not merely the fruition of the combined human effort of great men like Theodor Herzl and other early Zionist leaders but rather an act of God. We celebrate this holiday and honor its momentous occasion with Israel and Jewish people around the world, especially in light of the hardships Israelis are facing today. 

As we celebrate Yom Ha’atzmaut in solidarity with Israel, we recognize and pray for lasting peace, which has been so elusive since the first attacks in 1948 by the Arab coalition seeking to destroy Israel even before the ink was dry on their declaration of independence. So, following the words of the psalmist, we continue to pray for the peace (shalom) of Jerusalem, knowing our prayers for Israel come with a promise, as the psalmist adds, “May they prosper who love you” (Psalm 122:6). 

ANTISEMITISM ON CAMPUS

Sadly, it has not been a peaceful time for Israel or Jewish people lately, especially at universities around the globe. I never thought I would come to this stage of my life to witness the growing antisemitism taking place today. It is deeply disappointing for me and many Jewish people. The number of antisemitic attacks on Jewish people rose 700 percent after October 7 compared to the same period the year prior. The social media climate has become an intolerable hotbed of antisemitic tropes and attacks.

Let me give you some facts to consider and, hopefully, this will encourage you to pray and even to take action.

The following reports are from the Jerusalem Post, a reputable Israeli-based newspaper, from February 20, 2024.

The number of antisemitic incidents on college campuses in the United States since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7 passed 1,000 on Monday. Adam Lehman, President and CEO of the Hillel International, revealed during a joint session of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations and the Knesset Committee for Immigration, Absorption and Diaspora Affairs on Tuesday morning. According to Lehman, the number of antisemitic incidents marked a 700% rise since the parallel period a year earlier. Some 44 of these incidents were physical attacks—more than the past 10 years combined; and 56% of Jewish students [said] they feel unwelcome on college campuses, he added.2

The rise of antisemitism on campuses throughout the United States is causing some Jewish high school students to consider this as a factor in where they apply to college!

According to the Jerusalem Post,

A new survey of nearly 2,000 BBYO participants across North America, taken in recent weeks, found that 64% said antisemitism on campus was an important factor in their decision regarding where to attend college.3 More than 60% said they had experienced antisemitism in person. “It made me not apply to some colleges,” Bianca De Almeida, a senior from Miami, told JTA regarding the December congressional hearing, where the presidents of Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology also declined to say outright whether campus policy prohibited calls for the genocide of Jews.4

It is a mistake to consider only the “elite” universities problematic. Antisemitism is now everywhere and on almost every campus, including high schools. Earlier this year, a Texas school district reviewed a request to remove a graphic adaptation of Anne Frank’s The Diary of a Young Girl from school libraries. The episode received significant attention. According to a report from the “Texas Holocaust, Genocide, and Antisemitism Advisory Commission Study on Antisemitism in Texas,” this is the timeline of events:

  • A parent in the Keller Independent School District near Dallas challenged the appropriateness of offering the graphic adaptation of Anne Frank’s diary in the school library, saying it should be viewed only in the presence of an adult. 
  • On August 15, Keller school officials temporarily removed all books that had been challenged during the year during their review process, as part of a policy they had just approved. 
  • On August 19, the book was returned to circulation. . . .
  • The school superintendent wrote to parents “Keller ISD is not banning the Bible or The Diary of Anne Frank, as has been suggested in some headlines and shared on social media.”5

My dear friend, antisemitism is a tool in the hands of the devil, and, as believers, we need to OPPOSE ANTISEMITISM wherever we see it. Antisemitism is an attack on God Himself, as Jewish people are still the “apple of His eye:”

For thus says the Lord of hosts, “After glory He has sent Me against the nations which plunder you, for he who touches you, touches the apple of His eye” (Zechariah 2:8).

We need to be united, love what our Savior loves, and hate what He hates!

Your Mission to the Jewish People is sponsoring several conferences as we continue to provide resources and opportunities for Christians to stand together against antisemitism. 

THE MOODY CONFERENCE AGAINST ANTISEMITISM

Join us at the Moody Conference against Antisemitism, scheduled at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, November 8–9, 2024. Michael Rydelnik, vice president of the undergraduate school; Mark Jobe, president of Moody Bible Institute; myself; and many others will explore the spiritual roots of antisemitism.

We will suggest ways believers can support Jewish people and take a united stand against this oldest hatred! 

THE COURAGE CONFERENCE

We scheduled a conference at Moody this summer for younger adults serving the Lord on campuses nationwide. We are expecting up to one hundred students who serve the Lord and support Israel and Jewish people on their campuses.

Jewish students on college campuses are being persecuted, and we want them to know they are not alone. We plan to train these young people how to stand with Jewish people and handle persecution because of their identity and faith. We will also have experts join us to teach these students how to find legal protection if needed and how to work with faculty and university administrators to protect their freedoms on campus.

We hope to build a national fellowship of students standing for the Lord and for Jewish people, and your prayers and support are critical to our success.

Thanks for caring.

Your brother,

Mitch

P.S. Please continue to pray for the hostages held in Gaza!

Endnotes

1 Mark Twain, “Concerning the Jews,” Harper’s Magazine, March 1898, https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/mod/1898twain-jews.asp.

2 Eliav Breuer, “College Campuses See Disturbing Rise of Antisemitism since October 7,” The Jerusalem Post, February 20, 2024, sec. Diaspora: Antisemitism, https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-787895.

3 BBYO (B’nai Brith Youth Organization) is a youth movement for Jewish teenagers. 

4 Jacob Gurvis and JTA, “Jewish Teens Looking at a New Factor in College Search: Antisemitism,” The Jerusalem Post, February 17, 2024, sec. Diaspora: Antisemitism, https://www.jpost.com/diaspora/antisemitism/article-787385.

5 Texas Holocaust, Genocide, and Antisemitism Advisory Commission, “Study on Antisemitism in Texas,” November 1, 2022, https://thgaac.texas.gov/assets/uploads/docs/THGAAC-Study-on-Antisemitism-12-2022.pdf. Emphasis added. 

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February 1, 2024 · 2:32 PM

“Mommy, Why Do They Hate Us?”

Shalom in His grace. I am still reflecting on my recent trip to Israel and remain in constant contact with our forty-plus staff members serving the Lord in the Holy Land. The impact of the war and security challenges for Israel continue, but this is not the only problem Jewish people and lovers of Israel face today.

I am sure you have also noticed the increased antisemitism around the world and in our country, much of it occurring on our college campuses. It was encouraging how many in the global community, saved and unsaved, were supportive of Israel at first after the atrocities of October 7, 2023. But with the advancement of the ground war to neutralize the lethal threats Hamas and Hezbollah pose against the Holy Land, we now find Israel, unfortunately, cast in a negative light among the nations of the world.

Current circumstances remind me of the words of the prophet Zechariah, who wrote, “It will come about in that day that I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it will be severely injured. And all the nations of the earth will be gathered against it” (Zechariah 12:3).

We already see Jerusalem, all of Israel, and Jewish people once again becoming a heavy stone the nations of the world are trying to lift with dire consequences. Many countries like Iran and their proxies in Gaza, southern Lebanon, and Yemen are gathering against Israel, determined to destroy her. 

When one looks at the span of world history and the millennia of persecution Jewish people have endured, we gain a deeper understanding of what is happening today. The attacks against Israel by Iran and her proxies and the rising global vitriol foisted upon Jewish people are a new expression of an older antisemitism masquerading as noble politics and compassion for the Palestinian cause. 

WHY DOES THE WORLD SEEM TO HATE JEWISH PEOPLE?

During a recent conversation with one of our Jewish staff members in Israel, she recounted how her young son asked the piercing question, “Mom, why does the world hate us so much?” Little boys and girls have asked this very question for many years! 

We can also ask this “why” question about other events in Jewish history. Please allow me to expand the question: “What did the Jewish people do to deserve the Crusades, the Holocaust, the pogroms in Russia, or the attacks of October 7?” 

I hope to answer these questions as I think many of us might be wondering the same. From what I can see, the whole world does not hate Jewish people. Those who love the God of Israel usually love the people of Israel, both those living in the land of Israel and those in the Diaspora. There is no better friend of Jewish people than non-Jews who cherish the same Bible (at least the first half) and identify with the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 

The spiritual connections between Jewish people and true Christians are powerful. Most Christians I know love Jewish people, recognize the Bible is a Jewish book, understand Jesus is Jewish, and believe God chose Jewish people for a special purpose. I wish my own family could meet many of you reading this letter and sense your love for Jewish people because of these truths. 

Jewish people today are often surprised to discover there are non-Jews who love Jewish people. I myself was stunned to discover the love for Jewish people and loyalty to Israel, which unites many true Christians. Numerous Jewish people, especially in our current antisemitic environment, ask me why Christians seem to love Jewish people with such passion. In contrast, many other non-Jews seem to express the opposite. 

Those who express hate for the State of Israel and the Jewish people are not familiar with the promises of God to Israel and are inspired by demonic plans to wipe out Jewish people. My reading through the Scriptures leads me to believe the underlying reason Israel is so hated is because the devil knows God’s plan for the people of Israel and the triumph of Messiah’s kingdom. Is it any wonder our adversary is trying to get all the help he can to put an end to God’s plans? 

HOW WOULD YOU DESTROY JEWISH PEOPLE?

From the start, the devil wanted to destroy Jewish people to prevent the possibility of Jesus’ atoning death on the cross! Satan understood the power of the cross, resurrection, and what history’s most critical and transforming event would do to his plan to usurp God’s throne. Perhaps the easiest and most thorough way for the devil to prevent Jesus from ever being born was to annihilate Jewish people beforehand through agents of evil, like Pharaoh, Haman, and those who followed after them. Yet, against all odds, they all failed! Jesus, the Jewish Messiah, was born into a Jewish home in Israel, as the Hebrew Scriptures predicted, and God’s plan of redemption came to pass. 

Destroying Jewish people would have prevented the Messiah’s first coming and solved the devil’s problems. Now, the evil one is again using the nations of the world to try to prevent the second coming. The devil knows when Jewish people turn to Jesus and say, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord,” He will return (Matthew 23:39). I believe this is a foundational biblical teaching embraced even by Christians who hold differing views on the end times. Believers representing almost every theological perspective believe a day is coming when, according to the apostle Paul, “All Israel will be saved” (Romans 11:26)—which refers to all Jewish people alive when Jesus comes back. 

Since the devil is trying to prevent the second coming, he once again needs to wipe out Jewish people! If the devil can annihilate Jewish people, then he thinks he can foil God’s plans for the ultimate redemption of the world, overthrow the holy one of Israel, and 

remain the god of this world. Remember, according to Scripture, the devil is not all-knowing or all-powerful and will fail in his mission. He will never be successful, but he can cause considerable suffering along the way. 

One of my dear friends, Arnold Fruchtenbaum, founded Ariel Ministries, an excellent Bible-teaching ministry. He entitled his sermon on Jeremiah 31, “How to Destroy the Jews.” Sarcastically, he presents Jeremiah 31:35–37 as a manual on how to annihilate Jewish people, which includes the disruption of the solar system, the sun, the moon, the stars, and the trajectory of the planets. Jeremiah wrote: 

Thus says the Lord, who gives the sun for light by day and the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar; the Lord of hosts is His name: “If this fixed order departs from before Me,” declares the Lord, “then the offspring of Israel also will cease from being a nation before Me forever.” Thus says the Lord, “If the heavens above can be measured and the foundations of the earth searched out below, then I will also cast off all the offspring of Israel for all that they have done,” declares the Lord. (Jeremiah 31:35–37) 

This extraordinary passage of Scripture teaches us Jewish people are indestructible—not because of human greatness but because of the power and plan of the one true God who created and called Jewish people to be a light and a blessing to the nations. It seems ironic how the very nations called to bless Jewish people will attempt to destroy the nation God created to bless them. 
STAND UP FOR JESUS AND FOR JEWISH PEOPLE 

How should followers of Jesus respond to the devil’s diabolical efforts to derail the plan of God? 

We cannot sit idly by while the devil uses nations to annihilate Israel and Jewish people. He will never be successful, but he can deceive and cause great harm. What, then, can we do? 

  • The Bible tells us to pray for the peace of Jerusalem and promises blessing to those who love Jewish people (Psalm 122:6). 
  • The Scriptures tell us to bless and not curse Jewish people, who, in turn, will bless all the families of the world (Genesis 12:1–3).

Some Christians may have objections to supporting the modern State of Israel. However, God wants non-Jews to support Jewish people, which might mean standing with the State of Israel even if you do not believe the modern state is the fulfillment of prophecy or has a biblical right to the Land.

Blessing Israel includes the modern state and Jewish people more broadly. Since the majority of Jewish people live in Israel (7.5 of 14.5 million), in order to bless Jewish people, we need to extend love, mercy, grace, and understanding to Jewish people within the Land of Israel and worldwide. 

God wants Gentile believers to bless Israel so she can, in turn, bring blessings to the world. Therefore, we must help Israel survive and fulfill her divine destiny. Jewish people need our support, for when Israel is left on her own, she is far more vulnerable to the efforts of her enemies—and the evil one—to destroy her. 

The text in Jeremiah and many others make it clear: no one can utterly wipe out Jewish people because God made an indestructible covenant with Israel’s patriarchs. On this subject, Paul wrote, “From the standpoint of the gospel they are enemies for your sake, but from the standpoint of God’s choice they are beloved for the sake of the fathers; for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (Romans 11:28–29).

We are not suggesting the government of Israel is God’s government, nor are we claiming disagreement with the policies of Israel is unchristian. Sinful people lead governments and are subject to human frailty, sin, and bad decisions. 

What we saw transpire on October 7, 2023, in Israel was not simply one nation rising up against another but rather an all-out effort to destroy Jewish people. It was genocide! I believe followers of Jesus should love what God loves and hate what God hates, which means nothing less than loving Jewish people and working toward the benefit and against the destruction of the Jewish community. 

So, to return to the simple question of a small child to his mother, “Why do they hate us?” Sometimes, simple questions have complex answers. But sometimes, they do not. Those whom Satan influences will hate Jewish people. Those who belong to the God of Israel—Jewish and non-Jewish—must be steadfast in their love for Jewish people. Moses wrote about this love:

The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any of the peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but because the Lord loved you and kept the oath which He swore to your forefathers, the Lord brought you out by a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. (Deuteronomy 7:7–8)

Let us imitate God’s love for His Jewish people. Have you considered this . . . one of the most effective ways to show your love for God and Jewish people is to share the good news of the gospel with His chosen people? Thanks for caring.

P.S. Please take another look at the statement we wrote in support of Jewish people in light of the Israel-Hamas war and the global rise in antisemitism—and please sign it! Go to chosenpeople.com/affirmationofisrael. Also, pray with us as construction on our new Tel Aviv center is moving along—praise God!

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March 15, 2023 · 8:30 AM

Antisemitism Today

Thank you for taking a moment to read our latest news! We appreciate your interest in what God is doing among the Jewish people and through Your Mission to the Jewish People today! We deeply value your prayers and support. 

TEL AVIV UPDATE

I want to update you on the new Messianic center in Tel Aviv. We are working on two fundraising tracks right now. First, we are only in the third month of raising funds for the purchase of this new Messianic Jewish outreach center in the greater Tel Aviv area—home to about four million Israelis!

Second, we are beginning construction on the build-out of the center as this new commercial space will house our Bible study classrooms, weekly outreach lectures and concerts, young adult activities, a café, and hopefully future congregational activities! The entire area is new, so we will need to renovate the interior space by adding walls, flooring, heating and air conditioning, bathrooms, and more.

We could not be more excited about the future as we are finding a new openness to the gospel in Israel, especially among younger Israelis. It is like an unstoppable wave moving across the country, and we are doing all we can to disciple those coming to faith.

Please pray and join us in building the future of the IsraeliMessianic community through your prayers and generous support for the new center. On the back of this newsletter, you will find more information about how you can give toward the purchase and renovation of the property.

Thank you again for your prayers and support. We can only get it done with your partnership!

ANTISEMITISM KEEPS JEWISH PEOPLE FROM BELIEVING IN JESUS

As you continue reading the newsletter, you will quickly discover this edition focuses on the alarming and deeply tragic increase in antisemitic incidents in the United States and around the globe. This trend dramatically impacts our efforts to bring the gospel to the Jewish people today. Generally speaking, Jewish people blame Christianity for antisemitism.

Unfortunately, one of the most frequent and negative Jewish responses to the gospel is not driven by differences in the interpretation of Scripture or Jewish tradition but by the past and present experiences of Jewish people with Christianity and the church as an institution.

I remember when I told my grandmother I was a believer. She accused me of joining the side of those who persecuted Jewish people. It was incredibly difficult to convince her otherwise. She immigrated to the United States from Belarus because she experienced pogroms, and later the Nazis murdered her entire family for being Jewish. She thought those men and women were Christians! I cannot blame my grandmother for feeling this way, as she did not know any better. She judged what she thought was Christianity based on the actions of so-called Christians.

Is this claim against Christianity accurate? Historically, it is certainly the perception of the Jewish people. Still, I cannot imagine how true Christians who love the Lord and believe the Bible could hate the Jewish people. It has not been my experience since I accepted Jesus a half-century ago. On the contrary, I found true Christians love the Jewish people and do not persecute anyone! If more of my people had genuine Christian friends, they would immediately discover those who persecuted Jewish people—especially in Europe—are different from those who name Jesus as Lord today.

Jewish people still hold Christianity accountable for the crusades, the pogroms of eastern Europe, and even the Holocaust. Without question, some in the past who called themselves Christians mistreated the Jewish people. This truth is a blight on the history of Jewish-Christian relations. Some Christian leaders spoke and wrote harsh words against the Jewish people in the earlier days of the church. These ideas tragically influenced Christian attitudes toward the Jewish people for centuries.

John Chrysostom (354–407 ce),1 who was considered a church father and the “golden-mouthed preacher” (chrysostom is Greek for “goldmouthed”), wrote a series of eight sermons called “Against the Jews.” In one message, he wrote:

Certainly it is the time for me to show that demons dwell in the synagogue, not only in the place itself but also in the souls of the Jews. . . . Do you not shudder to come into the same place with men possessed, who have so many unclean spirits, who have been reared amid slaughter and bloodshed?. . . Must you not turn away from them since they are the common disgrace and infection of the whole world? Have they not come to every form of wickedness?2

There are many other examples from the writings of the early church fathers as well as later pillars of Christianity, including Martin Luther. They were flawed men who did a lot of good but also mischaracterized the Jewish people in ways leading to what is often called “Christian antisemitism.” This history caused the Jewish people to view Christianity—and therefore the gospel—as a threat rather than a lifeline to salvation.

THE UNDERLYING CAUSE OF ANTISEMITISM

The real issue is much more profound; we must look at the Scriptures to understand it.

Our current dilemma begins in Genesis 12:1–3 and the Lord’s covenant with Abraham. By God’s Spirit, Moses penned this promise, “And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed” (Gen 12:3).

From the moment God made Abraham His friend, the devil chose Abraham and his descendants as enemies. After all, Satan understood God would one day save the world through the death and resurrection of a son of Abraham. He also knew the Jewish people would one day repent and call upon Jesus, leading this same Savior to return to reign as king.

When Israel acknowledges Jesus as Messiah (Romans 11:26), all the plans of the ultimate heavenly rebel will fail. Therefore, from the moment of Abraham’s call, the devil tried to hinder God’s plan by moving heaven and earth to crush Abraham’s descendants.

THE SOLUTION TO ANTISEMITISM

The apostle Paul urged the Gentile followers of Jesus to tell Jewish people about Jesus by demonstrating His love in word and deed. For Paul, this lovingkindness would cause the Jewish people to be jealous of the Jewish Messiah living in the hearts and souls of Christians (Romans 11:11–15).

Paul wrote in Romans 11:11, “I say then, they did not stumble so as to fall, did they? May it never be! But by their transgression salvation has come to the Gentiles, to make them jealous.”

Therefore, we must ask ourselves why Jewish people often perceive Gentile Christians—whom God gave a primary role in reaching the Jewish people for Jesus—as seeking their harm.

We know the enemy works especially hard at turning all of God’s people against each other. One of those ways is to mobilize the same people God called to bless the Jewish people to do the opposite. This sabotage is his failing effort to keep the people of promise from recognizing their Messiah and thus destroy the plans of God for the ages.

We can stand against the evil one by reversing his evil plan. We can make Jewish people jealous and bring the blessings of the gospel to His chosen people.

We can be part of His effort to reverse the curse. By fighting antisemitism, we challenge the devil’s cosmic plot to undo what God created for the world’s redemptive good.

Therefore, Your Mission to the Jewish People wants to encourage you to oppose antisemitism vocally and publicly when you see it. We are the solution to the problem of antisemitism, which is destructive and keeps Jewish people from considering the gospel.

Together, we can make a difference in changing the mindset of many Jewish people about the gospel. Through simply being ourselves and living as authentic believers, we will show Jewish people the gospel is not antisemitic but rather Jewish in nature. As Jesus said, “You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews” (John 4:22).

I am sorry to say antisemitism is rising in the United States and around the globe. It is time for Christians to take a stand and oppose antisemitism whenever and wherever it rears its ugly head. We do this not simply because antisemitism is wrong and satanic but because we love the God who created the Jewish people and the Jewish Messiah. We want to see Jewish people come to faith in Jesus the Messiah.

1 John Chrysostom (354–407 ce) was the most distinguished church father of the East and one of the most virulently anti-Jewish preachers. Born in Antioch, he was baptized in 373 ce and ordained a priest in 384 ce. He delivered his eight sermons (homilies) “against the Jews” during his first two years of preaching in Antioch (386–387 ce).

2 John Chrysostom, Against the Jews, Homily I, VI, 6–7, accessed February 2, 2023, https://www.tertullian.org/fathers/chrysostom_adversus_judaeos_01_homily1.htm.

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March 15, 2022 · 8:30 AM

Afghanistan and the Story of Purim

The withdrawal of American troops from Afghanistan last year brought conflicts to the surface that surprised most of us! We thought we had made more progress in our relationship with the Afghan people, but to our disappointment, we had not. Tribalism, radical Islam, and anti-Western sympathies were boiling below the surface of this nation of almost forty million people. The Taliban was waiting patiently for the United States to leave to make their next move and take over the country, which is similar to what happened in Iran some years previously. We once again learned not to underestimate the power of radical Islam over its adherents. Indeed, the only force powerful enough to break the hold of fierce Islamist belief and nationalism is the gospel.

Americans realized this disturbing reality for the first time in 2001 when four hijacked planes undertook a deadly mission to terrorize our country. Last fall, we honored the heroes and the fallen at our Chosen People Ministries-sponsored event in New York City, 9/11 and the New Middle East. I hope you will take some time to view the conference, which is available on our website, 911theconference.com.

Afghanistan in the Bible

People often ask me if the United States appears in the end times. I do not see any special mention of our nation in biblical prophecy. However, some of the more general statements about the absence of godliness in the last days and the events Jesus predicted in the Olivet Discourse apply to all people—especially the moral and spiritual decline intensifying as we approach the Second Coming. I am sorry to say we see this in our own country. One would have to don blinders not to see how our world is once again embracing the lifestyles prevalent during the days of Noah, which God’s judgment ultimately submerged.

We can also ask this same question about Afghanistan. Is this nation mentioned in the Bible, and what does the future hold for Afghanistan according to the Scriptures? Regarding this topic, we have more to say than we do about our own country, as Afghanistan is mentioned most intriguingly in the Bible and is part of a critical story describing Israel’s survival.

Afghanistan was part of the Persian Empire from the sixth century to the fourth century ʙᴄ, although the Bible does not use the proper name for the modern nation. However, you can quickly identify the geographic region when you understand the geography and alignment of countries in the ancient world.

For example, Daniel’s vision in Daniel 2:31–45 predicts the Babylonian and Medo-Persian domination of Israel, ultimately giving way to Greece and Rome—a prophecy detailed in chapters two, ten, and eleven. Eventually, all these powerful ancient kingdoms who were hostile to the Jewish people, along with one future pagan nation, will be crushed by the stone cut without hands as Daniel predicted:

In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, and that kingdom will not be left for another people; it will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, but it will itself endure forever. Inasmuch as you saw that a stone was cut out of the mountain without hands and that it crushed the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold, the great God has made known to the king what will take place in the future; so the dream is true and its interpretation is trustworthy. (Daniel 2:44–45)

Ultimately, all human governments, including Persia and Afghanistan, are temporary and will fall in weakness and humility at the feet of the One and only true Creator and King!

Afghanistan and the Persian Empire

This month, we are thinking quite a bit about Persia as we observe the Jewish holiday of Purim that was initiated in the book of Esther. Most Bible students know that the Persian Empire played a significant role in the history of Israel and appears many times in the Hebrew Scriptures. Persia is mentioned 240 times in the Bible. The great Persian kings, including Cyrus, Darius, and Ahasuerus (Artaxerxes), are identified many times as well.1

However, what is not usually known is that the area comprising modern Afghanistan was part of the Persian Empire for centuries during a critical period of the biblical story. Though Iran and Afghanistan are two distinct and unique modern nations, a few remaining historical ties still unite both countries. For example, the Persian dialect of Dari is one of Afghanistan’s official languages. Also, many Afghan people speak Farsi and celebrate the Persian New Year.

The Achaemenid Persian Empire (550–330 ʙᴄ)

The period when the region encompassing modern Afghanistan was part of the great Persian Empire spanned two hundred years—from the ascension of Cyrus the Great (Cyrus II) in 550 ʙᴄ until Alexander the Great conquered Persia in 330 ʙᴄ. After Alexander’s death, the conquered kingdoms of the Macedonian leader were divided into four sections.

Most ancient historians would agree with this statement by the Department of Ancient Near Eastern Art at The Metropolitan Museum of Art regarding the scope of Alexander’s Empire: “The Achaemenid Persian empire was the largest that the ancient world had seen, extending from Anatolia and Egypt across western Asia to northern India and Central Asia.”2

Cyrus, the “anointed ruler,” created a vast empire including Israel and Afghanistan. The prophet Isaiah predicted his rise to power almost 150 years before he became king: “Thus says the Lord to Cyrus His anointed, whom I have taken by the right hand, to subdue nations before him and to loose the loins of kings; to open doors before him so that gates will not be shut” (Isa 45:1).

Cyrus the Great played a critical role in restoring Jerusalem as Jeremiah predicted (Jer 25:11, 29:10), and Daniel confirmed (Dan 9:24–27). He gave Zerubbabel permission to return from exile and rebuild the Temple (2 Chronicles 36:20–23; Ezra 1:1–11; Isaiah 44:28; 45:1–7). This move was consistent with Cyrus’ view on ruling disparate cultures with varying religious beliefs. He allowed diversity, unlike other ancient rulers. The Lord used Cyrus’ philosophy of inclusion and cultural expression for the good of the Israelites, whom the Babylonians had conquered. The Babylonians also destroyed the Temple, took many Israelites into exile, and forced them to adopt Babylonian religious practices, as the book of Daniel describes.

Esther might be the most significant book of the Bible written during this period of the great Persian Empire.

In Esther 1:1, the author details the geographic expanse of Ahasuerus’ kingdom. “Now it took place in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces.”

Ahasuerus was mentioned in Ezra 4:6 because he ruled during this period, “Now in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, they wrote an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.” The context is that Israel’s local enemies were trying to stop the rebuilding of the Temple and were antagonizing Israel’s rebuilders from the reign of Cyrus until the reign of Darius (Ezra 4:4–5).

From the boundaries mentioned in Esther, the identification of Ahasuerus (thought to be Xerxes, 485–465 ʙᴄ), and the extent of his kingdom, the events of the book of Esther took place during the reign of this Persian king. Therefore, the nation of modern Afghanistan was a part of the extended Persian Empire.

So, when we think about biblical Afghanistan, we should consider that whatever we read of Persia is also true of what is now Afghanistan. Unlike Isaiah’s specific prophecies regarding Assyria, Ethiopia, Egypt, Babylon (modern Iraq), Arabia, Edom, Philistia, the city of Damascus, and other identifiable nations or geographic areas, whatever the Bible tells us about Persia should include the country Afghanistan.

As a result, we learn quite a bit about the future of Persia and Afghanistan.

Lessons for Today for Afghanistan

As we know from the text, Haman tried to destroy the Jewish people and failed! As a result, the Jewish people were allowed to punish their enemies in Susa, the capital, and throughout the provinces of Persia, which would have included lands that are part of today’s modern Afghanistan.

Esther chapter nine mentions the results of Haman’s failure: “Thus the Jews struck all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying; and they did what they pleased to those who hated them” (Esth 9:5). Additionally, the Jewish people killed 75,000 of their enemies throughout the provinces: “Now the rest of the Jews who were in the king’s provinces assembled, to defend their lives and rid themselves of their enemies, and kill 75,000 of those who hated them; but they did not lay their hands on the plunder” (Esth 9:16).

By God’s grace, the Jewish people and the promises of God remained alive because the Lord Himself intervened to save His people. As promised in the Abrahamic Covenant, those who cursed the Jewish people were cursed. The entire book of Esther should be viewed as the unfolding of God’s covenant with Abraham and His promises to bless those who bless Israel and to curse those who curse her. His plan to bless the world through the Jewish people was far from over at the time of Esther. The Bible was still to be completed, the Messiah was to come, and the future repentance of Israel that would initiate the Second Coming were all ahead. Therefore, no one could have destroyed the Jewish people (Zechariah 12:10; Matthew 23:37–39; Romans 11:25ff.).

New Hamans Arise in Every Generation

There are new Hamans on the world scene today seeking the destruction of the Jewish people. Israel is under attack, and antisemitism is on the rise worldwide. We understand that all forms of Islamic extremism seek the destruction of Israel. Indeed, almost every manifestation of Islam opposes the existence of the modern State of Israel, though various brands of Islam express this antipathy in different ways. Some are more violent than others. We see Hezbollah and Hamas nestled on the very borders of Israel, perched and ready to attack when they are able. This everyday threat is difficult for Israel and the Jewish people. In these instances, the threat to the Jewish people is more than a person—a modern-day Haman—it is in the ideology, nationalism, and religious fervor of many throughout the Middle East.

We hope and pray that the new Afghanistan will not tolerate terrorism against the West and Israel the way they have in the past. Indeed, those who perpetrated the events of 9/11 twenty years ago found safe harbor in Afghanistan.

According to an article that the website Breaking Defense published in the wake of the American withdrawal from Afghanistan:

Israeli officials are nervously watching the situation in Afghanistan, believing that the collapse of the government over the weekend will enable Al-Qaida to renew its efforts to perform terror attacks against both American and Israeli targets around the world. Defense sources here say that the feeling among the Taliban and Al-Qaida is that after defeating the US in Afghanistan, the “gate is wide open” to launch terror attacks from inside Afghanistan. One source added that the US should get ready [for] Al-Qaida [to] attempt to perform terror acts against American “interests” in the very near future. “There is no doubt that Al-Qaida will take advantage of the situation in Afghanistan to recruit more people and plan terror attacks” one of the sources said . . . . “The situation is bad, very bad,” [Mordechai Kedar, a senior Israeli analyst on Islamic issues] said, adding that while Iran and the Taliban are not allies, certain Islamic groups in both countries may find common ground in targeting non-Islamic nations.3

The rise of global antisemitism has begun to permeate our society and is often subtly wrapped in the guise of anti-Israelism. We see this virulent form of anti-Jewish behavior growing more prevalent on our campuses today. Unfortunately, an anti-Israel position is usually wed to an anti-Jewish sentiment in today’s world.

As followers of Jesus the Jewish Messiah, we should be sympathetic to the Jewish cause. Historically, most faithful Christians have been pro-Israel and pro-Jewish without being anti-anyone else. But today, the winds of change are in the air. Therefore, re-reading what the Bible says about Israel and the Jewish people is essential. Unfortunately, we see a growing disinterest in Israel within the church today that concerns us.

God Is Faithful to His Promises

The promises in Jeremiah 31:35–38 rest upon the foundational passage in Genesis in which God promised Abram that He would bless those who bless the Jewish people and curse those who curse the Jewish people and that through them He would bring blessings to the entire earth (Gen 12:3). God created the Jewish people to be a bridge of blessings and revelation to the nations.

The Lord will not allow anyone to destroy His chosen people—the Jewish people. He promised that the land of Israel would belong to the descendants of Jacob, and we can expect God to keep His promises and bring “curses” upon those that seek the destruction of Israel and the Jewish people.

The Future of Afghanistan

Afghanistan’s future is in the hands of new leadership. We know that individuals and nations who mistreat the Jewish people are touching the apple of God’s eye. Unfortunately, there is a price to pay for this behavior. Attacks against Israel and the Jewish people will one day be met with God’s judgment. The book of Esther and the price Haman and his followers paid stand as witnesses through the ages of God’s desire to protect His chosen people.

Modern-day Iran has been hostile to modern Israel—we hope and pray that the new Afghanistan will not follow suit. Perhaps the example of Cyrus will inspire the leaders of both Iran and Afghanistan to cherish the freedom of religion once again and establish policies that show respect for the vast differences among their citizenry. It would be an excellent beginning for peace that we know only a relationship with the Prince of Peace, Jesus, can fully satisfy! Until then, we follow the words of the Prince of Peace, who said, “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God” (Matthew 5:9).

Peace begins with prayer! It now appears that the new Middle East will not be as friendly to the nation of Israel as we previously hoped, as it is still only a minority of Arab nations that have joined in the Abraham Accords. Therefore, we must pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6) and for God’s shalom to reign in Afghanistan, Iran, and throughout the new Middle East. Let us also pray for our troops and their families, the Afghan people who are suffering under the Taliban, and the nation of Israel.

1 Our Daily Bread, “Iran in the Bible: The Forgotten Story,” January 24, 2020, documentary, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mURWJfSpS7k. This excellent video on the biblical history of Persia is worth viewing.

2 Department of Ancient Near Eastern Art, “The Achaemenid Persian Empire (550-330 ʙᴄ),” October 2004, under “Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History,” https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/acha/hd_acha.htm [accessed August 30, 2021].

3 Arie Egozi, “Israel Braces for Renewed Terrorism Coming from Taliban-Led Afghanistan,” Breaking Defense, August 16, 2021, under “Global,” https://breakingdefense.com/2021/08/israel-braces-for-renewed-terrorism-coming-from-taliban-led-afghanistan/ [accessed August 30, 2021].

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February 15, 2021 · 8:00 AM

Warning: Global Antisemitism Is Growing!

Dear friend,

Shalom in His grace. There is another unseen virus wreaking destruction upon God’s chosen people today that demands our attention. That virus is antisemitism.

This newsletter will look at the unfortunate growth and virulence of modern antisemitism in North and South America. We will also look at contemporary European antisemitism, including the United Kingdom.

We witnessed synagogue members in Pittsburgh murdered in 2018 simply because they were Jewish. Anti-Jewish slogans and graffiti regularly mark our college campuses today, fueled by hatred of the Jewish people and often further inflamed by posts on social media.

Antisemitism all too often expresses itself through political opposition to the State of Israel. It leads to various movements such as BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) and other groups actively opposing the Jewish state. But antisemitism is not a term we want to throw around lightly, as this “oldest hatred” is now considered a hate crime.

The U.S. State Department in cooperation with the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA), developed a non-legally binding “working definition” of antisemitism in 2016, which is generally accepted across the globe: “Antisemitism is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”1

The Anti-Defamation League also provides an excellent definition of antisemitism, defining it as “the belief or behavior hostile toward Jews just because they are Jewish. It may take the form of religious teachings that proclaim the inferiority of Jews, for instance, or political efforts to isolate, oppress or otherwise injure them. It may also include prejudiced or stereotyped views about Jews.”2

Antisemitism is on the rise in the United States, and it is essential for us as a Jewish mission to address this crucial topic. My people often blame Christianity for antisemitism because of tragic events like the Crusades, Pogroms in Russia, and the Holocaust. WE believe that loving Jesus the Jewish Messiah is incompatible with antisemitism. Yet, the fear of Christianity because of past actions by alleged Christians created a deep antipathy on the part of Jewish people toward the gospel, which is why it is so crucial for us to dispel this association between Jesus and antisemitism.

The Spiritual Roots of Antisemitism

We always need to view life’s critical issues through the lens of Scripture. The roots of antisemitism are ancient and have changed dramatically over the centuries. What started as Greek and Roman disdain morphed into theological anti-Judaism in the early and medieval church. It became racial antisemitism in the nineteenth century leading to the murder of more than six million Jewish people. At the time Adolf Hitler implemented his catastrophic “Final Solution,” antisemitism was primarily racial. If you had a Jewish mother or father, or even a Jewish grandparent, you were declared Jewish, placed in a concentration camp, and likely put to death.

But, if we pull back the curtains of time and history and consider the role God gave to the Jewish people in the redemption of the world, it becomes evident that the roots of antisemitism are spiritual and satanic. When God chose Abram to become the father of the Jewish people, the devil chose the Jewish people to be his perennial enemy (Genesis 12:1–3).

Throughout biblical history, we see attempt after attempt to destroy the Jewish people, which was predicted by the ancient Jewish prophets, especially Daniel. He envisioned the Jewish people’s oppression by Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome in the post-Old Testament period. The Bible never mentions the antisemitism-inspired activities of the Crusaders, the Russian and Ukrainian pogroms, or the Holocaust. The Bible also did not predict the attacks in Pittsburgh at the Tree of Life Synagogue on October 27, 2018, when eleven Jewish people were killed. Nor did it foresee the attack at the Chabad congregation in Poway, California, on April 27, 2019, when Lori Lynn Gilbert-Kaye was killed, and others shot, only for being Jewish.

The reasons for hating the Jewish people have changed over time, but the source remains the same. The devil is not all-knowing like God, but he truly believes he can thwart God’s plan. That is why he has focused on destroying the Jewish people throughout the ages. Satan hates the Jewish people because he knows that it was through the Jewish people the Lord revealed Himself through the Scriptures. At the right moment in history, God unveiled Himself through His Son by choosing a young Jewish virgin to give birth to the Jewish Messiah (Isaiah 7:14)!

God is not finished with His chosen people. There is so much more to come! One day, the Jewish people whom God promised to preserve—will repent, recognize Jesus as Messiah, and the Lord will return and establish His Messianic kingdom on earth (Romans 11:25–29).

Antisemitism is satanic. A good friend of mine once said, “We need to love what the devil hates!” As followers of the Jewish Messiah, we have a holy duty to bless the Jewish people, which fulfills His sacred purposes and demonstrates our loyalty to the One who chose the Jewish people for His divine purposes.

What Can We Do Today to Counter Antisemitism?

1. We should counter antisemitism and enlist the help of the church to do the same.

2. We should counter antisemitism as a witness of God’s love for Israel and the Jewish people.

3. We should help mobilize Christians to stand with the Jewish people in opposing antisemitism. These activities could save Jewish lives.

4. We should post messages of love and support for our local Jewish communities on Facebook, Twitter, or even encourage our pastors to use their church marquees.

5. We should provide believers with information about the Jewish people and antisemitism. Good communication helps believers better understand God’s love and plan for the Jewish people.

A Call to Action:

Some things are just too horrible to let pass! 

That was the theme of an article that appeared in a newspaper.3 The horrible act that could not go unnoticed was the writing of antisemitic statements on a subway car’s walls in New York City—my hometown. Several good Samaritans saw the remarks and came up with the idea of erasing them, using hand cleaner that had high alcohol content to cut through the thick, waxy strokes of a sharpie pen. I cannot tell you how happy I am that New Yorkers took the initiative to act on their outrage and eradicate these despicable statements. Their quick-thinking act of righteousness demonstrates to me that New Yorkers—and Americans, in general—believe we have a culture of freedom, respect, and goodness that is worth preserving. We are willing to put our most cherished values into action.

As a Jewish New Yorker who follows Jesus the Messiah, I am impressed by what these good citizens did on behalf of the Jewish people, especially since the newspaper does not indicate that those who erased the graffiti were Jewish. I long for my fellow believers to take the same kind of actions when we see antisemitism rear its ugly head in our local communities. I would love to see local churches make a public stand against antisemitism. What a testimony that would be of Christ’s love to your local Jewish community!

When believers in Jesus take personal or public stands against antisemitism, they express God’s heart for His chosen people, which is one way to bring your Jewish friend another step closer to thinking about Jesus.

Thanks for your prayers and generous support! I pray that you and your family will have a safe, healthy, and fruitful 2021.

In Him,
Mitch

1 “Defining Anti-semitism,” U.S. Department of State, https://www.state.gov/defining-anti-semitism/.

2 “Antisemitism,” ADL.org, https://www.adl.org/antisemitism.

3 Mark Sundstrom, “Police Investigating Anti-Semitic Graffiti in Upper West Side Subway Station: Officials,” Pix 11, November 11, 2019, https://www.pix11.com/2019/11/11/police-investigating-anti-semitic-graffiti-in-upper-west-side-subwaystation-officials/.

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January 6, 2020 · 11:15 AM

Defeating the Darkness of Antisemitism

Shalom dear friend,

I am sure you remember or know the opening line of Charles Dickens’ 1859 novel A Tale of Two Cities: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” I think the entire quote is worth reading:

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.

As I write to you this morning, I completely identify with these words. A certain darkness has settled upon my soul as I write with a broken heart about the repeated antisemitic attacks in the New York City area!

Like you, I was trying to enjoy the recent holiday season with my family. Yet, over the course of a few weeks, I was shocked to hear about the latest series of antisemitic attacks in New York City, where I live and where Chosen People Ministries has our world headquarters. It became a daily nightmare to discover that another attack against my Jewish people had taken place!  I suppose I was hoping they would just end once and for all!  But this is not the case.

It seems to me that our world is going mad and Satan is again freely roaming the earth as when he discovered Job! These antisemitic incidents are inspired by the enemy of our souls who seeks to destroy all that is good and holy. He has the deepest hatred for the Jewish people and the role God’s chosen people play in His plan of redemption. Every time you think the evil one is done and the Jewish people are finally safe, a new legion of Haman-like characters emerges on the world scene. This time, the demonically inspired hatred of Jewish people is perched on our very doorstep, in our land of the free and home of the brave.

Early on Sunday morning, December 28, I awoke to this headline: “Five Jewish People Attacked in a Home During the Festival of Lights.” My Orthodox Jewish friend, and someone I have grown to love and appreciate through our many debates, Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, sent out an alert that his son, a Hasidic rabbi, lived five houses away from this attack. Shmuley, of course, reacted to the attack very personally. We all understand that when things like this happen, we feel horrible. But when it happens close to home, we also feel terribly threatened…and grateful to God for His protection over our loved ones.

I live in Brooklyn and my family lives in New York City and nearby areas. The Jewish community is my community and God’s chosen people, and I am sounding an alarm—an alarm that will hopefully spur us on to action and to pray for the Jewish people. We simply cannot allow this to continue without raising our voices in prayer to God and in opposition to those who are perpetrating this evil or creating the climate that encourages violent and aggressive attacks against the Jewish people.

This past summer, we held a rally against antisemitism by the courthouses in downtown Brooklyn and lower Manhattan, and we were joined by hundreds of Christians and many Jewish people who might not have agreed with us on the messiahship of Jesus but they appreciated our willingness to stand with the Jewish community.  We are planning to take action once again and hope you will join us in opposing this “oldest hatred”— antisemitism! I will tell you what we plan to do and how you can help. But first, let me give you an overview of the events that transpired a few months ago that we are now working to counter!

Remember, the following took place within eighteen months of the killing of eleven people at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh and since the murder of the precious Jewish woman who tried to protect her rabbi during the attack on the synagogue in Poway, California. According to Kenneth Jacobson, the Anti-Defamation League’s national director, there have been thirteen arrests of white supremacists intended to attack synagogues since the Tree of Life shootings.

The Antisemitic Attacks

Allow me to list the specifics of the attacks that took place in 2019 immediately before and during the Hanukkah-Christmas season. There were many news sources reporting on the incidents, but I prefer to share information gathered locally by the New York NBC affiliate, beginning with the vicious attack at the Hasidic rabbi’s home during a Hanukkah party.

  • The Monsey home attack: Authorities say five people were stabbed at a rabbi’s home late Saturday night in Monsey, New York, “the latest and most violent in a string of antisemitic attacks in the greater New York City area in the last few days. Ramapo Police Chief Brad Weidel said the suspected attacker entered the residence around 10 p.m. armed with a knife. Saturday was the seventh night of Hanukkah and was being widely observed in Monsey, a hamlet that is home to thousands of Orthodox Jews.” The Hasidic organization Chabad, citing sources in the community and witnesses at the scene, said someone in the home threw a table at the attacker, chasing him off. He then allegedly tried to gain access to the synagogue next door, but the occupants barricaded themselves inside.[1]
  • The Jersey City Kosher market attack: “Authorities identified the suspects as David Anderson, 47, and Francine Graham, 50. Jersey City Police Detective Joseph Sealswas killed Tuesday shortly before officials say the suspects attacked the store. The victims in the store were identified Wednesday by authorities as Mindy Ferencz, 31; Miguel Douglas, 49; and Moshe Deutsch, 24. According to three sources, Anderson was a one-time follower of the Black Hebrew Israelite movement, whose members believe they are descendants of the ancient Israelites, and his social media pages include anti-police and anti-Jewish writings. Investigators are looking to see if it was Anderson himself who posted that material.”[2]
  • Upper East Side attack: “The first attack of Hanukkah was on Dec. 23 on the Upper East Side, according to the NYPD. A 65-year-old man was hit in the face with a closed fist after the suspect made an anti-Semitic remark, then was kicked while on the ground. The victim suffered cuts to his face and hand, police said.”[3]
  • Brooklyn attack: “A 34-year-old woman and her 4-year-old son were attacked in Brooklyn Thursday by someone who yelled anti-Semitic slurs and hit the mother in the head, the latest in a spree of hate during the Jewish holidays that has the community and city officials alarmed.”[4]
  • Brooklyn attack: Another attack took place in the early morning in Brooklyn “when a 25-year-old Jewish man was walking on the sidewalk when he saw a large group of people walking toward him, police said.” That man told police that members of the group yelled curses at the obviously Jewish man “before hurling a Slurpee at him.”[5]
  • Brooklyn attack: “A man in his 50s was standing in front of a building on Union Avenue in a Hassidic neighborhood when he said he saw as many as six people approach him after 5 p.m. on Dec. 24, according to police. One of the people who came up to the man punched him in the back of the head, and the group took off.”[6]

What Can We Do Together to Oppose Antisemitism?

This is a critical moment for those who love the Jewish Messiah to show the Jewish people their concern and opposition to the rise of antisemitism. Whereas we are grateful for all legislation that identifies and even defines antisemitism as illegal activity, this is simply not enough. As followers of the Jewish Messiah, we need to act now on behalf of His “kinsman according to the flesh.”

Antisemitism has been the concern of Your Mission to the Jewish People for more than a century. One of the early leaders, Joseph Hoffman Cohn, the son of our founder Rabbi Leopold Cohn, often appealed to evangelical churches in the United States in the 1930s to take a stand against antisemitism. He took many trips to Europe at that time attempting to rescue Messianic Jewish leaders from the terrible times ahead. Joseph did not know exactly what was coming, but early on recognized the serious threat to the Jewish people in Europe.

One of our ministry’s values is to “seek the welfare of the Jewish community.” We are now doing this by shining the light on modern antisemitism and calling Christians to action!

And so, we must act!

We intend to continue holding rallies in New York City against antisemitism. I also encourage you to consider initiating some type of anti-antisemitism event at your local church or in your community. We have found that Jewish people who are not yet believers in Jesus are willing to stand with our efforts to protest antisemitism. So, do not be surprised if Jewish people in your community will want to be involved with your efforts to counter antisemitism.

Chosen People Ministries would be happy to help you organize this event. It can be as simple as a prayer meeting where you invite folks from your church and the local Christian community to pray for God’s protection of the Jewish people. Contact us for additional ideas.

We are immediately launching a digital petition campaign and will continue the campaign for the foreseeable future.

We are praying that we will move at least 50,000 people to sign this petition of concern for their Jewish friends as a very tangible way of demonstrating God’s love for His chosen people. 

I cannot tell you how much your efforts on behalf of the Jewish people are appreciated. Jewish people, especially those who do not believe in Jesus, will align themselves with us in our joint opposition to the growing antisemitism in our country.

Thank you for your prayers and for your generous support to help us combat antisemitism—in the name of Jesus! Thank you so much for standing with the Jewish people and with Your Mission to the Jewish People as well. I know this will be a wonderful testimony to your Jewish neighbors.

In our Messiah,
Mitch

[1] Jonathan Dienst and Ken Buffa, “5 Stabbed at Rabbi’s Home in Ny; Suspect Charged: Police,” NBC New York, December 28, 2019, https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/mass-stabbing-at-jewish-synagogue-in-rockland-county-ny-reports/2251668/.

[2] Jonathan Dienst and Minyvonne Burke, “Jersey City Suspects Targeted Kosher Store Where 3 Died, Officials Say,” NBC News, December 11, 2019, https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/jersey-city-suspects-targeted-kosher-store-where-3-died-motive-n1099606.

[3] Erica Byfield and Myles Miller, “‘Open Season On Jews’: Outrage Over Spike in NYC Hate Attacks,” NBC New York, December 27, 2019, https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/open-season-on-jews-reports-of-anti-semitic-attacks-during-hanukkah-cause-for-concern/2250584/.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Ibid.

[6] Ibid.

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