Dear friend in the Messiah,
Shalom in the great name of Jesus our King!
Jewish people today are living in perilous times as antisemitism is on the rise around the globe. Believers in Jesus need to know what is going on and, beginning with prayer, help do something about it.
It is hard to believe that, after all the atrocities that took place under the Nazis seventy-five years ago, a virulent and vicious tide of antisemitism is rising, recently resulting in the death of eleven innocent Jewish people attending synagogue in Pittsburgh.
Each year, the Simon Wiesenthal Center, a Holocaust research organization based in Los Angeles, releases the ten worst antisemitic incidents taking place worldwide. Remarkably and unfortunately, six out of ten of these occurrences in 2018 took place in the United States.
At the top of the list, of course, is the October 27, 2018 shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, described as “the deadliest anti-Semitic attack ever committed in the United States.”
According to the report, two additional incidents resulted from tensions created by the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which calls for the boycott of all Israeli products.
Even more frightening is the presence of anti-Israel movements on college campuses across the country. Students are regularly exposed to the antisemitic rhetoric of pro-Palestinian student groups at an unprecedented rate.
Antisemitism is Growing More Visible
Social media has become a new platform for antisemitism.
On October 28, 2018, the day after the Pittsburgh attack, an article in The New York Times discussed the social media site, Gab, where the synagogue shooter made antisemitic posts shortly before going on a rampage. According to the Times article, Gab is a site “that has become a haven for white nationalists, neo-Nazis and other extremists.”
Even radical Black Muslim leader, Louis Farrakhan, has taken to social media to promote his brand of antisemitism. Most recently, he sent a tweet that declared, “I’m not an antisemite. I’m an anti-termite.” While this has drawn criticism from many sources, Twitter has yet to impose any consequences on Farrakhan for this statement equating the Jewish people with insects.
What Can Christians Do to Make a Difference?
As believers in Jesus there is a lot we can do to share the love of the Messiah Jesus with the Jewish community in light of this rise in antisemitism:
• Pray: We need to pray for the Jewish people and the peace of Jerusalem. Prayer is critical at this time, and, as believers, we need to pray for the protection of Israel and the Jewish people.
• Act: If you see antisemitism in any form on your social media platforms, make sure you say something. I am not suggesting that you get into a heated debate with proponents of antisemitism. As one dear brother once told me, “We need to love what the devil hates and hate what the devil loves!” So, we cannot allow remarks to go unanswered!
• Be informed: Inviting Chosen People Ministries to visit your church and speak on a topic related to Israel, the Jewish festivals as fulfilled in Jesus, or the spiritual origins of antisemitism would be a great way to encourage your congregation.
However, one of the best ways to show that the gospel is friendly to the Jewish people is to introduce Jewish seekers to fellow Jews who already know the Messiah. There is nothing like a personal testimony to help someone understand the benefits, both eternal and temporal, of putting their faith in Jesus as the Messiah.
We have filmed and distributed almost one hundred beautiful video testimonies of Jewish people from every walk of life. Millions of people have viewed these stories online, many have responded positively, and some have come to faith in Jesus.
Your generous gift today will help us as we prepare for filming our next round of testimonies.
Each testimony costs about $2,500 to produce. Your generous gift today will help Jewish people get past the dreadful history of “Christian” antisemitism and see the Messiah alive in the life of a fellow Jewish person.
Chosen People Ministries is celebrating 125 years of faithful ministry among the Jewish people in 2019. Would you consider giving a generous gift today to help us film a testimony? Would you consider a gift of $1,250—half the cost of a testimony, or even the $2,500 for a full testimony to help Jewish people come to know the Lord? Be assured that whatever the Lord will enable you to give will be deeply appreciated.
Thank you so much for your love and generosity!
In Messiah,
Dr. Mitch Glaser
President, Chosen People Ministries
One of the best ways to show that the gospel is friendly to the Jewish people is to introduce Jewish seekers to fellow Jews who already know the Messiah. There is nothing like a personal testimony to help someone understand the benefits, both eternal and temporal, of putting their faith in Jesus as the Messiah.