Rabbi Eckstein’s message for this week:
In some countries, anti-Semitic intimidation and violence are daily facts of life for Jews. Often, these are countries ruled by radical Muslim regimes hostile not just to Israel, but to the Jewish people as a whole.
In the West, we like to tell ourselves that public anti-Semitism is a thing of the past. And, indeed, it’s true that Jews throughout the Western world enjoy freedom of religion and freedom from fear and intimidation that is unheard of in most Arab and Muslim states. But then a story surfaces to remind us that what one author called “the longest and deepest hatred of human history” can not only live, but flourish, even in countries considered modern and “enlightened.”
In this case, the story that caught my eye comes from Sweden: “Threats and harassment are becoming increasingly commonplace for Jewish residents in Malmö in southern Sweden, leading many Jews to leave the city out of fear for their safety,” it begins, going on to say that crimes against Malmö’s Jewish residents doubled in 2009 from the previous year. This precipitous rise has created a climate of fear among the town’s small Jewish population. One father of two moved his family to Israel after concluding, “My children aren’t safe here. It’s going to get worse… Imagine that my family can’t feel safe in fantastic Sweden.”
That such a climate of anti-Jewish hatred could exist even in a democratic country like Sweden shows the pervasiveness and persistence of anti-Semitism. And the situation in Sweden is not unique. A recent study conducted by the Jewish Agency for Israel (JAFI) found that anti-Semitism across Europe has risen to a level not seen since World War II. The spike is part of a rising tide of anti-Semitism worldwide that is fueled not just by radical Islamists, but by the political far left and far right as well.
Statistics recently released by JAFI show that this rise in anti-Semitism has coincided with a rise in aliyah (immigration to Israel), making it clear that many Jews have come to their biblical and historic homeland to escape anti-Jewish hatred in their country of origin. In 2009, for instance, aliyah from the former Soviet Union, Germany, and Eastern Europe increased over 20 percent. Aliyah from English-speaking countries increased 18 percent, while aliyah from Western Europe and the Middle East increased 8 percent.
At The Fellowship, we are proud to support this movement of God’s people to Israel from “the four corners of the earth” through our On Wings of Eagles program. (In fact, just weeks ago, The Fellowship and its partners funded the historic aliyah of 81 Jews from Ethiopia—I encourage you to watch the video of their arrival in Tel Aviv on The Fellowship’s website). It is a prophetic movement that you can be part of simply by making a gift to Wings. When you do, you will not only be helping people escape poverty and anti-Semitism by coming to their biblical homeland—through Wings‘ klitah (resettlement) assistance, you will be helping to ensure that they can become full, productive citizens of Israel once they arrive in the Holy Land.
The Bible tells of a day when “The ransomed of the Lord will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away.” (Isaiah 51:11) Even as we pray for an end to anti-Semitism, let us also pray, and work toward, a day when each and every Jewish person who wishes to fulfill the dream of living in his biblical homeland will be able to do so. And let us also pray for the day when God will bless all his people with the precious gift of shalom, peace.
– Rabbi’ Yechiel Eckstein, Feb. 4, 2010
What do you think?