By Anne Etra—
Last week I listened to an ISCA webinar entitled “Christian Antisemitism on Social Media: Russian-Orthodox, Lutheran, and Catholic Narratives on Jews and Israel”. It examined the different paths to Jew hatred: historical, theological, reasons of church vs. state, ancient tropes rejigged for today.
It was academic, well-researched, interesting, depressing.
Alas, the feeling was not new.
SO.
To shift to the proactive positive, I switched mental gears and considered the Christians who are FIGHTING antisemitism, who love Jews and Israel, and who are right now finding creative ways to collaborate with their Jewish brethren to ensure the future of Israel is strong and secure.
I hope you know ICEJ, International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, in 90 countries and the biggest Christian Zionist Group in the world. They support Israel biblically, financially, and politically, build bomb shelters all over Israel, bring Jews from foreign lands back to Israel, nurture Holocaust survivors, and so much more.
Ten years ago, Dr. Susan Michael, President of ICEJ USA recognized that there is strength in numbers. That a collective voice would allow Christian leaders to have a bigger impact than they’d have on their own. She brought Leaders, Pastors, and Organizations on board to create ACLI: American Christian Leaders for Israel.
Now a real force of action, ACLI has a clear message: when it comes to protecting Israel, we mean business.
Last month, 200 Christian leaders signed and delivered an ACLI resolution to the White House. It declared in no uncertain terms that Judea and Samaria belong to Israel, that Israel must not be pressured to concede territory, nor to stop a war it didn’t start without achieving its goals.
And there’s more.
From Susan Michael: “The opposite of antisemitism is friendship, and we are privileged to be part of developing a whole new relationship between Jews and Christians.”
ACLI is leading a major new outreach to foster relations between Christian and Jewish clergy at the local level. From Illinois to Ohio, Texas to Michigan, Manhattan to Missouri ACLI is partnering with Rabbis with the shared goal to support Israel. ACLI is collaborating with the 1000-strong Zionist Rabbinic Coalition to act in solidarity with one, unshakeable voice for Zionism and the Jews. Chabad Rabbis, too, are coming on board.
Big things are happening. May 5-7, 2025 is an ACLI Israel Leadership Conference and Advocacy mission in Washington DC. Hundreds of Christians and Jews – including this one- will advocate for Israel, together and in front of our US congressmen and women. There is still time to join, to sponsor, to stand on the front lines.
ARE YOU a rabbi with a congregation devoted to Zionism? A group fighting for the peace of Jerusalem? Get involved. Join a powerful consortium with a fire in its belly and love in its heart for Israel. ACLI information, here. Contact ACLI, here.
And. Lest you think you can’t be a soldier for Israel, you CAN:
Media watchdog CAMERA’s partnership of Christians and Jews battles Evangelical churches in N. America and Europe who delegitimize Israel. It counterpunches media silence on Jew-hatred. Join up, here.
800,000 Jews and Christians spread the Untold News that Israeli innovation, disaster aid, and diversity better the world. (Did you know Arab Muslim Khaled Kabub sits on the Israeli Supreme Court?) Spread the news, here.