Lessons from Israel

It took me many years before I decided to get to the bottom of the Israel issue. Every time I tried, I came to the same conclusion – it is too complicated. I knew about Israel from the Bible yet many Christians were against Israel – which I couldn’t understand. There were Christians in my congregation who were opposed to Israel and the Jews. Then something happened…

The book club were looking for someone who could discuss a book about the Israel – Palestine conflict

I did not hesitate. This was my chance to once and for all understand this thorny subject and so I threw myself into studying not only Israel and Palestine but also the Jews in general. The book was 21 Voices from Israel and South Africa – Marthie Momberg (You can find my review of the book here – written in Afrikaans. The book follows 21 activists and tell their stories of how and why they got involved. It gave fascinating insight into the world of professional activism. Then October 7 happened…

The attack on Israel on 7 October 2023

The massacre on that fateful day sent shock waves through the world for 2 minutes. It didn’t matter that more than 1200 people were brutally killed nor did it matter that more than 250 people were kidnapped and taken to Gaza as hostages and used as bargaining chips. Most of those killed and kidnapped were civilians from several different countries. Activists popped up around the world. Marches of millions of people marched through the streets shouting Kill the Jews, Intifada and so much more. The masks fell off.

Lessons from Israel

• Jews are as much a religion as it is nationality.
• Israel is actually a very liberal country with frequent protests.
• You get different types of Jews – Ashkenazi (Central/Eastern European), Sephardic (Spanish/Portuguese/North African), and Mizrahi (Middle Eastern)
• The 4 main branches include Orthodox, Reform, Conservative, and Reconstructionist
• Not every Jew is religious yet they are still called Jew.
• Some Jews do not practice Judaism – many are Christians living in Israel
• Israel is a democracy where Jews, Christians and Arabs have equal rights.
• Israel are frequently attacked by their neighboring countries
• They have safe rooms in their homes and right through Israel to protect them from constant attacks.
• The failures to protect Israel on October 7 are still being investigated however it seems like Israel trusted technology a bit too much.

Personal lessons from Israel

• Jew hatred is alarmingly real and it has nothing to do with Israel.
• Europe and much of the world have turned their back on the Jews and use Israel as an excuse.
• Do not put all your trust into technology. Human intervention is crucial for your safety

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