From the Rabbi

This Week with Rabbi Eckstein
November 9, 2007

Dear Friend of Israel,

On November 9-10, 1938, Jews in Germany endured two nights of terror. It was Kristallnacht the "night of broken glass." With the encouragement of the German government, Nazis and their supporters attacked Jews and destroyed synagogues and Jewish-owned homes and businesses. German Jews had suffered under oppressive laws for years. But Kristallnacht was a turning point the beginning in earnest of the Holocaust that ultimately led to the slaughter of millions of European Jews.

The Holocaust was a uniquely horrible chapter in human history. But, as we mark this somber anniversary of Kristallnacht, it is important to note that the hatred of Jews that ultimately resulted in the Holocaust is not a thing of the past. I long for the time when I can say that Jews were no longer in danger simply for being Jews. But, sadly, that time is not now. Across the globe, there appears to be a rise in violence against Jews, hateful anti-Semitic rhetoric, and vandalism against Jewish property. Here are just a few of the most recent incidents:

Last week, in what officials described as arson, a Jewish school in Kiev, Ukraine, burned to the ground. The vandals who perpetrated this act had earlier hurled a rock through the window of the school with a note attached that read "Death to Jews."

In a recent radio address, Alexander Lukashenko, president of the former Soviet republic of Belarus, complained that Jewish residents of the city of Bobruisk turned the city "into a pig sty." Twelve years earlier, he spoke admiringly of the Nazi regime that ruled Germany during World War II, saying that the country "attained its peak under Hitler."

In Wellington, New Zealand, a Jewish cemetery was desecrated for the third time in as many years. Vandals painted anti-Semitic slogans such as "Hitler RIP" and "Terror state Israel burn" across gravestones.

The Jewish community in suburban Melbourne, Australia, is on alert after two attacks by baseball bat-wielding thugs against Jewish teenagers.

While vacationing in Greece last month, a young man from Tel Aviv was beaten by a group of youngsters shouting anti-Semitic slurs.

The incidents above and there have been many more like them in recent months show why those of us who love Israel and are committed to supporting the Jewish people must always be vigilant. What has been called "the longest and deepest hatred of human history" is not just a historic relic. Tragically, it is alive and well around the globe.

Rescuing Jewish people from anti-Semitic oppression is one of the urgent goals of The Fellowship’s On Wings of Eagles program. Since its launch, The Fellowship and its caring partners have helped tens of thousands of Jews return to Israel, the land given to them by God, where they are free to live and openly practice their faith as Jews. On Wings of Eagles also helps them become established as full, productive citizens in Israel.

I thank God for the you and the caring friends of The Fellowship who pray and provide support to help rescue those suffering from the cruel injustice of anti-Semitism through On Wings of Eagles. May you be blessed, as you have blessed His children.

With prayers for shalom, peace,
Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein
President