In looking around the news and the social networks in 2024, it is impossible not to hear the words “Anti-Semitism” or “Anti-Semitic,” regardless of the political slant of those reporting. Anti-Semitism is alive and well and has become part of the culture, especially since Hamas’ terrorist carnage in Israel last October. It is very concerning for Jewish people around the world, and possibly worse in some countries like Great Britain or France.
France has had a long history of Anti-Semitism, which has been exacerbated by the constant influx and growth of Islam since the 1950s. Not every Muslim is an antisemite, but in France, many Anti-Semites are radicalized Muslims. The country happens to host the largest Muslim community in all of Europe, with about 5.7 million. To be sure, Anti-Semitism is not only coming from Muslims but also from the Left, the Right, atheists, churches, and other groups. The result is that recently, the Rabbi of the Great Synagogue of Paris warned his community that there was no longer a future for Jews in France.
Additionally, the LICRA (International League Against Racism and Anti-Semitism) started running an ad on French TV about Anti-Semitism in France. The ad is gut-wrenching as it shows all the different aspects of Jewish communal life in 2024 France, especially after October 7, 2023. In reality, French Jews have been the victims of the “New Anti-Semitism” for at least the last two decades, if not a bit more.
In the ad, the Cohen family is taking many precautions to avoid exposing their Jewish identity to the community around them. They are seen taking down the mezuzah off their apartment door to hide their identity. They refrain from mentioning synagogue attendance in public, they pull the curtains over their windows before reciting Shabbat prayers, and more to make sure they remain as invisible as possible. Even though in French, the ad carries enough strong images to convey the message to those who don’t speak French. It is hard to watch and not come to tears for our Jewish friends and loved ones, and yet, it is not really addressing the issue of Anti-Semitism where it needs to.
The message to French Jews, and at this point, all Jews outside of Israel, is simple. We are told to keep the lowest profile possible and erase any visible signs of our Jewish identity and heritage. I get it, but really, are we to simply hide? If this is the only way, then the Anti-Semites of the world have won. We must speak up and fight back.
Part of the problem is that the ad never addresses where Anti-Semitism comes from. Not once do we see any of the perpetrators, but instead, we see Jews going into hiding, like what happened to us during the Holocaust era. The only solution seems to be for Jews all over the world to hide their identities, customs, and traditions if they want to live in peace. We are so far from a solution!
The first thing needed is to identify the problem, and by problem, I mean the perpetrators, co-perpetrators and bystanders. The political far-left party that recently won elections is a direct threat to French Jews, but also the extreme right and radicalized Muslims, to name just a few. For French Jews, there is really no place to look for safety.
Assuming that France would openly identify the enemies of the Jews, the next step would be to pass laws to prevent Anti-Semitism from damaging the Jewish community. A few officials have denounced Anti-Semitism publicly, including President Macron. Definitions have been written and published, and committees have been formed to “tackle the problem”…Then what? Very little, if anything, gets enforced even after they pass laws. France doesn’t want to make too many waves into large sections of its community that form substantial voting blocks, so more often than not, nothing happens and the silence is deafening.
What happens in Europe is very often a precursor of what will take place in America. We might actually be closer to simultaneous events all over the world than we think. Zechariah 12:3 tells us that the whole world will eventually turn against the Jews. So, is Anti-Semitism truly a global problem without a solution? To an extent, YES, it is!
The solution is in the future, and it is connected to the return of Yeshua, the Messiah. His Second Coming (not the Rapture that will happen before that) will be triggered by Israel’s call to Him, crying out Baruch Haba Bashem Adonai. Yeshua will come back to split the Mount of Olives in half and defeat Israel’s enemies as per Zechariah 12:9. Until then, Anti-Semitism will increase on a global scale and Christians will have to choose a side. Do you want to be a sheep (Matthew 25:31-40) or a goat (Matthew 25:41-46) as delineated in Matthew 25 that will take place during the Great Tribulation? The principle can and must be applied today!
If Jews have to hide their identity, soon they will have to hide their families altogether. This might become unavoidable in the very near future. Those who are paying attention have identified the danger at hand. This is why the TV ad was produced, but identifying the problem is only the tip of the iceberg. If my people are only left with the option of hiding, will your home become a hiding place? Will you be one of the “New Righteous Among the Nations?”
Yeshua is coming back soon to get the believers out of here, but until that moment promised by Scripture, many of our Jewish friends will need a friendly hand extended toward them. Those who saved my mother in 1942 were reactive, and I thank the Lord for them. My prayer is that we will all become proactive.
