Warnings Echo from History
I remember reading Anne Frank’s diary for the first time in seventh grade. I was not much of a reader at that time, but her story intrigued me. Anne Frank was a Jewish teenager who went into hiding with her family in Amsterdam, escaping the horrific antisemitism propagated by the Nazi Party that ultimately forced them into concealment in the annex of a warehouse. As a teenager, I imagined what it would’ve been like to have to stay silent for hours for fear of being discovered and hiding with my family in a confined space – and then adding more people to that already confined space, making interpersonal relationships tumultuous.
As I read through Anne’s account of World War II and her experience as a Jewish person, I remember aching for her release. I couldn’t wait till the end of the story to hear of her happy ending. I was shocked to find out at the end of the story that there wasn’t a happy ending. Anne Frank was never rescued. She died alongside her sister in a concentration camp. I remember feeling the devastation and realizing this was a true story, and that this was the world I also was living in.
The similarities to today are shocking. Currently, Amsterdam is under fire for the treatment of its Jewish community. An Israeli soccer team came to play the Dutch team, with many Jewish and Israeli supporters in the stands. It was reported that a coordinated attack occurred just moments after the game ended. Israelis were hunted and beaten by mobs of pro-Hamas supporters. Videos have flooded the internet of the horrific beatings, with some Israelis even jumping into the chilly canals to protect themselves.[1] The lack of police protection and presence was noted. Thankfully, government officials have condemned the antisemitic attacks and offered public apologies to the Jewish people.[2]
The same systemic hatred that existed in the late 1930s and early 1940s during the time of Anne Frank is again being seen. Jewish people were hiding for fear of their lives in hotel rooms and in the dark corners of Amsterdam.
The recent attacks in Amsterdam occurred just days before the anniversary of Kristallnacht (which translates to “night of broken glass”). On November 9 and 10, 1938, Kristallnacht was a pogrom in parts of Europe where Jewish homes, businesses, and places of worship were destroyed within in a 24-hour period. This unchecked hatred for the Jewish people resulted in hundreds of deaths, thousands of arrests that sent many to concentration camps, and immense property damage, marking it as a critical escalation in the Nazi regime’s persecution leading up to the Holocaust.[3]
Kristallnacht was rooted in the Nazi ideological agenda that dehumanized Jewish people and treated them as a threat to their society. Today, the rise of militant anti-Israel sentiment and Islamic extremism has created an environment where acts of violence against Jewish people have become increasingly normalized.[4] The antisemitism seen for centuries in Europe is rearing its ugly head once again.[5] These brutal attacks are a grim reminder of the consequences of unchecked hate.
Scripture reminds us:
“There are six things that the LORD hates,
seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans,
feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies,
and one who sows discord among brothers.”
(Proverbs 6:16–19; emphasis mine)
We can learn a lot about someone by knowing the things that they hate. We know for sure that the Lord hates this kind of rampant evil and violence. God delights in humility and truth. He values innocent life, hearts that plan righteousness, and feet that are quick to combat evil. He delights in those who are truth tellers and those who create unity.
This is a prescription for how the church and the body of Messiah Yeshua (Jesus) should respond to this kind of immoral abhorrence.
We can be a voice of truth in the midst of lies and misinformation. The way we avoid repeating history is by being educated ourselves and educating those who will listen. We can share balanced, biblically based content on social media and within our circles of influence to support the Jewish people and speak out against antisemitism.
We can be a refuge for those being harmed by this kind of hatred. Be a good listener to those who are affected by the rise of antisemitism. Be a safe place both emotionally and provide physically when it’s needed. (Praise God for those in Amsterdam who protected and hid Jewish people both in the past and currently!)
We can proactively make plans for righteousness by using our time, treasures, and talents for God’s Kingdom work. Use whatever platform He has given you to speak up and show solidarity with the Jewish community.
It pains me that Anne Frank never got to live a long and fulfilled life. Her life, along with millions of others, was cut short by unbridled hatred. May this ancient hatred be snuffed out in our generation for the glory of Messiah so Jewish people would never again need to be hidden in crawlspaces and attics. May it be said of our generation that we did everything in our power to defeat antisemitism in all its forms. It will take boldness and courage on our part. Thankfully, we know the One who can abundantly supply.
Written by Kori, Life in Messiah staff
Have you ever visited a Holocaust Museum? Now is a crucial time to educate ourselves on this event in modern history that has come to epitomize the heinous evil of antisemitism. If you live in the United States, the Jewish Virtual Library has a list of Holocaust museums and memorials on their website: https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/u-s-holocaust-museums-memorials.
Another place to learn about the hatred of the Jewish people and how we as followers of Yeshua can stand against it is Life in Messiah’s resource page on antisemitism.
If you have Jewish friends or neighbors, how can you be a safe place for them and demonstrate Messiah’s love to them during this time? Is there something your small group or church can do to show support?
Endnotes:
[1] See the Anti-Defamation League’s “Statement Regarding Modern-Day Pogrom in Amsterdam,” https://www.adl.org/resources/press-release/adl-statement-regarding-modern-day-pogrom-amsterdam.
[2] See this Times of Israel report on the incident: https://www.timesofisrael.com/pogrom-in-amsterdam-as-israeli-soccer-fans-come-under-brutal-assault-by-rioters/.
[3] See the Holocaust Encyclopedia’s page on Kristallnacht: https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/kristallnacht.
[4] See this article from the Word Jewish Congress on why anti-Zionism is a modern form of antisemitism: https://www.worldjewishcongress.org/en/anti-zionism.
[5] In July 2024, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights published a survey on antisemitism in Europe. A summary of their findings is available here: https://fra.europa.eu/en/news/2024/jews-europe-still-face-high-levels-antisemitism.