Countering Antisemitism Isn’t a Vision
In the months since October 7th, the thin veil of polite tolerance has been violently ripped away, revealing the chilling reality of pervasive, global antisemitism. For too long, the Jewish community’s primary strategy has been strictly defensive: to counter the symptom of hate. We are living in a new era where the global rage against Israel with real-time war images collide with a well-oiled pro-Hamas advocacy machine. The public relations war was lost a long time ago. We must recognize that merely fighting the latest outbreak of Jew-hatred is not a vision for Jewish life—it’s a reactive trap that leaves us strategically paralyzed, exhausted, and fundamentally defined by our enemies. This new era requires a reassessment and sharpening of vision and strategy that affects both Jewish entities and Christian organizations dedicated to standing with the Jewish people.
The Impossible Pedestal of Expectation
The world has placed Israel on a moral pedestal that no other nation actively engaged in conflict, including those like Russia and Ukraine, has ever faced. This impossible double standard exposes a deep cultural sickness. On the progressive left, a human rights framework is often weaponized to argue for the complete delegitimization of a Jewish state. Simultaneously, on the political right, some former allies have subtly shifted their stance, stripping away the foundational biblical or historic authenticity of the modern Jew. Whether a Jew identifies as a Zionist or not, he or she is perpetually defined by the political convenience of others.
The Peril of Commodified Grief
The reactive posture of many Jewish organizations is “Never Again is Now.” This slogan has become less a genuine battle cry for existential action and more a high-yield fundraising mechanism. By commodifying anxiety and grief, we risk flattening the urgency of the moment into a predictable annual appeal.
Even more troubling is the strategic silence from former Christian allies. A significant number of churches and clergy that once loudly proclaimed adherence to the promise in Genesis 12:3—that they would be blessed by blessing Israel—and organized regular tours to the Holy Land have gone eerily quiet. This silence is less about theological confusion and more about the desire to protect their tithe coffers from internal dissent. When principle threatens institutional stability, principle is often the first to go, leaving the Jewish community exposed and feeling profoundly betrayed.
Beyond Reaction: A Covenantal Vision
I am begging my Christian Zionist friends not to follow the reactive lead of the Jewish organizational world in adopting slogans like “Never Again is Now.” Vision is not reactionary; it must be proactive, covenantal, and rooted in a deep theological maturity.
A mature Christian perspective cannot view Israel as a commodity to be used in some type of end-times theological scenario, nor can it treat the Jewish state as an ATM blessing machine where material or spiritual prosperity is guaranteed by financial donations. Such transactional views are exploitative and diminish the divine purpose of Israel to serve the convenience of the believer.
A Partnership of Humility and Purpose
While Christians profess that no one gets to the Father except through Jesus, the polite, sincere Jewish “no” to that religious invitation must make room for divine mystery on how redemptive history ultimately unfolds. We must remember that we are finite people advancing the Kingdom of an infinite God, the ultimate architect of redemptive history.
Christian solidarity with Israel cannot be based on an assumption of theological superiority. One should never boast over Israel’s salvation, but instead approach the partnership with profound humility and respect. The Christian role is not to dictate terms or declare altar calls, but to work with the Jewish people in their sovereignty—in their right to self-determination, self-definition, and religious freedom—to foster a world of justice and truth. We don’t simply await redemption; we are actively doing the work now, aiming to present messiah with the lightest workload in history.
We cannot build a vibrant, sustainable future solely on a platform of reactive defense. The challenge is to stop letting our enemies define our existence. We must pivot from the hollow vision of simply countering hate to proactively building a secure, confident, and culturally rich Jewish future. This requires a shared vision of sovereignty, purpose, and spiritual conviction, serving as a united witness of the prophetic vision coming to fruition in the world, one where the Jewish people thrive, secure and unburdened by the constant need to justify their existence. Our energy must be invested in building our own house, not merely tearing down the structures of hate.