Stand against evil, stand with Israel, and support the IFCJ

Stand against Evil, Stand with Israel, and Support the IFCJ

Whether under the guise of “protection” or in the form of open anti-Semitism, Jewish citizens in the Ukraine are in peril. A short time ago, more than 20 religious and business leaders signed a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin demanding that he stop using propaganda that claims Russian-speaking Jewish citizens need his defense in order to tighten his control on the region.

“You have stated that Russia wants to protect the rights of the Russian-speaking citizens of the Crimea and all of Ukraine and that these rights have been trampled by the current Ukrainian government,” the letter stated. “Historically, Ukrainian Jews are also mostly Russian-speaking. Thus, our opinion on what is happening carries no less weight than the opinion of those who advise and inform you.”

“We are convinced that you are not easily fooled. This means that you must be consciously picking and choosing lies and slander from the entire body of information on Ukraine,” the letter stated.

Stand with Israel today and protect Ukrainian Jews

Have there been other recent events that suggest Ukrainian Jews are being threatened? Sadly, yes. At a rally in Cherkassy, Ukraine, several ultra-nationalists shed their jackets to reveal aggressive anti-Semitic slogans printed on their T-shirts. “Beat the Zhids,” read the front of their shirts. “Zhids,” which can be translated as “dirty Jew,” is a smear heard frequently in Eastern Europe, and was traditionally associated with past bloody pogroms against the Jews.

Yet another worrisome anti-Semitic event came in the form of police brutality against a 28-year-old Jewish man, Dmitry Flekman. Allegedly, police officers demanded $10,000 from Flekman as well as the code to his credit card, which was taken from him. Police also threatened that they were planning to search his home and would find drugs there. According to Flekman’s statement, the beating required him to seek medical attention at the hospital for a fractured tailbone.

As anti-Semitism, civil unrest, and Russian aggression in Ukraine continue to rise, you’re likely wondering what you can do to help. There is an organization willing to stand up for what is right. The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews was founded in 1983 by Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein to promote understanding between Jews and Christians and build broad support for Israel and other shared concerns. Their vision is that Jews and Christians will reverse their 2,000-year history of discord and replace it with a relationship marked by dialogue, respect, and cooperation. Learn how you can help today.

The Fellowship's success has far exceeded expectations. Over the years, they have been leaders in Jewish-Christian relations, building bridges of goodwill that have led to greater understanding and cooperation between members of these two great faiths. They have helped hundreds of thousands of Jews escape poverty and anti-Semitism and return to their biblical homeland, funded humanitarian assistance that has touched the lives of millions of Jews in Israel and around the world, provided life-giving aid to Israel’s victims of war and terror, and much more. Learn how you can be a part of their mission and touch the lives of so many wonderful people around the world.