Dear Christian Leaders,

 

We hope this finds you all well and safe in the midst of this unprecedented event in our lifetimes!

 

As we shelter in place while the corona pandemic sweeps the world,  another deadly virus – antisemitism – is on the rise. As has happened  countless times throughout history, antisemites take advantage of any  crisis to demonize the Jewish people, and more recently, the Jewish  State. The lethal pathogen of Jew hatred is an ancient plague, nourished  throughout history by various blood libels that blame Jews for disease.  So it is, in the age of corona, Jews and the State of Israel are being  blamed for the spread of COVID-19. 

 

According to Moshe Kantor, president of the European Jewish Congress, “Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a  significant rise in accusations that Jews, as individuals and as a  collective, are behind the spread of the virus or are directly profiting  from it.” Furthermore he said, “The language and imagery used clearly  identifies a revival of the medieval ‘blood libels’ when Jews were  accused of spreading disease, poisoning wells or controlling economies.” Kantor warned that as unemployment rises due to efforts to slow the spread of corona, “more people may seek out scapegoats, spun for them by  conspiracy theorists.” Indeed, history teaches us that conspiracy  theories and defamation of Jews inevitably progresses from hate-filled  words into violent action.

 

In  light of this very real threat to the safety of Jews individually and  collectively, all leaders - and in particular Christian leaders - need  to be ready and willing to address the dangerous rise in antisemitism  and anti-Israel extremism that is manifesting around us. In this time in  which we live, it is critical that we as leaders oppose all efforts to  demonize, dehumanize or delegitimize the Jewish people and the Jewish  State. Let us take the lead for all those in our sphere of influence and  oppose antisemitism, combat anti-Zionism and tell the truth about  Israel!

 

For the sake of Israel,

Tricia Miller and Dexter Van Zile

 

CAMERA's Partnership Speaks at Annual NRB Convention

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CAMERA's  Christian analysts spoke at a Media Summit during the annual National  Religious Broadcasters Convention in Nashville in late February. The  Summit was hosted by Laurie Cardoza-Moore, founder of the Tennessee-based Proclaiming Justice to the Nations. Summit participants  challenged Christian media outlets to join in the fight against  antisemitism wherever it manifests in the church, the media, public  schools and academia.

 

Tricia spoke about two primary ways the church is influencing and  encouraging antisemitism, anti-Judaism and anti-Zionism. The first is  through the overt embrace of replacement theology, while the second is  through the promotion of confusion concerning the facts - both historic  and facts on the ground – in relation to Israel’s existence as a Jewish  State. 

 

Dexter spoke about how Christian peace organizations such as the World  Council of Churches and Churches for Middle East Peace have facilitated  the spread of antisemitism in the United States and Europe.