Ephesians 2:14-15 tells us that Christ has broken down the wall of hostility between Jews and non-Jews in His own body, so that He might make the two into ONE NEW MAN…

As the Right Reverend Lusa Nsenga-Ngoy pointed out in his speech yesterday outside Downing Street, “The Jesus I follow was born Jewish and lived Jewish….therefore for Christians this is a matter of spiritual integrity” to confront the evil of antisemitism. The Bishop of Willesden was one of a number of speakers, both Jews and non-Jews, who took to the microphone to pledge their stance against antisemitism in the UK, some of whom called directly for the banning of hate marches and the proscription of the IRGC as a terrorist organisation.

And as the MC for the event, the chief of the Jewish Leadership Council stated, it was really a rally for the non-Jews present to stand with the Jews against the terror threat to their safety in our land, and it was that which really gladdened their hearts and for which they were thankful. But as Boy George said in his message: “People like me keep being thanked for speaking up for Jewish people. I don’t want to be thanked for doing what is right.”

Nevertheless, that is what Tricia and I experienced multiple times at yesterday’s rally. Carrying signs crafted by Tricia saying Christians Against Antisemitism attracted so many Jews to come and thank us and sparked many longer conversations. We were even asked to give interviews by some and given business cards to connect later. My interview was with Shannon Seban from Combat Antisemitism and is going to be part of a global video which she is putting together about non Jews who in their eyes are Mensch, a Yiddish word for someone of high integrity, honour and decency.

It seemed that it was Christians in particular that the Jews had been waiting for. I truly wonder now as I am writing this, whether it is a matter of prophetic significance in order to heal the wounds caused by our own hateful antisemitism perpetrated against the Jewish people both in times past and still today. Certainly, I stood with one man, David, who couldn’t stop crying because of our presence: he didn’t know why, but I am sure it was the Holy Spirit doing what only He can do and touching that man’s very soul, which is exactly how David described it. Another man, Ellis, came over with a friend because he said he was always drawn to these signs and we had a great conversation about the weekly and daily prayer for Israel which we were involved in with Christians around the world. He said in a kind of admiring way: “you’re more religious than I am!” And then there was Jo, who brought her children up to Bar Mitzvah, her religious duty, and then left faith altogether. Much of her unhappiness was with the Orthodox Jewish community and all the rules which she felt as such a burden. And there was such a sense of joy as I told her that Jesus, too, often fell on the wrong side of the orthodox rabbis of his day, and she said “So Jesus was a Reform Jew!” And we just laughed together so much…

As the old hymn says: ”God is working His purpose out as year succeeds to year” – and right now He is doing as He said He would:…”Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to the fathers lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.”

We pray that this shift in the UK will bring us the mercy we so need.

Anne Beaumont – ICEJ UK