How Christians Can Help Fight Anti-Semitism

With anti-Semitic incidents on the rise in the U.S. and around the world, it’s important for Christians to understand the issue and know how to combat it, says Scott Phillips, executive director of Passages.

Passages works to "strengthen the faith" of American Christian college students by bringing them on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, connecting them to Israel and preparing them for "a life of Christ-centered leadership," the group says on its website.

Phillips says that many Christian leaders are “neutral” toward Israel or anti-Semitism.

“A lot of them think it's bad, but they don't know much about it. And haven't really been involved in it or been exposed to it,” Phillips told CBN News in a recent interview.

He said taking action has three parts.

“Number one, it's very foundational, which is education. There's not a whole lot of awareness that it's happening or the history of it. So, making ourselves as Christians aware of anti-Semitism, the history of it both long time ago history and recent history, and just understanding and realizing that it happens,” Phillips said.

“Number two, I think building relationships that are built on trust that are built on shared values, you know, with our local Jewish communities, is really important, to build those friendships,” he said.

“Then with that foundation in place, I think then is advocacy, is standing up, show up when these [anti-***Semitic***] things happen, show up for the Jewish community,” he added. “Show up and just be there unconditionally and just say, ‘We're with you. This is evil, and we're going to stand against it.”

An example, during the recent hostage-taking incident at the Beth Israel Synagogue in the Dallas area, Passages’ advocacy team pulled together Christians from different denominations to go and pray during the episode at a church near the synagogue.

Thankfully, that nearly 12-hour incident ended with the safe release of all hostages.

Passages has brought more than 7,000 Christian students to Israel on what its website says are “life-changing trips to the Holy land.”