For all of human history, ever since Balaam described the Jews as “a nation that shall dwell alone”, the Jews have been alone. Whenever we were faced with adversity, when blatantly evil nations tried to wipe us out, we knew that survival lay solely in our hands. No help was coming and there was nowhere to flee. I internalized that and it ached, knowing that I would always be ‘the other’, a stranger in a strange land. 

When the messengers of Satan slaughtered 1,400 Jews on October 7, I fully expected to mourn with other Jews. Never before in history has anyone mourned the spilling of Jewish blood. After the Holocaust, some people were horrified at their own actions. But while the death camps were running, no one except the Jews and a few exceptional Christians cared.

All of my Israeli friends, without exception, feel that we were given a glimpse of what the beginning of the Holocaust looked like. If unchecked, what happened in southern Israel will happen again.  António Guterres, the UN secretary general, stated that since we were illegal occupiers, the slaughter of 1,400 Jews by Hamas was understandable, if not justified. This is the line of reasoning expressed by most of the “Palestinian supporters.” But if the “occupation” by Israel justifies the massacre of Jews, then massacres must continue until Israel (i.e. the occupation) no longer exists. 

My Jewish friends in the US are too afraid to speak up. But in the past few weeks, I have seen many Christians speak out, taking on the pain of the Jewish people. It is astounding and unprecedented. Christians are unafraid to speak up, never having never been faced with genocidal racism. Jews have faced this beast almost every generation, and always alone. 

Many of my meetings with Christians begin with them expressing regret and sorrow at the historic mistreatment of Jews at the hands of Christians. It is undeniably true that Christians have mistreated Jews throughout history. Regret and asking for forgiveness are a necessary first step in repentance.

But the Jews are being faced with the possibility of a wave of Jew hatred that threatens to engulf the world. We are indeed faced with the potential of a movement of hatred focused on bringing back death camps. 

But unlike the grim inevitability the Jews faced on the morning after Kristallnacht in 1938, the Jews are not alone. I am joined in my house of mourning by an unfamiliar voice. I am being comforted by a stranger. 

I apologize if I misuse the term but Jews do not have such a concept. I believe I am experiencing what my Christian friends call ‘grace’. I don’t believe Jews have ever felt Christian grace to such a degree.

But it requires a response.

We all know the verse in Genesis 12:3 in which God tells Abraham that it is through him that the nations of the world will be blessed. Whoever blesses the descendants of Abraham (i.e. the Jews) will be blessed. There are followers of Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach, of blessed memory, usually hippies or wannabe hippies, who have taken this to heart and bless everyone they meet. Despite being an ardent admirer of Reb Shlomo, I used to find that custom to be intensely annoying, hinting at a high level of pridefulness. But after regular encounters with Israel-loving Christians, I have fully embraced that custom. God told me to bless anyone who blesses Israel and therefore I have no choice. 

The sages discuss Adam’s expulsion from Eden. The sin that led to this was unclear. If it was merely for the sin of disobedience, of eating from the forbidden fruit after God instructed us not to, Adam could have done teshuva, repented, and asked God for forgiveness. What unforgivable sin did Adam commit that teshuva would not absolve? It is taught that when God confronted Adam, Adam blamed Eve, his wife, saying, “ “The woman You put at my side—she gave me of the tree, and I ate.” God gave man the pinnacle of his creation as a partner and companion.  Women have an added measure of wisdom and it is through women that men are able to create life. It is through women that men’s power is channeled properly into the world. In that one sentence, Adam expressed disdain for this great gift.

When the Jews sent spies into the land God gave us as part of His covenant, we rejected the Land of Israel, showing disdain for the covenant.

Eating the forbidden fruit could have been forgiven. Worshipping the Golden Calf was forgiven.

But ingratitude is unforgivable.

While it is true that Jews have suffered horribly throughout history from Christians and Christianity, that is no longer true. Now, in our hour of dire need, we have been offered grace. Balaam’s curse of loneliness has ended. To focus on past sins at this time would be ingratitude. It would be unforgivable.