New Jersey Faith Alliance 2 Route 37 West Toms River, New Jersey 08753 732.349.1550, ext. 214 fax 732.286.6311
A Jewish Open Letter by Walter Healy
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An Open Letter to all of our respected friends in the Jewish community who share our common faith in the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob;
I would like to point out that you have many friends in the contemporary Christian community. We know that the Jewish people throughout the centuries have borne the greatest discrimination, the worst persecution, and the most barbaric atrocities of all. We grieve over these crimes against you.
We are fully aware that much of this has been done by those who called themselves Christians, those we refer to as the nominal (name only) church. Because these are our ancestors, we Gentiles inherit the guilt. Even many of our forbears who did not actively perpetrate crimes against the Jewish people grossly misrepresented Him who we call Prince of Peace. He called us to love and worship our Heavenly Father, and to love our neighbor actively, especially the Jew as His chosen people. Sadly, those who have called themselves Christians (but without obedience to either Old or New Testament teaching) have acted out of fear instead of love, prejudice instead of peace, hatred instead of goodness and kindness, and jealousy instead of truth. Even those who did not criminally act were criminal in standing silent during the crusades, pograms, and holocaust. Even in more recent times, the nominal Christian community has stood in apathy as Jewish synagogues, cemeteries, and lives have been desecrated and vandalized. Our forefathers looked away but we cannot.
We abhor these crimes against you. In the spirit of Daniel and Nehemiah who confessed the sins of former generations, we confess these sins of commission and omission and renounce them. We commit to stand with our Jewish brothers and sisters in the strength of God and in the love of God.
Our understanding of the prophet Zechariah is that there will come a time when the whole world turns against Israel (Zech 12-14). Should this come to pass, by God’s grace we will join the all too few Gentile Christians who have risked their lives to protect you.
Walter Healy, Founder of NJFA
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