Emergency Exodus: fleeing persecution in Ukraine

News From Jerusalem

by Tom Brennan

Europe has never been the best place for the Jewish people. Roman arenas, ethnic cleansing, Crusades, Inquisitions, pogroms and fascism have always turned on convenient excuses to cover up greed, government corruption or internal economic failures. Jews have always been targets because of their refusal to compromise their covenant. But they always survive because of that covenant and its Maker. The dissolution of the fearsome USSR in the 1990’s brought about changes in what had been 18 “republics” held in place by a huge Soviet Army that could invade and take over on a 24 hour schedule and internal security systems that kept minorities in check. Today a resurgent Russia is attempting to remake an empire that once kept a world in tense peace and a MAD (mutual assured destruction) type of insurance policy. Many of the republics are seeing old antagonisms revived and many which were significant in the 1941-45 conflict are re-emerging in the confusion. Ukraine is a current example.

Ukraine was next to Russia in size and military capacity in the post USSR period. It had several air bases where the high-tech TU-160 bombers were stationed, the USSR’s only open exit port for Naval Vessels is here in the Crimea, and several nuclear reactors including Chernobyl supplied power to the USSR. The energized and financially aggressive Putin Government entered into an alleged US State Department instigated revolution in Ukraine to annex Crimea, the essential warm water naval port. The fighting goes on and the tragedy of a civilian airliner being shot down has resulted. Sanctions against Russia have damaged the ruble and attempted to push into a corner an adventurous and aggressive Russian regime with possible dangerous results.

Ukraine had been split by the German invasion of 1941 and a strong Fascist and antisemitic faction had sided with the Nazis. Once again the Ukraine nationalist and Russian factions have emerged and ant-Semitic factions have threatened Jewish citizens so much that they are fleeing for their lives with only what they can wear or carry being their worldly goods. But this time there is a place that says “come, you are safe here! You are Israel and so are we!” The 1930’s and 40’s are past and today persecuted and threatened Jews have a refuge and Israel is welcoming them back.

This time when persecution and violent antisemitism make life unbearable, there is a place to go where the pursued are safe and welcome. That place is Israel. A place that is heaven-sent and The Land of milk, honey and safety. Christians should consider helping these refugees from persecution. In the 1930’s the world rejected Jews and minorities fleeing fascism and we know what the consequences of that were. Today we can act decisively to help these refugees and confront the rising antisemitism and fascism that are once again rearing their repulsive heads in the world again. We must pledge that history will not be repeated.

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