Where Were You When Your Brother's Blood Cried Out?

Dear Friends,

Each year, this day arrives and confronts me with a haunting truth: for all our advancements, humanity has not truly changed. As I reflect on history, I’m reminded yet again that while six million Jewish men, women, and children were systematically tortured and murdered during the Holocaust, the nations of the world either participated—or stood by in silence.

What echoes in my heart is the concept of baseless hatred—in Hebrew, sinat chinam. Our sages teach that it was this hatred that led to the destruction of God’s House nearly 2,000 years ago. Every year, I find myself wrestling with the vey existence of this type of evil and hatred. How can someone harbor such darkness? Is this hatred born from within—or do we simply allow our hearts to be filled by something far more sinister?

Since the Holocaust, we have built museums, memorials, and educational institutions to preserve the memory of that atrocity—in the hope that we had learned our lesson. We believed humanity had matured, that education, laws and institutions working together could banish this evil. We made grand proclamations against all forms of prejudice, racism, bigotry, and hate, and we assured ourselves that this could never happen again.

Then, on October 7, 2023, the same demonic evil was unleashed again—this time through Hamas and its proxies. Over 1,200 innocent men, women, children—even infants—were brutally and horrifically murdered. The world watched in shock… but the shock didn’t last. Quickly, the same spirit of hatred that the perpetrators of October 7th embraced, was spread like wildfire through our media, schools, governments, and communities. Once again, hatred toward the Jewish people and the State of Israel was in full bloom for all of the world to see, and once again—the world shrugged.

Hearts opened to evil. Victims were recast as aggressors, and murderers were hailed as heroes and victims. And once again, the voices of much of Christendom are either silent, speaking softly and even joining in with the perpetrators. I’m reminded of the powerful words of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the Lutheran theologian who gave his life defending the Jewish people:

“Silence in the face of evil is itself evil. Not to act is to act. Not to speak is to speak. God will not hold us guiltless.”

Now is the time for all of us—Christians, seekers of truth, and those with a conscience—to rise up. We must not let fear of media, politics, or social rejection silence us. We must speak truth. We must stand against evil. Never again must actually mean never again.

I urge my friends, family, fellow Christians, and all who love Israel or pursue truth: Do not be silent in the face of hatred.

Let’s not sweep this under the rug, hoping it will fade. It will not. Not until it is exposed, confronted, and utterly defeated.

I believe the quote by Imre Bathery, Righteous Among the Nations should stir all of our hearts:

“The one question I do not want to hear when I stand before the seat of judgment is: ‘Where were you when your brother’s blood cried out from the ground?’”

Let us be among those who heard that cry—and answered it.