The Last 100 Years of History

My wife Ginny and I visited Israel in 2019. Following that visit I prepared a slide presentation to document our trip. I also engaged in some research and amongst the documentation found, I used illustrations and photos provided by our tour leaders Dr. Harry Morgan, Pastor Jerry Hunter and the Maranatha Tours, Israeli guide, Mr. Malcolm Cartier. Much of the documentation and illustrations follow below.

I am very concerned for the people of Israel and especially the friends that we met during our visit, during which we were treated so graciously. The increased awareness and education of the history of Israel and the Middle East has led me to believe that the war on Israel and antisemitism is really a war on western civilization. When so many people who have solid values do not speak out, I am reminded of Martin Niemoller’s quote regarding the Holocaust:

“First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out–
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out–
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out–
Because I was not a Jew.
Then they came for me–and there was no one left to speak for me.”
– Martin Niemoller

This quote is attributed to the prominent German pastor Martin Niemöller. It is sometimes mistakenly referred to as a poem. 

After World War II, Niemöller openly spoke about his own early complicity in Nazism and his eventual change of heart. His powerful words about guilt and responsibility still resonate today.₍₃₄₎

Israel’s prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated something close to this: “If Israel Loses this war, then next, they are coming for you” (paraphrasing)

Let’s start with a brief history. This is the viewpoint from our Faith as Christians.

Evil antisemitism took place in Europe with Pogroms in Russia, throughout much of Europe and then the Holocaust

The three religions trace their origins back to Abraham, who, in Genesis, had humanity’s first relationship with God after the failures of Noah’s flood and the Tower of Babel. Judaism and Christianity trace their tie to Abraham through his son Isaac, and Islam traces it through his son Ishmael. All three Religions have roots in Jerusalem.

The Abraham Accords, initiated by President Trump, were intended to advance peace in the Middle East from the basis that the people living in this region have much in common and more to be gained through peace in the Middle East and around the world based on mutual understanding and coexistence, as well as respect for human dignity and freedom, including religious freedom.₍₃₃₎

The three religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam readily fit the definition of monotheism, which is to worship one god while denying the existence of other gods. But, the relationship of the three religions is closer than that: They claim to worship the same god. While Judaism gave that god a name, “Yahweh,” both Christianity and Islam simply refer to him as “God” — in Arabic, Islam’s founding language, “Allah” means “The God.”

Anti-Semitism continues today and in my opinion is as bad as it has ever been in my lifetime. In America, according to FBI Director Christopher Wray, “The Jewish people represent about 2.4% of the total U.S. population but are the targets for 60% of Hate Crimes”

The Jewish people have done much to advance Humanity and the quality of life for much of the world. A minority for sure but their culture and values, including a strong nuclear family has helped them to live very creative and productive lives. For example, creating food production techniques in Eastern Europe in the late 19th century. Then in 1913 a Jewish engineer in Germany, Fritz Haber, invented the Haber-Bosch Ammonia process for producing synthetic ammonia fertilizer from air, coal and later, natural gas. Recent energy experts such as Vaclav Smil credit food production for half of the world’s people (4 Billion) is made possible by Haber’s invention which is still important today. Haber received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1918 for this accomplishment. Albert Einstein, another Jewish scientist needs no introduction on his contributions to the advancement of science.

Admiral Hyman Rickover of the U.S. Navy whose Jewish family fled Poland. Admiral Rickover is the “Father of the Nuclear Navy and the Father of Commercial Nuclear Power Generation”. He made a huge difference in the quality of life for millions of people of the world. Rickover made passage to New York City with his mother and sister in March 1906, fleeing an anti-Semitic Russian pogrom. ₍₈₎

Another prominent Jewish scientist that greatly improved human health was the inventor of the Polio Vaccine, Dr. Jonas Salk. ₍₉₎ There are many examples of fine Jewish people who have made major contributions to the advancement of Humankind.

Facts to Consider

Below is each religion’s total estimated population for the year 2020:₍₂₎

• Christianity – 2.38 billion
• Islam – 1.91 billion
• Hinduism – 1.16 billion
• Buddhism – 507 million
• Folk Religions – 430 million
• Other Religions – 61 million
• Judaism – 14.6 million
• Unaffiliated – 1.19 billion

The Jewish people represent about 0.2% of the world population. However, they have a history of being very creative, intelligent and productive people. Many Jews who fled Ukraine and Russia during the 1930’s took skills in agricultural development with them and have done much to provide sufficient food for the people of the world. Fritz Haber who literally created the means to feed 50% of the world population is another Jewish giant in science. Admiral Rickover, Albert Einstein and Jonas Salk are just three that I can think of off the top of my head.

There are only about 15 million Jews worldwide with the largest population of 6.3 million in Israel, followed by 5.7 million in the U.S. No other country has over 500,000 Jews. ₍₅₎ (Note: I have read in Joel Rosenberg’s book₍₃₂₎ that the UAE has over 1 million, but the reference claims only the U.S. has over 500,000)

Fifteen million people is about 0.2% of the world population and 5.7 million is only about 1.8-2.4% of the U.S. population. Given those small percentages, the following statistics are astounding:

• Jews have won 22% of all Nobel Prizes ever awarded
• They have won 25% of all Fields Medals (awarded to the brightest mathematician under age 40)
• They constitute 31% of the Forbes 400 (which lists the wealthiest individuals)
• Jews have held the World Chess Champion title 54% of the time since 1866
• Jews compose 21% of Ivy League student bodies
• They have won about 50% of the Pulitzer Prizes for non-fiction
• 37% of Academy Award winning directors have been Jewish

The Upside Down World Today

There are examples of anti-Semitism are all around us and even by members of Congress, government and once great University staffs and students that openly support HAMAS Terrorists. The letter below was sent to a friend from Tel Aviv. My friend stated that, “this letter brings back very bad memories” …….the letter excerpt below is from mid October 2023 in Tel Aviv:

The Holocaust of the 1930’s and 40’s was evil and it has been well documented. Upon the discovery of horrible concentration camps and the furnaces at Auschwitz, General Eisenhower ordered photographic records so that it can never happen again. “Even as the Allied Forces continued their fight, Eisenhower foresaw a day when the horrors of the Holocaust might be denied. He invited the media to document the scene. He compelled Germans living in the surrounding towns and any soldier not fighting at the front to witness the atrocities for themselves.” ₍₃₂₎ 

Many misguided people today appear to be repeating history. Not only in the Middle East but all over the world, including Europe and the United States. All of the countries of Europe and the U.S. should fully understand history and the facts of the Holocaust.

The purpose of this post is to introduce you to Israel from a more personal basis than what is shown on the TV and MSM news, based on our tour four years ago. Further resources are copied below if you are interested in learning more about the history and current events of antisemitism.

Just a few years ago, this seemed to be a very advanced and civilized world of 8 Billion people, most of which are, or at least were, interested in peace and love for their neighbors. Today, this is a very dangerous world that seems to be upside down.

Let me close with a question. If you were one of the 0.2% world minority Jewish persons, How would you feel and act when disinformation and untruthful stories were being reported on you? The links below provide access to news from the factual side and from the Israeli side. I encourage the reader to seek the true facts and then….

Please Pray for Peace in the Mideast as well as the Rest of the World.

God’s Blessing to All,

Dick Storm

References and Information for Facts and News of the War and Facts on Israel

1. University of Wyoming article on the “Three Monotheistic Religions, Children of one father” : https://www.uwyo.edu/news/2016/09/uw-religion-today-the-three-monotheistic-religions-children-of-one-father.html#:~:text=The%20three%20religions%20trace%20their,it%20through%20his%20son%20Ishmael.
2. World Population Review, data of Population of the world by Religions: https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/religion-by-country
3.  A Travel Professional in Israel that posts local unfiltered News on Instagram: @ellatravelsworld
4. Similar to above, Ella’s Twitter X Account: EllatravrlsLove
5. John Jennings on Jewish Achievement, 2018: https://johnmjennings.com/jewish-achievement/
6. History of Jewish People in Ukraine, Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_Jews_in_Ukraine
7. Jewish People and Agriculture in Eastern Europe, 1920-1930, Yivo Encyclopedia : https://yivoencyclopedia.org/article.aspx/agriculture
8. Pogroms, Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pogrom
9. National Institute of Health, Tribute to Dr. Jonas Salk, inventor of the Polio Vaccine: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6351694/#:~:text=Jonas%20Salk%20was%20born%20in,family%20on%2028%20October%201914.
10. ARUTZ SHEVA www.israelnationalnews.com – Very right in thinking. 
11. GLOBES www.globes.co.il/en – Financial. HAARETZ www.haaretz.com– Israeli – tending Left. 
12. HONEST REPORTING www.honestreporting.com – USA – tabloid, anti-media bias.  
13. USA tabloid – right. I24 News – http://www.i24news.tv/en/ – Israeli – center and succinct. ISRAEL HAYOM – www.israelhayom.com – 
14. Israeli – Likud Right. ISRAEL TODAY – www.israeltoday.co.il – Israeli – Messianic, Jerusalem based – Right JERUSALEM POST www.jpost.com – Israeli – tending right. 
15. JERUSALEM REPORT https://www.jpost.com/jerusalem-report – a bi-weekly print and online news magazine that covers political, security, economic, religious and cultural issues in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.
16.  MAARIV www.nrg.co.il – Israeli – tending center to right.
17. THE FORWARD www.forward.com
18. TIMES OF ISRAEL www.timesofIsrael.com – Israel not politically affiliated. 
19. Y-NET- www.ynetnews.com – Israeli – (Yediot Ahronot) tending Left.
20.  BLOGS: Outspoken individuals defending Israel against bias rhetoric would include such people as ALAN DERSHOWITZ, MELANIE PHILIPS, PAMELA GELLER and BRIGITE GABRIEL. FIDF – FRIENDS OF THE IDF (Israel Defense Forces) https://www.fidf.org/?pid=194&source=bpi_emailwrapper ISRAELI NEWS REPORTING OUTLETS Every so often I am asked about what papers to reader with news coming out of Israel from the cyber-Newspapers on the web, here are some in alphabetical order that might be of interest. 
21. ARUTZ SHEVA www.israelnationalnews.com – Very right in thinking. 
22. GLOBES www.globes.co.il/en – Financial. HAARETZ www.haaretz.com– Israeli – tending Left. 
23. HONEST REPORTING www.honestreporting.com – USA – tabloid, anti-media bias.  
24. USA tabloid – right. I24 News – http://www.i24news.tv/en/ – Israeli – center and succinct. ISRAEL HAYOM – www.israelhayom.com – 
25. Israeli – Likud Right. ISRAEL TODAY – www.israeltoday.co.il – Israeli – Messianic, Jerusalem based – Right JERUSALEM POST www.jpost.com – Israeli – tending right. 
26. JERUSALEM REPORT https://www.jpost.com/jerusalem-report – a bi-weekly print and online news magazine that covers political, security, economic, religious and cultural issues in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.
27.  MAARIV www.nrg.co.il – Israeli – tending center to right.
28. THE FORWARD www.forward.com 
29. TIMES OF ISRAEL www.timesofIsrael.com – Israel not politically affiliated. 
30. Y-NET- www.ynetnews.com – Israeli – (Yediot Ahronot) tending Left.
31. Book by Joel C. Rosenberg, “Enemies and Allies” an excellent overview of the leaders and government policies of countries in the Middle East, published 2021: https://www.christianbook.com/enemies-unforgettable-journey-immensely-turbulent-middle/joel-rosenberg/9781496453815/pd/453817
32. U.S. Holocaust Museum Archives of General Eisenhower’s First visit to a Death Camp: https://www.ushmm.org/online-calendar/event/VEFBSTAYCONEISEN0121
33. Department of State & President Trump Speech and Text of the Abraham Accords: https://2017-2021.state.gov/the-abraham-accords/
34. Personal communications with Dr. Harry Morgan to fact check and review sources
35. United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, antisemitism resources: https://engage.ushmm.org/index.php/email/emailWebview?email=MTY1LUtZTy02MTYAAAGPNcY703aQQBGW3o2qAZnd89_dSnWc_8xYrt1TYYdE-aao54F94ROObLpzLEpMs9AH49gP-lbTZiCqjeJ2-MBJmG7420NMwBSBLA
36. You Tube video on the History of the Jewish people and Israel, posted by Malcolm Cartier: https://www.facebook.com/eitanchitayat/videos/2971057419778943/?mibextid=zDhOQc
37. Iran’s Oil Funds for Genocide, the Gatestone Institute : https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/20124/iran-oil-funds-genocide