“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.” – Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities
Though written 165 years ago, the words of Charles Dickens remain relevant and reflect so well the times in which we are currently living.
The worst of times: The horror of October 7 will forever be imprinted on all thinking, feeling people. The shock and grief experienced by Israelis and Jews all over the world, and indeed by every sane person, have shattered our souls and reminded us that we can never sleep while radical terrorists exist.
The age of foolishness: For years, so many governments in both America and Europe have ignored terrorists’ and enemy countries’ declarations that they want to destroy Israel and America, naively believing that by delivering pallets of money and taking a posture of appeasement, they could control and manage this evil.
They watched as Iran crossed thresholds to enrich their uranium, and they took the Houthis off the foreign terrorist organization list. The foolishness goes on and on.
The epoch of incredulity: The eruption of pro-terrorist student groups that continue to darken campuses and intimidate, harass, and violate Jewish students is hard to comprehend. Privileged students brought up in the freedom and prosperity – that only a democratic, capitalist society can provide – call for their own country to be destroyed, and chant for the destruction of Israel and the Jewish people.
They support a radical, oppressive, bloodthirsty regime that uses its own people for fodder, in the name of supporting the “oppressed.” Astonishingly, university administrations coddle these students and stand by as their Jewish students are threatened, harassed, beaten, and kept from attending classes.
This complete brainwashing is the result of radical progressive professors, who are funded by enemy countries like Qatar, which have romanced universities with billions of dollars. It has been a project that terrorists have been executing for years.
The season of darkness, the winter of despair: The once-respected UN has been exposed as the most antisemitic world organization ever created, as it not only ignores the rape and murder of Jewish women, and the killing and burning of whole families, including babies – it has the absolute audacity to blame Israel for this horrifying, inhuman attack.
It continues to express blatant and unabashed hatred for Israel, subjecting it to more anti-Israel resolutions than all other countries combined, including Russia.
How perfectly Dickens described the times we are living in today.
And yet…
DICKENS ALSO wrote of wisdom, belief, light, and hope. Where can any of these be found today in these dark times?
I have found all these and more in the Jewish community.
I founded the October 7 Coalition, or O7C, after witnessing the devastation created by the depravity of the radical Hamas terrorists. Our goal is to activate Christians to be visibly and vocally supportive of the Jewish people, in light of the horrors they experienced.
We work to bring Christian and Jewish communities together to stand in solidarity for our shared Judeo-Christian beliefs. Through my interactions with these new Jewish friends, I believe that we will triumph over the evil we have experienced. In the face of another holocaust, I have witnessed a strength and resolve from the Jewish people that I wouldn’t have thought possible.
Before October 7, my relationship with the Jewish community was through my many talented friends in the entertainment industry. Their artistic gifts were formidable, but more than that, it was their warmth, humor, and joy that made them so special to me.
These qualities extend to the people I have now been meeting through our shared dedication to the preservation of their community, both in Israel and around the world. The intelligence, ingenuity, spirit of solidarity, laser focus, and unwavering commitment to the cause have been an inspiration to me.
Where do we find light in all of the darkness? For me, the light shone brightest at one of the first big events I had the privilege to attend: the March for Israel rally in Washington, DC, on November 14, 2023. Unlike the violent, hostile, and hate-filled pro-Hamas gatherings I had been witnessing both in America and around the world since October 7, this rally was full of song, laughter, smiles, and even joy.
Despite the horrors that had unfolded, the attendees were united in the love of their homeland and a belief that that love would conquer the hatred they were experiencing. It was also the first time I heard the indefatigable Rachel Goldberg-Polin speak. Her dignity, honesty, vulnerability, and determination were on full display, and I felt deeply humbled by a woman of such courage.
She continues today, despite the murder of her beloved son Hersh by Hamas, to advocate for the remaining hostages and a peaceful resolution to this crisis. I can’t imagine myself mustering the strength with which she carried on her mission to bring her son home. It is the light that shines from people like Rachel that inspires the community to press forward, to honor her dedication and commitment.
The wisdom of people like Rachel – and so many others who have risen in this time of crisis – is aptly described in Psalm 37: “The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom, and their tongues speak what is just.” Political commentators, such as Douglas Murray, Eylon Levy, and Bari Weiss, have boldly used their platforms to stand for truth in an age where formerly trusted sources have been captured by propaganda. I am so thankful for these few but mighty righteous voices.
And finally, to have hope for the future of the Jewish people, one only has to look back thousands of years to the wisdom found in the pages of the Torah, the words of which have taken on new meaning for me as my Christian faith has deepened through all I am learning.
The book of Deuteronomy states: “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” This reminder of God’s promise to the Jewish people is especially relevant today and is a promise in which we can place our hope.
Or read the words of the great Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks, who so beautifully wrote of the importance of hope for the Jewish people: “Hope rebuilds the ruins of Jerusalem. The Jewish people kept hope alive and hope kept the Jewish people alive.
“That I think is the message of Tisha B’Av. And it’s the message the world needs right now. Because we need to know that what can be lost can be regained. And what has been ruined can be rebuilt. We have a great deal that has been lost or ruined in our world – economically, politically, educationally, and above all, socially. And we have to show what it is never to give up hope – that we can rebuild what has been ruined.”
It is an honor and a privilege to participate in some small way to help the Jewish people rebuild what has been ruined. They are God’s chosen, the source from which my Savior came into the world, and my life has been immeasurably enriched by the gift of their example and friendship. Am Yisrael Chai.
The writer is a three-time Emmy Award-winning actress and producer. She is most well known for her role in the award-winning show, Everybody Loves Raymond and The Middle. She is the founder of the October 7 Coalition, or O7C, an organization calling on Christians – and all who believe in Western civilization and democracy – to stand visibly and vocally against the rise of antisemitism and with Israel.