Never Again is Now
The God of the Jews is the God of the Christians, and we need to stand with the Jewish people because the Bible we read and treasure calls for it.
Isaiah 40:1 “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the LORD'S hand double for all her sins.”
Do we remember who God described His people? Deuteronomy 7:6
“For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.”
Are Gods people going to be silent like those in 1930s? The saying is true. For evil to reign it only requires good people to do nothing. We are seeing the application of Jesus words in John 15:18-21 “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.”
There will be “Never Again is Now” rallies in each of the capital cities and in many regional cities. Adelaide is the next March the 3rd. For more information about the event and to register your intend to attend https://www.neveragainisnow.com.au
Al Watson
Media Release
Christian pastor leads largest ever multi-faith rally in Sydney against antisemitism on 18th February 2024 and 3rd March 2024 in Adelaide
A Christian pastor leading the largest multi-faith rally of its kind on 18 February in a powerful display of solidarity with the Jewish community, calling on all Australians to show support in the face of rising antisemitism. The next City to do the same is Adelaide on 3rd March 2024.
Over 10,000 people turned out across a broad coalition of faiths in Sydney’s Domain on Sunday 18 February for the ‘Never Again Is Now’ rally, prompted by the dramatic increase in antisemitism after Hamas launched a brutal terrorist attack in Israel on 7 October, killing over 1200 people and taking over 200 people hostage into Gaza.
In Sydney, Former Prime Minster Scott Morrison led the impressive line up of speakers to decry death chats like “from the river to the sea” and “Zionists are bad” as “ignorant hate speech and incitement” with the meaning of those words and are being antisemitic to ALL jewish people.
Sydney-based Anglican Pastor and rally organiser Reverend Mark Leach says the multi-faith event is about defending Australia’s right to religious freedoms and to rise up against a tsunami of antisemitism in the wake of the attacks.
“The Christian community is banding together with other faiths, on February 18 under the Australian flag, calling for an Australia where everyone is free to get on with their lives in safety,” said Reverend Leach.
“This is a Christian-led event to stand against all forms of hate. It’s been shocking to see members of the Jewish community afraid to leave their homes or having to pull their children out of mainstream schools due to safety concerns, as they are confronted with a barrage of hate”.
Rev. Leach, whose mother was a holocaust survivor, made news around the world when his life was threatened and he was chased through the streets of Sydney by participants at a Pro-Palestinian rally in Sydney just two days after the October 7 terrorist attacks, when he launched a one-man protest, unfurling an Israeli flag at the Town Hall.
“I heard the protest was being organised and at the same time police were advising Jewish people to stay at home, even though they were the victims in this atrocity”.
“I thought as a Christian pastor whose mother happened to be a Jew in the holocaust, and as an everyday Australian, I needed to turn up and show that we stand against the genocidal barbarism of Hamas”.
“In the 1930s in Germany, too many people including church leaders looked the other way and I wanted to take a stand immediately to make sure people here would not be looking away,” Rev. Leach said.
Incidents of reported antisemitism across Australia have surged by 738% since 7 October, according to data from Australia’s peak Jewish body, the Executive Council of Australian Jewry.
‘Never Again Is Now’ rally co-organiser Wayne Zwar says the purpose of the gathering is to unite Australians and send a message to Jewish people worldwide that they are not alone.
“There have been instances of Adelaide Jewish students, afraid to wear their uniform while travelling to school, in fear of being identified as Jewish. Many Jewish university students are no longer attending in person and many Jewish professors and lecturers have been cancelled, doxed or forced to leave their posts in South Australian universities”.
“Antisemitism is totally un-Australian values and radical calls for hate through death chants is not acceptable in a peaceful and tolerant society.”.
“Each NAIN event has Christians, the Jewish community, secular and other Australian communities, as well as public figures joining us, for an afternoon of powerful speeches of peace and love, music and solidarity,” he added.
Adelaide will be exceptionally powerful to push back the hate where unannounced marches with angry death chants occur almost every day in the city.
REGISTER for ADELAIDE or any other city: https://events.humanitix.com/host/never-again-is-now
Who spoke in Sydney February 18th 2024:
Hon Scott Morrison MP and former Prime Minster
Julian Leeser, MP,
Daniel Taghaddos, leader of the exiled Iranian community,
Hon Eric Roozendaal former State Treasurer and founder Labor Friends of Israel, John Anderson, former Deputy PM.Hon,
Liberal Senator Hollie Hughes
Warren Mundine AO
Michelle Pearse, CEO of the Australian Christian Lobby
Rev Sandy Grant, Dean of St Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney
Rev Mark Leach, Rector, Darling Street Anglican Church Rozelle
Independent Senator Jackie Lambie
Rabbi Shua Solomon, President of the NSW Rabbinical Council
Who is announced to speak in Adelaide March 3rd 2024:
Simon Birmingham, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
Freya Leach, Director, Menzies Research Centre Youth Policy Institute
Deepa Mathew, Chair Family First party SA
Ashlyn Vice, Director, South Australia, Australian Christian Lobby
More information about the event and to register: https://www.neveragainisnow.com.au/
Media Contact
Emily Fagan 0400 044 978