A Brooklyn middle school's decision to cancel a Holocaust survivor's presentation over his views on Israel marks a troubling convergence of cancel culture and rising antisemitism, even as geopolitical tensions escalate across the Middle East with Turkey pushing to join Gaza's stabilization force and Israel approving hundreds of new settlement units.
Eighty-five-year-old Sami Steigmann, who has shared his testimony with more than 300,000 people over seventeen years, was scheduled to address students at MS 447 in Brooklyn on December 10. Principal Arin Rusch sent a letter to parents on November 18 stating the presentation would not be 'right for our public school setting, given his messages around Israel and Palestine.' Jewish leaders have condemned the decision as viewpoint discrimination, raising profound questions about whether Holocaust education itself is becoming a casualty of contemporary political divisions. The silencing of survivors—the last living witnesses to history's darkest chapter—carries implications that extend far beyond a single school assembly.
This incident arrives as approximately one thousand pastors and Christian leaders returning from Israel report facing coordinated online attacks, suggesting a broader pattern of targeting those who maintain ties with the Jewish state. The book of Hebrews reminds us that faith communities have faced such opposition throughout history—'If the world hates you, remember that it hated me first,' Christ warned his disciples. Yet the systematic nature of these campaigns against religious voices represents a distinctly modern form of persecution enabled by digital platforms.
Meanwhile, Turkey's Erdogan government is pressing to join the international stabilization force in Gaza, directly challenging Israel's opposition. Ankara insists its participation is critical to upholding the fragile ceasefire, but Israeli officials point to Turkey's documented ties to Hamas as disqualifying. President Erdogan called for 'increasing international pressure' on Israel, claiming atrocities persist 'despite all efforts' from the international community. The prophetic significance of Turkey—ancient Anatolia, home to the seven churches of Revelation—positioning itself as a power broker in the Holy Land cannot be overlooked by students of biblical eschatology.
Adding fuel to regional tensions, Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced final approval for 764 housing units across three West Bank settlements: Hashmonaim, Kfar Adumim, and others. The ultra-nationalist minister, who opposes Palestinian statehood, continues advancing construction that international observers view as obstacles to any future peace agreement. In Jerusalem, nearly 200 Israeli settlers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound under protection of Israeli forces, according to Palestinian news agency Wafa—a flashpoint that has historically triggered broader regional unrest.
The convergence of these developments—the silencing of Holocaust memory, the targeting of Christian voices, Turkey's strategic maneuvering, and continued settlement expansion—reflects what scholars of apocalyptic literature recognize as characteristic patterns of the prophetic timeline: Jerusalem at the center of international controversy, ancient hatreds resurfacing in modern forms, and truth itself becoming contested ground. As the prophet Daniel warned of a time when 'knowledge shall increase' even as deception multiplies, today's believers face the challenge of standing firm without retreating into isolation.
Observers should watch how the Gaza stabilization force ultimately takes shape, whether Turkey's bid succeeds despite Israeli objections, and whether incidents like the Brooklyn cancellation represent isolated decisions or a broader chilling effect on Holocaust education. The question facing communities of faith remains as urgent as it was for the early church: will they blend in to avoid persecution, or stand fast for truth regardless of cost?