From Sinai to Shavuot amid rising antisemitism – interview with Elana Heideman of Israel Forever Foundation

In this timely interview with Christian journalist Paul Calvert, the CEO of The Israel Forever Foundation, Elana Heideman, discusses the Jewish holiday of Shavuot (Pentecost) and considers its meaning amid rising global antisemitism.

“Shavuot is a holiday that has many different meanings to it. And the translation of the term is actually weeks,” Heideman explains. Also known as the Festival of Weeks, the holiday marks the period between the Israelites’ exodus from Egypt and the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai.

For Heideman, the counting of the Omer (the Jewish practice of counting 49 days from Passover toward Shavuot) is not simply a historical memory, but a way of participating in the same transition from freedom to covenant.

She tells Calvert: “It is such a spiritual buildup between the release of freedom, the journey through the desert, and the receiving of the Torah on Shavuot, that we replicate that spiritual process today.”

As Heideman discusses Jewish identity, faith, and the ongoing opposition to Jewish peoplehood, she acknowledges that Shavuot, unfortunately, has not only been a celebration of Torah but also, at times, a target for those who seek to undermine Jewish legitimacy.

“I will emphasize that Shavuot has often been a time for persecution against the Jews, when anti-Semites throughout history have chosen this holiday as [an] optic to undermine the legitimacy of the Jewish people…”

In the face of propaganda and hostility, she stresses the importance of clear speech and conviction, saying, “It's so important that people know the truth and are able to speak it eloquently and clearly with confidence, because Israel's truth is greater than any lie.”

Heideman also argues that the current wave of anti-Zionism is not a separate phenomenon, but part of a much older pattern. “At the end of the day, it is Jew hatred. And at the end of the day, the only thing that can counter that hatred would be respect, not tolerance, but respect.”

Heideman calls for courage and moral responsibility.

“We have to have a strong spirit. We have to have strong faith. We need to be together as a community. We need to teach our children well.” Quoting her mentor, Elie Wiesel, she adds, “Hope is like peace. It is a gift only we can give one another, and so we must give it to one another.”

Click below to watch Elana Heideman's full interview with Paul Calvert, which offers a deeper look at the holiday of Shavuot, Jewish resilience, and the responsibility of friends of Israel to stand against antisemitism with truth, faith, and hope.

Click on the link for more information about The Israel Forever Foundation and opportunities to strengthen and celebrate your personal connection to Israel.