The modern-day relevance of Anne Frank

In memory of a young Jewish girl

Dear friends:

This week ABC Television aired a two-part, four-hour documentary about Anne Frank, the 16-year-old Jewish girl who died in a Nazi prison Camp during World War II after indescribable suffering inflicted by the Germans. Except for her father, all of her family also died. I was familiar with the story but it was a very moving reminder of the holocaust and the sad, historical plight of the Jewish people. The story of Anne’s life and death makes it personal to us and not just philosophical. My heart was very touched, so much so I want to share this with you.

As I watched it, I had a profound thought Is it mere coincidence that this epic film about the suffering of the Jews "just happened" to air to massive audiences only a short while after leading rabbis in Israel declared this present crisis "the time of Jacob’s trouble" (Jeremiah 307)? Is it mere coincidence that it aired at the same time Israel’s existence is threatened as at no other time in history, as they are on the brink of war, and its Arab neighbors, now armed with weapons of mass destruction, want to destroy them?

In Anne Frank’s day, the existence of the Jews was threatened. They survived, and Israel was born out of it. Today, the existence of Israel is threatened. The same murderous, hating spirit that drove Hitler is also driving the Arab fanatics. And the same complacent, compromising nations that did not stop the holocaust until 6 million Jews were dead are now groveling to Arabs and their petro-dollars.

I don't think it is a coincidence. I believe God orchestrated the film at this time to say to people, "Remember the holocaust. Help my people. Do not forsake them. Never again force them to give up the land that I have given to them." The nations will be judged by their actions.

Second only to the Bible, ABC reports that Anne Frank’s diary has sold more copies in more languages than any non-fiction work in history (30 million). (It is interesting that both books were written by Jews.)

The Anne Frank Web page in the Netherlands with her photo is is at (click here).

Anne would have been age 71 this year.

Jim