Christians for Israel Australia

Kelvin Crombie

Author and Australian Historian, Kelvin lived in Israel for almost twenty-five years. ​ He developed a childhood interest in Israel while reading of Australia’s military involvement in the Middle East during both World Wars. This awareness was triggered by the service of two uncles who served in the Middle East during the Second World War and particularly in one uncle who died at Tobruk in 1941. He also gained an early interest in the Australian Light Horse (mounted infantry) involvement in the Middle East. The Australian and New Zealand soldiers were known as ANZAC’s.

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Armenian and Jewish Genocides: A Season of Remembrances

Armenian and Jewish Genocides: A Season of Remembrances

May 20, 2017

Passover and Easter I was recently in Jerusalem co-leading a tour with my daughter, and had never seen the Old City so full. No wonder, as it was both the season of Passover and Easter. Although this had occurred before, this year was different as Easter for both the Western and the Eastern Christians fell at the same time. It seemed like the world was in Jerusalem in order to remember the events associated with Passover and Easter, both of which are associated with redemption from slavery and death to freedom and life. Remembering the Armenian and Jewish Genocides and the Anzacs No sooner had this season ended when another season of remembrances began. On 24 April the Armenian and some other Christian communities remember the official beginning of what is generally regarded as the Armenian Genocide on 24 April 1915. It is a sombre day indeed for these communities. Also on 24 April 2017 remembrance of the world’s worst genocide, the Holocaust, took place. Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Day, is indeed a solemn day for the Jewish people. One objective in remembering the Holocaust is that such evils can never again be perpetrated. Such a sentiment is borne out by […]

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31 October – Destiny’s Date? (Part 2)

31 October – Destiny’s Date? (Part 2)

Apr 15, 2017

World War One & the German-Turkish alliance  When War broke out in August 1914 Germany and Ottoman Turkey had already entered into a secret agreement. Britain was now reluctantly forced into conflict against the Turks. The area of greatest strategic and military importance was the Suez Canal. Everything needed to be done to preserve the link to the eastern empire. Indeed already at that stage strategists were looking to the post-War period, and what would be best for Britain and this link. One Jewish parliamentarian, Herbert Samuel proposed in 1914-5 that Britain should take control over ‘Palestine’ and permit the establishment there of a Jewish national entity. From March 1915 a two-fold movement began which climaxed on 31 October 1917. The first was military, and began on the shores of Gallipoli. This campaign ended in failure, and resulted in Turkey planning for the capture of the Suez Canal. Britain’s goal was to protect the Canal, and the most effective method was by creating a buffer zone up to the Sinai-Palestine border. The second movement was political, and resulted from a Russian demand in March 1915 that following victory at Gallipoli and once Constantinople fell, then Russia would gain the region […]

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31 October – Destiny’s Date? (Part 1)

31 October – Destiny’s Date? (Part 1)

Feb 21, 2017

Jewish people recognise the 9th day of Av as of great significance, the day on which both of the Jewish temples were destroyed, as well as other events in their history. But there is also another day on which a number of key historical events occurred which impacted the Jewish people – in the modern period. That day is 31 October. Most Australians will immediately think of the charge of the Light Horse at Beersheba in 1917 on that day. This was my initial focus when taking groups down to Beersheba on the ‘In Step with Allenby and the Light Horse’ tours. Then in the early 1990’s while researching in the National Archives in London I read through the Minutes of the British War Cabinet for 31 October 1917 and discovered that the decision for establishing a Jewish national home in Palestine (known as the Balfour Declaration) was also made on that very same day. That indeed was a revelation. But wait – there is more. A German connection – 31 October 1517 On 31 October 1517 Martin Luther challenged the Roman Catholic Church, and effectively triggered off the Protestant Reformation. Despite Luther’s negative attitude towards the Jewish people, as […]

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Anzacs, Israel & Australia’s destiny – a need for balance

Anzacs, Israel & Australia’s destiny – a need for balance

Apr 1, 2016

Photo of Anzacs from AWM: “Australian light horsemen riding waler horses. The soldiers are of the original contingent of the Australian Imperial Force and the photo was taken prior to their departure from Australia in November 1914. The soldier on the right is Trooper William Harry Rankin Woods, 1st Light Horse Regiment, who died of wounds on 15 May 1915, one of the first light horsemen to die during the Battle of Gallipoli.” I recently re-read an article I wrote in 1992 entitled ‘The Anzacs and Israel’ which had been published in several Christian magazines and circulated around Australia and New Zealand. It portrayed a somewhat patriotic ANZAC perspective – which I now realise was not entirely balanced. At that time I was working as a local guide at Christ Church in the Old City of Jerusalem specialising in British, European and Protestant involvement in the Eastern Mediterranean 1798-1948. This article reflected my attempt to present the significant contribution which ANZAC soldiers had played in helping to lay the foundations for the establishment of Israel – as part of the bigger geo-political picture. This perspective was aided through also conducting In Step with Allenby and the Light Horse tours from Jerusalem, down […]

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