Here’s a little tip. If a Jewish person compassionately corrects you – especially a Jewish leader or Jewish scholar – take what they have to say and sit with it. Think about the words that you used and how you may have been expressing antisemitic ideas.
It seems like you believe that you are not antisemitic. A lot of people use these words– antisemite, racist, sexist, homophobe – and paint them to be the ‘worst thing in the world.’ I mean, I certainly do not want to be a labeled as a monster. That is not what we are saying when we are calling out your bias here. We are saying that you made a mistake when you said something ignorant.
You said something ignorant. Own your mistake, and if you truly are a friend to the Jewish People, correct your biases and ignorance here.
The reality is, is that as a Christian you are a member of a group that historically has oppressed the Jewish People. In that, it seems that you have been taught several ignorant ideas about Judaism. It takes more than saying that you are a friend of the Jewish People or a supporter of the State of Israel to really be our allies. (See more ways to support the Jewish People here)
When I say something ignorant about another human being, faith tradition, or culture and I am corrected, I look deeply within myself and learn from my mistake. I Google it, I research it, I better understand what I do not know. (More about anti-bias training from the ADL here)
As an example, you have conflated the Torah with the Old Testament in your post. (The Torah is only the first five books of the Tanakh (the Hebrew Bible). “Old Testament” is not language Jews use. Please don’t use it in interfaith dialogue with Jews.). This is a similar to your mistake in using the New Testament as an attempt to make a theological point with Jews. We do not see the New Testament as anything but a historical document that Christians find meaningful. Please do not use it in interfaith dialogue with Jews in this way. (Also, blind support of the State of Israel without understanding your biases about the Jews who you live among is not how one supports the Jewish People)
It’s okay to make a mistake as long as you own it, apologize, and move on in a way where that mistake makes you a stronger ally to those who you offended.
We Jews need more friends. There is too much antisemitism in our very dark world from people who do not realize they are being antisemitic.
Please do us a solid and correct your mistake here as I have outlined above. If you don’t, don’t be offended when we do call you an antisemite.
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