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Glenn celebrates Yom Kippur with a story of “courage and human dignity for all the world”

October 03, 2014
Wilson

Writer

Below is a rough transcript of this segment

There's a little-known story from 1944. A group of Hungarian Jews attached to a German battalion that was retreating in 1944 and it was on this day that they were ordered to clean and dig trenches. They were being used as human mine detectors.

So on the eve of Yom Kippur, the Nazi commander, knowing that this was the holiest day of the year, that this was the day of the fast, this is the day that Moses came down from the mountain and saw what they had done. They were worshiping a God, a false God. And so they had to cleanse themselves and purify themselves. This is the time of the year that the Jews believe that you have to get your house in order for 40 days. You review the year and you look at all the things that you've done wrong and then God sets it right. You atone and then God sets it right and then He charts the next year for you.

I've known the story of Yom Kippur and I know the day of atonement and I love this holiday for the Jewish people. I think this is one of these holidays that we as Christians should not have brushed off. This is really a great holiday.

And I've known this for a long time, but I just had this feeling that this year is different. I have a feeling that we're kind of being locked in to where we are right now. This is kind of the idea behind this holiday, is you're kind of locked in. Wherever you are today, God is making that contract and saying, okay, this is the year. This is where you're going now. And whether you atone or not, you're kind of locked in. So if you are in sync with him, great. If not, you're going to spend the next year with Him trying to reminded you, you've got to get in sync with Me. He's going to bless you one way another. It's just that the blessings kind of suck because they're for your own good, as my mother used to say.

So it's 1944. This German battalion, they're taking all of these Jews and they're using them to search for mines. They're starving. But this Nazi commander knows that they have to fast on this day. And he said, anybody who is fasting is going to be shot.

So on Yom Kippur, it began to rain. They're on the Polish/Slovokian border and they're working and they're looking for mines. They're digging trenches. And they're always starving, but on this day, they choose not to eat. And as they're given their meager rations, the prisoners spill their coffee as they run into the gullies. And they take their bread, which is stale and moldy, and they stuff it into their pockets. Those who had memorized the Yom Kippur prayers said them. And as the sun was setting, and they were preparing to break their fast, they were confronted by the German commander who knew they had fasted. And he said instead of execution, we're going to have some fun, boys.

And he told them to climb a mountain. And then he forced them to slide down the side of this mountain on their stomachs. They were tired. They were soaked. They were emaciated. And they had to climb up and down this mountain 10 times. And their clothing was ripped, their stomachs were ripped. But they lived.

That soggy, muddy Yom Kippur night should be a sign of courage and human dignity for all the world, but most of the world doesn't know about what happened on that hillside. What happened on that hillside because he kept making them go up and telling them to slide down. And they kept doing it. And this German commander realized, I cannot break their will.

I wonder how many of them as they were climbing up that mountain thought of themselves a little bit like Moses. And it made them stronger, as Moses climbed up that hill. And then slid down his mountain to see what was waiting for him at the bottom.

Seeing that he couldn't break their will, he decided he would let them live another day.

Yom Kippur is the day that God decides who's going to live, who's going to die. Who is in His time and who is before His time. We are supposed to atone, ask for forgiveness, clean the slate and start again.

Can you imagine if America, Jewish, Christian, atheist, Muslim, everybody -- if we just this weekend said: You know what, I'm really sorry. I'm sorry for the pain that I've caused. I'm sorry for the things that I have done wrong. I'm sorry for the things that I didn't do that I should have, and I'm sorry for the things I did do that I shouldn't have. I'm sorry that I was just not awake yet. I'm sorry that I'm still not wide enough awake but I'm getting there.

'I'm sorry that I have lied to myself and said that I'm not capable of doing it. I'm sorry that I have blamed other people for my faults, my mistakes. I'm sorry that I tried to shift the blame. I'm sorry that I just didn't have a positive attitude. I'm sorry that I was looking at things and seeing the glass half-empty. I'm sorry I stood by and did nothing while others suffered.

Not another day. Not another day. I may have misread my entire life incorrectly. I may -- this might be the day that I was born again. This might be the day.

And God says, This is the day that you can start all over again. And I will bless you for that. I will take you and write you in the book that matters and this year is going to be your year.

I don't know why I have connected with this story this year more than I usually have. I just love the tradition of it. But this year, I think we are making a contract. I don't know why and I don't even know what that means. Just something in my gut says we're making a contract. Where you are right now spiritually, where you are right now mentally, where you are good or bad, where you are, a contract is being made.

I urge you, as the sun goes down today, and Yom Kippur begins, I urge you, take an inventory of your life. I urge you to take this weekend. It's the holiest weekend of the year for the Jewish people. We all come from the Jewish traditions. Even the Muslims come from -- everybody but atheists -- well, I shouldn't say that, because they just -- they just don't know it yet.

But we all come from the Jewish traditions. This is one worth remembering. This one is worth saying, help us chart a course for the next 12 months, because it's going to be a remarkable 12 months. I don't know what happens, I don't know what comes, but it's going to be a remarkable 12 months. And let me say this to the Jewish people. You are not alone.

I want you to take on this holiest of holy days, on a day when Germany and Angela Merkle has said that they are going to they're going to put guards, troops around every synagogue. Think of that. Troops around every synagogue in Germany. They are worried about the safety of the Jews again in Germany. Later on in the program, I hope to get to a little bit of the essence, the beginnings of never Again. but some of us have said that and some of us actually mean it. Never again.

It doesn't mean that we're not going to go through those horrors again, but this time hopefully there will be more of us that go through it together. More of us that will say, not on my watch. More of us that will actually care about our fellow human being, even though we're different from one another. I would love to see more Christians trying to save the Jews' souls. I'd like to see more Christians try to save their own souls.

By actually standing up for the Rights of people to live and to follow the dictate of their own spirit. Never again.

Israel, know that means exactly what you think it means to millions of non-Jews. You're not alone.

Happy Yom Kippur.

Warning: 97% fear Gen Z’s beliefs could ignite political chaos

NurPhoto / Contributor | Getty Images

In a republic forged on the anvil of liberty and self-reliance, where generations have fought to preserve free markets against the siren song of tyranny, Gen Z's alarming embrace of socialism amid housing crises and economic despair has sparked urgent alarm. But in a recent poll, Glenn asked the tough questions: Where do Gen Z's socialist sympathies come from—and what does it mean for America's future? Glenn asked, and you answered—hundreds weighed in on this volatile mix of youthful frustration and ideological peril.

The results paint a stark picture of distrust in the system. A whopping 79% of you affirm that Gen Z's socialist sympathies stem from real economic gripes, like sky-high housing costs and a rigged game tilted toward the elite and corporations—defying the argument that it's just youthful naivety. Even more telling, 97% believe this trend arises from a glaring educational void on socialism's bloody historical track record, where failed regimes have crushed freedoms under the boot of big government. And 97% see these poll findings as a harbinger of deepening generational rifts, potentially fueling political chaos and authoritarian overreach if left unchecked.

Your verdict underscores a moral imperative: America's soul hangs on reclaiming timeless values like self-reliance and liberty. This feedback amplifies your concerns, sending a clear message to the powers that be.

Want to make your voice heard? Check out more polls HERE.

Without civic action, America faces collapse

JEFF KOWALSKY / Contributor | Getty Images

Every vote, jury duty, and act of engagement is civics in action, not theory. The republic survives only when citizens embrace responsibility.

I slept through high school civics class. I memorized the three branches of government, promptly forgot them, and never thought of that word again. Civics seemed abstract, disconnected from real life. And yet, it is critical to maintaining our republic.

Civics is not a class. It is a responsibility. A set of habits, disciplines, and values that make a country possible. Without it, no country survives.

We assume America will survive automatically, but every generation must learn to carry the weight of freedom.

Civics happens every time you speak freely, worship openly, question your government, serve on a jury, or cast a ballot. It’s not a theory or just another entry in a textbook. It’s action — the acts we perform every day to be a positive force in society.

Many of us recoil at “civic responsibility.” “I pay my taxes. I follow the law. I do my civic duty.” That’s not civics. That’s a scam, in my opinion.

Taking up the torch

The founders knew a republic could never run on autopilot. And yet, that’s exactly what we do now. We assume it will work, then complain when it doesn’t. Meanwhile, the people steering the country are driving it straight into a mountain — and they know it.

Our founders gave us tools: separation of powers, checks and balances, federalism, elections. But they also warned us: It won’t work unless we are educated, engaged, and moral.

Are we educated, engaged, and moral? Most Americans cannot even define a republic, never mind “keep one,” as Benjamin Franklin urged us to do after the Constitutional Convention.

We fought and died for the republic. Gaining it was the easy part. Keeping it is hard. And keeping it is done through civics.

Start small and local

In our homes, civics means teaching our children the Constitution, our history, and that liberty is not license — it is the space to do what is right. In our communities, civics means volunteering, showing up, knowing your sheriff, attending school board meetings, and understanding the laws you live under. When necessary, it means challenging them.

How involved are you in your local community? Most people would admit: not really.

Civics is learned in practice. And it starts small. Be honest in your business dealings. Speak respectfully in disagreement. Vote in every election, not just the presidential ones. Model citizenship for your children. Liberty is passed down by teaching and example.

Samuel Corum / Stringer | Getty Images

We assume America will survive automatically, but every generation must learn to carry the weight of freedom.

Start with yourself. Study the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and state laws. Study, act, serve, question, and teach. Only then can we hope to save the republic. The next election will not fix us. The nation will rise or fall based on how each of us lives civics every day.

Civics isn’t a class. It’s the way we protect freedom, empower our communities, and pass down liberty to the next generation.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

'Rage against the dying of the light': Charlie Kirk lived that mandate

PHILL MAGAKOE / Contributor | Getty Images

Kirk’s tragic death challenges us to rise above fear and anger, to rebuild bridges where others build walls, and to fight for the America he believed in.

I’ve only felt this weight once before. It was 2001, just as my radio show was about to begin. The World Trade Center fell, and I was called to speak immediately. I spent the day and night by my bedside, praying for words that could meet the moment.

Yesterday, I found myself in the same position. September 11, 2025. The assassination of Charlie Kirk. A friend. A warrior for truth.

Out of this tragedy, the tyrant dies, but the martyr’s influence begins.

Moments like this make words feel inadequate. Yet sometimes, words from another time speak directly to our own. In 1947, Dylan Thomas, watching his father slip toward death, penned lines that now resonate far beyond his own grief:

Do not go gentle into that good night. / Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Thomas was pleading for his father to resist the impending darkness of death. But those words have become a mandate for all of us: Do not surrender. Do not bow to shadows. Even when the battle feels unwinnable.

Charlie Kirk lived that mandate. He knew the cost of speaking unpopular truths. He knew the fury of those who sought to silence him. And yet he pressed on. In his life, he embodied a defiance rooted not in anger, but in principle.

Picking up his torch

Washington, Jefferson, Adams — our history was started by men who raged against an empire, knowing the gallows might await. Lincoln raged against slavery. Martin Luther King Jr. raged against segregation. Every generation faces a call to resist surrender.

It is our turn. Charlie’s violent death feels like a knockout punch. Yet if his life meant anything, it means this: Silence in the face of darkness is not an option.

He did not go gently. He spoke. He challenged. He stood. And now, the mantle falls to us. To me. To you. To every American.

We cannot drift into the shadows. We cannot sit quietly while freedom fades. This is our moment to rage — not with hatred, not with vengeance, but with courage. Rage against lies, against apathy, against the despair that tells us to do nothing. Because there is always something you can do.

Even small acts — defiance, faith, kindness — are light in the darkness. Reaching out to those who mourn. Speaking truth in a world drowning in deceit. These are the flames that hold back the night. Charlie carried that torch. He laid it down yesterday. It is ours to pick up.

The light may dim, but it always does before dawn. Commit today: I will not sleep as freedom fades. I will not retreat as darkness encroaches. I will not be silent as evil forces claim dominion. I have no king but Christ. And I know whom I serve, as did Charlie.

Two turning points, decades apart

On Wednesday, the world changed again. Two tragedies, separated by decades, bound by the same question: Who are we? Is this worth saving? What kind of people will we choose to be?

Imagine a world where more of us choose to be peacemakers. Not passive, not silent, but builders of bridges where others erect walls. Respect and listening transform even the bitterest of foes. Charlie Kirk embodied this principle.

He did not strike the weak; he challenged the powerful. He reached across divides of politics, culture, and faith. He changed hearts. He sparked healing. And healing is what our nation needs.

At the center of all this is one truth: Every person is a child of God, deserving of dignity. Change will not happen in Washington or on social media. It begins at home, where loneliness and isolation threaten our souls. Family is the antidote. Imperfect, yes — but still the strongest source of stability and meaning.

Mark Wilson / Staff | Getty Images

Forgiveness, fidelity, faithfulness, and honor are not dusty words. They are the foundation of civilization. Strong families produce strong citizens. And today, Charlie’s family mourns. They must become our family too. We must stand as guardians of his legacy, shining examples of the courage he lived by.

A time for courage

I knew Charlie. I know how he would want us to respond: Multiply his courage. Out of this tragedy, the tyrant dies, but the martyr’s influence begins. Out of darkness, great and glorious things will sprout — but we must be worthy of them.

Charlie Kirk lived defiantly. He stood in truth. He changed the world. And now, his torch is in our hands. Rage, not in violence, but in unwavering pursuit of truth and goodness. Rage against the dying of the light.

This article originally appeared on TheBlaze.com.

Glenn Beck resurrects the 9-12 Project to support Charlie Kirk's family

Glenn Beck is once again calling on his loyal listeners and viewers to come together and channel the same unity and purpose that defined the historic 9-12 Project. That movement, born in the wake of national challenges, brought millions together to revive core values of faith, hope, and charity.

Glenn created the original 9-12 Project in early 2009 to bring Americans back to where they were in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. In those moments, we weren't Democrats and Republicans, conservative or liberal, Red States or Blue States, we were united as one, as America. The original 9-12 Project aimed to root America back in the founding principles of this country that united us during those darkest of days.

This new initiative draws directly from that legacy, focusing on supporting the family of Charlie Kirk in these dark days following his tragic murder.

The revival of the 9-12 Project aims to secure the long-term well-being of Charlie Kirk's wife and children. All donations will go straight to meeting their immediate and future needs. If the family deems the funds surplus to their requirements, Charlie's wife has the option to redirect them toward the vital work of Turning Point USA.

This campaign is more than just financial support—it's a profound gesture of appreciation for Kirk's tireless dedication to the cause of liberty. It embodies the unbreakable bond of our community, proving that when we stand united, we can make a real difference.
Glenn Beck invites you to join this effort. Show your solidarity by donating today and honoring Charlie Kirk and his family in this meaningful way.

You can learn more about the 9-12 Project and donate HERE