The past year and the last four months have been overwhelming for Jews in Israel in every way imaginable.
We are deeply worried—for our soldiers, our hostages, the mental health of our children, and whatever remains of our sanity. We are mobilized, volunteering, tending to our wounds. We are evacuating or slowly returning to our destroyed homes, rebuilding. We are treating trauma victims, reviving collapsed businesses, and mustering strength for the future. It is an immense load.
At the same time, we are facing a massive wave of antisemitism, one of the largest and most brutal we have ever known. We cannot handle everything on our own. Therefore, I make two unapologetically bold requests of world Jewry—our brothers and sisters. We need help. This is not financial assistance but two entirely different forms of support: one practical and the other, deeply emotional.
The practical request
While we are fighting a physical war for our lives and the survival of the state, Israel is also waging a war of perception. Too often, we find ourselves having to defend the very idea of our existence, our right to live. It's absurd, it's frustrating, but it's the reality: even after enduring unimaginable harm, we are still viewed by many around the world as the ones at fault. In this ongoing battle of narratives, Israel repeatedly fails.
This is where we need the young and bright Jewish minds across the globe. Enter the virtual communities and influence them. Speak their language, connect with their values, and recruit them to our cause. If they are frustrated, connect with their frustration and share our own. If they are speaking of oppression, talk about the oppression of Jews worldwide. If they stand against racism, highlight antisemitism. Appeal to emotions, not facts, as facts have become secondary in today's reality of perception wars. (After all, many of the anti-Israel protesters have no idea about the geography of the region or the historical context; they "feel" they are for Palestine.)
Hamas does this exceptionally well. Just as Hamas infiltrates LGBTQ+ communities online (as far-fetched as it sounds, they've succeeded) or environmental groups, we can and must fight using the same tools.
The emotional request
To rebuild, recover, hope, and look toward the future, we need to stop being haunted by memories. The horrors of October 7 pursue us in our sleep and as we wake. Fear shadows us, dragging us down and, at times, nearly paralyzing us.
Of course, this nightmare must not be forgotten, but we cannot be the ones to carry the memory. It is too much for us. Therefore, I ask the Jewish diaspora to take on this responsibility for us. Watch all the videos, feel all the fear, and ensure that neither forgiveness nor forgetfulness prevails. You have reserves of emotional strength. Ours are depleted.
Before we can rebuild, we need a thick blanket of forgetfulness to envelop us—a comforter of solace, a womb where everything is alright, where things like this do not happen. From such a place, it is easier to create, to initiate, and to plan. From there, we can be reborn. And an angel will gently place a finger on our lips, erasing the pain, allowing us to laugh without dead eyes watching us, to dance without the word "dance" conjuring trauma, to sow and build homes just because—not despite. Thank you.
