Unite to Face the Storm – Have an Impact
June 11, 2025 - Issue #79
Last week, I attended a group dinner where two knowledgeable individuals from an esteemed think tank spoke about Israel, Iran, Turkey, Qatar, and American policy in the Middle East. At one point, the conversation veered into their organization’s internal operations. That’s when I learned they have an impact staffer—someone whose sole job is to ensure that everyone at the think tank not only produces good work but also has an impact every single day.
That led me to question myself on the drive home. Do I let days pass without doing anything to support Israel’s existence? Am I pushing back every day against the rising antisemitism threatening to engulf us—in the United States and worldwide? Am I having a daily impact? Viewing my activities through that lens, I realized that while I do much to serve those causes while balancing family and other interests, I could and should do more.
After all, Israelis face the threat and reality of terror every day—and now, so do Jews in the United States. Just ask the fifteen people injured recently in Boulder, Colorado, while participating in a Run for Their Lives Walk to raise awareness of the hostages and demand their release. They were burned by a homemade Molotov cocktail thrown by a man screaming “Free Palestine.” Or consider the two Israeli Embassy staffers, about to be engaged, who were shot and killed on May 21 after attending an event at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. Their killer also screamed “Free Palestine.” I am sure the Jewish governor of Pennsylvania, Josh Shapiro, also understands that terror—especially after the April 13th arson attack on his home, whose perpetrator said it was “because of the treatment of Palestinians.”
By the time I got home, I had decided: Yes, I could and should do more. And, importantly, to help motivate me, I wanted a constant reminder of who I am and the impact I want to have. So, I purchased a Jewish star and neck chain—not to wear ostentatiously, but to wear under my shirt, and perhaps at times outwardly as well even though I have never been one to wear Jewelry. Why a Jewish Star? Because I thought this six-pointed star formed by two overlapping triangles, also called in Hebrew, Magen David (Shield of David), would serve as a reminder of my identity, need for resilience, and solidarity with fellow Jews. During World War Two the Germans sought to shame and identify Jews by making them wear a yellow Shield of David on their clothing. For three years during the Holocaust, until my mother went into hiding, she had to wear that Nazi invented supposed badge of mockery and shame. My mother died a few years ago but at home I have one of her yellow, cloth stars. It serves as a reminder to me of her courage and perseverance, without which my family would not exist. And now, the Shield of David is the central feature of Israel’s flag and stands as a testament to Jewish survival. Therefore, should any question my decision or feel it silly, know now that I see my wearing of it as a link to my people’s past and as fuel for propelling us to better their future. And that I wear it for you as well as myself.
The next day, I purchased my Shield of David. But also, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security issued this warning to Jews in the United States:
“The ongoing Israel-HAMAS conflict may motivate other violent extremists and hate crime perpetrators with similar grievances to conduct violence against Jewish and Israeli communities and their supporters.”“Foreign terrorist organizations also may try to exploit narratives related to the conflict to inspire attacks in the United States.”What response did the warning suggest?
“The FBI and DHS therefore urge the public to remain vigilant and to report any threats of violence or suspicious activity to law enforcement.” But remaining vigilant and reporting threats and suspicious activity is not enough. That is defense. That is cowering and hoping that someone else will solve our problems because:
Given the media hostility that surrounds us,
The huge sums of foreign money pouring into this country to poison the minds of our young people, and
The growing chorus of cries for a “Global Intifada”, “Free Palestine from the River to the Sea,” and the like—all thinly veiled demands for the destruction of Israel and murder of Jews,
Defense alone is not enough.
Nor is remaining in the shadows viable. If we do nothing but watch, listen, and report, the venomous verbiage will worsen, not dissipate. One slanted news story will beget more. Every unrebutted slur will beget more. That vitriol will lead to more violence and then every vicious attack will beget more. All then normalized and all more intimidating. All in the name of a twisted cause that will have found a home in a vacuum devoid of dissent.
Furthermore, if we do nothing, like what happened in Texas on June 5 with the Israel Summit scheduled for June 9-11, we will see cancellations of Israeli and Jewish events due to terror threats. And those that go forward will be saddled with climbing security expenses as has already been experienced by Synagogues. Emboldened, threats real and made up will choke off mobilization of support for Jewish causes freeing the playing field of intellectual discourse to our enemies.
Therefore, we must go on offense. Not with violence or intimidation, but with our voices, our actions, and our courage. How? It first starts with adopting principles of argument and analysis. They include:
Do not dilute your defense of Israel or the Jewish people with “buts.” When defending Israel’s right to exist, or the Jewish people’s right to live free of antisemitism, there is no room for hedging by expressing other concerns. Doing so dilutes the message that Hamas is the culprit, and that the war in Gaza ends tomorrow if Hamas releases all the hostages and gives up on its aspirations to rule the Gazan people. That does not mean ignoring your own opinions about Israeli policy or leadership. I would expect you to express them as part of healthy debate to those who deeply feel that Hamas is the culprit. Still, be weary of conflating those thoughts with the evil that wants to kill us. Doing so surrenders moral ground that must not be yielded; and for doubters and provocateurs provides words that will be used to divide us from ourselves and our supporters.
The rise of Antisemitism is the fault of the haters—not the victims. Antisemitic acts grew at an alarming rate before October 7. Antisemitic messaging and shunning were growing. A tipping point was inevitable. Then came the catalyst for its present explosion—Hamas’ attack. Next, rather than unilaterally blame Hamas and its fellow Jihadists; it did not take long for nations around the world, the United Nations, and elements within the United States to rally to a different cry—blame Israel, blame the Jews. All this has created a permissive environment which promotes overt antisemitism by individuals and groups alike. And it has greatly encouraged Hamas, thereby prolonging the war and suffering of the hostages.
Now, those on the far right who marched at Charlottesville in 2017 screaming “Jews will not replace us,” can sit back, content with letting so-called progressives do their antisemitic dirty work. But rest assured, they have not gone away, they remain as an evil force with their bedfellows on the left, too many of which never saw a minority not in need of compassion and relief from tyranny—other than Jews and Israel which is the homeland for the most “oppressed people”—Jews that have been hounded and exterminated for two millennium.
Now that Jews have a home where they can find safety they find themselves under fire from without rather than from within. Now that they are fighting to survive there rather than meekly accepting their fate they find themselves vilified. Now, both supportive and unsupportive Jews in the diaspora find themselves at risk, not because of what Israel does, today’s thinly veiled excuse for antisemitism, but because of who we are (think for a moment about the leftist Jews in the Gaza border kibbutzim who supported a two-state solution and hired Gazan residents—they were slaughtered for who they were no matter what they thought). This will not end by hoping it will go away. Here, it will only stop by resolutely facing it down and calling it out.Don’t make perfect the enemy of good. Winston Churchill adopted this stance in World War II, when the Nazis threatened all of western civilization. When asked about cooperating with the Soviet Union to defeat Hitler, Churchill said: “If Hitler invaded Hell, I would at least make a favorable reference to the Devil himself in the House of Commons.” He knew that when facing existential danger from powerful enemies that it demands alliances with those that may not reflect many of your values. Thus, when the Jewish people are under assault, when Israel is craftily and so absurdly demonized as a genocidal or colonial state, when Jews are attacked in the streets of America for being Jews, and when we are so vastly outnumbered—this is not the time to allow political differences to come first.
Push back hard against those that call you a “one-issue voter,” regarding Israel and antisemitism. This is an intellectual trap that shames too many into silence. It is also an accusation that some making the allegation perhaps do without first pausing for self-reflection. Now it is usually levelled by Trump or Bibi haters whose political discourse is often informed by their fervent opposition to the leaders they don’t like. The same style of argument was true for Trump supporters who couldn’t find anything positive in Biden or Obama. Rather than debate nuances they would accuse one of Trump Derangement Syndrome. That dynamic exists in Israel for or against Netanyahu. Do not fall silent victim to such accusations. In reality, it is many of those that level the charge and can’t find anything to support based on policy rather than policymakers that are one-issue voters. As for me, I care about many issues—education, national debt, environment, healthcare, national security, women’s rights, etc.—but when Jewish lives are at risk, when Israel’s very existence is called into question, that issue rises. So could and do other issues based on their existential impact. But if your house were on fire, you would focus on the fire first. The Jewish house is on fire. Push back on those that would diminish your words by accusing you of having only one issue. Ask them what they are doing to extinguish the flames threatening to consume our people.
Refute directly and unapologetically the vile accusations now being hurled at Israel: genocide and mass starvation—especially those that accuse Israel first and Hamas never, or last. On October 7, Hamas launched its latest version of its decades long genocidal war. Its fighters raped Israeli women, burned families alive, murdered infants, wantonly kidnapped the elderly and the young. During those hours and after, they celebrated their atrocities. Since then, Hamas has hidden behind its own civilians while vowing to repeat October 7th again and again. For all those Gazans that have died, their deaths are directly linked to Hamas and its agenda which further its Jihadi goals not the welfare of the people that till now it governed. Something that, according to polling and anecdotes on the ground, Gazans are increasingly thinking.
As for starvation, over the last two weeks, the Israel facilitated Gaza Humanitarian Foundation has delivered more than thirteen million meals to Gazans. Two million just yesterday. Have there been complications. Of course. No such massive program would not have start-up issues. Many of them, however, have been caused by Hamas who desperately sees the program as challenging its grasp on power in Gaza where until now it coopted humanitarian aid providers and aid as middleman and tools to perpetuate Hamas control. How has the United Nations and other aid organizations reacted? Rather than help they obfuscate and oppose. Apparently, their principles or self-interest means more than feeding people. With their words, they provide nutrients to Israel haters rather than support for the only food program that will speed rather than slow the end of the war. And even if they oppose the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation for their dubious policy reasons, shouldn’t they put feeding the people before their biased agenda? Or are they joining Hamas in hoping people starve so as to promote their views?Don’t rush to judgement when Israel is accused. Over and over mass media issue blaring headlines accusing Israel of one atrocity or another—almost always based on Hamas misinformation outlets. Same with accusations by U.N. representatives. Therefore, I suggest holding your judgement until you see the same level of proof of the accusation that you would require for the denial. Also determine the interests of the accusers. Then, wait for the IDF investigation and response. And once you have all the facts, even if Israel has erred, analyze whether this was an intended result or an accident. For only Hamas wants to see dead civilians.
So, I ask you, after adopting these principles and any others you care to add, to act. No longer is it enough for a few to speak out, for a few to educate, for a few to donate. Defeating antisemitism and defending Israel requires all of us to go on the offense—relentlessly. That does not mean every waking moment. But it does mean taking every opportunity—and creating new ones. New ones that reflect your strengths and interests. New ones that educate and motivate those around us and our families and children.
Begin now. Even a small act will start a chain reaction that leads to greater and greater engagement. Advocating for Israel and the Jewish people is like starting an exercise program: the first steps are hard, but the more you do it, the stronger and more confident you become.
And remember this: the power of your actions is not measured by what you accomplish alone. It is our collective voice that matters. Our numbers, our resolve, our words, our actions, and our support—this is what will stem the rising tide of antisemitism and give Israel the popular backing it needs. I saw a simple example of that last night that inspired me. While sipping coffee outside a Starbucks, a young man wearing a kippah walked by. He was pushing a stroller with a baby inside. He showed no concern while visibly exhibiting his faith. Previously, I had looked at wearing a Kippah as just a display of religiosity—something that the secular me would not do—just as wearing jewelry is not my thing. But now, wearing my Star of David, albeit under my shirt, I felt differently. If anybody had hassled him, I would have come to his aid. It made me think, what if all of us exhibited visible evidence of support for our people? Rather than one out of a thousand walking down the street, what if it were one of a hundred or one of twenty. It wouldn’t have to be just Jews; it could be anybody who can differentiate light from darkness. That would end antisemitism’s threat.
Therefore, if you have been sitting on the sidelines, dare to step onto the field—because time is short. If you have been on the fringe, up your game—before those who hate us up theirs. If someone on a stage (true story) who receives an academic award for teaching K-12 suddenly yells out “Free Palestine,” at the very least boo and encourage a change in policy that would address that issue. If you have been active, take it to the next level because this movement needs both more leaders and more dedicated supporters.
You don’t need to be rich. You don’t need to be a great speaker or writer. You don’t need extraordinary talent. You just need resolve. Even just tiny part of you is needed.
So be clear. Be forceful. Be unwavering.
Engage in this fight for the Jewish people and the future of the western world before it is too late.
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Israel’s Struggle with Hezbollah—A War Without End is now available in eBook and hardback format on Amazon and IngramSpark. This compelling narrative explores Hezbollah’s origins and cancerous growth, traces Israel’s response, and reveals Israel’s present readiness to meet Hezbollah’s challenge.
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Important Link—Alma Research and Education Center: Understanding the Security Challenges on Israel’s Northern Border
Wear that Magen David on that outside.
Think about that man pushing the stroller. He was wearing a kippah because he understood his heritage. Learn not only to be proud of being Jewish, but what there is in Judaism that makes you proud. It will make you more committed and more solid in your belief in your people and in yourself.