The immense pain and sacrifice Israelis have endured has led to a significant development that may be the catalyst for saving the future of the Diaspora. Jewish people worldwide—and otherwise disconnected Israelis—have experienced a profound reawakening. Many of us, particularly those outside Israel, had become complacent—lulled by Israel’s success, by personal successes, by indifference, and by a sense of security. We had forgotten, to varying degrees, what past generations of Jews instinctively understood: the price of survival and the necessity of resilience. Through fire and the blood of our brothers and sisters, our nation has been reborn.
As I speak to different communities of different backgrounds, what has become clear is that this recalibration is real. I have seen the light in people’s eyes and the animation in their faces as I speak about this change that has occurred… There is a recognition that transcends words. Their commitment is there; they are waiting to be activated.
There are at least four distinct groups of Jewish people that have emerged. The first group, the steadfast, never forgot. They were active, engaged and committed to the cause long before the current crisis. To them, I offer only gratitude and acknowledgment. They have carried the torch of our shared heritage and reminded the rest of us what it means to be vigilant and proactive.
The second group could see what was at play well before October 7 but did not feel compelled to act. These individuals were aware of the issues, but perhaps they lacked the motivation or clarity to get out of their comfort zones. Now, with the world as it is, they understand that they cannot afford to sit on the sidelines any longer. This group holds a vital role; their knowledge must now become action.
But perhaps the most crucial group is the third, the ones who had felt disconnected, perhaps even critical, of Israel or the issues facing Jews globally. For many in this group, the crisis has been a radical awakening. They are the largest group by far, and it is their reawakening that holds the most potential. Through the heartbreak and sacrifice of our brothers and sisters in Israel and through the overt antisemitism they have been exposed to, this group has been stirred from their slumber. There is a recognition that we are the David to our enemies Goliath and that we must proceed forward with our best selves.
The fourth group is one that still fails to see the threat that exists to themselves and also fails to have moral clarity regarding the oppressed and the oppressor. They fail to see Iran, its many proxies and radical Islamic movements as a clear and present danger to Jewish people the world over. Some of these groups are personified by If Not Now, Jewish Voice for Peace and Diaspora Alliance, to name a few. These groups of people do the bidding of our enemies.
In the poem “The Silver Platter,” written by Israeli poet Nathan Alterman in 1947, the poet implies that Jewish people enjoy their peace because of the lives of young people willing to sacrifice for Israel’s survival.
The final lines of the poem highlight the metaphor:
And the rest will be told in the chronicles of Israel,
They rise up, and stand silently,
Dressed in battle gear, dirty, exhausted,
Their lips are sealed,
And they are asked by their people, ‘Who are you?’
And they say quietly, ‘We are the silver platter,
On which the Jewish state was served to you.’
This poem is as relevant today as it was when it was written in 1947. We the Jewish people have been saved and redeemed by the courage of the Israeli people and the Israeli army.
We have tremendous work ahead of us. We need to roll up our sleeves and engage in education, entertainment, media, popular culture, business associations and social media. We must begin this process brick by brick until we have built a massive structure capable of taking on all the challenges before us. This will not happen in one day or one week; this will take years of dedication and commitment. This challenge is an open-ended one. It is no exaggeration to say that through fire and the blood of our brothers and sisters we have been given hope for a better tomorrow.
As co-founder and chairman of Minds and Hearts, Daniel Rosen is responsible for setting the strategic direction of this new effort to fight antisemitism and anti-israel sentiment online. Daniel has been a recognized opinion leader since his early college days where he co-founded Torchpac, a pro Israel advocacy group at NYU. Since 2005, Daniel has applied his leadership skills as the co-CEO of a successful online and offline distribution business. He has been published in JNS, Jerusalem Post, The Algemeiner, Israel National News, Times of Israel, Washington Jewish Week and The Jewish Link.
