After October 7, I Expected More Empathy

Oct 8, 2026, 2:20 AM

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When October 7 happened, I thought the world would have more empathy.

I thought the murders, kidnappings and sexual violence would make people understand what had happened to Jews that day. I thought Jewish victims would be heard, and that the world would become less tolerant of hatred against us.

Instead, the opposite happened.

In the United States alone, antisemitic incidents rose by 140% in 2023, reaching a record that was surpassed again in 2024, with more than 9,300 incidents.

But statistics only tell part of the story.

For many Jews, October 7 did not end that day. It changed the way we see safety, identity and the world around us.

I thought that after October 7, Jewish pain would finally be impossible to ignore.

I was wrong.

About the Author

Jacqueline is a Brazilian journalism student living in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She writes about Jewish identity, life in the diaspora, antisemitism, Israel, culture and belonging. Through a personal and journalistic perspective, she explores the experiences of young Jews in Latin America and the ways Jewish voices are represented in today’s world.