An Urgent Appeal to American Jews
An Urgent Appeal to American Jews: Your Voice is Needed Now
This is what we Israelis need – and this is what we American Jews must do
A deep chasm around the war in Gaza has been created in the Jewish world, and the silence of the American Jewish establishment in response to that war and its impact on Gaza may prove to be a moral failure. As two Jews, one in America and one in Israel, we have watched in horror both the events of October 7 and the Israeli response. Almost two years on, the war in Gaza continues, backed by the full weight of the US government and the unwavering support of mainstream Jewish organizations.
This silence is not passive. It is an endorsement of a war that is causing unimaginable devastation and endless pain, death, and hunger – facts that are well known to the American public.
While this devastation continues, Israelis are speaking out. Hundreds of thousands protest this war daily. While the overwhelming majority of people in Israel want the war to end and the hostages returned – understanding that the two are inextricably linked – the government continues and is now expanding the war, seemingly oblivious to the human toll in Gaza and on Israeli soldiers and reservists who continue to suffer casualties for a war many (including hundreds of former security services heads) no longer support.
The Israelis are pleading for help, yet the American Jewish establishment remains silent. This silence is not neutral. It is a green light to the Israeli government as it continues a war many Israelis no longer believe in. It is a betrayal of the soldiers still dying for a purpose that is no longer clear. And it is a deaf ear to the settlers in the West Bank who, under the cover of war and backed by far-right ministers, escalate attacks on Palestinian communities and declare the dream of a Palestinian state “erased from the table.”
Now, more than ever, the American Jewish community must speak. A strong voice of dissent could achieve two critical goals: first, signal to President Trump that American Jewish support for this war is waning, and second, give vital strength to the Israeli movement for democracy, the return of the hostages, and an end to the war, with a clear call for a negotiated agreement to resolve the conflict.
The time has come to echo the late Yitzhak Rabin’s plea on the White House lawn 32 years ago as he stood with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and President Clinton:
“Enough of blood and tears… We, like you, are people, people who want to build a home…to live side by side with you in dignity, in empathy, as human beings. We wish to open a new chapter in the sad book of our lives together, a chapter of mutual recognition, of mutual respect, of understanding.”
Like Rabin’s call at the time, a call for an end to the current war and to the ongoing conflict must not be mistaken for a “gift” to Hamas, and not merely a moral imperative. It is an act of self-preservation, a priceless gift to Israelis who deserve to raise their children in a safe homeland, not in bomb shelters, under the ever-looming round of violence, wishing it would skip their boys’ military service. Even more clearly, supporting the war is now a gift to the extremists on both sides, who benefit from it. Israelis and Palestinians deserve a life of freedom, safety, and dignity, and the American Jewish community’s support for this future is a critical need.
The establishment American Jewish community must do whatever it can to assist those in Israel who are seeking to create a reality of peace, social justice, and democracy. These Israelis, who are striving to shift, in a meaningful way, Israel’s current trajectory, deserve that support. If we really do care about Israel’s future and wish to protect its security, then being outspoken at this time is critical. Our own best interest as Jews and Israelis demands it.
The zeal for war must give way to a path of compassion. Our next great challenge is not fighting but rebuilding. By supporting an end to this conflict and aiding in Gaza’s recovery, we reaffirm the core tenets of Judaism: the sacredness of life and our duty to Tikkun Olam—repairing the world.
This is a necessity for peace, for justice, and for our own humanity.
The choices we make today will write the story of tomorrow. The choice is crystal clear. End the silence. End the carnage. Support the democracy-seekers, peacemakers, and the rebuilders. Now.
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This piece was co-authored by Geoffrey Lewis and Naomi Beyth-Zoran:
Geoffrey Lewis is a lawyer and businessperson who is currently International Co-Chair of The Abraham Initiatives. He was previously President of the Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston and a Board member of Combined Jewish Philanthropies.
Naomi Beyth-Zoran is an Israeli lawyer and educator. She holds a Master’s in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School and is a former Research Fellow at the Ash Center for Democratic Governance.
