#ImThatJew: And I Wouldn’t Want to Be Anyone Else [WATCH]

This has been simmering with me for a while.
And I’ve been wondering when would be the right time to let it out.

The time is now.

Last year, after the Charlie Hebdo massacre went down in France, radical Islamic terrorists entered a kosher supermarket and gunned down innocent Jewish shoppers who were just out to buy some groceries. They were killed because they were Jewish — no other reason. The world remained largely silent.

I had a conversation with a friend in France at that time and they said they weren’t telling anyone they were Jewish. They weren’t telling anyone they’d ever been to Israel, either. They were terrified, fearful to be publicly identified as Jewish.

And look at the anti-Semitism now. It’s 2015 and it’s everywhere you look. In the streets. In the media. In the classroom. Across campuses. It’s practically en vogue.

Is this really what we’ve come to?

That depressing conversation I had was the inspiration for something I wrote and published that night. It came straight from my gut. I wrote it as a message of solidarity, hope and as a hand reaching out to any Jew anywhere to show them they’re not alone.

Whether near or far, we’re all in this together. And lest any Jew forgets — because of the violence directed at us, the hatred, the incitement to kill, the vile words, the missiles, the rockets, the knives, the rocks, the deafening silence of the world that we all feel right now — we should be proud of our heritage, accomplishments and spirit. Just like anyone else on this planet. And we shouldn’t be shy about it.

So I’m writing this to all my Jewish brothers and sisters. Rise up, speak up and keep your chins up. We’ll get through this because we love life and we’re strong and smart and funny and beautiful and talented and resilient and educated and hard-working and positive and so much more.

We’re okay. In fact, we’re more than okay. 

We rock. This video is a little reminder.
Love and peace to all,

#imthatjew