Standing Tall in the Face of Hate

It shouldn’t require thick skin to stand up for a community that has done nothing wrong—but the world we’re currently living in isn’t playing by the rules.

Since October 7, 2023 there’s been an incessant barrage of lies launched at Israel and the Jewish people. Keyboard warriors, campus protesters, celebrities, politicians, journalists and more have amplified allegations against the world’s only Jewish state that simply aren’t true—and it’s endangering the lives of Jews everywhere.

Thankfully, activists have emerged who’ve been working tirelessly to combat disinformation and set the record straight—stepping up to the plate in the fight against antisemitism at a time when we really need it.

But their path hasn’t been an easy one.

Those courageous enough to stand up for the Jewish community have opened themselves up to an onslaught of hate on a daily basis, requiring an impressive level of chutzpah not many of us could muster.

I asked a few of these activists three simple questions.

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Aliza Licht (Shira Stern Photography)

Aliza Licht is the founder of the multimedia brand and consultancy Leave Your Mark. She’s an award-winning marketer, bestselling author, podcaster, and personal branding expert with over twenty-five years in fashion and media.

What sort of hate have you endured since standing up for Israel and the Jewish community?

The hate I receive isn’t unique. It’s what so many Jews are facing right now in different forms: lost job opportunities, social media pile-ons, hostile DMs, or whisper campaigns behind their backs. I’ve chosen to be on the front lines of this PR war. It requires thick skin, but staying silent is far more frightening.

What keeps you going?

As the granddaughter of four Holocaust survivors, speaking out doesn’t feel optional. I also have two proudly Jewish children who are watching how I respond to this moment. I want them to see what it looks like to stand up for truth. As a former publicist who now works in marketing and social media, I have the skill set and the network to try to reshape the narrative. That responsibility motivates me every day.

What can we do to support you?

Amplify my content @alizalichtxo wherever you can. I report on breaking news and actively correct disinformation. Recently, there was a coordinated campaign to bomb-review my books Leave Your Mark and On Brand, as well as my Leave Your Mark podcast. Leaving positive reviews means more than you know and helps push back against these attacks. Thank you for standing with me. It truly makes a difference.

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Lindsay Pinchuk (Shay James Photography)

Lindsay Pinchuk is an award-winning entrepreneur with nearly twenty-five years in marketing, consulting, and branding. She is the Founder and CEO of Dear FoundHer..., a podcast that has grown into a movement and community to uplift and inspire female founders 40+ with actionable tips for success.

What sort of hate have you endured since standing up for Israel and the Jewish community?

Most of the hate I’ve endured since October 7th has been keyboard warrior hate—disgusting comments or DMs on Instagram. Most are from bots but there are definitely a good amount from real people. The most interesting thing is that they are not all from people who you would be expecting to spew hate. There have been many from White, Christian people—blonde hair and blue eyed suburban moms and such. The irony of this is that most of these people have no idea what they are even talking about. 

The other kind of hate I’ve experienced is the silent kind. And YES, I do consider this hate too. This, though, comes from people I know. When people are watching and witnessing my posts sharing antisemitism and atrocities, but they say nothing to me—I consider that hate. I couldn’t imagine seeing someone I know, love or say I care about, sharing some of the things I have shared with zero reaction. But this has happened and yes, I consider this a form of hate as well. To me, their silence speaks volumes and I won’t ever be able to look at these people the same again.

What keeps you going?

There are a few things in the fight against antisemitism that keep me going:

1. In 1997 when I visited the sites of the Holocaust on the March of the Living, I made a promise. That promise was not just “Never Forget,” but NEVER AGAIN. I will never forget what I saw and I will never go back on that promise. 

2. I will never EVER not speak up for what’s right. Over the course of my life I’ve spoken out for every cause and minority group—there isn’t a chance I wouldn’t speak up and speak out, LOUDLY, for my own. We are in a fight for our future and I will never back down from standing up for myself and my family of 15.2 million people. 

3. The #1 reason I keep going is simple: My daughters. First and foremost, they watch everything I do. Leading by example for our kids is how we make sure the Jewish community continues to thrive. Additionally, my daughters are our future and they deserve to live in a world where they can be whoever they want to be without feeling like they have to hide. 

What can we do to support you?

For me and for any online activist right now: share our content, engage with our content, tell others as well. We need to amplify those who are speaking up and speaking out, especially if you can’t articulate it yourself. 

And for yourself—be proudly Jewish. Don’t hide your identity. Wear your star, attend events, surround yourself with people who care about and support you. 

. . . . .

Eitan Chitayat (courtesy)

Eitan Chitayat is a global brand builder and founder of the award-winning Natie Branding Agency, with nearly 30 years of experience with brands like Google, IsraAID, Volkswagen, Apple, and UBQ. His personal Jewish advocacy work—most notably I’m That Jew—has amassed almost 300 million views worldwide. Follow Eitan on Instagram at @eitanchitayat_words and get behind I’m That Jew by signing up for the newsletter at imthatjew.com.

What sort of hate have you endured since standing up for Israel and the Jewish community?

Because of my public advocacy, I get hate all the time—comments, messages, even letters. But it’s just noise from people who already hate. It doesn’t shake me. What has shaken me—what’s been the hardest by far—is the silence. The friends who haven’t checked in. The people who know exactly what I’m standing up for, what I’m going through, what we’re all going through—and say nothing. I live in Israel. The missiles, the terror, the trauma—it’s not a secret. And still… silence. It’s not hatred. It’s abandonment. And that hurts more than anything else.

What keeps you going?

My kids. My wife. My family. My friends. My countrymen and women. My people. Good people and humanity. You. And hope. Hope for better keeps me going.  

What can we do to support you?

Get behind I’m That Jew and help scale it. The movement is all about empowering Jews to own their identity proudly and publicly—and to tell our story on our terms. It’s about reclaiming narrative, building community, and making sure the world sees the full, human, diverse truth of who we are—so we’re never erased, silenced, or defined by others again. If you want to help support that vision, you can here: imthatjew.com/donate.

. . . . .

Eitan said something in an interview months ago that has stuck with me ever since: “Branding is my day job, but being Jewish is my life.” This resonates with me to my core, as I’m sure it does for anyone whose life took an unexpected pivot into Jewish advocacy (in any form) on October 7th, 2023.

For nearly two years I’ve been intrigued by the question of what makes an activist—what qualities or circumstances have compelled some to boldly fight for us while most remain inexplicably silent? I’ve come to realize that for those who have spoken up, it’s not really a choice—standing up for what’s right is the very essence of who they are.

In the vibrant book Chutzpah Girls, Julie Esther Silverstein and Tami Schlossberg Pruwer offer a thorough and satisfying definition of the word chutzpah:

“A Jewish superpower: the daring to speak when silenced, to take action when others won’t, to try when they say it’s impossible, to persevere in times of doubt, to be yourself when it’s easier to conform, to stand tall when made to feel small, to believe when it all feels hopeless, to shine your light in the face of darkness.”

I can’t imagine a better descriptor for those who are fighting for our right to exist, often at great personal sacrifice, each and every day.

To the incredible voices featured here, and to everyone who is using their time, skill set, and seemingly endless supply of chutzpah to stand up for our community—your Jewish superpower is strong, and we appreciate your leadership more than you know.

Keep shining your light in the face of darkness.