Why Words Matter

A few months ago, we experienced our second pro-Hamas rally outside our synagogue, the Young Israel of Lawrence-Cedarhurst. The pretext? Our synagogue hosted a real estate event promoting the purchase of apartments in Israel. Apparently, it is legal for anyone to buy land anywhere in the world—except for Jews seeking to purchase land in their ancestral homeland. As such, our congregation was targeted by pro-Hamas demonstrators.

We were fortunate to be protected by the Nassau County Police Department, who did an excellent job keeping the protesters away from both our synagogue and innocent passersby. Unfortunately, this was not our first pro-Hamas protest. However, this time, something notable occurred: the police enforced the Nassau County anti-masking law.

Many pro-Hamas protesters are too cowardly to show their faces. They wear masks to shield their identities, allowing them to chant threats and act violently with impunity. After one masked protester was arrested, I was contacted by the Nassau County District Attorney’s office regarding whether I wished to press charges. The office was tasked with prosecuting the individual and needed evidence that his actions were indeed intimidating.

I explained that chants of “Intifada, intifada”—referring to a terrorist campaign responsible for the deaths of over 1,000 Israeli civilians—are inherently threatening. I also explained that the slogan “From the River to the Sea” comes directly from the Hamas charter, which calls for the annihilation of the State of Israel and the murder of its more than seven million Jews. I shared how many members of our community were afraid to leave their homes and how parents were forced to explain to their children why people were calling for the murder of Jews—and why no one was stopping them.

Despite all this, the District Attorney’s office dropped the charges. It appears that in today’s legal environment, it is difficult to prove that threatening to kill people constitutes real intimidation.

And now, we mourn the senseless, cold-blooded murders of Yaron Lishinsky and Sarah Milgrim in Washington, DC. The terrorist who ran them down was still shouting “Free Palestine” as he was taken away by security. This must serve as a wake-up call to all who support pro-Hamas forces.

It is time to understand that Hamas is not a liberal, democratic movement seeking a two-state solution or peaceful coexistence. Their charter is explicit: even peace negotiations are forbidden. The recent surge in support for Hamas on campuses, in the media, and in the streets is part of their ongoing political campaign for the same goal—Israel’s destruction. Their slogans are not about freedom, resistance, or world peace. They are designed to incite violence and hatred.

It is only a matter of time before this leads to more murder of innocent people. The longer well-meaning but uninformed individuals align themselves with terrorist propaganda, the more violence we will witness against innocent lives.