Last month, as Jews around the world began our observance of the High Holy Days — the most sacred time of the year — we were once again reminded that Jewish life, though flourishing and resilient, exists under constant threat. On the eve of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, Hamas released a video of Alon Ohel, one of the 48 hostages still held in captivity. According to his parents, who watched the horrific footage, Alon was frail, frightened, and had lost sight in his right eye.
This video, and the many others like it, captures the terror endured every day since October 7, 2023, when Hamas launched an attack on a music festival that killed and injured thousands, shattered families, traumatized communities, and left the world reeling. The horror was immediate, visceral, and devastating — and its echoes are still felt two years later.
Nevertheless, we must not let pain, anger, or fear guide our judgement. Recognizing that suffering exists on both sides of the conflict is not a matter of taking sides. It is one of preserving humanity. Hamas perpetuates violence deliberately, while innocent civilians in Gaza endure the consequences: destruction, lives uprooted, hunger, and hopelessness. At the same time, Israelis face relentless terror, including the September 8th assault at a Jerusalem bus stop that killed six civilians, constant rocket fire, and the persistent threat of further attacks.
With so many victims on each side, the question must be asked: what comes next? Israel has an obligation to root out Hamas while minimizing civilian harm through already existing measures such as early warning, leaflets, and other humanitarian precautions. Hamas has a parallel responsibility: to cease targeting civilians, Israelis and Gazans alike, and release the hostages so that innocent people are not used as leverage.
The world outside Israel also has responsibilities. Media and social media shape perceptions, yet too often amplify false or misleading narratives that distort understanding of the conflict and fuel hostility toward Jews. Viral posts claiming that Israel "intentionally starves Gaza” or targets civilians without context embolden actors who attack Jews abroad. These misrepresentations foster selective empathy, and can be as humiliating as they are dangerous.
Recent cultural moments reveal the cost of this imbalance. At a Shawn Mendes concert this summer, fans applauded his sadness over Gaza but grew silent when he acknowledged antisemitism. Weeks later, Chris Martin invited two Israelis on stage, affirming their humanity, as if only Israelis required such recognition. At the Emmys last month, Hannah Einbinder declared “Free Palestine” during her award speech when, instead of joining the populist chorus, she might have used her platform to call for peace, coexistence, and the humanity of both Israelis and Palestinians.
Meanwhile, violent acts in the United States — the shooting at a Jewish museum in Washington, D.C., the arson attack on Pennsylvania Govenor Josh Shapiro’s home on Passover, and Molotov cocktails thrown at pro-Israel demonstrators in Colorado — all stemmed from a climate of misinformation and selective outrage. Canadian synagogues and community centers from Halifax to Victoria have faced harassment and vandalism. And across Europe, Jewish communities have endured threa
As an Israeli who has unapologetically protested my country’s policies, trust me when I say that criticism of the government is legitimate and necessary. However, using opposition to Israel’s government as a cover for attacks on Jews and Israelis abroad is reprehensible. Boycotts and delegitimization campaigns, including BDS, while non-violent, punish ordinary people for government actions and obscure the reality of a functioning democracy where Jews, Arabs, and Christians coexist, and a two-state solution remains achievable. Framing these campaigns as legitimate outrage does more to perpetuate false narratives and fuel antisemitism than it does to promote humanity and bring about solutions.
Two years on, the memory of October 7, the ongoing captivity of the 48 hostages, and the continued attacks on Jewish communities globally demands reflection. We must insist on truthful, nuanced reporting, honor Palestinian lives without excusing violence, and protect Jewish lives. By confronting these realities together with moral clarity, vigilance and consistent empathy, we can preserve humanity, uphold justice, and prevent further violence and prejudice.
Hen Mazzig is an Israeli-born writer, speaker, and digital influencer who advocates for Jewish identity and against antisemitism. He is the co-founder of the Tel Aviv Institute, the author of The Wrong Kind of Jew and creator of the series And They’re Jewish, which celebrates Jewish diversity and seeks to build bridges rooted in tolerance and peace.
