Israeli youths wave flags and sing outside Jerusalem’s Old City May 29, 2022. Photo: REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun

To be Jewish in this moment is to be caught between ancestral trauma and modern-day terror. It is to scroll through social media and see our pain dismissed, our history denied, and our people dehumanized. It is to walk into spaces that claim to be progressive only to find that we, Jews, have been erased, vilified, or forced into silence.

But I am not silent. I am here — as a Jew, as an Israeli, as an American, as a Zionist, as a gay man, as every other part of my identity –and I am fighting forward.

The phrase “never again” was never meant to be passive. It was a call to action. A warning. A demand. Yet here we are, witnessing a resurgence of antisemitism so blatant, so emboldened, that it feels ripped from the pages of history we swore we wouldn’t repeat. From mobs calling for the destruction of Israel, to campus chants openly invoking genocidal rhetoric, the world has grown increasingly comfortable with its hate toward Jews, especially when it hides behind the veil of activism or academic theory.

But we are not just targets. We are not just survivors. We are sovereign people with a right — not only to defend ourselves — but to live with pride, to celebrate our culture, and to exist unapologetically.

As a Jewish advocate and a storyteller, I have spent years using my voice to confront hate, bridge communities, and inspire pride. I appear as a commentator on international news networks and write regularly for news publications, bringing Jewish voices and perspectives into the global media discourse.

I meet with US Congress members and Israeli Knesset representatives to advocate on behalf of the US, Israeli, and international Jewish communities — speaking up for our needs, our challenges, and our aspirations. I support Jewish organizations, community groups, and student groups by providing workshops, media training, and strategy sessions that help them move from trauma to resilience. And I work closely with survivors and the loved ones of victims, helping them take their next steps forward — not just in healing, but as examples of leadership and strength. This is what Jewish advocacy looks like — not just standing up to hate, but lifting each other through it.

What I have come to learn is this: The greatest resistance to antisemitism is Jewish joy and Jewish power, rooted in Jewish education. Not power as domination, but power as presence. Power as permanence. Power as pride. Power as knowledge.

It’s easy to vilify Jews when we are painted as invisible or other. But when we speak, create, dance, love, and shine as Jews, we disrupt the lie. We remind the world that we are not a relic of the past, not a scapegoat for political agendas — but a people with a story that continues, despite every attempt to silence us.

This moment demands that we move beyond survival mode. Survival is essential — but it’s not enough. The future of Jewish life depends on sovereignty of spirit. That means reclaiming our narrative in every realm — media, politics, education, and culture. It means rejecting the idea that we must make ourselves smaller or quieter to be accepted. It means holding our heads high when we speak of Israel — not as a footnote or a caveat, but as the indigenous homeland of our people, the miracle of Jewish self-determination.

Yes, I am a Zionist. Not because it’s fashionable — it isn’t. Not because it’s easy — it’s not. I am a Zionist because I believe in the right of the Jewish people to live freely in our ancestral land. I believe in the right to security, sovereignty, and survival — for all peoples — but especially for the one that has been hunted, exiled, and massacred across millennia.

And I reject the false binary that tells me I cannot be progressive and proudly Jewish. I will not choose between justice and my Jewishness — because Judaism is justice. Judaism is the original call for human dignity, for equity, for repairing the world. Our values are not at odds with activism — they are the root of it. I might be “old school progressive,” and I have separated from the misguidedness of today’s overreaching Progressive movement. My values have not changed, yet the movement sure has.

We must be louder — not just in reaction to hate, but in celebration of love. Jewish festivals should fill our streets. Hebrew songs should fill our schools. Israeli innovation should fill our headlines. Our art, our food, our humor, our wisdom — these are all weapons of light against the darkness.

We also need allies who don’t just whisper behind closed doors, but who are bold and visible in their support. Too many people say that they care about Jewish lives, but disappear when it matters most. To those who claim to be our friends: If your allyship isn’t loud when the hatred is loud, it’s not allyship. It’s convenience.

I speak from a place of pain, but more so from a place of power. I am the descendant of Jews who fled pogroms and persecution, who survived extermination attempts across continents and centuries. But I am also the embodiment of their triumph. I am alive, thriving, and proud. And I will not shrink for anyone.

To my fellow Jews: Wear your Star of David like a badge of honor. Speak your Hebrew with pride. Celebrate Shabbat with joy. And yes — defend Israel without shame.

Let us stop playing defense and start playing offense. Not with hatred, but with truth. Not with vengeance, but with vision. The future of Jewish life doesn’t belong to those who hide or blend in — it belongs to those who show up and stand tall.

We’ve spent generations proving we can survive. Now, let’s show the world what it looks like when we truly live and with full meaning say, Am Israel Chai.

Yuval David is an Emmy and Multi-Award-Winning Actor, Filmmaker, Journalist, and Jewish LGBTQ+ activist and advisor. A creative and compelling storyteller, on stage and screen, news and across social media, Yuval shares the narrative of Jewish activism and enduring hope. Follow him on Instagram, YouTube, and X.

The post Reclaiming Jewish Pride in an Age of Rising Hatred — I Am Done Being Quiet first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

Arsonists heavily damaged the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne, Australia, on Dec. 6, 2024. Photo: Screenshot

In the lead-up to Australia’s 2025 federal election on May 21, 2025, the Jewish community harbored cautious optimism. Many hoped that the electorate would deliver a rebuke to the rising tide of antisemitism and the radicalization of political discourse, particularly from the Greens and certain “Teal” independents. There was a genuine desire for a government that would prioritize social cohesion, reject imported hatreds, and reaffirm Australia’s commitment to its Jewish citizens.

However, the election results delivered a sobering reality. The Australian Labor Party secured a decisive majority, surpassing expectations and eliminating the need for alliances with the Greens or Teal independents. For many in the Jewish community, this outcome was unexpected and deeply concerning. There had been a belief that Australians would reject the divisiveness creeping into politics from the far-left fringes. Instead, the Labor Party’s clear majority sent shockwaves through a community already grappling with rising antisemitism and a volatile international climate.

Labor’s victory was also marred by internal controversies that further unsettled the Jewish community. The abrupt removal of Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, a senior Jewish MP, from the cabinet raised serious questions about the party’s direction. While opinions on Dreyfus’ record are mixed within the community, his departure, alongside that of Ed Husic, the only Muslim cabinet minister, was widely viewed as a ruthless factional play — one that sidelined two prominent figures in favor of internal power deals. These developments have heightened concerns that Labor’s commitment to addressing antisemitism and managing Middle Eastern issues with a policy of balance and sensitivity may falter without clear, principled leadership.

Yet, amid these challenges, there was a glimmer of light. The Greens, long criticized for their embrace of radical rhetoric and their tolerance of antisemitic narratives under the guise of anti-Zionism, suffered a significant electoral blow. The loss of several key seats, including that of leader Adam Bandt, was not just a political defeat but a clear rejection of their extreme positions by the Australian public. For a Jewish community increasingly under siege from fringe activism and imported Middle Eastern conflicts, this was a welcome repudiation of divisive identity politics.

Similarly, the Teal independents — once seen as centrist and pragmatic — faced a reality check. While some retained their seats, their influence diminished, and their ambiguous stances on antisemitism and foreign policy left many Jewish voters wary. The failure of certain Teal MPs to unequivocally condemn antisemitic incidents or to articulate clear, principled positions on Israel contributed to a growing disillusionment among voters, who had once viewed them as a moderate alternative.

The 2025 election has thus served as both a wake-up call and a complex lesson for the Jewish community. While the diminished influence of the Greens and Teals offers some reassurance, the Labor majority — and the internal shifts within its leadership — raise new concerns. This outcome has reinforced the need for vigilance and proactive engagement. It is not enough to hope for political parties to “get it right” on their own. Sustained advocacy, education, and a unified voice are essential to ensure that the fight against antisemitism and the defense of democratic values remain central to Australia’s political discourse.

Ultimately, while the election results were not what many in the Jewish community had hoped for, they revealed important fault lines — and opportunities. The electorate’s rejection of extremism signals that Australians are not prepared to embrace the imported hatreds and ideological purity tests that have plagued other Western democracies. There remains a strong foundation of support for pluralism, social cohesion, and common-sense governance.

Australia’s experience is a valuable example for other Western democracies: voters will tolerate diversity of opinion, but not the politics of division and hate. For the Jewish community, and indeed for all Australians, the path forward is clear — stay engaged, stay vigilant, and never assume that the moral clarity of the majority will prevail without effort.

Michael Gencher is the Executive Director of StandWithUs Australia, an international education organisation that supports Israel and fights antisemitism.

The post An Australian Lesson: Voters Reject Identity Politics and Imported Extremism first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

An “Apartheid Wall” erected by Harvard University’s Palestine Solidarity Committee. Photo: X/Twitter

There is nothing like a 999-page court subpoena to make you realize just how important your work truly is.

In the aftermath of October 7, 2023, a disturbing reality has emerged on American university campuses: that of antisemitism running rampant, and Jewish students fearing for their safety and their lives. US colleges and universities allowing students and professors alike to not only side with terrorists — but also to allow for the harassment of Jewish students and the violation of their civil rights — demanded to be documented, shared, and addressed. 

As a producer who has worked at HBO and CNN, I’ve always believed in the power of storytelling to illuminate truth and inspire action. Frontline Warriors, my second documentary with AISH, represents exactly this kind of vital storytelling. But because we made it, we are now being subpoenaed by Harvard in the ongoing lawsuit against them, executed by Shabbos Kestenbaum, who was featured in the film. We have retained a lawyer regarding the subpoena, which, due to its length and character, seems far more like a scare tactic, rather than a genuine request for information. 

This subpoena also came just two weeks before Harvard itself published the findings of a task force that concluded Jewish students had “faced bias, suspicion, intimidation, alienation, shunning, contempt, and sometimes effective exclusion from various curricular and co-curricular parts of the University and its community — clear examples of antisemitism and anti-Israeli bias.”

For over six months, my co-producers Rabbi Steven Burg, Rabbi Elliot Mathias, and I worked tirelessly to bring this urgent project to life. What began as a deep concern over rising antisemitism on college campuses evolved into a compelling documentary that follows three extraordinary Jewish student leaders at Harvard (Kestenbaum), Columbia (Eden Yadegar), and UCLA (Eli Tsives), as they confronted hatred with remarkable courage. Tsives, just this month, was physically assaulted on the UCLA campus and not for the first time — all of it caught on camera.

What makes Frontline Warriors stand apart is our unwavering commitment to truth. Every shocking claim made in the film, and there are many that viewers might find almost unbelievable, is meticulously backed by documentation, clips, or other evidence. This verification process consumed countless hours of our production time, but it was non-negotiable. In an era where truth is increasingly contested, we refused to give critics any grounds to dismiss these students’ experiences.

We accomplished this on what I can only describe as a “shoestring budget” — a true independent documentary effort without major studio backing. The distribution has been equally grassroots, with premiere screenings and events organized across the country. Our team, including the students featured in the film, has traveled extensively to share this story, driven by the conviction that these voices must be heard.

Now, for the first time, the film is available online for everyone to see. This accessibility marks a crucial turning point in our mission to raise awareness about campus antisemitism. But importantly, this isn’t merely a depressing chronicle of hatred. Unlike many documentaries that simply expose problems, we deliberately included solutions and a hopeful future outlook. 

One of the most powerful moments in the film comes when it’s noted that what we need isn’t just punishment for antisemitic acts, as necessary as accountability may be. What we truly need is “educated, literate, strong, empowered Jews at the earliest age possible.” The film ultimately makes the case for embracing and educating the next generation as the most effective response to hatred. There is a mission for all Jews that is bigger than simply fighting antisemitism; we must show others that being unabashedly Jewish, inwardly and outwardly, is what will inspire others. By showing those who hate us that they cannot diminish our flame, we will eventually win.

For me personally, stepping back into a producer role for this project has been deeply fulfilling. It’s where my training and expertise lie, and where I’ve consistently found my greatest professional satisfaction throughout my career. The opportunity to apply these skills to such an urgent cause, in my position at AISH, has been especially meaningful.

As we now move into pre-production on our third documentary (with the topic to be announced soon), I reflect on the importance of Frontline Warriors not just as a film, but as a call to action. It stands as testimony to the bravery of Jewish students who refuse to be silenced, and as an urgent message to all who value tolerance and truth on our nation’s campuses. 

This is more than a documentary, it’s a movement. And in today’s climate, I can think of few things more important to watch, share, and act upon. After all, with the recent subpoena, this seems to be the documentary that Harvard doesn’t want you to see. 

To watch Frontline Warriors, click here.

Jamie Geller is an award-winning producer who launched her career at HBO and CNN. As Chief Communications Officer and Global Spokesperson for Aish, she develops and produces groundbreaking documentaries, including October 7: Voices of Pain, Hope and Heroism and Frontline Warriors: The Fight Against Campus Antisemitism.

The post Here Is the Documentary on Campus Antisemitism That Harvard Doesn’t Want You to See first appeared on Algemeiner.com.