Pro-Israel students take part in a protest in support of Israel amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza, at Columbia University in New York City, US, October 12, 2023.© (photo credit: JEENAH MOON/REUTERS)
Pride is positive.
It’s rooted in joy, beauty, and self-determination. It encompasses self-esteem and confidence, embracing positive ideas. The modern Jewish Pride movement, which I have championed for the last five years, aims to educate, inspire, and empower – bringing more positivity. I argue that Jews must define their Jewish identity and see their Jewishness as a source of pride, never shame – adding even more positivity. But Jewish Pride isn’t reserved for good times. How can it serve us in challenging moments?
Good in bad
Before becoming an author, I worked as a Holocaust educator in the classroom, teaching at both university and high school levels in Hong Kong. During those years, I dedicated time to considering and experimenting with the most effective lessons on the Holocaust. It was during this period of experimentation that I realized a lesson on the Holocaust without Jewish Pride could only be incomplete, at best.Crucially, Jewish Pride not only uplifts Jews by fostering a positive connection with their Jewishness but also provides the strength to persevere and grants permission to focus solely on our unique experience. In a Holocaust lesson, this translates to centering survivor testimony and viewing the experiences through a distinctly Jewish lens, instead of adopting the perspective of the Nazis or others who persecuted us.
Although we need it every day and at all times, Jewish Pride is especially crucial post-tragedy. Pride holds profound significance; it is not just an opportunity to celebrate the beauty and joy of Jewishness, which is easy. Pride goes beyond that – it grants us permission.
Allowed to be ourselves
It allows us to center ourselves. We have the right to discuss the Jewish experience without feeling obligated to delve into discussions about other people. In the weeks after October 7, I encountered Jews expressing the perception that they had to address Islamophobia alongside Jew-hate. I questioned them: Why? Why couldn’t they – during this time of horror – center our experiences? Of course, we feel empathy and pain for all suffering, but we should be able to use the limited emotional bandwidth we have to focus on ourselves. We are allowed to take care of ourselves without being made to feel guilty.
Israeli Americans and supporters of Israel gather in solidarity with Israel and protest against antisemitism, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, during a rally on the National Mall in Washington, U.S, November 14, 2023. (credit: REUTERS/LEAH MILLIS)© Provided by The Jerusalem Post
Israeli Americans and supporters of Israel gather in solidarity with Israel and protest against antisemitism, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, during a rally on the National Mall in Washington, U.S, November 14, 2023. (credit: REUTERS/LEAH MILLIS)
Jewish Pride also compels us to defend ourselves. We understand that we deserve better, that we are speaking the truth when we say Israel unquestionably has the right to exist, and that we are indigenous to that land. We firmly believe that Jewish blood is not cheap. We recognize that the IDF has a responsibility to avenge those murdered among us and to secure the release of our hostages. Pride empowers us to boldly declare, “enough is enough, we will not tolerate this any longer!’ Through Jewish Pride, we grant ourselves permission to reject the shame of Jew-hate and assert our right to define our own identities.
ANOTHER ASPECT of pride that becomes particularly crucial during times like this is anger. We are not just allowed, we should be angry at how we are treated, at how we have often been treated. Israel deserves better. It was our dream to return there, and when we finally could, we were plunged into never-ending wars. The Jewish people deserve better. We deserve more than feeling afraid to publicly express our Jewishness. Our children deserve more than needing guards outside their schools or community centers. We all deserve more. While we must never be consumed by anger, we must acknowledge it and use it as a powerful indicator that we deserve better. We have always deserved better, and we must recognize that.
Lastly, Jewish Pride provides us with strength and power. It enables us to navigate the world with our heads held high. While we will always prioritize our physical safety, we refuse to shrink and hide. Even if we choose not to reveal our Jewishness to the world, the flame of Jewish Pride shines brightly within us. We are a resilient people, fully aware of our worth. Despite the tragedies inflicted upon us, they will not break us. We will not be defeated. We will continue to campaign for the right to live freely in the world as Jews because it is our right, and we are not afraid to fight for it.
A gentle reminder
Jewish Pride reminds us that no matter what, we will prevail. Together, we will overcome. Together, we will carry on, continuing to nurture and protect our Jewishness. We are strong. We are powerful. We are proud. Jewish Pride has never been more important. Though we need it all the time, it becomes especially crucial during periods of instability and pain. If we allow it, it can provide us with stability and certainty. It can empower us to keep going, even when things feel hopeless. At the core of pride lies the most powerful weapon any person can wield: love.Unlike the other side, so consumed by violence, anger, and hate, we fight because we have love. We love our Jewishness. We love our community. We love our land. That is why we will survive, and thrive.
Am Yisrael chai.
The writer is the founder of the modern Jewish Pride movement, an educator, and the author of Jewish Pride: Rebuilding a People. His new book is Reclaiming Our Story: The Pursuit of Jewish Pride.
