Silence is not an option

Is it wiser to confront the hate head-on or to avoid it altogether?

When faced with the prospect of antisemitic threats, it seems that for many people, the desire to remain silent is rooted in the fear of provoking more hatred, of being misunderstood, or of standing alone against the tide of hate. I hear the voices of those who say, “Keep your head down. Do not engage. If we stay quiet, they will move on, and we will not make things worse.”

I understand this fear. It comes from a place of survival, from generations who learned that speaking out could bring more trouble. This fear is deeply ingrained in the Jewish life experience.

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I know some of us worry that responding to these hostile acts might make us seem like the aggressors. In an age where narratives can be easily manipulated, one wrong move could play into the hands of those looking to paint our community in a negative light.  Those who seek to harm us do not care if it is an election year. It is the mindset of protecting our families, of safeguarding our community from further harm.

But while fear is understandable, it cannot become an excuse for silence.

It is in these moments of tension that the choice to speak up becomes most critical. Silence has never protected anyone from the spread of hatred. It has only emboldened it.

Antisemitism thrives on our hesitation. It relies on the idea that we will choose self-preservation over dignity and truth. When we stay silent, when we ignore hate speech, when we tell people to stay away from certain events, we unintentionally signal that such hatred is tolerable. We cannot let it convince us that silence is the safer path. History teaches us that silence has never brought us peace or safety. It has only emboldened those who wish us harm. Is that the world we want to live in? Is that the message we want to pass on to the next generation, that the best we can do is keep our heads down and hope for the best?

Claims that calling out antisemitism is divisive, that it creates tension and makes us seem as though we’re stirring up trouble, is the very lie that hate thrives on. The lie that our silence is the path to peace, that by letting things slide we can somehow protect ourselves. We don’t protect ourselves this way. We lose. We lose when we let fear of backlash, fear of being misunderstood, paralyze us into silence.

Let me be clear. I am not saying we should react recklessly or confront every provocation head-on. Speaking out doesn’t always mean direct confrontation. It means responding thoughtfully, strategically, and with an eye on the long game. It means organizing within our communities, voting in local elections, building alliances, and using our voices to frame the narrative on our terms. It means saying: We will not be defined by your hatred, nor will we allow fear to strip us of our voice. We must also be vigilant not to let every political disagreement cloud our understanding of what constitutes antisemitism. By distinguishing between violent incitement and the normal course of political life, we maintain the integrity of our fight.

When I wrote the resolution condemning Hamas, I didn’t realize just how  much my life would change. I lost my friends, I lost my place in political groups, I lost my running mates, I lost everything I built for years. Everything I knew changed in a moment. Despite the hurt, the betrayal, the pain, and grief, it was the right thing to do. I continue to speak out, to attend every protest and witness what happens. I share on social media, I speak, I write, I call out the hate, because, ultimately, it’s the only thing I can do. To remain silent in the face of antisemitism is to forfeit not just our dignity, but our right to exist free of hatred. Condemning antisemitism is not divisive. On the contrary, staying silent while hatred festers is what divides us. Silence in the face of incitement and violence is surrender.

This is not just my fight. It’s our fight. It’s the fight of every Jew who believes that our existence is not up for debate. It’s the fight of every person who believes that hate has no home in our world. We do not win by staying quiet. We triumph by holding our heads high and standing our ground against those who seek to relegate us to the sidelines. We win by speaking out, by naming the hatred, by refusing to let others define our narrative.

This fight is not ours alone. Our allies, those who stand with us in the face of hatred, in fact are even more critical. I am especially grateful to Teaneck’s Mayor Michael Pagan, who not only went to Israel to see the truth for himself, but has called out the hate, at great personal risk to himself and his family.

Antisemitism is not just a Jewish problem. It’s a human problem. It’s a threat to the very fabric of the inclusive, diverse society we strive to build. We call on you to speak out with us, to stand up against antisemitism in your communities. Be brave. Your silence allows this hatred to grow unchecked. Your voice, alongside ours, sends a powerful message that antisemitism will not be tolerated, that the only path to peace and unity is to end hate, including against Jews.

I will keep fighting. Not recklessly, not impulsively, but with a clear-eyed resolve. I will fight because it’s not just the right thing to do, it’s the only thing I can do. The fear is real, but our commitment to justice and dignity is stronger. Let’s use that commitment to guide us in confronting this hatred head-on. Not to be divisive, but to say: We are here, we are resilient, and we will be heard — today, tomorrow, and always.

Hillary Goldberg, a lifelong resident of Teaneck and founder and editor-in-chief of the Teaneck Tomorrow email newsletter, was elected to her hometown’s Township Council in 2022. After October 7, she wrote a resolution condemning Hamas and supporting Israel that council adopted unanimously.