Sincerity matters
Opinion

Sincerity matters

Rosh Hashanah has passed, and while many of us are reflecting on the hopes and challenges the new year may bring, I can’t help but notice the unsettling wave of “shana tovah” wishes from people who have spent the other 364 days of the year demonizing Israel and sometimes even the Jewish people themselves. “Shana tovah” is more than a polite phrase. It’s an acknowledgment of Jewish history, tradition, and peoplehood.

How sincere is that acknowledgment when it comes from those who spent the past year promoting the erasure of Jewish existence? It’s as though they believe that offering a simple greeting can erase the harm they’ve done, the pain they’ve caused, and the hateful words they’ve normalized. Now we’re wished peace and joy, as if their words throughout the year haven’t caused harm.

Do they truly believe that a few well-meaning words in October can erase a year’s worth of hateful chants? We remember the words, the chants, and the messages they’ve sent before and after their “shana tovah” tweets and texts.

You cannot wish Jews a sweet and peaceful new year while simultaneously denying our right to exist in the land where we’ve been saying “shana tovah” for thousands of years. You cannot claim to stand for humanity and justice, while standing with those who call for Israel’s destruction. You certainly cannot call for the “end of the 75-year occupation” or send antisemitic text messages straight out of the Protocols of the Elders of Zion and then expect the Jewish community to accept your holiday greetings in good faith. You can’t erase Jewish history or delegitimize Israel, only to turn around and wish us well when it suits your performative allyship.

There is an ironic unspoken truth in their acknowledgment of Rosh Hashanah. By wishing us “shana tovah,” they’re implicitly recognizing Jewish history. For a brief moment, they acknowledge that Jews exist, and that we have a unique identity worth celebrating.

Unfortunately, that recognition is fleeting; once the High Holidays pass, so does their acknowledgment of our peoplehood.

Wishing us a “shana tovah” requires recognizing us as a people with a history, a culture, and, yes, a homeland. “Shana tovah” should be a genuine wish for peace, renewal, and a sweet new year. It should come from a place of true respect for Jewish identity.

If you want to wish us “shana tovah”  with sincerity, let your actions throughout the year reflect that sentiment. You must stand against antisemitism in all its forms, even when it’s politically inconvenient. Support peace, not erasure. Words matter, but they must be backed by genuine actions. Recognize Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish state and work toward a future where Jews can live safely both in Israel and around the world.

To my fellow Jews, as we step into this new year, may we find strength and resilience in each other. Let us continue to stand tall in our identity, even in the face of hypocrisy and performative allyship. Shana tovah u’metukah. May this year be truly sweet and filled with peace for all of us, no matter how the world tries to diminish our existence.

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.

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.

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