Paul Goldenberg
The Jewish community has been and remains in a period of profound turbulence. As we welcome the return of the remaining living hostages taken by Hamas and other designated terror groups on Oct. 7, and await the return of the bodies of all those who were killed, it is essential to recognize that the targeted attacks upon the Jewish community are both global and local.
The recent attack on a synagogue in Manchester, England, which claimed two lives and left more wounded, coupled with the anniversary of the Oct. 7 massacre of Israeli civilians, reminds us that threats to Jewish life are real, urgent and evolving. It is essential to increase our focus on the safety and security of our communities.
True security cannot be built in isolation. It requires strong partnerships with law enforcement, civic leaders and the broader society that are grounded in trust, transparency and shared responsibility. At the same time, we must be thoughtful about how we label our national Jewish security framework, whose effectiveness depends on partnership, collaboration and resisting politicization, while keeping the mission clear: safeguarding Jewish life with focus, resilience and strength.
World Jewry today faces a choice. We can allow fear to define us, or we can assert our strength, resilience and contribution.
Too often, messages from some leadership circles emphasize vulnerability, portraying Jewish life primarily through the lens of victimhood. Billboards plead, “Don’t hate the Jews.”
Surveys and campaigns track antisemitism’s reach. While some are well-intentioned, others miss the mark, perhaps focusing too much on “antisemitism” rather than what we are experiencing: Targeted violence against the Jewish community, committed under the guise of blaming Israel for all ills and stirring up hatred for Jews as the enablers of the Jewish state.
Focusing on victimhood risks conditions our community to see itself as powerless, and teaches the public to view us primarily as targets rather than as contributors, leaders and builders of society. This narrative of weakness undermines our spirit and our external relationships. Allies, civic leaders, faith groups and law enforcement are more likely to partner with a community that projects strength and shared purpose than one that defines itself as victims, defined primarily by what others do to it.
Antisemitism has risen in rhetoric and action, but responding with endless warnings, often linked to blanket fundraising appeals to support the battle against antisemitism, projects a posture of helplessness, which serves to deepen the problem. True security comes not from isolation, but from integration and being recognized not as pitiful victims but as indispensable participants in the civic and democratic fabric of America.
Jews have been woven deeply into American business, politics, culture and civic life. We were seen not as beggars for acceptance, but as builders of America’s success. That identity must be reclaimed.
We must invest in resilience through education and civic engagement that ensures our identity is defined by purpose rather than fear. Partnerships with law enforcement and other communities are essential to this effort. Students and young leaders are on the front lines, confronting antisemitism directly while exemplifying courage, intelligence and moral clarity. We must recognize and empower them, reminding them that Jewishness is a source of pride, leadership, and strength, not a reason to shrink from the world.
As one of the original architects of the American Jewish community’s national security framework, the Secure Community Network, and as a former senior police and national security official who has served at state and federal levels, including advising five Secretaries of Homeland Security, I view these challenges through a dual lens: the communities we protect and the professionals who safeguard our nation. From this perspective, true security is inseparable from leadership, preparation and collaboration. It’s not about retreating into fear; instead, it is about building partnerships, fostering trust and integrating our community fully into the broader civic fabric.
Let us commit to leading boldly. Let us transform vulnerability into capability, fear into confidence and threat into action. By embracing our heritage and our responsibility as active contributors to American society, we ensure that the Jewish community not only survives but thrives; resilient, respected, and fully engaged in the security, success and democratic strength of our nation.
Our strength is our security. Our resilience is our power. Our contribution is indispensable. This is our moment to choose strength over fear, resilience over fragility and action over victimhood.
It is time to ensure that American and world Jewry remain a vibrant, confident and enduring part of civil society. At the same time, we must hold on to our principles, our pride and our passion, while protecting our heritage, our rights and the multidimensional vibrancy of our religion and our people.
Paul Goldenberg spent nearly three decades in law enforcement, serving 10 years as a senior advisor to the Secretary of Homeland Security. His work with the Jewish community includes co-founding the Secure Community Network and chairing the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Faith-Based Security Council.
