Fern Sidman - is Senior News Editor at The Jewish Voice. A version of this article appeared on TJV.
Former Brooklyn Assemblyman and founder of Americans Against Antisemitism, Dov Hikind, has issued a sharp rebuke to synagogue leaders who cancelled scheduled appearances by Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir during his recent U.S. speaking tour. Calling the cancellations “deeply troubling” and “a capitulation to fear,” Hikind voiced frustration at what he described as a dangerous precedent of surrender to anti-Israel agitators.
Ben Gvir’s first official visit to the United States drew both enthusiastic support and forceful opposition, with stops in Florida, New York, and Connecticut. As reported by Israel National News, his tour included a high-profile appearance at Mar-a-Lago, where he was hosted by Republican lawmakers. In South Florida, he met with local law enforcement officials, toured correctional facilities, and spoke with Jewish community leaders, focusing on strengthening security ties between the U.S. and Israel.
Despite the warm reception in several communities, Ben Gvir also encountered sharp resistance. At Yale University, his visit was met with a hostile protest by pro-Hamas demonstrators who reportedly shouted threats, hurled insults, and threw objects as the minister exited after addressing students and supporters. According to Israel National News, security personnel had to intervene quickly to shield Ben Gvir from physical harm.
Unfazed, Ben Gvir continued his tour, speaking in Manhattan at a press event hosted by the Shabtai Center, moderated by Tablet magazine’s Liel Leibovitz. There, the minister underscored his commitment to Jewish security, asserting that while his policies have matured, his core mission—defending Israel’s citizens and preserving Jewish heritage—remains unchanged. He highlighted in particular his support for Jewish prayer rights on the Temple Mount, a matter of personal and national conviction.
Later that evening, Ben Gvir was embraced by the Bais Shmuel-Chabad community in Brooklyn and honored by Chabad of Hebron, which provides critical support to Israeli soldiers and pilgrims in Hebron, home to the revered Tomb of the Patriarchs. He also attended a siyum celebration at the Chabad-Lubavitch headquarters on Eastern Parkway, joining over 1,000 celebrants in a spirited night of Jewish unity and pride.
Outside the event, however, the atmosphere turned confrontational as anti-Israel activists rallied with chants of “Zionism is terrorism” and “Free Palestine.” The protests, reportedly organized by radical far-left and pro-Hamas groups, led to verbal altercations and shoving matches with attendees. Police maintained a tight perimeter to prevent escalation.
Yet the most unexpected backlash to Ben Gvir’s presence came not from the streets, but from within segments of the Jewish community itself. Invitations extended to the minister by Young Israel of Woodmere in Long Island and Shaarei Zion Synagogue on Ocean Parkway in Brooklyn—one of the leading Syrian-Jewish congregations - were rescinded, reportedly due to security concerns and internal pressure. While the Woodmere congregation cited the passing of Rabbi Shalom Axelrod’s father as a reason, the sudden reversals have been widely interpreted as a response to fear of protests and political controversy.
I asked Dov Hikind to expand on his initial reaction to the cancellations and he did not mince words. “You know, I have to ask, what is wrong with us as a people?” he said. “Invitations are extended to a prominent member of Knesset and then they are abruptly rescinded? Are we crazy?”
Hikind laid the blame squarely on what he called a growing trend of Jewish institutions “buckling under pressure from our anti-Semitic enemies.” He pointed to the rise of radical anti-Israel groups—many of which openly sympathize with Hamas—and condemned the decision to withdraw invitations as a victory handed to those who seek to intimidate and silence supporters of Israel.
“Doesn’t the Jewish leadership see that they are handing a victory to our enemies by cancelling?” Hikind asked. “These leaders should be out there in full force, mobilizing everyone to attend, from young to old, to show our enemies that we are not intimidated by their raucous protests, antisemitic chants and threats of violence.”
Hikind warned that yielding to intimidation only emboldens those who wish to marginalize and demonize the Jewish state. “The path of fear,” he said, “is the most harmful one we can take.”
“These cancellations are disgraceful,” Hikind told me, adding that they reflect not just poor judgment, but a pattern of submission that emboldens those who hate Jews and Israel. “Let’s get something right,” he said. “History has proven that showing weakness before our enemies is not a better or safer option. It is the worst option—as we embolden those Jew-haters who seek our destruction.”
Hikind’s condemnation extended beyond Ben Gvir’s cancelled appearances. He pointed to the real estate fairs scheduled to take place at synagogues in Boro Park and Flatbush, which were also abruptly called off after word spread that Pal-Awda—the New York/New Jersey branch of Al-Awda: The Palestine Right to Return Coalition—was preparing to protest. The group, which has a well-documented history of glorifying terrorism and openly supporting the destruction of Israel, has long been viewed as a radical and deeply troubling presence in pro-Hamas activism.
“By caving in to intimidation from groups like Pal-Awda,” Hikind warned, “we are not protecting our communities—we are empowering those who want to see us silenced, marginalized, and ultimately eliminated.”
Hikind said the current crisis demands moral clarity and public resolve. “Especially now, when visceral Jew-hatred is at an all-time high and Israel is under siege—both physically and in the war of ideas—our leadership must stand up and passionately exhort Jews not to capitulate to our enemies.”
He accused Jewish organizations of taking refuge in rhetoric rather than action. “We must do more than collect statistics on antisemitism. We must do more than talk endlessly at conferences in Jerusalem or in think tanks. Jews have honed fact-finding and opining into a fine art—but now is the time for action. We must hold synagogues, rabbis, and Jewish organizations accountable for their passive stance in the face of growing threats.”
Responding to Rabbi Shay Schachter of Young Israel of Woodmere, who reportedly told congregants that the cancellation of Ben Gvir’s scheduled address was due to pressure from families of hostages still held in Gaza, Hikind said no such claims were substantiated.
“Okay, I understand that Rabbi Axelrod’s father passed away and he had to go to Israel for the funeral,” Hikind said, referring to the other cancelled appearance, “but how in the world is that connected to canceling Ben Gvir’s invitation?”
Hikind further noted that Ben Gvir did in fact speak at Yismach Moshe synagogue in Woodmere on Friday night, where he was “welcomed by a packed house.” He added, “If you disagree with Ben Gvir’s views, fine—debate him, challenge him in the marketplace of ideas. But to deny him the right to speak, out of fear of violence from pro-Hamas demonstrators? That is shameful.”
In a particularly distressing example, Hikind revealed that during the so-called “Days of Rage” organized by Hamas supporters, synagogues on Long Island advised women not to attend services out of fear for their safety. “This kind of attitude,” Hikind said, “is not only embarrassing — it’s paving the way to our collective demise.”
Highlighting the urgency of solidarity, Hikind called on American Jews to reject the role of “armchair Zionists.” He emphasized the importance of physically standing with Israel during times of conflict, not just expressing symbolic support. “We can’t say we love Jews and Israel from the safety of our living room couches while watching soldiers die in Gaza,” he said.
Hikind urged Jews around the world—especially those in the Diaspora—to shift from passive concern to active solidarity with Israel. “We must come to Israel as many times as possible. Just walk the streets of Jerusalem, volunteer at Israeli hospitals, schools, kibbutzim,” he said. “Help IDF soldiers with something as simple as making barbecues for them, or just pray at the Kotel and learn Torah in a yeshiva. There are countless ways to show support that are meaningful, heartfelt, and direct.”
At the heart of Hikind’s message is a deeply rooted concern: that today’s Jewish leadership has failed to equip the next generation with the fortitude and moral clarity required to confront the fierce wave of antisemitism engulfing communities worldwide.
“We are not teaching our children to be strong, proud Jews who are unafraid,” Hikind said. “We’ve created a mindset that too often recoils in the face of hatred instead of confronting it head-on. We would do well to learn the lessons of our holy Torah—lessons that command us to stand up for our people, for our land, and for ourselves.”
Hikind’s remarks come amid a climate of growing anxiety within Jewish communities, particularly following the October 7th Hamas massacre in southern Israel, which left more than 1,200 people dead and hundreds kidnapped. That event, he says, marked a turning point for global Jewry, shattering the illusion of security in Israel and exposing the fragility of Jewish safety worldwide.
“We are living in a post-October 7th world,” Hikind declared. “And the stakes are higher than ever.”
While many Jewish organizations have redoubled their efforts to raise awareness and collect data on antisemitic incidents, Hikind believes these efforts, while necessary, fall far short of what the moment demands. “The real problem is that no one has a plan for how we are going to survive the onslaught of hate that is directed at us each and every day,” he said. “Fact-finding and press conferences won’t save us. We need a renewed mindset and a rediscovery of spiritual and moral courage.”
Hikind called on rabbis, educators, and organizational leaders to become “paradigms of strength and tenacity”—men and women unshaken by fear of public backlash, media scrutiny, or violent threats. “They must lead their flock only with the fear of Hashem and nothing else,” he said. “That is true emunah, that is true bitachon, and tragically, that is what is sorely missing.”
His comments also reflect a broader call for Jewish authenticity and religious purpose. In contrast to performative support for Israel, Hikind advocates for action grounded in faith and conviction. “We need to immerse ourselves in what it truly means to be a Jew—to live it, to teach it, and to be unashamed of it in the face of those who seek to erase us.”
Hikind’s appeal is not merely political or ideological—it is existential. In a time of rising attacks on Jewish students, increasing hostility in the public square, and deadly threats against Israel’s survival, he warns that complacency and cowardice are no longer options.
“There are moments in Jewish history when survival depends not on clever strategies or diplomatic restraint, but on courage rooted in faith,” he concluded. “This is one of those moments. And we must not let it pass us by.”
As Jewish communities brace for what may be a long and difficult road ahead, Hikind’s message is a call to action—a demand for unity, dignity, and unyielding strength in the face of a world growing darker by the day.