On Sunday in Beverly Hills, Love Was Louder Than Hate

As a lover of Israel and the Jewish people, it’s been difficult to witness the vicious and alarming global wave of Jew-hatred in reaction to Israel defending itself against a terrorist group.

The hatred has been vile and relentless, and very loud. Ubiquitous Jew-hating memes that reach tens of millions of people on social media have made lots of noise. So have the thugs who have been roaming the streets looking for Jews to beat up.

This Jew-hating noise was still ringing in my ears when my daughter and I approached the “United Against Antisemitism” rally at the Beverly Hills Garden on Sunday afternoon. As we walked up Beverly Drive, we could hear cars honking incessantly, with kids inside the cars waving little Israeli flags.

When we reached Santa Monica Boulevard, across the street we saw an ocean of people waving large Israeli flags. We could hear music and chanting. There was a festival atmosphere. We were immersed in a whole different kind of noise.

“I wish the haters could see this,” I thought to myself. The festive scene was the perfect antidote to the Jew-hatred that has now become all too common. It gave me the goosebumps.

I’m sure lots of people were there because they’re outraged and angry at the rise in Jew-hatred. But I didn’t feel any anger among the crowd. What I felt was more like solidarity, and what I saw were joyful faces.

I’m sure lots of people were there because they’re outraged and angry at the rise in antisemitism. But I didn’t feel any anger among the crowd. What I felt was more like solidarity, and what I saw were joyful faces.

Maybe it was the fact that so many people were gathered around a common cause that made them feel safe and put a smile on their faces. Maybe it was the cool Israeli music. Maybe it was the sparkling blue sky. Whatever it was, I felt a mood of celebration.

Perhaps people were celebrating the very fact that they are not alone; that plenty of other people feel the same way, feel the same love.

There may be lots of loud Jew-haters out there, but on this Sunday in Beverly Hills, not far from where Jews were assaulted recently at a sushi restaurant, Jews came out to make their own statement: We’re proud to be Jews, we stand with Israel against terrorism, we stand against the evil of antisemitism, and we aren’t going anywhere.

Deep down, they came to express love, a love for a cause they cherish and believe in. That noise of love needs to drown out the noise of hate.