July 1, 2026
This column appeared in the Palm Beach Post.
As Americans get set to celebrate our nation's 250th birthday on July 4, Jewish Americans may experience the holiday through a different lens.
Not because their patriotism has diminished, but because the Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel on October 7, 2023 ― during which 1,200 men, women, and children were murdered and 251 people taken hostage ― reminded us just how precious freedom truly is.
For generations, the U.S. represented something extraordinary for Jewish families: the promise that Jews could live openly, practice their faith freely, and participate fully in civic life without fear. That promise has never been guaranteed throughout much of Jewish history. This July 4, Americans have an opportunity not only to celebrate the enduring principles that define our nation, but also to recommit ourselves to protecting them.
October 7 marked the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust. It was an assault on the fundamental values we celebrate every July 4 ― freedom, human dignity, religious liberty, and the belief that civilians should never live under the constant threat of terror.
In the years since, many American Jews have watched with growing alarm as antisemitism has surged across our country. According to American Jewish Committee’s State of Antisemitism in America 2025 Report, 91% of American Jews say they feel less safe as Jews in the United States, following major antisemitic attacks over the past year.
Those numbers are not abstract. They represent Jewish students who now hesitate before wearing a Star of David on campus, Jewish families wondering whether it is safe to attend synagogue, and millions of American Jews who never imagined they would think twice before openly expressing their Jewish identity. For many Jews, America has always meant something larger than citizenship. It meant refuge.
Here in South Florida, one of the most vibrant and diverse communities in the country, we are reminded every day that America’s strength comes from its pluralism. People of different faiths, backgrounds, and experiences live and work alongside one another, united by shared democratic values.
However, those values require vigilance. We cannot allow hatred, extremism, and political intimidation to become normalized or for people to be targeted because of their faith, ethnicity, or beliefs. And we cannot allow the forces of division to erode the pluralistic culture that has made this country a beacon of hope for generations.
Patriotism is not measured by the size of a flag or the loudness of a slogan, but by whether we are willing to defend the ideals that flag represents—especially when they are tested. That means standing firmly against antisemitism and all forms of hate and defending civil discourse over intimidation. And it means teaching the next generation that democracy is not self-sustaining; it depends on citizens willing to protect it. The responsibility to preserve those values belongs to every American who believes this nation’s greatest strength has always been its ability to protect the dignity, freedom, and belonging of people from every faith, background, and walk of life.
Since October 7, many Jewish Americans feel a renewed sense of gratitude for the freedoms this country provides. That is why this Independence Day feels especially meaningful because the enduring promise of America has never been guaranteed, only protected by each generation willing to defend it.
Laurence Milstein is Director of AJC Palm Beach County.
