'Our love is stronger than their hate' – Israeli star Gal Gadot stands up to antisemitism
In a powerful speech at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City on Tuesday night, Gal Gadot declared, “I cannot stay silent,” adding, “My name is Gal, I am Jewish, and we have had enough of this hate.”
At the “Never is Now” Summit on Antisemitism and Hate, organized by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), Gadot was honored for publicly taking a stand for the Jewish people. The ADL presented her with its International Leadership Award for her efforts combating antisemitism.
Unlike some of her Hollywood contemporaries, Gadot has not been ashamed to stand up for Israel.
“In the days after October 7, we were all distraught. Like many of you, I was glued to the horrors coming out of Israel and the hatred spilling over here,” she said, reflecting on her feelings about the Hamas massacre in 2023.
“I’m not a religiously observant person, but I found myself in a synagogue, and there, I finally felt a little bit of comfort. I felt the embrace of the Jewish people and the power of our community. I will never forget that feeling.”
Gadot, who said she is proud to be Israeli and to be Jewish, has been an outspoken critic of the rising antisemitism since the war broke out. The two are inseparably linked in her mind.
“October 7 showed us that what happens to Jews anywhere affects Jews everywhere,” she warned. “And this goes both ways – not only does what happens there affect us here, but what happens here affects them there.”
“I know I’m not the only one in this room when I say that this was a wake up call,” she said, urging the audience, “However you might have tried to avoid it before, even if speaking up wasn’t your thing, none of us can ignore the explosion of Jew hatred around the world anymore.”
“We will confront antisemitism, we will call it out, but we will never let it defeat us – or define us,” Gadot said, adding, “Because our love is stronger than their hate.”
According to the ADL, “Never is Now” is the world’s largest summit on antisemitism and hate. At this year’s gathering, government officials and dignitaries such as the former Israeli Defense Minister General Yoav Gallant, Yousef Al Otaiba, ambassador of the UAE to the U.S., and Sheikh Moafaq Tarif, the Spiritual Leader of the Druze Community were invited to speak.
Other prominent media personalities, such as Saudi-born Loay Alshareef, Hen Mazzig and Zach Sage Fox also addressed the summit, along with presidents of universities, news anchors and journalists, celebrities and business executives.
Gadot took the opportunity to highlight the critical situation of the hostages, saying, “We are here, in this room, demanding the release of every single one of our hostages. We have to bring them home.”
She continued: “Every minute for them is hell. Their lives are in danger, and we need them home. We want the hostages and their families to know that we have their backs, that we are here for them.”
In stark contrast to the world’s indifference about the sexual violence perpetrated against Israeli women, Gadot, mother of four girls, spoke out strongly on their behalf.
“On October 7, Jewish women were sexually terrorized, raped, murdered, and kidnapped by Hamas. We waited to hear support from our sisters around the world, and too often, we were met with silence. We cannot wait any longer,” she said. “We cannot hold our breath and hope for support from those who refuse to stand with us. We must stand up for ourselves.”
“Every Jew must lean in now, in whatever way they can – speak up, learn more about our history, join a synagogue, find your community, get connected. And as we support our own community, we must never stop reaching out to the world,” Gadot urged.
“We, the Jewish people, are an ancient people, with an ancient story, in an ancient homeland. We are a people who celebrate life, who work for a better and more peaceful future. We stand against hate, but we do so with love, always striving to make the world a better place.”
Gadot ended her speech fully embracing her identity as one of the people of Israel, and encouraging others to do the same.
“And who am I? My name is Gal. I am Jewish. Am Yisrael Chai,” (the nation of Israel lives).
Jo Elizabeth has a great interest in politics and cultural developments, studying Social Policy for her first degree and gaining a Masters in Jewish Philosophy from Haifa University, but she loves to write about the Bible and its primary subject, the God of Israel. As a writer, Jo spends her time between the UK and Jerusalem, Israel.
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