By Rachael Feldman, Annual Lion and Pomegranate Luncheon 2026 Co-Chair
Earlier this month, I had the honor of co-chairing the 2026 Lion and Pomegranate luncheon with my mother, Ronna Ruben. We welcomed Wendy Sachs, the Emmy award winning, producer, filmmaker, author and creator of the documentary “October 8.” “October 8” follows the explosion of antisemitism at some of the most prestigious university campuses in America.
I spoke about how the film’s themes of antisemitism and injustice resonated with me. I shared that my hope for our future comes from the strength we find by standing up for ourselves and refusing to back down in the face of hostility, by carrying our Jewish legacy of courage, resiliency, and honor forward for generations.
Here are a few excerpts from my speech:
“October 8” is not only about what happened in the aftermath of October 7, it is about what happened to all of us. It is about courage. It is about truth. And, I believe, it is about hope.
I drew hope from three powerful themes in the film:
First: The Righteous Ones
The non-Jews who refused to stay silent. People who understood that moral clarity does not depend on identity. It depends on conscience.
“October 8” featured Congressman Ritchie Torres. Congressman Torres reminded us of something Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. taught decades ago: that the greatest tragedy is not the cruelty of the oppressor, but the silence of the good. Silence is not neutral. Silence is complicity. Our righteous friends stood up, courageously, against antisemitism, even when it was unpopular, even when it was uncomfortable.
Second: Jews Who Refused to Shrink
I drew inspiration from Jews who refused to make themselves smaller.
Professor Shai Davidai, a former business professor at Columbia University. Professor Davidai was an outspoken advocate, drawing attention to the inaction of Columbia University’s administration and their lack of focus on protecting Jewish students during encampments at Columbia. When he was asked if he was afraid to speak out, his response was unforgettable: “You have it all wrong. I speak up because I am afraid.”
Not in spite of fear, because of it.
Noa Tishby, also featured in “October 8,” and a guest of our Federation years before the attack in Israel, went live on Instagram the morning of October 7 when the world was still silent, because she understood that if we don’t tell our story, someone else will distort it.
These individuals did not wait for permission. They did not wait for safety. They did not wait for approval. They stood tall as Jews: unapologetically.
Third: Our Young Women—Our Future
The third and perhaps most powerful source of hope, came from our young women on college campuses.
These women were harassed, threatened, intimidated, and targeted simply for being Jewish.
Young women like: Tessa Veksler (who recently joined our Federation to raise the Israeli flag), Noa Fay, and Talia Dror. Instead of retreating, they became louder. Instead of stepping down, they stood up. Instead of surrendering leadership, they fought for it. They spoke out against the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions movement, a Palestinian-led initiative that advocates for divestment by institutions in Israel and Israeli companies. They testified before Congress. They defended truth while classmates screamed for their destruction. And they did all of this while still being students, still building their lives, still carrying fear. They are not just brave; they are extraordinary. They are proof that our future is strong.
Our Responsibility
This story is bigger than antisemitism, bigger than one conflict, and bigger than one moment in history.
It asks a timeless question: What happens when we allow people in power, armed with money and influence, to distort reality? What happens when fear becomes a weapon? When intimidation becomes a strategy? When silence becomes the norm?
We know what happens. Good people hesitate, truth weakens, and injustice grows.
That is why this moment demands something of each of us, not just as donors or leaders, but as human beings. Use your power, your voice, and your influence every day. Stand behind the women in your lives who speak out: your daughters, your sisters, your friends, and your colleagues.
Never turn a blind eye. Never enable lies. Never normalize hate.
Stand audaciously for what you believe.
Never deny who you are. Never compromise your ethics. Even when it costs you. Even when, in the moment, it feels like it costs you everything. Because in the end, it gives you everything. It reinforces your self-respect. It reinforces your integrity. It allows you to look in the mirror and know: I did not abandon my values. I did not stay silent. I stood for my mother, for my sister, for my daughter, for my friend, for my people, and for truth.
See also the October 7 blog article: “Holding My Breath” by Elyse Ramos: