The Courage to Be Uncool

Key Findings:

This essay discusses the importance of standing firmly in Jewish identity and support for Israel, regardless of societal pressure to stay silent.

The terrorist attack on Israel by Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and some Gazan civilians on October 7, 2023 was a highly traumatic event that echoed the turbulent and tragic past of the Jewish people. October 7 and its aftermath likely triggered a generational trauma response in many Jews. Tishby discusses epigenetics in relation to trauma being passed down from generation to generation, and that although an event like this can trigger PTSD, it also has the potential to trigger PTG (post traumatic growth). 

Tishby unpacks her personal experience of speaking out in support of Israel as a young woman in the entertainment industry, and acknowledges that this cost her friendships and jobs. She addresses her fellow Jewish community, whom she knows now struggle with a feeling of outsiderdom in the aftermath of October 7, the ensuing Israel-Hamas war and the poisonous rhetoric around these by ignorant Westerners.

Tishby argues that deep inside, Jews know exactly what to do in the face of this kind of adversity. She urges Jews to tap into a very historically Jewish concept – “the courage to be uncool.” That is, to stand up for the truth, and to be willing to risk comfort for authenticity. Many Jewish figures exemplified this particular courage, and therefore shaped the trajectory of the Jewish people’s story.