When Sarah Lynn Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky — young staffers at the Israeli Embassy with their whole lives ahead of them — were murdered last month outside an American Jewish Committee event in Washington, D.C., it was a devastating reminder how vulnerable Jewish life remains in America.

According to the Anti-Defamation League, antisemitic incidents in the United States have surged 344% since 2019. From the firebombing attack of a peaceful Jewish solidarity walk in Boulder, Colo., to patrons at a Barstool Sports-owned bar in Philadelphia displaying a “F— the Jews” sign — this wave of hatred is not new. It draws from some of the darkest chapters in our history.

As Jewish wisdom teaches, God gives us the cure before the challenge — and Jewish tradition offers us a surprising and effective response here.

The mezuzah is a powerful symbol that has marked Jewish doorposts for thousands of years. The tradition goes back to the Passover story, when the Israelites marked their doors with blood so that their homes would be protected — passed over during the culmination of the 10 Plagues. Inside each mezuzah is a handwritten scroll bearing the Shema, Judaism’s foundational prayer. Today, a mezuzah on the doorpost declares that this house is a Jewish home, and that the people inside live proudly and openly as Jews. 

At MyZuzah, we know that placing a mezuzah on one’s doorpost is a demonstration of Jewish identity — and Jewish pride is a powerful defense against antisemitism. 

MyZuzah’s mission is to help provide a mezuzah for the front door of every Jewish home around the world. Since 2017, our team has helped place over 22,000 mezuzahs on doors in 74 countries — from first-time homeowners in North America to IDF soldiers in Israel; from Holocaust survivors in Eastern Europe to families in the former Soviet Union. This universal mitzvah has allowed Jews around the world to embrace or reembrace their Jewish legacy, heritage and tradition. Each mezuzah tells a story. Each one affirms belonging. Our present goal is to reach 50,000 mezuzahs placed worldwide.

We also see how this ritual brings people together. Through virtual dedication ceremonies, we guide recipients through the blessing as they affix their mezuzah, allowing Jews around the world to celebrate and share this moment as a community — often across continents, generations and backgrounds.

And, increasingly, allies have stepped up. Through our solidarity campaign, launched with actress Patricia Heaton, we’ve created mezuzah cases that people of other faiths can display to show support. These cases, which do not contain the traditional scroll, send a message: This home stands against antisemitism and with the Jewish people. 

These small acts of solidarity are powerful, but within Jewish homes, the mezuzah carries an even deeper significance. That’s because the mezuzah is more than tradition.

It’s connection — to our ancestors, to each other and to our faith. 

It’s protection — a daily reminder of who we are and why we endure. 

And it’s unity — one of the few rituals embraced almost identically across Jewish communities from Tel Aviv to Toronto, Buenos Aires to Brooklyn.

After Hamas’ brutal terrorist attacks on Oct. 7, 2023 — a day that deepened our sense of fragility and longing for safety — and the subsequent surge in antisemitism, many Jewish families are asking: How do we meet this moment? How do we honor our history while protecting our future?

One answer is simple yet profound: We show up visibly. Proudly. Together. We place mezuzahs on our doors, not just because it’s commanded, but because it says something the world needs to hear: We are still here. We are not afraid.

Through our shared joy in affixing mezuzahs, we are connected, protected and unified.

Manette Mayberg is a trustee the president of the Mayberg Foundation and the founder of MyZuzah.