More than a year ago, in West Orange, New Jersey, a group of pro-Hamas protesters gathered in front of a synagogue — a house of worship with nothing to do with foreign politics. During that protest, one of the radicals violently attacked an elderly Jewish man who was simply trying to attend services. Dr. Moshe Glick intervened to protect the victim and ended up injuring the attacker. Yet it was Dr. Glick, the defender, who was arrested and charged with aggravated assault.
Defending Dr. Glick in itself is a worthy cause, but his experience highlighted a much larger issue: Jewish people who attend a synagogue should not be subjected to harassment and intimidation for simply wanting to pray at their house of worship. Through his struggle, a major piece of legislation already on the books was reinforced and given teeth. This piece of legislation is called the FACE Act. As the U.S. Department of Justice recently reaffirmed, the law “prohibits the use or threat of force and physical obstruction … to intentionally injure, intimidate, or interfere with any person lawfully … exercising their First Amendment right of religious freedom at a place of religious worship.”
In other words, it is illegal to stand outside a synagogue as a menacing mob — blowing horns, threatening violence, or obstructing entry — when the protest has nothing to do with that congregation’s traditions or worship.
This law can dramatically change the landscape for Jewish people in the United States who currently feel under siege in many regards. The challenge is that not all police departments or local governments even know about this act. As a result, a new campaign has been launched: the “Protect Our Houses of Worship” campaign.
Interestingly, it was out of Dr. Glick’s courage and refusal to be silenced that this movement was born. Its mission is simple: to make sure law enforcement, local governments, Jewish communities, as well as those who aim to menace Jewish communities (or any house of worship), are made aware that those who engage in this type of behavior will be arrested and/or fined up to five thousand dollars.
The FACE Act draws a line: No more “just demonstrating” when the real intent is intimidation and fear. In its first use against synagogue protesters this fall, the Department of Justice made clear: “No American should be harassed, targeted, or discriminated against for peacefully practicing their religion.”
If this campaign is successful and if the law is enforced consistently, it could reshape the landscape, returning a sense of security to Jewish communities across the country.
This campaign also demonstrates a broader principle for anyone seeking to make an impact in the world today. One of the most effective ways to move the narrative and create tangible change is to identify causes that are affecting people’s lives right now. This could include exposing the physical and sexual violence committed against Israelis on October 7 and afterward, shining a light on the persecution of Christians in Nigeria, or raising awareness of the starvation crisis in Yemen. These are causes that matter, and the world needs to know about them.
Once a cause is identified, an alliance can be created with the people who are most impacted by the cause, and then a campaign can be created that gives structure and focus to the effort. Then, specific missions are linked together to accomplish the goals of the campaign. By participating in these missions, individuals not only contribute to meaningful change but also experience the personal satisfaction of having made a measurable difference. This model — cause, alliance, campaign, mission — can transform concern into action and frustration into accomplishment.
This approach mirrors what Dr. Glick and his supporters, in conjunction with Emissary4All, have done with the “Protect Our Houses of Worship” initiative. By organizing a campaign and creating actionable missions, they have turned outrage at injustice into a structured effort that can achieve real results. It is a blueprint that can be applied to almost any urgent issue affecting communities worldwide.
If you want to help and be part of this campaign to make a real difference, reach out: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
There are many ways to protect and support the Jewish community, but the most meaningful impact comes from identifying relevant causes, forming alliances with those most affected, and creating structured campaigns with actionable missions. In doing so, individuals not only make a difference for the world but also gain the satisfaction of contributing to meaningful change.
Daniel Rosen is the co-founder of a nonprofit technology company called Emissary4All, which is an app to organize people to impact the narrative and move the needle on social media and beyond. He is the co-host of the podcast Recalibration. You can reach him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
