‘Enough of the hatred’: Herzog, Gal Gadot call for dialogue at Jerusalem conference

President Isaac Herzog called for Israelis to work toward greater mutual respect in order to heal fractures in society at his “Time to Talk” conference in Jerusalem on Wednesday.

“Enough! We are sick of the hatred, the division, the labeling, the curses, the violence and the shaming,” he declared at the President’s Conference for a Shared Israeli Future at the International Convention Center. “This event came to provide a response to the greatest disease of Israeli society and its greatest danger: division.”

The conference brought together nonprofits, activists and even Israeli actress Gal Gadot to support Herzog’s initiative, which seeks to bridge divisions in Israeli society through dialogue and community engagement.

“This is not just a conference,” Herzog told attendees. “A movement has arisen here that says yes to mutual recognition, yes to dialogue, yes to listening, and yes to the desire to build a shared Israeli tomorrow.”

The gathering was held as Israel faces deep political and social polarization, compounded by the ongoing effects of the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack and the ensuing war. Herzog warned that “division” had become the country’s greatest internal threat, citing a recent study by the Agam Institute at Tel Aviv University that measured Israel’s degree of polarization at 8.3 out of 10, indicating a “very advanced stage” of national risk.

Herzog said the initiative aims to counter what he described as “fuel fumes in the air” as the country heads toward another election season. He pledged to “go from one end of the country to the other” to encourage respectful discourse and national unity.

Gadot, arguably the most famous non-political Israeli figure in the world today, spoke with First Lady Michal Herzog about Israel-Diaspora ties and the challenges she faces as an Israeli living in Hollywood.

“It’s become very complex to be an Israeli in the diaspora,” she said, speaking in Hebrew.

“It used to be that people were very impressed with army service and the Start-Up Nation. But after everything we’ve been through with the war and social media, it’s become complicated. I get angry, and I’m sometimes afraid, and it can be infuriating to see how quickly people rush to judge and accept opinions that have become so polarized.”

Asked about her hopes for Israel’s future, Gadot said the question sounded like something they would ask her when she represented Israel in the Miss Universe pageant in 2004. “I’m not sure whether I should ask for peace, tolerance, or love,” she replied with a smile. “So I’ll say all of them.”

The conference was held in cooperation with the Jewish Federations of North America, the Combined Jewish Philanthropies, the Maimonides Fund and Maala.

Rebecca Caspi, director-general of the Israel office of the Jewish Federations of North America, warned that antisemitic rhetoric worldwide has increasingly translated into violence against Jewish communities.

“Words matter, and actions have power,” Caspi said. “Jewish communities around the world are paying an unbearable price, as what begins with words ends in brutal violence — and sadly, even murder… [But words] can also be used as a positive force — to nurture, connect and lead with vision.”

Caspi said North American Jewish communities had mobilized more than $900 million in aid for Israel since October 7 while also battling rising antisemitism abroad. She highlighted projects launched in cooperation with Israeli partners, including a small-business loan fund, support networks for reservist families and emergency response infrastructure in vulnerable communities.

“The goal is not to return to what was,” Caspi said, “but to build something stronger, more resilient and more united.”