Sometimes Esther Looks Like a Guardian at the Gate
Esther was not a queen because she sought power.
She was a queen because she accepted responsibility.
She stood in a moment when silence would have been easier, safer, and politically cleaner. Instead, she spoke. She named the danger. And she used the authority she had to protect her people.
This week, our Esther does not stand in a palace.
She stands at the gates of New York City.
Jessica Tisch, New York City’s Police Commissioner, has repeatedly and publicly confronted antisemitism in a city where Jewish life has come under sustained threat. Her leadership has not been symbolic. It has been practical, visible, and at times uncomfortable.
That is why she is our Esther of the Week.
Naming the Threat Clearly
In early 2026, Commissioner Tisch addressed a reality many leaders avoid stating plainly. Despite Jewish New Yorkers making up a small percentage of the city’s population, antisemitic incidents continue to account for the majority of hate crimes reported in New York City.
She did not minimize the data.
She did not redirect the conversation.
She did not hide behind euphemisms.
Instead, she called antisemitism what it is and affirmed that protecting Jewish communities is a core responsibility of the NYPD, not a secondary concern.
Esther did the same. She did not ask the king to consider general unrest. She identified the threat to her people by name.
Accountability When It Was Needed
After a protest outside Park East Synagogue left worshippers shaken and fearful, Commissioner Tisch did something rare in public leadership. She apologized.
She acknowledged that the police response did not adequately protect congregants. She stated that the synagogue deserved better. And she committed to improved protection for Jewish houses of worship.
Accountability is not weakness.
It is moral clarity.
Esther did not pretend the danger was theoretical. She acknowledged it, even when doing so placed her position at risk.
Standing With the Jewish Community in Practice
Following a car ramming attack targeting a Chabad location in New York City, Commissioner Tisch publicly affirmed the city’s commitment to protecting Jewish institutions. Increased patrols, visible law enforcement presence, and coordination with Jewish community leaders followed.
This was not performative solidarity.
It was action.
Jewish leaders across New York have openly stated that her continued leadership brings reassurance at a time when antisemitic threats have become normalized in public spaces.
Esther did not offer sympathy alone. She took steps that saved lives.
This Is What Courage Looks Like in 2026
Scripture tells us the Church is the Bride of Christ, called to stand watch, to intercede, and to protect the vulnerable.
“Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape.” Esther 4:13
Esther teaches us that authority is a stewardship. That leadership carries responsibility. And that courage often looks like telling the truth when others prefer silence.
Commissioner Tisch did not have to speak as clearly as she did. She did not have to take responsibility when things went wrong. She did not have to center Jewish safety so consistently in a city under immense political pressure.
She chose to.
Our Prayer
Lord,
We thank You for leaders who understand that authority is meant to protect, not to posture.
We ask You to guard those who stand against hatred with truth and humility.
Strengthen all who serve as watchmen in their cities, that justice would not fail and fear would not prevail.
Amen.
