Milwaukee Jewish Federation launched its 2026 Annual Campaign with a night of storytelling, music, and a resounding call for Jewish pride and resilience, as actor and activist Michael Rapaport and policy analyst Hilary Miller took center stage at the “Hineni” event — Hebrew for “Here I am.”
The event was held at a Discovery World ballroom in Downtown Milwaukee on Sept. 14, drawing hundreds to reflect on the meaning of community, responsibility, and standing up in the face of adversity.
Annual Campaign co-chairs Tanya Arbit and Jamie Miller opened the evening, which also featured Israeli musician and Oct. 7 survivor Micha Biton, and Emmy Award–winning reporter Jonah Kaplan.
A candid conversation between Rapaport and Miller set the tone for the night. Rapaport, known for his outspoken advocacy on social media, spoke passionately about the challenges facing Jews in Hollywood and beyond, especially in the wake of the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel.
Rapaport noted that the Emmy Awards were taking place the same night, Sept. 14, and news was already coming out of anti-Israel statements there.
“I can’t believe that again, that it’s happened. Not a mention of the hostages, at the bare minimum,” Rapaport said, describing his frustration with public figures who, in his view, overlook the suffering of Israeli hostages. “It’s just as if one thing is taking place and another thing isn’t.”
Miller, a policy analyst for the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, echoed the sense of discomfort many Jews now feel in social and professional circles. “We find ourselves, especially in this post-Oct. 7 world, navigating circles where you’ve traditionally felt comfortable, and now it’s uncomfortable,” she said.
Rapaport shared his personal journey toward deeper Jewish religious expression, recounting how a chance encounter with a passionate Chabad emissary led him to the daily practice of wrapping tefillin — a ritual he now encourages others to adopt. “It is such an incredibly beautiful, personal — it’s so Jewish, it makes me feel safe, it makes me feel strong,” he said.
The conversation turned to the power of memory and advocacy, as Miller praised Rapaport’s relentless efforts to keep the names of Israeli hostages in the public eye.
Rapaport recounted the story of Shlomo, an 85-year-old hostage who was killed after being kidnapped on Oct. 7, 2023, and the simple act of eating ice cream on Shlomo’s birthday to honor his memory. “It’s just one of many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many, many thousands of stories of devastation,” he said.
Despite the weight of the moment, Rapaport urged the audience to remain steadfast.
“Do not for a second ever think that Jewish people, Milwaukee Jewish people, Jewish people worldwide, are going anywhere, and Israel is going anywhere,” he declared, drawing applause. “We’re not going anywhere.”
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