“We are seeing far too much tolerance for violent rhetoric” in the United States and around the globe, American actress Patricia Heaton told JNS on Sunday during a visit to Israel as part of a trip organized by the Israel Tech Mission (ITM).
Heaton, an award-winning actress, producer and author who has received two Primetime Emmy Awards, is the founder of the October 7th Coalition (O7C), a movement dedicated to supporting and protecting the Jewish community from antisemitism.
She told JNS she was encouraged to see Israel’s recovery. “I was here a year ago, last November, and it was very quiet because of the war. It’s wonderful to see Israel vibrant again—people out eating, shopping and tourists returning,” she said.
Heaton spoke about the strong bond between Christians and Jews, emphasizing their shared roots through the Judeo-Christian heritage.
“Christianity comes out of Judaism. Everything we have as Christians is founded in the Old Testament. Jesus was Jewish—his mother was Jewish, his father was Jewish, and he lived in Israel. It’s astonishing that we even have to clarify that, but people still get it wrong,” she said.
“We need to remind people of what the Bible actually says—and the Bible is a historical document,” she added.
Heaton underscored Israel’s significance as the region’s only democracy, surrounded by non-democratic states.
“We are allies in every sense of the word. I want to see Israel thrive because we gain so much from Israel, and Israel gains from us. Strong partnerships in technology, industry, and security are vital,” she said.
Heaton’s latest initiative, the October 7th Coalition (O7C), was founded to mobilize Christians to take visible and vocal action in support of the Jewish people, Israel’s right to exist and the fight against antisemitism.
“After I saw the Hamas bodycam footage they posted on social media, I was deeply alarmed. I assumed that not only America but the entire world would rise up in defense of Israel, but the opposite happened. I wondered where the Christian voices were, the ones I know support Israel, yet seemed silent. That’s why we launched O7C,” she said.
“We’ve been doing this for two years now. Often, American Christians visit Israel and love it, but don’t necessarily know Jewish people in their own communities. We’re trying to bridge that gap through events that promote unity, share accurate information about Israel and counter propaganda. We plan to work on college campuses and with pastors and Jewish leaders to strengthen our shared mission and find ways to collaborate,” she said.
Addressing the violent rhetoric at anti-Israel protests, Heaton noted that while America values free speech, it should not be weaponized to incite violence against Jews.
“Many city officials have looked the other way as protesters regularly call for a global intifada. They chant, ‘From the river to the sea,’ and their rhetoric is becoming increasingly antisemitic. Jewish restaurants and businesses have been vandalized, and Jews have been harassed or even killed. These are all warning signs we saw before World War II in Germany. We should all be alarmed,” Heaton said.
“This narrative that capitalism is evil and that America is evil has been adopted by many of these groups. When that kind of rhetoric spreads, it creates an atmosphere that can drive unhinged individuals to act violently. We need our representatives to take this seriously and work to stop this kind of incitement,” she added.
During the interview, Heaton wore a dog tag bearing the name of freed captive Rom Braslavski, given to her by Rom’s mother, Tami, in solidarity with the hostage families.
“We’ve tried to support the hostage families financially and continue raising awareness on social media. Hopefully, the remaining [deceased] hostages will come home soon. That’s always been the key to ending this war—something these protest groups don’t seem to care about,” Heaton said.
“If the hostages had been released on Oct. 8, we wouldn’t be in this situation. Hamas has shown it doesn’t care about the Palestinian people. Even now, with Israel largely withdrawn from Gaza, Hamas is killing Palestinians instead of targeting Israelis. They are an evil terrorist organization driven by hatred and violence,” she said.
Heaton said that while some people in the U.S. may view the Middle East conflict as distant and irrelevant, she finds it troubling that many on the political left and in Hollywood appear misinformed about the situation.
“They keep talking about war casualties and calling it genocide, which it absolutely is not. No army in history has done as much as the IDF to avoid civilian harm. Yet there seems to be a strange obsession with painting Israel as the villain,” she said.
“I know many of the people signing these anti-Israel statements are intelligent, so it’s hard to understand why they ignore the facts and keep repeating the false claim of genocide while turning a blind eye to Hamas’s actions,” she continued.
“They ignore that Hamas started this war and funneled aid money into building the world’s largest tunnel system in one of the smallest territories—bigger than the London Underground,” she said. “Hamas is a corrupt, bloodthirsty organization that uses its own civilians, including children, as human shields to achieve its horrific goals. All we can do is keep telling the truth.”
Heaton said she hopes her visit helps spread a positive message about Israel to audiences in the U.S. and beyond. “I want people to see how incredible Israel is—a country full of beauty, innovation and opportunity. It’s open for business and it’s thriving.”
“It’s a great time to visit. Come enjoy the amazing food, shops, and the overwhelming history. For Christians, walking in the footsteps of Christ is deeply moving. Israel is a beautiful, safe and welcoming country—and I encourage everyone to come, whether it’s your first visit or your first in years. Now is the perfect time,” she added.
