We, the thousands of members of “L’chaim! Jews Against the Death Penalty” from Israel and across the world, categorically condemn the latest display of the macabre celebration of death and killing associated with Israel’s recently passed “Death Penalty for Terrorists” Law. In the most recent example of how this law opens a veritable Pandora’s Box of death, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir’s wife Ayala presented him with a cake featuring a large picture of a noose at his 50th birthday party this week. The cake includes the text “sometimes dreams do come true” printed in Hebrew on the icing. The noose and message, of course, is a reference to the controversial law mandating the death penalty for Palestinians terrorists, which has long been championed by Ben Gvir and his Otzma Yehudit party.

As Linda Dayan of Haaretz has rightfully argued, this charade is undoubtedly a political maneuver by Ben Gvir to grab headlines, even if as a target of loathing. In doing so, however, he is once again playing with fire. His noose-laden birthday cake is but the latest iteration of many similar ploys since the start of his death campaign. Taken together, they reveal just how dangerously far the Far Right has moved the needle of reason and respect for human rights in Israel.

Such a debauched spectacle normally would not merit a response. Tragically, the level of bloodlust that permeates the present zeitgeist and the fact that this law has indeed come to fruition necessitate our doing just that. Not to counter such a display would risk further normalizing it.

Ben Gvir’s Pre-Passover “To Death” Toast

An egregious previous example of this horrific kind of political theatre occurred on March 30, 2026, just before Passover, the most widely observed Jewish holiday. It was then that Ben Gvir celebrated the passing of his pet racist, dangerous, vengeful, and unjust death penalty law by raising a champagne bottle and drinking to victory. The customary toast in Jewish tradition, of course, is to exclaim “L’chaim!”, meaning “to Life!” Partly for this reason, the name chosen for the Jewish anti-death penalty group that........

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