On May 15, 2024—the 76th anniversary of the Palestinian Nakba—Lily Greenberg Call, a Jewish American political appointee, resigned from the Biden administration. She was the first to do so publicly, citing President Biden’s complicity in the ongoing genocide in Gaza. Her departure was not just a career move; it was a profound statement about power, integrity, and the true meaning of safety.
For many, a job in the White House is the culmination of a lifelong dream. For Greenberg Call, it became a moral crisis. “What is the point of having power if you will not use it to stop crimes against humanity?” she asked in her resignation letter. This question haunted her as she witnessed what she described as the administration’s “performative allyship” with the Jewish community—using Jewish safety as a cover for policies that endangered both Palestinians and Israelis.
She was not alone in her dissent. Over 500 officials had signed a letter protesting the administration’s Gaza policy, and at least a dozen have publicly resigned [1][2]. But for Greenberg Call, the personal cost was immense. Whistleblowers often face career suicide, with studies showing their income drops by an average of 7-8% in the years following their actions [3]. She was sacrificing a career she had spent a decade building.
What could possibly be worth such a sacrifice? For Greenberg Call, the answer was integrity. Neuroscience and psychology research confirms that living in alignment with one’s values is crucial for mental health, while a mismatch can lead to chronic stress and burnout [4]. “I could not live like that,” she explained. “It was not good for my soul. It was not good for my body.”
In leaving a job that compromised her values, she gained something she believes is far more valuable: a profound sense of safety through solidarity. While the administration claimed its policies were for Jewish safety, Greenberg Call found her safety not in government policy, but in community with Palestinians and other allies who had her back. “The first people who reached out to me on October 7th were my Palestinian friends,” she recalled.
Her resignation was a powerful act of reclaiming her Jewish values of tikkun olam (repairing the world) and standing up for the oppressed. It was a declaration that true safety doesn’t come from bombs and political maneuvering, but from mutual care, solidarity, and the courage to live in alignment with one’s deepest-held beliefs.
[1] Anadolu Agency. (2024, July 3). FACT BOX - 12 US officials have publicly resigned in protest over Biden’s Gaza policy since Oct 7.
[2] The New York Times. (2023, November 14 ). More Than 500 U.S. Officials Sign Letter Protesting Biden’s Israel Policy.
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/14/us/politics/israel-biden-letter-gaza-cease-fire.html
[3] Harvard Law School. (2021, June 10 ). Cash-for-Information Whistleblower Programs: Effects on Whistleblowing and Consequences for Whistleblowers.
[4] Brain First Institute. (2024, August 29 ). Aligning With Values: The Neuroscience of Values-Based Actions.
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