“Esther was not forced. And neither was Yochanan ben Zakkai forced to meet Vespasian when he met him before Vespasian destroyed Yerushalayim.”
Esther was forcefully taken to the palace. The passuk says “Vatilakah Esther” – Esther was taken. When she later went to Ahashvarosh, she did so based on the command of Mordechai, one of the Gedolai hador, in order to save Jews.
Rabbi Yochanan ben Zakkai was one of the Gedolai Hador. He knew what he was doing.
Both of them risked their lives in pressing times of need to save Jews and Judaism. Both acted on what we would presently call “Daas Torah”. Both of them had plans with end goals in mind that proved to work in a short amount of time.
NK has none of that.