Since October 7, 2023, the Jewish world has fundamentally changed. As Jews, we woke up, we got scared, and we got wiser. We learned just how much hate exists – both in Israel and the United States – and it brought us together. It was a watershed moment that demands more than just feeling. It demands action.
I am the youngest delegate running on the Kol Israel slate in the current World Zionist Congress elections. As such, I represent a generation that will inherit the future of Jewish Diaspora relations with Israel.
I am often asked why I decided to run. The reason is because of how deeply disappointed I felt after the horrendous October 7 Hamas attacks on Israel.
Like the rest of my generation, in 2020 I stood in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement. So part of me expected – and hoped – that other minorities would do the same for us and stand up for the Jewish people, especially Diaspora Jews.
I will never forget the silence of those who should have been our allies. The disappointment led to a painful realization and taught me an important lesson: Sometimes the only people who will stand up for Jews are the Jews themselves.
It’s up to us – Jews living in the Diaspora – to speak up. Part of that is having a voice and a vote in the World Zionist Congress. This is an opportunity for us to have a say in how our collective future will be shaped, and it is a big part of the reason why I chose to run.
Gen Z Jews need help
My generation needs support now.
Every day, I work with Jewish teenagers who are constantly exposed to antisemitism on social media. They witness hatred and misunderstanding in ways previous generations never had to confront.
Beyond that is the stark reality of Jews being harassed on college campuses, in schools, and on streets that should be safe. My sister is still in college, along with many of my peers. I was fortunate to graduate six months before October 7, but they are still facing environments where antisemitism is increasingly being normalized.
The summer after October 7, I returned to my Jewish summer camp community. I firmly believe these communities are not luxuries but necessities for Jewish youth. Whether they experience hatred in person or online, Jewish youth are feeling misunderstood at an unprecedented rate, and it is imperative that safe spaces remain available for them. Frameworks, such as Jewish summer camps, must be funded and supported.
Young Judaea has always been a movement led by young people. Its alignment with the Kol Israel slate is natural: Both believe funding should prioritize Jewish youth programs as an investment in the future of the Jewish people.
I’m running because I believe there are two priorities that need to be addressed simultaneously: fighting antisemitism on college campuses and funding Jewish youth programs.
These efforts reinforce each other and matter beyond today. The more involved teens are in Jewish and Israel programs, the more likely they are to engage with campus Jewish organizations.
There is strength in numbers. By funding more Jewish youth programs, we educate our teens to fight antisemitism as they move forward in the world. This creates a positive cycle of engagement, education, and advocacy.
In a conflict so geographically distant yet emotionally close, Diaspora Jews often feel powerless. Voting in the World Zionist Congress gives us a chance to declare that funding programs for Jewish youth matters because they represent our future.
The World Zionist Congress won’t convene again for another five years, and young Diaspora Jews need support now. If I don’t speak up for young people in this critical moment, who will?
The writer is Young Judaea’s national programs associate and Kol Israel’s youngest delegate.