BySHALEV FIMA

In recent years, it sometimes seems as though the strength of Zionism is measured by the number of likes, trending hashtags, or viral confrontations on campuses. But history teaches us a simpler and deeper truth: Jewish identity has never been decided in comment sections. It is shaped in classrooms, youth movements, summer camps, and in family conversations.

The struggle the Jewish people are facing today is not just political. In my opinion, it is primarily educational.

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Following the events of October 7, Jewish communities around the world experienced a double upheaval: a sharp rise in antisemitism and a surge of awakening identity. On campuses and in public spaces, a fierce debate is underway over the very legitimacy of the State of Israel. Yet alongside the sense of threat, a quieter and more significant movement is taking place. Many young Jews are trying to rediscover who they are, where they belong, and what their connection to Israel truly means.

The question is not whether a battle of consciousness is taking place. It is.
The question is where it will be decided.

It will not be decided by an angry tweet or yet another response video, and it will definitely not be decided through reactive public diplomacy alone.

It will be decided through education.

From its inception, Zionism was not merely a political endeavor; it was an educational revolution. Long before the establishment of the state, Hebrew schools, youth movements, and leadership frameworks were created to build a generation that knew its story, spoke its language, and believed in its future. The national vision grew out of a in depth process of shaping consciousness and identity.

Today, more than ever, we have to go back to that understanding.

The younger generation is not searching for slogans. They are searching for meaning. They are asking complex questions.

Investment in Jewish-Zionist education, in Israel and throughout the Diaspora, is not a luxury and not a matter of “image softening.” It is national infrastructure. Programs for Hebrew language study, deeper engagement with Jewish and Israeli history, strengthening youth movements, pre-military academies, leadership initiatives, and immersive experiences in Israel, all build resilience that does not depend on daily headlines.

That resilience is not only protection against antisemitism; it is an anchor of belonging. When a young Jew knows their story, is familiar with their heritage, and feels part of a people who share a past and a future, they do not require constant emotional defense. They stand upright.

In the current reality, it is easy to be drawn into a discourse of constant reaction. Every extreme statement invites a counterstatement. Every digital campaign invites a response campaign. But a battle over consciousness is not a sprint, it is a marathon. And marathons are won by building foundations, not by managing headlines.

The responsibility does not rest solely on Diaspora communities. It is shared by the State of Israel as a whole. The connection between Israel and world Jewry is not one of one-way assistance or patronage. It is a covenant of shared destiny. If we expect young Jews to stand with Israel in moments of crisis, we must invest in a deep and meaningful relationship with them in times of routine.

And from this education, Aliyah also grows.

Aliyah is not merely a geographic move; it is a profound expression of identity. It does not begin at the airport, but in an internal process of connection, meaning, and belonging. A young Jew who feels part of the Jewish story and the Zionist enterprise will choose to consider their future here as well, in the State of Israel. Not out of fear, and not only as a reaction to antisemitism, but from a conscious choice to be part of building the future.

If we wish to see significant and lasting waves of Aliyah in the coming years, we must invest today in the root; identity, education, a sense of partnership. The State of Israel is not only a refuge; it is a home. And a home is built through education.

The battle over Israel’s legitimacy and the battle over the continuity of Jewish identity are, in fact, the same battle. And it will not be decided in television studios or on social media platforms. It will be decided in the classroom and from there it will extend to the choice to make Aliyah, to integrate, and to build the next chapter in the story of the Jewish people in Israel.