‘Together, we will win” is a slogan that has been spoken by the citizens of Israel since the beginning of the war that calls for unity. However, it is important to remember that there is also an international audience to whom this call for unity appeals.
Since October 7, another front has been opened – on the international level, in which Diaspora Jews and their children face and encounter severe antisemitism in many places; the call of “together, we will win” should be aimed at them as well. It is important to understand that today, more than ever, we are connected and need one another.
In this context, I will start from the bottom line: We must commit to developing and strengthening the sense of belonging of the younger generation in the Diaspora with the State of Israel and strengthening their Jewish identity from childhood.
Together with the families, the education system and the teachers in the Jewish day schools are the gatekeepers and the connecting thread for the Jewish children, so it is very important that we engage them in this task.
At the same time, it is important to strengthen among the male and female students in Israel the connection and the openness to contact with the Jewish communities in the Diaspora, in order for this connection to continue throughout the generations. The Jewish communities are our support in the world – a political, economic and moral support, and they have proved this in the current war. And today’s children are the leaders of tomorrow’s Jewish communities.
THE WAR between Israel and Hamas led to a huge increase in antisemitism around the world. Reports from the Ministry of the Diaspora and Combating Antisemitism indicate an increase of hundreds of percent in the scope of antisemitic incidents since the beginning of the war, compared to the same period last year.
Historic rise of antisemitism in numerous forms
Antisemitism manifests itself all over the world in various forms, from hateful rhetoric and online abuse to physical attacks and vandalism aimed at students on campuses, synagogues and Jews in public and community spaces. In Italy, for example, a doubling of the number of antisemitic incidents has been reported since the outbreak of the war – and on the Amazon website, several stores in the US and the UK are selling shirts with an inscription that calls for the destruction of Israel.
In the US, Charlotte Blinken, a relative of Secretary of State Antony Blinken, has announced that she will stop her studies as a student at New York University (NYU) due to the increase in antisemitism at the institution and the decrease in her sense of security as a Jewish student. In France, a video was published on social media in which a group is seen chanting antisemitic slogans, and swastikas were sprayed on top of Jewish houses.
These and other cases point to real distress. This disturbing trend, in which Jewish communities are faced with increased hostility, discrimination and violence, requires significant steps to be taken. The surge in antisemitism emphasizes the necessity to stand in solidarity with Jewish communities, and ensure their safety and well-being. Supporting these communities in times of heightened antisemitism requires a joint effort to unequivocally denounce it in all of its forms.
Political leaders and influencers around the world should be encouraged to loudly condemn anti-Jewish bigotry and explain Israel’s legitimacy to defend itself. In addition, it is important to promote unique educational programs in Jewish schools, and to offer assistance, resources and a sense of connection and support to the heads of the communities, and both students and teachers in Jewish schools. Solidarity with Jewish communities in the Diaspora is essential in fostering unity, understanding and ultimately dealing with the threat of spreading antisemitism.
For example, the UnitEd organization, which I lead and which operates with the support of the Ministry of Diaspora and Combating Antisemitism, has been working since the beginning of the war to strengthen children, schools and Jewish communities through access to relevant content, knowledge and emotional tools. We understand that the entire Jewish people is affected by the war at this time and therefore we work to strengthen the resilience of Jewish people in the world, which will also affect the resilience of Israel.
There is no doubt that the State of Israel is an anchor for the Jews, especially in this difficult time, and that at the same time, the various communities in the world provide support, strength and assistance to Israel. Just as the communities all rallied for the State of Israel, the surge in antisemitism and its reaching enormous proportions requires us here in Israel to take immediate and continuous action to support Jewish schools and educational institutions worldwide.
The writer is CEO of UnitEd, an initiative created by Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism. Together with its global partners, UnitEd provides a network for developing and empowering Jewish educators, from administrators to teachers, all over the world.