With a hostage deal in Gaza reaching finalization and a ceasefire appearing to hold in Lebanon, the major wars in Israel seem to be drawing to a close. There is a danger that this new reality will lull people into a false sense of complacency, giving a perception that the proverbial fire has been lowered.
The war is not over; it has only begun in the struggle for the minds and hearts of the global community. The need for grassroots community organizing among individuals and organizations is urgent at this time.
What the global Jewish community does in the next decade will be pivotal. Over the past 15 months, a dedicated cohort of individuals has been working to address this gap, developing strategies to combat antisemitism and promote philosemitism.
Central to these efforts is better coordination within the community, leveraging technology to organize large-scale, impactful actions.
The good news is that there has been an ongoing effort to address these issues that is just now taking off. A leading nonprofit technology company has taken the helm to create a multi-million dollar app to affect the discourse on social media and beyond.
History shows that every machine – military, social, or political – takes time to gear up and even longer to gear down. To unwind these efforts prematurely, lulled into a false sense of security, would be a catastrophic mistake. Mechanisms must be established now to ensure communities are ready for the next challenge, whenever and whatever it may be.
Aftermath of October 7
Let us recall in the aftermath of the October 2023 attacks, the Jewish community worldwide – particularly in the United States – was woefully unprepared. Protests, demonstrations, and social media campaigns against Israel erupted almost immediately, revealing the organizational readiness of those hateful of the Jewish state.
Meanwhile, the Jewish community struggled to respond cohesively or effectively. The Jewish community was disjointed and certainly not organized in a way that produced effective actions and reactions.
Community organizing is not a new concept; its principles have been employed and deployed for generations. However, organizing people onto a specific technological platform for coordinated action represents a completely new way of organizing for action.
The one emerging nonprofit technology company that is pioneering this response is called Emissary. Its mission is to create a network comprised of millions of individuals working together in coordinated ways on social media and beyond.
Imagine a system where masses of “emissaries” (participants) can receive “missions” (suggestions) to respond to specific incidents of antisemitism or amplify positive messages about the Jewish community.
FOR EXAMPLE, consider the antisemitic incident where swastikas were sprayed on a business at the Golden Horseshoe shopping center in Scarsdale, New York, a few months ago. If this network had been operational, it could have mobilized thousands of Westchester residents to respond in a unified manner – bringing attention to the incident, organizing community support, and countering hate with positive action.
Simultaneously, an online campaign could have been launched to amplify awareness by hundreds of thousands across the country. This could have brought national attention to the event. This type of action could be repeated again and again, ensuring the broader public understands the gravity of the incident.
Another example: If an influencer posts antisemitic content, the platform could direct thousands of users to engage directly with that influencer, highlighting their discriminatory behavior. Realizing the widespread backlash, the influencer might rethink their future posts, recognizing the harm to their brand and reputation. It is a function of people + Time + Money. The more of the aforementioned we have, the more impact we can create!
The great 20th-century community organizer Saul Alinsky said, “The organizer’s job is to help people recognize their own power and the potential they have to make change, not necessarily to focus on the issue at hand.”
This quote captures the idea that the act of organizing – is more important than the particular issue being addressed. By organizing around any issue, people can develop the skills, confidence, and networks necessary to tackle future challenges.
As Israel concludes its physical battles, the responsibility continues for those who want to defend the Jewish community. Now is not the time for complacency. The sacrifices made to secure the safety and future of Jews worldwide must be understood to be linked to advocacy and action in the Diaspora.
The flame of effort must not be dimmed but intensified in preparation for the next event that will surely occur. Our enemies continue the work when it is “quiet,” and so must we. The Jewish community was caught off guard once and cannot ever let itself be caught off guard again.
The time is now to lay the groundwork for the type of action described above. The time is now to have people download onto one network. By doing this, we provide the opportunity to act in the future.
The writer co-founded Torchpac, a pro-Israel advocacy group at New York University. To contact him, please reach out at dmr224@yahoo.com.