The three pivotal issues confronting the Jewish people today are ignorance, divisiveness, and antisemitism.

The first two are internal and the third is external. If we address our internal challenges and strengthen ourselves from within, we will also be better equipped to confront the external dangers we face.

1. Ignorance

Ignorance of Judaism—of our heritage, history, and sacred texts—is rampant. The vast majority of Jews know very little about Judaism. For many Jews, Judaism has been reduced to the Holocaust. Walk into bookstores such as Barnes & Noble and browse the religion section under Judaism, you’ll see that most of the books deal with the Holocaust. A few years ago, I spoke at a museum called the Museum of Jewish Heritage; the entire museum is devoted to the Holocaust.

The Holocaust is not the sum total of Jewish identity, heritage, or history.

The Holocaust was a terrible tragedy. My father, of blessed memory, lost his entire family in the Holocaust. I do not wish to diminish its significance, but the Holocaust is not the sum total of Jewish identity, heritage, or history. Judaism is a vibrant, beautiful, and joyful way of life, rich in ancient wisdom that speaks directly to contemporary issues.

Jean-Paul Sartre once said that antisemitism defined the Jews, and tragically, that may be true for many Jews today. As a community, we have an obligation to educate ourselves—and others—about the incredible and inspiring story of the Jewish people, immersing ourselves in the wisdom and ethical teachings of the Torah.

Jews are also often ignorant of our deep and ancient connection to the Land of Israel—thousands of years of Jewish culture, identity, and spiritual life rooted in that land. Many Jews are unaware that the majority of our sacred texts, prayers, and prophets are inseparable from the Land of Israel.

As long as Jews remain ignorant of their own culture, they cannot be proud of who they are. They cannot confront their enemies, and they cannot transmit their heritage to their children. As a community, we need to reach out and educate our fellow Jews. There are countless books, videos, websites, and media resources available today, making it easier than ever to find something that will resonate with a friend, relative, or acquaintance.

2. Divisiveness

The second issue is unity—or rather, the lack of it. We must recognize that all members of the Jewish people are our brothers and sisters, even if they do not look like us, speak our language, or dress the way we do. Jewish unity is not about uniformity. It is about being one people despite our differences.

Too often, when people speak about “the Jewish community,” they mean Jews who look and think exactly like themselves. When newspapers describe a Jewish community in a particular place, they often mean only the segment that resembles the paper’s readership. This narrow vision must change.

We need to appreciate the diversity, individuality, and shared destiny of the entire Jewish people.

We need to appreciate the diversity, individuality, and shared destiny of the entire Jewish people. The reserve units of the IDF defending Israel over the past two years are a powerful example of this unity. In a single unit, you might find the CEO of a high-tech company, the owner of a falafel stand, a rabbi, a secular socialist, an Ethiopian Jew, a Russian Jew, and a Moroccan Jew. Despite their differences, they share a common purpose, a common goal, and a shared fate.

We need to emulate this model of unity where what we have in common overrides what separates us. This means actively building relationships with fellow Jews, identifying with them, and supporting Jewish communities everywhere. Practically speaking visit a synagogue with different customs every now and again. Attend events that are “outside” your regular circle. Read something written by another Jew even if it makes you feel uncomfortable. Expand your Jewish universe.

3. Antisemitism

We were all aware of antisemitism before October 7th, but its explosion following the Hamas attack on Israel has shocked many of us. Not only was there a stunning lack of sympathy for Jews who were murdered, tortured, raped, and kidnapped, but there was widespread support for the perpetrators.

Since October 7th, crowds around the world have openly demonstrated for the destruction of Israel. College students and academics, Christians and leftists, Muslims and atheists—groups with little else in common—have united in hatred of Jews. Influential bloggers and commentators now link every global problem to Israel and the Jewish people. We are blamed for the weather, international conflicts, global warming, and political and societal corruption.

Classic medieval blood libels have returned in modern form: accusations of genocide, organ harvesting, and the deliberate killing of babies and children by the State of Israel. This hatred has not remained theoretical. It has manifested in physical attacks against Jews, synagogues, and Jewish symbols worldwide. Jew-hatred is becoming normalized.

I do not pretend to have solutions to antisemitism; that challenge lies far beyond my pay grade. What is clear, however, is our responsibility to remain vigilant, to vote, to advocate, and to do whatever is within our power to confront the forces of hatred and evil. We need to stand behind Israel and support one another.

Ignorance of Judaism among Jews is connected to ignorance about Jews in the non-Jewish world. And disunity among Jews exposes a vulnerability that can be exploited by those who seek to harm us.

Jewish sages have long taught that internal spiritual weaknesses within the Jewish people are often reflected externally in how the world relates to us. I believe that ignorance of Judaism among Jews is connected to ignorance about Jews in the non-Jewish world. Likewise, a lack of unity among Jews exposes a vulnerability that can be exploited by those who seek to harm us.

My hope is that if we can begin by addressing the internal struggles of ignorance and divisiveness, God will help us confront the external ones. We pray for the day when, in the words of the prophet Isaiah (2:4), “They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation; neither shall they learn war anymore.”