Facing forward

There are many lessons the Jewish people can and should take from the past two years, both for those living in Zion and for those scattered across the globe. We may not agree on all of them — we are Jews, after all — but I believe there is at least one lesson we can all share: the Jewish people must do a better job of looking forward, especially when it comes to our next generation.

Much has been said about today's young generation. That they live on TikTok, that they lack ideals, that they're self-focused. But when the war began, this generation proved just how wrong we were about them. I came to realize two simple truths.

First, young Jews around the world deeply want to support Israel. They want to come here and stand with their people in their time of need. They fought to arrive in Israel, and during the war with Iran, some even fought to stay.

The second thing I understood is that they are paying a heavy price for that support, sometimes too heavy, simply because they do not yet have the tools to face this challenge. Since October 7, Jewish communities around the world have been confronting an unprecedented wave of antisemitism, hatred, and incitement. In such times, the need for young Jewish leaders — confident in their identity and connected to Israel — has become more essential than ever. Leaders who can speak, act, and guide others — not from fear, but from conviction, purpose, and hope.

For over twenty years, Masa Israel Journey, a joint initiative of the Jewish Agency and the Government of Israel, has brought thousands of young Jews from around the world to Israel each year for long-term programs. Every day, we ask ourselves one simple question: since most Masa fellows ultimately return home, how can we turn their time in Israel from a powerful experience into a leadership journey? Guided by this question, and the vision behind it, we continue to act.

Next month, during the Israel Hayom Summit in New York, when we ask ourselves, "Where do we go from here?", we will look first at the young people sitting in the audience. I know I will be thinking especially of the 210,000 Masa alumni — each of whom contributes to Jewish life in their own way, carrying the knowledge, values, and connection they gained here in Israel.

This year, we will once again present the Masa Changemakers List — an inspiring group of young men and women, all Masa alumni, who have turned the values and skills they developed here into meaningful action in fields such as diplomacy, media, politics, art, and social entrepreneurship. Each one of them is leading real change in their community — and together, they embody the mission we have set for ourselves: to build the next generation of Jewish leadership.

Anyone who has seen young people who came here over the past two years, as they step off the plane in Israel, eyes shining with excitement, running to volunteer in the orchards near Gaza, unafraid but full of purpose, knows the truth. This generation is just as committed to the Jewish people as any before them, perhaps even more so. They are talented, driven, and ready to lead. We see it every single day.

When I look forward, I feel hopeful. There is a generation we can trust. Our role is to look at them, believe in them, give them the right tools, and prepare them — and ourselves — for the challenges that lie ahead for all of us.