Mere days after the most dramatic elections New York City has witnessed in years, the world's Jewish capital finds itself at a boiling point with Zohran Mamdani's election as the first Muslim mayor. A turbulent, passion-driven campaign exposed profound rifts in American society and within the world's largest Jewish community. Candidates staked out opposed positions on Israel, Jews, and America's Middle East role, and ballot box results revealed a reality where Jewish identity in this city can no longer be assumed.
As New York recovers from the political struggle, a surging wave of antisemitism on campuses and streets confronts the city's Jews with an existential and moral challenge. They must ask themselves anew what being Jewish in 2025 America means, how to sustain Jewish pride in a world struggling to accommodate it, and how to bridge love for Israel with criticism of it.
At precisely this moment, emerging from the storm, a groundbreaking Israel Hayom conference will take place next month in Manhattan's heart. The conference convenes on December 2 at the Hilton Midtown, moderated by journalist Yoav Limor. The gathering is poised to become the central forum for discourse on relations between Israel, diaspora Jewry, and the American administration – a dialogue that transcends borders, sectors, and generations.
Senior American administration officials and prominent New York Jewish community members will participate, including Senator John Fetterman, Rabbi Ari Berman, Yeshiva University president, and Elan Carr, CEO of the Israeli-American Council and former Trump special envoy for combating antisemitism.
The conference will feature leading figures from economics, media, and business. Prominent Israeli speakers taking the stage include UN Ambassador Danny Danon, Minister Amichai Chikli, former US Ambassador to Israel David Friedman, former Ambassador Gilad Erdan, and others.
Discussions will tackle the era's urgent questions: how Israel appears the day after its longest war; whether American Jewry can forge anew a unified identity and bold leadership; what economic implications the Jerusalem-Wall Street connection holds; and what the Jewish people's future looks like in a transforming world.
The conference will spotlight young New York Jews – a new generation educated on politically charged campuses, frequently caught between worlds, as they balance rootedness with integration into an increasingly distant American society.
Prof. Uriel Reichman, Reichman University founding president and board chairman, also participating in the conference, said, "As a Zionist university, I viewed connecting with Jewish youth from diaspora communities worldwide as a paramount mission. At the Raphael Recanati International School, which we established on campus 25 years ago, thousands of young people from 90 countries study in English, sharing values and shaping the future of the Jewish people. Worldwide antisemitism and Israel's survival struggles demand a stronger bond than ever between the State of Israel and diaspora Jews."
Additional conference guests include businesswoman Ofra Strauss, HaShomer HaChadash CEO Yoel Zilberman, Masa CEO Meir Holtz, Rashi Foundation Chairman Shaul Shani, World Jewish Congress President for Israel and the region Sylvan Adams, Szold Center Chairman Avigdor Kahalani, Mitnaskim CEO Tal Buskus, and others.
A gathering for impact and hope
Israel Hayom editor-in-chief Omer Lachmanovitch said, "We stand at a historic war's conclusion, and discourse surrounding Israel, Judaism, and Jewish identity intensifies in communities globally. Particularly given the New York City mayoral election results, which have raised questions and concerns in the Jewish community, a gathering of Jewish, Israeli, and American voices under one roof holds special significance. Israel Hayom's first New York conference offers an opportunity to collectively examine our era's challenges, address the security and economic aspects of US-Israel relations, and craft a shared vocabulary of responsibility, impact, and hope."
Further discussion on Israel-US relations will take place at the Israel Hayom Summit on December 2 at the Hilton Midtown Hotel in New York City.
Tickets here: https://tickchak.co.il/Israel1
