In a city with the largest Jewish community in the world outside Israel, the Israel Hayom summit at New York City brings the people shaping the strategic, diplomatic, economic and social realities that Israel and global Jewry will navigate in the coming years into a single space, becoming the focal point of global Jewish conversation.
The summit comes at a tense and volatile moment. In northern Israel, tensions have reached their highest point since the ceasefire began, alongside an international debate led by the US administration over the day after in Gaza. New York has seen a sharp rise in antisemitic incidents, as well as the political victory of a candidate critical of Israel. In Israel, the country continues to grapple with an ongoing emergency, civilian crises and efforts to define the contours of postwar reality.
Israel Hayom editor-in-chief: Jews, Israel at historic moment
Editor-in-Chief Omer Lachmanovitch opened the Israel Hayom Summit with a call for a unified front between the Jewish state and the American Diaspora. Addressing a packed audience, Lachmanovitch described the gathering as a "historic moment" necessitated by the shifting political landscape following "dramatic election results" in the city and a rising tide of antisemitism across the United States.
"We are bringing the American story directly to the Israeli public... and standing at the frontline of the battle for Israel's narrative against radical Islam," Lachmanovitch declared. The summit, Lachmanovitch noted, features senior American and Israeli leaders who have spent the last two years in war rooms shaping the future of the Middle East, offering essential insights into the shared challenges facing both democracies.
Lachmanovitch explained that the decision to convene in New York, which he called the "Jewish capital of America" – comes after the paper's most recent conference in Jerusalem. "After a war that reshaped our region and redefined Israel's partnership with the United States, we felt this was the moment to bring that conversation here," Lachmanovitch stated, recalling the 2-year conflict that erupted on Oct. 7 with the Hamas invasion and morphed into a multi-front war with Hezbollah, Iran and the Houthis in Yemen. The goal, Lachmanovitch emphasized, is to establish a yearly tradition dedicated to fostering an "unapologetically Zionist, pro-Israel dialogue" in the heart of the world's largest Jewish community outside of Israel.
Central to the address was the critical role of media in the current geopolitical climate. Quoting Saul Bellow's observation that "there is only one way to defeat an enemy – to write well," Lachmanovitch framed the mission of Israel Hayom not just as journalism, but as a "national mission." he highlighted the outlet's role in bridging the gap between the two nations, ensuring that the American story is brought to the Israeli public through facts rather than stereotypes, while simultaneously providing Americans with an unfiltered view of Israel's reality.
Miriam Adelson touts 'majestic alliance' between US, Israel
Israel Hayom publisher, businesswoman and philanthropist Dr. Miriam Adelson delivered a powerful call for unity, resilience, and the strengthening of the bond between the United States and the Jewish state.
Speaking to a crowded room of dignitaries, including references to the American US Ambassador to the UN Michael Waltz and local leadership, the speaker painted a picture of a relationship that transcends mere politics, describing the bond between the two nations as a "majestic alliance" essential for the survival of Western values.
The speech began with a moment of levity that quickly turned poignant, as Dr. Adelson tested the waters of the current cultural climate by asking if it is "still kosher" to say "Shalom" in the Big Apple, presumably referring to the recent election of Zohran Mamdani as the next mayor of the world's largest Jewish city.
She emphasized that the word "Shalom" meaning peace – represents the eternal aspiration of the Jewish people and the State of Israel, a value shared deeply by the United States but often ignored by their mutual adversaries. "It is the peace that the Jewish people and the State of Israel have always pursued for the good of the entire world – the fact that our enemies refuse to acknowledge," she noted. "It is a tragedy as old as our history.
They insist on portraying us as precisely the opposite, projecting their worst traits upon us is a painful travesty," she pointed out.
Despite these challenges, the message remained one of defiant optimism. Dr. Adelson urged the attendees to draw confidence from the fact that, unlike in previous centuries, the Jewish people now possess a homeland and the capacity for self-defense. The speaker framed the current climate as a "significant test" for the Israel-US relationship, calling on supporters to "fight slander with facts" and to walk "proud and confident through this age of moral confusion." She urged Jews "to rally with one another, even as we are surrounded by hostility."
Concluding the remarks, Dr. Adelson invoked the legacy of past generations as a path toward securing the Jewish future by remembering the powerlessness of the past pale in comparison with the challenges facing the Jewish people today. "We owe it to those past generations of powerless Jews who would have happily traded places with us today. And we owe it to our children, and the generations to follow, to ensure that they, too, can shout out loud "Am Israel Chai!" in defiance and celebration. For we'll survive and thrive."
She concluded with an optimistic note: "May this Israel Hayom Summit be the first of many here in New York - no matter who the mayor is."
Mike Waltz: The IDF is fighting for our values
US Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz spoke said at the Israel Hayom Summit in an interview with Ariel Kahana that Israel-US relations are a "core American interest".
"Look at the relationship post-1967, the relationship in terms of intelligence, military cooperation, I am a huge fan of Start-Up Nation, the innovation that's coming out of it, we share common enemies and adversaries," He said, "The brave IDF is fighting for us in many ways, on the front lines." He touted the shared values both nations have, quipped that "Bibi might disagree" when it comes to the independence of the judiciary, referring to the ongoing trial.
The US' envoy to the UN added that "Judeau-Christian values are the basis for the greatest country on earth and the glue that will always be at the center of the alliance."
"We are not putting up with the BDS and all the nonsense...UNRWA is essentially an operating arm of Hamas," he noted. "When the IDF took a strike in Doha, I am convinced in any other administration, history will look at the meeting the president convened at the UN that set us on the course that resulted in the ceasefire, and thank God for the release of the hostages, to see them walking out," he said. "Hopefully we will be down to one in the next 24 hours."
Asked what the administration let Israel do in Gaza and Lebanon, compared to the famous "Don't" said by Biden. "Israel always has the right to defend itself," stressing "If you have take the tough actions, you have to take the tough actions."
"I would expect to see an expansion," he said about the future of the Abraham Accords. "I think you will see them over the next year."
"Antisemitism? Not just a few 'angry kids'"
Ron Lauder, president of the World Jewish Congress, stressed that the world is facing a broad assault rather than an isolated moment: an assault on truth, on democracy and on the safety of Jews everywhere. He said that for years people warned about rising antisemitism, yet many dismissed it, insisting it was only "angry kids" or claiming there was "no antisemitism in America." Reality, he said, proved otherwise. Over the past two years, there has been a sharp rise in antisemitic violence in Europe and the US. He cited a couple from Washington murdered on their way to the Israeli Embassy, a woman burned to death during a protest in Colorado, and a Jew stabbed in Berlin while visiting a memorial.
According to Lauder, chants of "from the river to the sea" and calls for a global intifada are calls for the elimination of Jews. He noted that in the past, politicians would have been arrested for such incitement. Lauder compared the current atmosphere to the Nazis' attempts in 1939 to stir up antisemitism in America, recalling that several countries refused to accept Jewish refugees, sealing their fate. He argued that even after October 7, the same international indifference was evident, calling that day the Kristallnacht of the 21st century.
He said antisemitism has infiltrated schools, which he described as "the ground zero of hate." He mentioned maps where Israel is erased and children returning home asking whether Israel is an apartheid state. Lauder called for pushing back by using social media, exposing inciting teachers, encouraging public officials to show courage and rebuilding education around truth and reliable history. He emphasized the importance of teaching about the Holocaust, saying that if Jews do not tell their story, others will write it for them.
'We proved that you don't mess with Israel'
Israel's Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon said he didn't plan to come back to the UN, but then Oct. 7 happened. "I never thought i would come back to the UN, but then Oct. 7 happened, and I was shocked to see the disconnect from reality. it couldn't even pass one resolution to condemn Hamas' action," he said. "At the beginning everyone stood with us, but once we started to win the war, we became the target for so many attacks."
He gave an example: "President Macron arrived in Israel. I will send troops to fight against Hamas, but then became the leader of the opposition to Israle at the UN and made the conference to establish a Palestinian state. I prefer to be where we are today – we have to deal with the campaign against Israel but we are winning the war. we showed the world you don't mess with Israel. The days when you massacre Israeli and there is no response Those days are over. When you kill Israelis, we will come out to get you."
Asked if PM Netanyahu could face arrest if he arrived in New York once Mamdani is mayor. "We have a candidate who used antisemitism in his campaign and got elected. We cannot ignore it." He noted, "We have a strong Jewish community in New York, I am sure Netanyahu will come to New York. With all due respect, Mayor-Elect Mamdani, you don't decide who comes to New York."
'I am investing in southern Israel so world knows we are here to stay'
Canadian-Israel philanthropist Sylvan Adams, vowed to continue work toward strengthening Jewish state. "Bvest form of Zionism is in one's feet, I always though I would end up there, "he said, after being asked why he moved to Israel, recalling " a dark Montreal night" when the decision was made.
Asked about the Israel Hayom initiative to bring a million Jews to Israel, he said "we need to save the countries again" just like the 1 million Soviet Jews saved Israel. He said that is why he was donating to help rebuild the Soroka hospital in the Negev. "What better place to settle than in the biggest part of the country, the natural corridor; investing in the south is important for that goal, but also because the Gaza -area community are close there, to tell those people, to tell the whole world that we are here to stay."
'Madani is an antisemitic demagogue, that is a fact'
Harmeet Dhillon, the US assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division, said her role in the Justice Department is to "fight antisemitism wherever it is found", and that the administration maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward antisemitism in schools, on the streets, around houses of worship and in cities across the country. She noted that the president initiated the effort in his first year in office and that she was directly involved in agreements with universities including Columbia and Northwestern. She described the work as an enormous and ongoing effort.
Dhillon said conditions on campuses are still far from safe. "I cannot say it is 100% safe", she said, noting that at Harvard there had been a great deal of foot-dragging and that even after agreements were reached, a Jewish student was reported assaulted. She added that there have been decades of disrespect toward Jews and Israelis and that this will not disappear overnight, but the commitment is absolute.
She stressed her personal dedication to the mission. "I grew up in a family that respected all religions. I was a civil-rights attorney for three decades". She said that when she entered office she found that Jews felt their requests had fallen on deaf ears, particularly under the previous administration. After October 7, she said, professors and students prevented Jews from reaching their classrooms, something she found hard to believe could have happened without an appropriate response.
Dhillon said the administration was the first to fully enforce federal law over attacks targeting houses of worship. Synagogues were the primary target, she said, citing cases in West Orange, Manhattan and New Jersey. Speaking about the New York mayor, she said he is an "antisemitic demagogue" and that this is a fact. "If New York fails to protect Jews", she said, "federal authorities are already investigating." She emphasized that the department is also examining sources of funding. "Is the money coming from abroad? From shadowy organizations? Terror financing is a crime."
Addressing antisemitic terrorism, she noted that in the Washington murder case federal prosecutors filed hate-crimes charges based on national or ethnic origin, and added that four additional incidents at Jewish homes in New Jersey are now under investigation. As for antisemitic content originating from the far right, she said the "solution to speech you do not like is more speech". She warned that "nothing is guaranteed" and said citizens must "drown out hateful voices with our own because the government is not all-powerful."
Chikli: Al-Sharaa has zero legitimacy, there will be no peace agreement
Despite US President Donald Trump saying only yesterday that Israel should stop taking actions that undermine the stabilization of the al-Sharaa regime in Syria, Diaspora Affairs Minister Amichai Chikli, who also spoke at the "Israel Hayom summit, attacked the possibility of peace talks. "Erdogan is the Muslim Brotherhood, Julani (Ahmad al-Sharaa) is the Muslim Brotherhood", he said. "We must insist on keeping our forces on Mount Hermon and in the buffer zone and fight the jihadists. There will be no peace agreement with al-Julani, Julani has zero legitimacy and it was a mistake to give him credit".
Chikli said that when he entered office as diaspora minister he believed antisemitism from the right was "some lunatic in a basement, someone with no influence", and that the main threat came from the far left and from Islamists "who work together". According to him, "two years later it is a completely different story" and he sees a sharp rise in "white supremacy, Nazi antisemites, conspiracies, religious attacks against Jews and Nazi ideology that is becoming popular". He noted that figures such as Tucker Carlson and Nick Fuentes have brought this discourse into the heart of the mainstream.
Chikli said Israel "needs to stay out of the fight inside MAGA", because Israeli involvement "would be counterproductive". According to him, "this is a fight that needs to be waged here, with the real conservative leaders", and that the positions of Carlson and those marching with him "are not conservatism". He added: "I believe Tucker is receiving funding to promote sharia law… it is hard to prove, but we have seen delegations of right wing influencers traveling to Qatar". Asked whether he believes Carlson is funded by Qatar, he said: "I think so, yes".
On the discussion surrounding US security assistance to Israel, he said that "the more we are partners and less reliant on foreign aid, the more ideal it is for our interests and also for the fight against antisemitism". According to him, one of the central claims of antisemitic movements is that money is invested in defense and therefore "changing the model" would reduce the legitimacy of these claims.
Regarding Syria, he said that "the greatest threat to Israel comes from Turkey and Syria". He called Turkey "the new Iran" and explained that Erdogan's vision has two components: "neo-Ottomanism and the caliphate of the Muslim Brotherhood". According to him, "Erdogan is the Muslim Brotherhood", while in Syria jihadist organizations, led by Julani, pose the immediate danger. Chikli said that "one of the strategic decisions in the war should have been to capture Mount Hermon and the buffer zone in Syria", in order to prevent "the next October 7". Julani, he said, is "the founder of al-Qaida in Syria. He has no legitimacy whatsoever".
On the conscription law he noted that the critical step is securing "a green light from the ultra-Orthodox spiritual leadership to enlist". According to him, the "Hashmonaim Brigade" project is an important step, and now "the law is fine, but it is not enough, there are amendments that need to be made". He stressed: "I am not voting against it. I am looking at how to carry it out, not how not to carry it out".
In the US we were embraced - in Israel no one listened to us
Orna and Ronen Neutra, the parents of the late Omer Neutra, together with Yael Alexander, the mother of released hostage Edan Alexander, appeared at the "Israel Hayom" conference in New York on the panel "The Price of War", moderated by Yoav Limor.
Orna Neutra described the two-year journey as an unending struggle: "This was a journey, this was a fight, and it was hard in a way that cannot be explained". Omer's father, Ronen, spoke about the sense of closure that is not truly closure: "There was relief, but there is a huge hole. Now we need to learn what loss really is, and how to continue his legacy". He noted that Omer lived between two identities, Israel and the Jewish community in the US, and that this is a central part of the legacy he leaves behind.
Meanwhile, Yael Alexander spoke about her son who returned from captivity, underwent rehabilitation, and now lives in Tel Aviv and continues to serve: "He told us - there are still hostages, the war continues, I have to help".
Orna and Yael described the painful gap between the American response and the Israeli one. In the US, they said, they received deep support from the administrations, from Congress and from professional teams. "They came prepared, they knew every detail about our children", Yael said. Israel, by contrast, as Orna put it, "did not take responsibility… the government in Israel disappeared at the beginning of the war".
The parents described the bipartisan network they built in Washington: weekly visits, meetings with every senator and member of Congress, creating direct channels to the White House. This work, they said, led to the decision that brought their sons home. Ronen expanded on the national and communal message that emerges from their story: "We understood that the connection between Israel and the US is critical. We need more Jewish kids who will say: I care about Israel, I care about my Jewish identity - and I am doing something".
Yael said that the journey is not over: "People still want to hear us. They got to know our children, they prayed with us. We feel they are part of the family". Orna concluded with a message of hope and identity: "We lost any sign of division within the Jewish people - we are all one family. Now we need to take that energy and rebuild". Ronen ended on behalf of all the hostages' families: "We are deeply grateful. Twenty returned alive. There are still two hostages in the Strip - and we will not stop".
'Israel Has the worst PR'
Speaking at the Israel Hayom Summit in New York, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton delivered a stark warning regarding the information war surrounding the Middle East, asserting that while the hostage crisis may have reached a resolution, the battle for the historical narrative is being lost on social media.
Addressing the audience on December 2, 2025, Clinton reflected on the current state of affairs following the return of hostages held by Hamas. While acknowledging the relief of their return, she urged the Jewish community and Israeli leadership to remain clear-eyed about the "real increase in antisemitism" that has surged over the past two years.
In one of her most blunt assessments, Clinton recounted advice she had given Israeli officials during her time as a Senator. "I told them Israel had the worst PR," she said. "The story is not getting told as effectively as it should."
She stressed that this failure to communicate is affecting not just the broader American public, but specifically young Jewish Americans. When asked if Israel is "losing" the United States, Clinton argued that the divide is not partisan, but demographic.
"It's not Republican versus Democrat. This is generational," she said. She referenced a sentiment shared by former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice regarding protesters chanting "from the river to the sea" without knowing which river or which sea they were referencing.
Clinton urged the audience not to write off critics, but to engage in deeper education regarding history and security threats. "I don't think we should write anyone off until we have had a chance to have a dialogue," she added.
'A kinship of survival'
In a room silenced by the sheer weight of their testimony, former hostages Guy Gilboa Dalal and Evyatar David took the stage at the Israel Hayom summit to recount an ordeal that lasted more than two years in Hamas captivity.
The two men, best friends since infancy, described a "kinship of survival" that saw them through physical atrophy, sexual abuse, and the psychological torture of the tunnels, emerging with a bond that they say is unlike anything possible in normal life.
Guy and Evyatar have known each other since they were one year old. Although Guy moved from Kfar Saba when he was seven, their friendship persisted through years of sleepovers and shared milestones. But following their abduction from the Supernova music festival on October 7, 2023, that friendship became a lifeline.
"It just got upgraded to a new level in captivity," Guy said.
Evyatar described a dynamic of total selflessness in the face of starvation. "It was a kinship of survival. Everything we got, we just split in two," he said, noting that he would often try to give more to Guy than he kept for himself. "Everything was shared."
Host Yoav Limor noted the profound non-verbal communication between the two men, observing that they seemed to "talk with their eyes" and never trampled on one another's dignity.
"In captivity, it got an entirely different and deeper meaning," Evyatar responded. "It became something that it wasn't before, that you cannot forge in real life."
