The role of the State of Israel is clear: to protect Jews—everywhere in the world. Not with statements of condemnation. Not with beautiful words. But by walking beside Jewish students. By standing up to angry mobs. By showing up—physically—and leading without fear. On the day the State of Israel was founded, a promise was made: Never again would a Jew stand alone. This state wasn't established only for those living inside it. It was built for every Jew across the globe.
And today—when antisemitism is surging like a blind, violent storm through streets, on campuses, and across social media—we no longer have the luxury of standing on the sidelines. This hatred isn't "rising." It's roaring. It's exploding. It strikes without mercy. In the face of this reality, Israel must take its place—not behind, but in front.
The old approach—of remote monitoring, moral support, and distant solidarity with Jewish communities—was born of good intentions. But the world has changed. And our strategy must change with it. We need to set a new standard. We need to establish new norms. We need to lead—physically, morally, and globally.
Picture this: An Israeli ambassador walking confidently alongside a Jewish student across an American campus, from dorm room to classroom, through crowds of shouting, filming protesters. He's beside her, shielding her—unafraid. Or an Israeli diplomat standing in front of a synagogue or kosher butcher shop in Europe, physically placing himself between a Jewish entrance and a hostile mob. On camera. In full view of the world. Sending a clear message: You don't scream at the Jewish people. You don't attack the Jewish people. The Jewish people are not alone.
Last week in London, three 14-year-old Jewish boys were violently assaulted by antisemites—for nothing more than walking the street as Jews. Just days earlier, Jewish families in the UK admitted they had removed mezuzahs from their doors out of fear that a delivery man or restaurant courier might harm them.
When we've reached a point where Jews are hiding their identity—taking off their kippahs and Stars of David, and afraid to mark their homes as Jewish— This isn't just a wake-up call. It's a five-alarm fire.
The State of Israel cannot respond with condemnations alone. It must respond with presence. It must send backup.
Of course, every community must take responsibility for its own safety—there's a clear interest in doing so. But the moral responsibility to lead, to reset the rules of engagement, to raise the bar—that belongs to us. It belongs to the government of Israel, to the Foreign Ministry, the Diaspora Ministry, and to every official acting in the name of the Jewish state.
Because Israel does not lead from behind. Israel leads from the front.
Israel Tomorrow must become the global symbol of Jewish security. A new standard must be set—where defending Jews is not just a reaction, but a proactive mission. Not just a commitment, but a calling.
We are one people. One destiny. And in an age when ancient hatred returns in modern disguise—Israel must stand tall and lead.
Not just a state of the Jews. A state for the Jews.
Micah Avni is the founder of the 'Israel Tomorrow' forum.
