For many people, national security sounds like a distant and vague concept, or one limited to military and defense matters alone. But at a time when Israel is facing multiple fronts, it is crucial to understand the close link between domestic issues and foreign relations, and how both directly affect national security.
Israel plays two central roles at the same time: it is the state of all its citizens, and it is the state of the Jewish people. The "state of all its citizens" debate is familiar and widely discussed, even if it is not always properly addressed. But the question of the Jewish people is the central story, especially since October 7 and the tsunami of antisemitism that followed.
Since then, our very existence has been shaken: along our physical borders, in social media discourse, in the international narrative, on university campuses, in the economy, and in many other arenas. Each of these fronts requires enormous investments of time, money, expertise, relationships and familiarity with centers of influence. It is hard to imagine how Israel could cope with this reality without the global Jewish community and without its main ally, the US.
Only strong alliances, and a deep bond of shared destiny like that of the Jewish people, can provide a long-term existential and moral response that is not dependent on circumstances. Yet hostile forces have succeeded over recent decades in undermining these alliances as well, alongside the growing internal polarization within Israeli society. These challenges are an integral part of national security, and many of them have been addressed over the years thanks to partnership with world Jewry through philanthropy, volunteerism and civic support, and sometimes through quiet advocacy in the right places.
This understanding is reinforced by hard data: A new survey initiated by the Ruderman Family Foundation among the Jewish public in Israel shows that on the one hand, 78% of Israelis see the relationship with American Jewry as important and essential. On the other hand, confidence in the future of that relationship is eroding. 43% of Israelis believe that the way the fighting in Gaza has been managed has weakened the support of American Jewry for Israel, while more than a third think its contribution is limited or nonexistent. Nearly eight out of ten Israelis are concerned about the decline in support for Israel among the American public, a sense of threat that is now clearly no longer theoretical.
And yet, Israel continues to act largely in a reactive manner. The relationship is strengthened mainly after crises; unity is discussed only once a rift has already formed. That is a practice, not a strategy. A strategy requires a deep, educational and foundational approach that begins long before the next crisis and is translated into everyday policy and action.
The relationship with world Jewry cannot continue to be managed as a fragmented, reactive, crisis-driven field. It requires clear, well-funded governmental responsibility. Such responsibility must be reflected in ongoing work on the ground, especially on campuses and in communities where the outlook of the younger generation is being shaped today, and through direct engagement with leaders of Jewish communities and organizations. At the same time, there must be a shift from one-way advocacy to a dialogue based on listening and partnership, with the regular involvement of civil society and philanthropic actors who are present in this arena and sustain the relationship in routine times, not only in emergencies. Such a change would strengthen both Israel's national security and the resilience of the Jewish people.
