I regret that it has not gotten better. Jews do not feel supported, reassured, or safe. This is a massive problem. We should not, ever, be concerned for our standing or our future here in New York, of all places.

But we are not powerless. Far from it. And we Jews are strongest when we are organized, and when we fight back. The battle must be fought most aggressively in the education sector. The lines are increasingly well known in higher education - we must address the hiring and tenure of radical educators and administrators who do not educate but indoctrinate. We must examine where money, including unchecked foreign money, are flowing and what strings are attached and demand transparency and action, including legislative action. And we must be very clear at using every tool to expose and call out bad actors. This is not about attacking critical thinking. Such efforts are about ensuring that generations of young minds, addicted to social media and manipulable algorithms, are not being manipulated themselves. Furthermore, we must devote resources to protecting K-212 education. Taxpayer dollars are going towards antisemitic, anti-Israel and anti-Western teachers, administrators and propaganda. Teachers' unions and local school boards are being taken over.

We have a long way to go.

I can promise today to Jews here in New York, across the diaspora and to Jews in Israel who have endured so much since October 7th, that in the coming years, we will be the tip off the spear. We will not give an inch of ground. Our basic rights and safety are nonnegotiable. Vigilance in and of itself is not enough. This is our city; this is our country. We have fought too hard for our place here - and we are here because we had to leave other places that became unsafe and untenable. Jews in New York will fight the forces that are against us, and hold them accountable. That is our mission, and my pledge.

Ron Lauder, president of the World Jewish Congress, will take part of the first Israel Hayom Summit in the US on Tuesday afternoon (5:00 p.m. Israel time, 10 a.m. EST, with a live broadcast on the Israel Hayom website), at the Hilton Midtown Hotel in New York. 

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Exactly 101 years ago this month, the victorious Allies gathered in San Remo, Italy, to discuss the future of the Middle East after the break־up of the Ottoman Empire following World War I. It was at San Remo that the Balfour Declaration was implemented. This was the letter written by Arthur James Balfour in which the British foreign secretary expressed His Majesty's government's support for a Jewish home in Palestine.

After World War I, a whole slew of new or reborn nations emerged across the map, none of which could trace their roots back to ancient times as did the Jews – the People of the Book – who gave the world monotheism, law and jurisprudence. Now suddenly, Jews, a people displaced for over 2,000 years, would be seen in the same terms as Poles, Czechs, Slovaks, Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.

This was precisely the dream of Theodor Herzl, who died 16 years earlier. After San Remo, the nascent Zionist movement began its first steps from a dream to a reality that would need a government, infrastructure and an army to defend it, just like every other country on earth. In Eastern Europe, Jews were embroiled in a struggle to ensure their rights as a national minority. San Remo was a final and ringing declaration that Jews were, indeed, indigenous to the Land of Israel.

At San Remo, the identity of the Jewish people received international recognition. The Jews, it was finally agreed, were not merely adherents of religion but were actually a nation deserving of a national home, a territory in which their national aspirations could be realized and their culture developed. And it wasn't just any territory in which this could be achieved, but the Land of Israel, which was the eternal venue for the reconstitution of the Jewish commonwealth. At the same time, one cannot miss the irony that the Allied governments were deciding the fate of a Jewish homeland, when it was all spelled out several thousand years earlier with none other than G־d as the real estate agent, who signed, sealed and delivered the decision in a document called the Bible, probably read by every member of the conference.

The other anniversary this month is less positive, but, I think no less important: Holocaust Remembrance Day. No one at San Remo could foresee the rise of Adolf Hitler just 13 years later, the growth of Nazi Germany, World War II and the Holocaust. Because the Jewish State of Israel had not yet been established, millions of European Jews were left to the horrors of the gas chambers because practically every other country on earth would not take them in. Because there was no Israel, there was no refuge for the Jewish people and, thus, no escape.

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Exactly 60 years ago this month, a trial began in Jerusalem, the capital of the Jewish people. One of the chief architects of the world's largest mass murder, Adolf Eichmann, stood in an Israeli court, in a Jewish nation, tried by Jewish judges and Jewish prosecutors. The entire world was fascinated by this trial. Over 400 foreign correspondents reported on it. I believe the fascination came from the world's obvious understanding of the sublime justice of this event, and isn't justice one of the main tenets of our religion? Here was a top member of what his fellow Nazis referred to as the "master race," a small man with an ill־fitting suit and a nervous tic, in a glass booth, guarded by Jewish soldiers.

Had the Sam Remo Conference moved forward to establish a Jewish State in 1920, there would have been no Eichmann trial in 1961 because there would have been no Eichmann and no Holocaust. But both anniversaries remind us – as if we need reminding – of the miracle of Israel, the need for Israel, and our absolute commitment to ensure its eternal survival.

Ronald Lauder is president of the World Jewish Congress.

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Over the years, I have watched with awe as the vulnerable Jewish state of my childhood has evolved into the mighty nation it is today. Israel's military is the strongest in the Middle East. Its economic prowess and capacity for innovation is revered around the world. 

But Israel cannot thrive on military force or economic vitality alone. Its friends and allies play a critical role in fortifying its position on the global stage, ensuring that it remains a democratic light in a sea of authoritarian darkness. 

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No ally has supported Israel more decisively or more loyally from its first days of independence than the United States. The bond between the two countries is rooted in shared values: an uncompromising dedication to democracy, civil rights, press freedom, and free speech. We are both committed to sharing our knowledge, experience, and technology with the wider world. And we look to each other for support. Just as Israel is America's most steadfast friend in a volatile region, the United States has been an unshakeable supporter of Israel, using its strength around the globe and veto power at the United Nations Security Council to stand up for the Jewish state.  

Israel and the United States have also long been partners in the struggle against extremism and terrorism – from the hijacking and diversion to Tel Aviv of a Sabena aircraft and the famous rescue at Entebbe in the 1970s to the struggle of the United States against Saddam Hussein, Osama bin Laden, and now ISIS.

The special connection and powerful covenant between the US and Israel has survived crises, pitfalls, and disagreements, thanks to the strong foundation upon which it rests.

Over the past two years, under President Donald Trump's leadership, the US-Israel alliance has been significantly strengthened. The promise to transfer the American Embassy to Jerusalem has finally been realized, affirming that Jerusalem is the eternal capital of Israel. By recognizing the Golan Heights as part of the state of Israel, President Trump made clear his resolute support for Israeli sovereignty and helped ensure its safety from attacks by Hezbollah. 

The alliance has been strengthened, too, by sanctions against Iran, led by President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu, who has been leading the fight against the evil aims of the Ayatollah regime for years. The longstanding and uncompromising American guarantee for Israel's security and the preservation of the IDF's qualitative advantage on the battlefield remains a vital part of our relationship.

Nevertheless, our growing alliance requires nourishment. Future generations should be aware of its importance and find new dimensions to add to it. They must ensure that it transcends political divides and that its foundation is strong enough to weather any storm. 

Even as anti-Semitism is on the rise around the world, I know our alliance is strong enough to counter it. Even as some in the new generation lose touch with what makes Israel exceptional, I know our alliance is strong enough to educate them. Even as enemies of Israel and America gather their forces and attempt to undermine our values and deprive us of our freedoms, I know our alliance is strong enough to overcome them.

The partnership between Israel and the United States is important not only to the citizens of Israel, to American Jewry, and to Americans overall. It is essential to all of humanity, to the safety and security of our world.

As a Jew, as an American, and as a passionate defender of the Jewish state of Israel, that immense value makes me very proud and leaves me more determined than ever to do my part to ensure our alliance thrives for generations to come.

Ronald Lauder is president of the World Jewish Congress

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