October 29, 2026
What’s a conference that is devoted to how best to counter antisemitism but where most of the attendees aren’t Jewish?
A really good idea, as it turns out.
For too long, Jews have been expected to carry the burden of confronting hatred directed against them. But antisemitism is not for Jews to solve. It is a societal sickness, and defeating it requires the conviction, leadership, and collective action of society as a whole.
That was the promise, and the power, of what we recently experienced in Denver, where we joined approximately 450 leaders for Together at the Crossroads: A Congress for Allyship & Unity, convened by the David Merage Foundation for Confronting Antisemitism.
It says something profoundly important: that the fight against antisemitism is being recognized as a responsibility that extends far beyond the Jewish community.
Mayors and state lawmakers. Educators and clergy. Law enforcement officials, nonprofit leaders, and Jewish communal professionals. All gathered together around a shared conviction: bigotry and hateful rhetoric must be faced head on in order to build the America in which we want to live.
In our work at American Jewish Committee, we have long championed a whole-of-society approach to combating antisemitism. AJC's State of Antisemitism in America 2025 Report found that 70% of U.S. adults believe antisemitism is a problem in America, with 90% agreeing that antisemitism affects society as a whole and everyone bears responsibility for confronting it.
But translating that conviction into meaningful action requires real leadership. As Laura Merage, co-founder and principal of the foundation, reminded participants, "It is in silence that hatred and evil grow."
An accomplished artist, photographer, and storyteller, she vividly brought to life the terror she experienced as a young girl when Jews faced persecution in her native Tehran. Those memories helped inform why the gathering in Denver was urgently needed.
“The time has come because your Jewish friends and acquaintances are hurting,” Merage said.
Indeed. Over two days, we delved into four trends that offer a roadmap for how non-Jewish leaders across sectors and Jewish communal partners must turn shared concern into collective action.
First: different sectors require different strategies, expertise, and relationships.
There is no silver bullet for combating antisemitism. If one existed, this millennia-old hatred would be consigned to history books. What works in a classroom may not work in a state legislature, police department, church, or boardroom.
The diversity of participants in Denver underscored why a whole-of-society approach must be more than a slogan. Educators need tools to recognize and respond to antisemitism in schools. Law enforcement needs training and relationships to protect vulnerable communities. Faith leaders need language and confidence to confront prejudice within their congregations. Elected officials need effective policy solutions.
Each sector brings distinct opportunities, challenges, and influence. The Congress demonstrated the power of bringing these different leaders together not to deliver one uniform message, but to build a network capable of responding in ways tailored to each community. And while the plans themselves will not be uniform, each sector can offer lessons to the others.
Second: Three years after October 7, we must return to allyship.
The trauma and pain of October 7 and the dizzying antisemitism that followed have left many in the Jewish community feeling isolated and vulnerable. But circling the wagon and closing ourselves off is not the solution. Far more allies exist than we may realize. What we saw during those two days were non-Jewish partners who wanted to hear us, to understand us and the problem at hand, and to find solutions.
At the same time, they too want to be heard and understood. Even as we grapple with our own pain, we must remain attuned to the challenges experienced by other communities. Partnership cannot be transactional, built only around moments when the Jewish community needs support. It requires showing up with empathy for our allies when they are hurting, listening to their challenges, explaining our views, and recognizing that solidarity must flow in both directions. Simply being together is profoundly restorative. Sitting alongside hundreds of allies willing to invest their time, relationships, and leadership in confronting antisemitism was energizing and often deeply moving.
We need more of these spaces. Not only because they produce meaningful partnerships, but because they also remind us that we are not alone. Moreover, the gathering reflected America - diverse in every respect but connected by a unifying belief that the promise of this nation can only be realized when we work together toward a shared future where a strong democracy and civility thrive.
Third: hateful rhetoric does not remain rhetoric.
Words shape attitudes. Attitudes shape behavior. And unchecked hatred can ultimately manifest in violence.
This is true of antisemitism, but it is hardly exclusive to antisemitism. Our responsibility is to challenge dehumanization and bigotry wherever they appear, whether directed at Jews, Muslims, Black Americans, immigrants, or any other community.
We cannot expect others to speak up against antisemitism if we are unwilling to confront hatred directed at them. This does not require agreement on every political or social issue. It requires a shared recognition of each other’s humanity and a moral commitment to reject hatred, particularly when doing so is uncomfortable or unpopular.
Fourth: This moment must be fueled by Jewish collaboration.
Perhaps one of the most encouraging aspects of the Congress was what happened between formal sessions.
AJC professionals, ADL staff, Federation leaders, foundation representatives, and other communal partners participated together, exchanging ideas and building relationships without concern for organizational ownership or credit.
There were no competing organizational banners in those conversations - just a shared recognition that our collective communal challenges demand collective responsibility. Jewish organizations bring different strengths, constituencies, and areas of expertise. Those distinctions matter. But they must never become barriers to collaboration.
The Jewish community cannot afford to operate in institutional silos, particularly when the challenges we face extend far beyond any single institution's reach or capacity.
The Congress offered a glimpse of what becomes possible when we combine the distinct expertise of Jewish organizations with the influence, relationships, and commitment of partners across American society.
It also reminded us of something essential: we have more partners than we sometimes realize, more opportunities for collaboration than any one organization can pursue alone, and more responsibility to one another than this moment allows us to ignore.
The driver for our work is no longer whether antisemitism is a problem for all of society.
It is how we harness the power of confronting it with friends beside us.
