Never is Now

March 11, 2025

ADL's Never Is Now Conference & National Leadership Summit

By: Sam Cohen, Operations Director at the JCA


I recently had the opportunity to attend the Anti-Defamation League’s National Leadership Summit and Never Is Now conference in New York City and I wanted to share some of my takeaways, especially from the sessions I found most significant. I participated in workshops like:


  • What We Can Learn from the Fight Against Antisemitism Around the World
  • Changing Hearts and Minds Through Data
  • Decoding Extremism: Insights & Strategies from the Frontlines of Fighting Hate
  • Identifying & Reporting Hate: Symbols of Modern White Supremacy


Much of the content is sad and sobering. For instance, a full third of Americans do not see Jewish people as credible sources when they discuss their experiences with antisemitism. Jews face intense discrimination on campus, in the job market, and our places of work. The number of antisemitic and hate-based incidents in the U.S. has reached alarming levels.


Our collective sense of fear and isolation as Jews is real. The social cost of prejudice in our society has lessened, conspiracy theories abound, and zero-sum thinking is the new normal. And yet, I do hold within me a measure of hope that we are not alone in this struggle. To be in a room surrounded by people who work to dismantle systems of hate on micro and macro levels is to be inspired to take action. There are well-researched resources we can tap into to help, and strategies we can deploy to disrupt the vicious cycle of hate. 


If you’re reading this, I encourage you to tell your story. To share your lived experience, to take pride in who you are, and to hold close the joy of our traditions and our commitment to community. None of us is alone in this work, and I would take great pleasure in connecting with you to share more about my experience, to listen to yours, and to see what we can do together.


Sincerely,

Sam Cohen


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By: Dr. Leslie Kirby, PhD CEO at JCA of Southern Maine As antisemitism becomes more and more accepted by the mainstream, on both sides of the political aisle, it is vital that the Jewish community band together to address this challenge. I was privileged last week to be part of the 2nd cohort of Navigating Israel and the Rise of Antisemitism at Brandeis University. This influential program, co-sponsored by JCC Association (JCCA) of North America and Boundless Israel, brought together 51 leaders from 25 communities across the US and Canada and equipped us with tools to address antisemitism and growing polarization in our communities. Coordinated by Rachel Fish, Ph.D., special advisor to the Brandeis University President’s Initiative on Antisemitism and co-founder of Boundless, the seminar was designed to empower JCC leaders to respond proactively to antisemitism, strengthen understanding and connection to Israel, and implement programming that effectively combats Jew-hatred in their local communities in the wake of the October 7 terrorist attacks in Israel. “The seminar provides not only foundational knowledge but also practical strategies for JCC leaders to engage their communities around the complex intersection of antisemitism and anti-Zionism,” says Fish. “Clearly defining and addressing the challenges of Jew-hatred and anti-Zionism require a systemic approach, and it begins with leadership. By equipping JCC executives with the tools to navigate these issues, we are empowering them to lead with confidence, ensuring the work of countering Jew-hatred and strengthening connections to Israel continues to grow unabated.” The seminar included practical learning experiences, real-life case studies, and 12 world-class scholars and practitioners from institutions including Brandeis, Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, Constructive Dialogue Institute, Frieze Family Foundation, Hebrew College, JCC Association, Jewish Community Relations Council of Greater Boston, National Black Empowerment Council, Scholars for Peace in the Middle East, Tufts University, and Wilson Center. One of the most interesting aspects to me was the idea of shifting from using the word “antisemitism” to using the phrase “Jew-hatred”. They presented a lot of really solid data showing that many people in the US don’t know what the word antisemitism means. Calling it Jew-hatred is a lot less ambiguous! It will take a while to break the habit of saying antisemitism, but I will be trying in communications with our community to switch to Jew-hatred. Similarly, a lot of people don’t know what the word Zionism means. Another study presented data that showed that simply defining the word for people increased the reported levels of pro-Zionist ideas. Just another reminder to be clear on defining our terminology in both internal and outward-facing ideas. We also learned a lot about the history of antisemitism (Jew-hatred), including the origins of tropes, the role of the former Soviet Union in propagating antisemitic views worldwide, and the recent role of Iran in antisemitic communications, especially on social media. It was fascinating to see how things have shifted, or sometimes cycled, over time. The content was heavy – it’s not an uplifting topic! But it was great to be there, to learn more about the historical and ongoing contexts of antisemitism, to meet so many other execs who are grappling with these issues and have a chance to brainstorm together, and just to sit with all this in a concentrated way. I left with a fabulous network of peers to draw on for ideas, with some strategies I look forward to trying out in our community, and with a lot of hope about the ability of us collectively to respond to the challenges of this moment.
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