The Jewish Federations of North America will deepen its focus on advocacy and civic engagement as part of its efforts to combat antisemitism and ensure the safety of Jewish communities, the group’s executive vice president, Shira Hutt, announced on Monday at the JFNA General Assembly in Washington.

“The threats we are facing are not only physical, they’re social, political and cultural,” said Hutt. “Antisemitism has seeped into the mainstream of public life, into our schools, workplaces, universities and online spaces, and that means our next challenge is not only to secure our buildings, but to strengthen the front lines of civic engagement and bridge-building across our communities, to build relationships with our neighbors, educators, business leaders and public officials.”

Hutt made her remarks during the morning plenary, discussing JFNA’s LiveSecure program, an initiative that was launched in the wake of the 2018 Tree of Life shooting in Pittsburgh, when it was found that relatively few Jewish communities had their own dedicated security programs. Since then, JFNA has provided security infrastructure to Jewish communities throughout North America. 

It was not immediately clear how LiveSecure’s new civic engagement would overlap with or differ from the existing advocacy work of Jewish community relations councils, many of which are run by or connected to their local Jewish federation. 

Later on Monday, Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) highlighted the kind of “social, political and cultural” threats that Hutt referenced, warning that a growing number of young people were being pushed by social media to become antisemitic and anti-Israel. 

“We are losing parts of entire parties, especially the young people. And if you are getting your history degree from the TikTok machine, you are going to emerge with a deep, deep distaste, or worse, for Israel, and that’s heartbreaking, and how cynical and effective it is,” said Fetterman, speaking onstage with Julie Platt, JFNA’s immediate past board chair and one of the driving forces behind the LiveSecure program. 

Fetterman, who attended the gathering despite being hospitalized after a fall on Thursday, was one of two national politicians addressing the General Assembly. On Tuesday, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) is scheduled to speak at the conference. 

No Israeli officials will be addressing the assembly — one of the largest Jewish communal gatherings of the year — though Monday’s plenary opened with a video statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

”We have one future, but we have to secure that future by standing up to those who do not accept our existence, who do not accept our rights, and do not accept our right to have a state,” Netanyahu said. “I know all the good things that you do. I know the great partnership between us. And I ask that you do one thing – stand up and be counted.”

Later on Monday, in a session focused on the 30th anniversary of the assassination of Yitzhak Rabin, Noa Rothman — the granddaughter of the slain Israeli prime minister — lamented that the kind of polarization and extremism in Israel that preceded the murder has not dissipated. 

“To my great sorrow, the assassination did not bring sobriety or unity. Instead, it deepened the divide,” Rothman said. “The tension continues to rise, and we have yet to find the places where we can all coexist in harmony and mutual respect. Yet despite how worrying, dangerous and heartbreaking this tension is time and again, I do not believe it is our destiny.”