A moment has arrived that demands clarity, vision and leadership. Black America and Israel, two peoples bound by history, struggle and an indomitable will to survive, are standing at a crossroads. Forces seen and unseen have worked to weaken the ties between us, but those who understand history — and power — know that such divisions are neither natural nor inevitable. They are engineered. And what has been engineered can be undone.

That is why I recently led a delegation of 30 influential African American leaders — CEOs, elected officials, educators, law enforcement officials and other civic leaders who are helping to shape the future of Black America — to Israel. For many, it was their first time seeing the country with their own eyes, unfiltered by narratives designed to keep Black and Jewish communities apart. What they witnessed was not just a nation, but a masterclass in self-determination. A people who, despite existential threats from every direction, have built an economic, technological and military powerhouse. A society that refuses to be defined by victimhood, but instead has mastered the art of power — real power.

Darius Jones (seated right) with Israeli President Isaac Herzog (seated center) and a delegation of Black American leaders during a 2025 visit to Israel. Courtesy

I have long viewed Israel as a model of what Black America must master. In 75 years, it has transformed from a fragile post-colonial state into a global leader in finance, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and defense. It is a country that controls its own narrative, dictates its own security and refuses to ask permission to exist. These are not just admirable qualities: they are necessary ones — and Black America, if we are serious about power, must absorb these lessons with the precision of a scholar and the urgency of a people who understand what is at stake.

This is not about nostalgia. This is not about mere solidarity. This is about strategy. 

Black America and Israel sit at pivotal inflection points. The Jewish community faces a global resurgence of antisemitism from the far right and far left, often weaponized through distorted attacks on Israel. Black America, meanwhile, continues to grapple with systemic exclusion from the highest levels of economic and political power, while being used as pawns in ideological battles that do not serve our interests. The way forward is not through empty gestures or performative alliances but through something much more potent: mutually beneficial, institutionalized power-building.

Black entrepreneurs and investors should be in direct partnership with Israeli firms in tech, defense and finance — securing contracts, forging joint ventures and ensuring that our businesses are integrated into the flow of global capital. Our HBCUs must build structured alliances with Israeli universities to place our best minds at the forefront of AI, biotech and next-generation innovation. Black America must strengthen its political capital by deepening its relationships with the most sophisticated power centers of the Jewish world — ensuring that our influence is not merely acknowledged, but respected, leveraged and expanded.

None of this happens without a clear and decisive shift in how we engage. Too often, our communities have been reactive, engaging only when crisis forces our hand. That is a losing strategy. True power is built through consistency, long-term vision and the willingness to shape the world instead of merely responding to it.

The truth is, both Black America and Israel have allowed external forces to disrupt what should be an unbreakable alignment. Media narratives have distorted our relationship, amplifying the voices of division while muting the history of strategic cooperation. Radical ideologues on multiple extremes have sought to drive a wedge between Black and Jewish communities, exploiting historical wounds while offering nothing of real value in return. That ends now.

The delegation I led was not about symbolism. It was about restructuring the foundation of a global alliance between Black power and Jewish power. We sat with Israeli leaders, business pioneers, and the families of those taken hostage and murdered on Oct. 7. We had the distinct honor of meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, a leader who understands the importance of strengthening the bonds between our communities and the broader implications of our partnership. We did not just bear witness; we strategized. Because in a world that is rapidly realigning, those who do not build power together will find themselves isolated and irrelevant.

I did not come to Israel as a spectator. I came as a leader, as a strategist and as a man who understands both history and the future that must be built. This is not about returning to what once was. This is about forging something greater — something that ensures Black America and Israel are not just survivors, but architects of a new era.

We move with purpose. We build with precision. And we ensure that what is engineered against us is dismantled, and what we construct in its place is unshakable.

Am Israel Chai.

Darius Jones is the president of National Black Empowerment Council and National Black Empowerment Action Fund.