For better or worse, the last 24 months have, through common pain and purpose, brought together the full spectrum of Zionist American Jewish organizations to protect the interests and safety of Jews worldwide. While political divisions remained sharp, both in Israel and in the United States, something remarkable happened: across the mainstream ideological spectrum, a joint determination took hold. Zionists on the left, right and center understood that Jewish security and solidarity were on the line — and that when any of us are in danger, we’re all in danger.

That rare unity, hard-won in the midst of a crisis, is a victory that must be permanently preserved.

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Jewish philanthropists have always played a crucial role in shaping communal priorities, but at this moment, their responsibility is greater than ever. Philanthropists must help hold down the middle of Jewish life: anchoring it against the undertow of polarization, calming the loudest voices on both the left and right and ensuring that our institutions remain mission-focused rather than reactive and deliver on their promises to our community.

In the two years since this new wave of antisemitic and anti-zionist hatred emerged, politics in America have grown only more toxic. The extremes of both political parties and their respective ideological movements have reawakened, providing fertile ground for conspiratorial thinking, dehumanization and, increasingly, violence. Acts of hatred against Jews and Israelis have not only multiplied — they have also become more acceptable in polite company. What was once unthinkable is now commonplace on college campuses, in activist circles, in many of our institutions, on social media and, in many cases, in day-to-day interactions.

It’s tempting to believe that with the Israeli hostages home and a tenuous ceasefire in place, we can exhale. But let’s be honest: the emergency is far from over. The forces that unleashed this surge of antisemitism are not going away on their own. In fact, they have been emboldened, normalized and integrated into broader ideological movements across the political spectrum. The beast is out of the cage and we can’t wish it away and just go back to the way we operated before.

The need for an ‘internal ceasefire’

We all know that there are deep-seated ideological disagreements within the American Jewish community about Israel’s government, about American politics — even about the future of Jewish identity itself. These debates are real and important and should not be minimized. But the most critical conclusion to draw from the past two years is that the shared resolve on questions of Zionism and Jewish peoplehood must remain intact for the foreseeable future.

To that end, we need our own “internal ceasefire” among professionals, advocates, leaders and philanthropists. Disagreement is inevitable, even healthy; but the kind of disunity that calls into question the legitimacy of those within the mainstream Zionist tent is lethal. Our numbers are too small and our people too scattered.

Every ceasefire has rules that need to be followed, and philanthropists have a strong platform from which to model and enforce a new civility in our community. Here’s a proposed list of 10 rules of the road for how we maintain unity even as we continue to debate:

1.) Call out your own “side.” When antisemitism or anti-Zionism surfaces on your side of the political or ideological spectrum, you must be the first to call it out. Moral credibility depends on moral consistency.

2.) Avoid the “Who’s worse?” game. Endless debate about whether antisemitism and antizionism is worse on one side or the other serves no useful purpose. Those debates only distract from holding bad actors accountable and provides a platform of legitimizing the “less bad” side.

3.) Disagree — but defend each other. We can and should debate policy, even publicly. But when any member of our community is attacked simply for being Jewish or Zionist, we close ranks. No exceptions. And threats or violence against any of us must be met with a massive, focused and unambiguous response from us all. Period. 

4.) Be clear about who speaks for whom. If you express a political view — on Israel, on American issues or anything else — make clear whether you’re speaking personally or on behalf of your organization or foundation. Clarity builds trust.

5.) Collaborate across the aisle (and your own side). Too many organizations spend too much money chasing the same goals in parallel silos. It’s time to knock it off and work together, both across and within ideological lines on our most important issues and projects. Whether combating campus exclusion, supporting artists and authors, advocating for European Jewry — collaboration multiplies impact.

6.) Rebuild the communal center. Invest time, resources and leadership in reconstituting a robust Jewish center, a place where people can talk across differences from their respective 30-yard lines, grounded in shared values: rule of law, pluralism and free expression. Rebuilding the center is not a luxury; as we have recently seen and experienced, it’s a survival strategy.

7.) Give your time as well as your treasure. As Laurene Powell Jobs recently argued in The Wall Street Journal, philanthropy that is purely financial cannot rebuild communities fractured by distrust. That’s even truer in Jewish life, where our numbers are small and our institutions rely on lay engagement. Philanthropists tend to be a talented bunch. Every philanthropist must contribute time, skills, wisdom, and relational capital—not just funds.

8.) Eat your vegetables before dessert. Stay mission-focused. Don’t get distracted by every ideological or political battle that erupts in the broader culture. As David Bernstein and I argued in an earlier essay in eJewishPhilanthropy, put on your own oxygen mask first. Organizations must secure their core mission before wading into fights that drain attention and resources. The same holds true for funders: Do your homework, support the essential work of Jewish continuity and security, resist the temptation to chase every shiny new cause, and get your butt into the fray.

9.) Put the interest of the broader Jewish community first. Even before the narrow interests of your organization, kind of like “Country before party.” When philanthropists do that, Jewish professional leaders will have no choice but to follow suit.

10.) Always have an eye to the American Jewish future as well as the present, and learn lessons from the past. Thinking about the lessons of our ancestors together with the destiny for our children and our children’s children is an important part of keeping the unity we need to weather the storms ahead.

A new philanthropic ethic

In the present environment, Jewish philanthropists must do more than allocate funds. They must model the kind of civic virtue we hope to see in the wider community. That means exercising restraint, listening across divides, getting directly involved in helping move the ball forward and insisting that those who receive their support operate by the same standards.

This isn’t about silencing dissent or enforcing uniformity. It’s about cultivating a disciplined pluralism — one that allows for disagreement without contempt and difference without fragmentation. Philanthropy can be a force for moderation, but only if funders are willing to reward bridge-building and penalize those who inflame division regardless of station or position.

Looking across the spectrum of Zionist Jewish organizations, while we always see the classic “11 opinions for every 10 Jews,” there is more that binds us together regardless of ideology: love for public service and community engagement; generosity of spirit and philanthropy; priority on education; a deep connection to Israel and other Diaspora communities and their Jewish values; and the demand for the safety for our community as well as others.

If recent history has taught us anything, it’s that our enemies don’t distinguish between Zionists of the left, center or right. They don’t care whether you support one Israeli political party or another, or how you vote in American elections. To them, you are simply a Jew who stands with the Jewish people and a Zionist who supports Israel. We owe each other that same basic solidarity.

Phil Siegel is a serial for-profit and nonprofit entrepreneur, private equity investor and philanthropist based in Austin, Texas.