For years, Jewish institutions and philanthropies have treated the dangers facing our people as passing storms, troubles to be endured until they faded. That illusion has now vanished. What confronts us is not a fleeting threat, but a deliberate and coordinated campaign against Jewish life, Jewish legitimacy and the very democratic values that have allowed our communities to flourish. Incrementalism will not save us.

More than 160,000 people have pledged over $5.9 billion to Jewish causes through the Jewish Future Promise. This is not a small thing. It is a testament to the stubborn will, the enduring identity and the love for a Jewish future that refuses to be extinguished.

But history has taught us that promises, however heartfelt, do not deter those who are organized against us.

As chair of Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy, I see what many still refuse to fully absorb: that we are up against adversaries who have spent decades quietly, patiently, relentlessly building ideological, political and financial infrastructure. Their resources are measured not in millions or billions, but in trillions. Their strategy is long-term. Their intent is explicit. This is not conjecture. It is documented, studied and already reshaping the institutions, campuses and public conversations that once felt secure. Recent moves in Congress to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization are not simply political theater. They are a signal, a confirmation that the warnings long sounded by scholars, security experts and Jewish communities can no longer be dismissed.

Legacy Jewish institutions were not built to preserve comfort or complacency. They were built to ensure survival, continuity and strength. Federations, foundations, national organizations and philanthropies must remember why they exist. This is not a time for division or rivalry, but a time to rediscover the strength that comes from acting together.

This moment requires decisive action, not further analysis or delay.

Scale, not pilot programs.

Speed, not committees.

Unrestricted capital, not tightly bound grants.

Unity, not institutional turf protection.

We do not need another report diagnosing the crisis. What we need now is a reservoir of resources, pooled and ready, devoted to defending Jewish life, countering antisemitism, protecting Israel’s legitimacy and securing a future for the next generation. This requires a unified structure to oversee these resources, with real accountability and transparency. Timelines must be clear, action swift and our response flexible enough to meet new threats as they arise. Success will be measured not by reports, but by the impact on our communities and the strength of our ties around the world. Only by reducing uncertainty can we unlock the kind of bold, transformative giving that this moment demands.

To Jewish philanthropists, especially those entrusted with significant resources: This is not a moment for polite giving. This is a moment to wield power with purpose.

Ask yourself: Are my dollars structured for impact, or convenience? 

Are the institutions I support built for this fight, or for a world that no longer exists? 

Am I funding continuity, or underwriting decline?

The Jewish Future Promise was meant to spark conversations across generations. Now those conversations must become action. Legacy giving that waits for tomorrow may arrive too late for the institutions we are trying to protect today.

This is the moment to invest in courage. Jewish tradition teaches that to save a single life is to save an entire world. It also teaches that when danger is unmistakable, standing aside is not an option.

We are not powerless, and we are not alone. We are not unprepared unless we choose to be. What we lack is not money, nor capacity, but the alignment, urgency and boldness that this moment demands of us. We can change this if we choose to act.

Let this be the moment when legacy Jewish institutions remember why they exist. Let this be the moment when philanthropy is not just about programs, but about shaping our future. Let this be the moment we move from reaction to leadership.

Jewish history will not ask how careful we were. It will ask whether we rose when it matterednd it matters now. In this crucial moment, we must remember our covenant of mutual responsibility, binding us together in a shared moral identity. This collective commitment inspires us to act with unity and courage, ensuring that our actions today preserve the future for generations to come.

Mike Leven is a philanthropist, business leader and the founder of the Jewish Future Promise. Leven is chair of the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy, serves on the boards of the Marcus Foundation, Jewish National Fund and AEPi Fraternity Foundation and is an honorary board member of the Birthright Israel Foundation.