I know you are scared. I know you feel helpless. You have marched, donated, spoken out, prayed. I have too. And still, the Jewish community is under attack.

You cannot control other people’s actions, but you can control how you respond. That’s what I used to tell my three teenage boys when they were younger. That lesson now feels more important than ever. None of us can solve antisemitism alone, but we can choose how we show up in this moment.

One way is quiet and personal. It can help someone feel proud, less afraid and less alone. 

That is the power of mentorship.

Since the Oct. 7 attacks, more families are reaching out to Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters — and not just for mentorship or friendship, but for something more urgent. They are searching for safety. For identity. For a way to help their children stay proud in a world that often tells them not to be.

As the leader of a 105-year-old Jewish agency, I never imagined I would be hearing from parents who are afraid to send their children to school as Jews. But I am.

One mother recently called in tears. Her children, bright and social and from a loving home, were facing constant antisemitic comments at school. Not in whispers, but out loud. Her kids had started to hide who they were. She asked us, very simply, if we could help. She was not asking for advice. She was asking for a lifeline.

We matched each child with a strong Jewish mentor. Their parents were already doing everything they could to support them, but it is different coming from a Big Brother or Big Sister. A mentor is not a parent or a teacher. They are a trusted friend. Someone to get ice cream with. To play catch. To talk about identity and values in the middle of a walk or a joke. Someone who makes being Jewish feel normal, joyful and never something to hide.

This is one story, and it is not the only one.

In 2025, the fight against antisemitism must include more than public statements and marches. Those are important. But they are not enough. We also need to invest in relationships. In identity. In resilience. We need to build strong Jewish identities from the inside out, starting with the youngest members of our community.

Mentorship is one of the most overlooked tools we have. When a Jewish child has a mentor who helps them embrace their Jewish identity with confidence, they grow up knowing who they are. They enter college and adulthood with the clarity to speak up — not from fear, but from strength.

When a non-Jewish child receives services from a Jewish agency, supported by Jewish donors and rooted in Jewish values, they grow up with a deeper understanding of who we are. They learn about our holidays, celebrate with us and form bonds that last. They learn that being Jewish means being part of a community that shows up, that cares, that gives. And when they become adults, they stand beside us — not because they are told to, but because they care. 

When a Jewish volunteer gets involved, they reconnect with their own identity. They become part of a living chain of support and strength. And when a non-Jewish volunteer joins us, they become part of the Jewish story. They build meaningful relationships. They carry what they have seen and felt into the rest of their lives. They are no longer bystanders.

Every relationship is a bridge. Every match is a stand.

This is how we fight antisemitism. Not only with words, but with relationships. With safe spaces. With pride. With love.

We are raising a generation of Jewish children who are not afraid to be Jewish. We are creating lifelong allies who know us not as headlines, but as friends and mentors.

That is what gives me hope.

We cannot control every headline. But we can choose how we respond.

If you are asking what more you can do in the face of rising antisemitism, consider this: mentorship is not charity. It is strategy. It is long-term, quiet, powerful resistance. Becoming a mentor or supporting mentorship is not just about helping a child. It is about building a world where pride is stronger than fear — one relationship at a time.

To learn more about mentorship opportunities or ways to support this work, visit www.jbbbs.org.

Lauren Korn is the president and CEO of Jewish Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Boston, a nonprofit dedicated to mentorship, friendship and community guided by Jewish values.