{"id":91620,"date":"2026-02-20T18:06:09","date_gmt":"2026-02-20T23:06:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/?p=91620"},"modified":"2026-02-20T18:06:09","modified_gmt":"2026-02-20T23:06:09","slug":"in-jfnas-first-state-of-the-jewish-union-address-security-and-antisemitism-loom-large","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.crescentcityjewishnews.com\/blog\/in-jfnas-first-state-of-the-jewish-union-address-security-and-antisemitism-loom-large\/","title":{"rendered":"In JFNA\u2019s first \u2018State of the Jewish Union\u2019 address, security and antisemitism loom large"},"content":{"rendered":"

By GRACE GILSON<\/p>\n

(JTA) \u2014 Speaking from Washington, D.C., on Thursday, the president and CEO of the Jewish Federations of North America, Eric Fingerhut, laid out his assessment of the state of Jewish life in America.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\u201cThe state of the Jewish union in America is strong, but it is being tested,\u201d said Fingerhut. \u201cWe are united in our commitment to America and to Jewish life, even as we worry about the real threats of violence and the growing acceptance of antisemitic rhetoric.\u201d<\/p>\n

During his remarks, which was billed as JFNA\u2019s inaugural \u201cState of the Jewish Union\u201d address ahead of President Donald Trump\u2019s State of the Union address next week, Fingerhut issued six recommendations to Congress which centered on increasing security for Jewish communities.<\/p>\n

They included providing federal support for security personnel, expanding FBI capabilities to counter domestic terrorism, increasing support for local and state law enforcement, prosecuting hate crimes aggressively and holding social media companies accountable for amplifying antisemitic rhetoric.<\/p>\n

\u201cJewish children and teens are facing growing risks online, including antisemitic harassment, bullying and extremist content,\u201d said Fingerhut. \u201cWe recognize the difficulty of legislating in this field, but states are moving forward, and it\u2019s time for Congress to move forward as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fingerhut also called on Congress to increase funding for the Nonprofit Security Grant Program to $1 billion annually, and \u201cmake the program more flexible and simpler to use.\u201d (This year, the program is requiring recipients to support federal immigration enforcement and avoid programs advancing diversity, raising concern among many Jewish groups, including JFNA.)<\/p>\n

At the beginning of his address, Fingerhut also emphasized the ties between the American Jewish community and Israel, which have come under scrutiny since JFNA published a survey earlier this month which found that only one-third of American Jews say they identify as Zionist.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe focus of today\u2019s talk will be about the state of Jews in America, but it is not possible to have that conversation without acknowledging and addressing the emotional, familial and religious connection between the American Jewish community and the people of Israel,\u201d said Fingerhut.<\/p>\n

Fingerhut\u2019s remarks come shortly after Bret Stephens, the right-leaning Jewish New York Times columnist, argued during his 92NY\u2019s annual \u201cThe State of World Jewry\u201d speech that groups devoted to combating antisemitism, including the Anti-Defamation League, should abandon their strategy and instead focus on bolstering Jewish education and communal infrastructure.<\/p>\n

During Fingerhut\u2019s address, which largely centered on the security burdens placed on Jewish communities and concern for changes to social services funding, he also pivoted to a broader vision of Jewish life beyond the need for protection alone.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is important for the Congress to know that Jewish life is not only what we are protecting, but what we are building,\u201d said Fingerhut. \u201cIt is Jewish education and Jewish experiences, but it is also human services, dignity and belonging.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Share