'History is back, and the old normal isn’t returning' Bari Weiss tells young Jewish leaders

“History is back, and the old normal isn’t returning,” Bari Weiss, a journalist and the founder of the Free Press, told an audience of young Jewish leaders at the Jewish Federations of North America’s General Assembly in Washington.

Addressing over 100 participants of the Change Makers Fellowship and thousands of participants from across North America on Tuesday, Weiss urged attendees to recognize the “new world” they faced, one she described as increasingly hostile to Jewish values and identity.

In her speech, Weiss highlighted a series of recent and historical events that she believed marked a turning point for the Jewish community, including the October 7 Hamas massacre and the public displays of anti-Jewish sentiment that followed.

“If it feels like the end. That’s because all beginnings do,” she said, cautioning her audience not to grow complacent. “We bend the arc of history; it doesn’t bend on its own.”

Throughout her address, Weiss underscored the importance of resilience and vigilance in the face of rising antisemitism.

“We must learn… the resilience, the vigilance, the courage, and the pride not just to survive, but to thrive in this new world,” she said, drawing inspiration from Jewish dissidents in the Soviet Union who resisted oppression despite immense pressure.

Anti-Zionism is antisemitism

Weiss added, “The task for us at this moment is to learn from those who never had the luxury of losing their instinct for danger.”

Reflecting on recent antisemitic incidents and societal shifts, Weiss challenged the young leaders to be unafraid to speak truthfully and to hold their own communities accountable.

“Anti-Zionism is antisemitism, full stop,” she said, denouncing what she called “the perverse need to indulge in panel discussions” on the matter within the Jewish community itself.

She added, “We need to take the phrase ‘globalize the intifada’ seriously. It is not a fun rally chant. It is a call for violence against our community.”

Weiss also took aim at what she described as “the quiet purging of proud Jews” from influential spaces in art, education, and human rights groups.

Her message to young leaders was clear: The future depends on their willingness to confront uncomfortable truths and shape a new, resilient path forward.

“We have agency, we have power, and we have the blessing to live in America,” Weiss said. “We can accept what this moment requires and figure out how to forge a world anew.”