Heroes walk among us: This year’s JFNA General Assembly - opinion

On Sunday, major Jewish organizations and communities from across North America gathered for the “Stand Together” rally, an event designed to inspire unity and engagement in the face of rising challenges. The rally marked the opening of this year’s Jewish Federations of North America General Assembly, an annual conference that brings together Jewish leaders and community members to discuss pressing issues, foster solidarity, and strengthen ties.

At the conference, a full array of organizations, foundations, nonprofits, Israeli partners, lifelong activists, concerned citizens, and contributors made up the attendees. There were many heroes walking amongst them – heroes who have been working to secure Israel and the worldwide Diaspora for decades.

Julie Platt, chair of the JFNA, highlighted the importance of this unity and invoked recent interviews with activists as evidence of a growing, urgent need for coordinated action. “It’s all hands on deck,” she said, emphasizing that every participant – whether a veteran leader or a first-time attendee – has a role to play in fortifying their community.

Platt noted JFNA’s remarkable contribution of raising over $700 million to support Israel, stressing the importance of resisting “comfort fatigue” and the critical need to redouble efforts. “This is not the time to step back,” she said. “We must push forward, strengthening our resolve to support Israel and protect our communities.”

A recurring theme she emphasized was the need to become “everyday emissaries,” combating antisemitism and standing up for Jewish values not just at organized events but wherever we are – in grocery stores, on social media, and in every corner of our lives. The responsibility, as Platt articulated, extends to family, community, and nation.

“If we don’t take action now, in an organized and coordinated way, we risk undermining our own future.” Platt also acknowledged the value of blending traditional methods with new approaches in the battle for public opinion and awareness.

Advancing Jewish resilience and innovation

Hindi Poupko, senior vice president of the UJA-Federation of New York, is a professional with a clear vision for what’s needed in today’s dynamic landscape. She is a hero who understands the necessity of embracing big ideas and making true change. She recognizes that traditional ways of doing things must be combined with new ways of meeting the challenges facing the Jewish community. Through her vision, new initiatives are being born with the potential to fight back on social media in coordinated ways and beyond.

Another hero in attendance was a man named Dani Neuman. Dani has spent a lifetime contributing to Israel in a multitude of ways. He is a lifelong friend of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and was part of a generation of young people in the early 1970s who were sent to the United States for advanced degrees. He shared how he would go to weekly meetings with Netanyahu and others to discuss ways to succeed in the media war upon their return to Israel. They had a sense of a lifelong duty to the state.

Dani went on to join the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit during the mid-70s, including during the raid on Entebbe, and he has spent the last 55 years working in different capacities for the same goal. Today, at the age of 73, he is still contributing. He represented Israeli foundations as well as Hatzolah Air at the General Assembly. He is a shining example of a hero among us. This level of commitment serves as an example to all of what it means to sacrifice for a greater cause.

Also in attendance was Major General Daniel Goldfus, a hero of the Gaza War and a visionary in military tactics, particularly in countering underground tunnel warfare. His pioneering strategies transformed Israel’s approach to tunnel threats, earning him international recognition as a military innovator and, for many, as a “living legend.” The magnitude of this accomplishment will be studied for generations to come. He is a lion of a man and personifies the meaning of a living legend.

The conference served as a reminder that community engagement and activism come in many forms. All are necessary; all are required. There were hundreds of heroes walking among us there, and they all deserve credit and recognition for their commitments. 

JFNA chair Julie Platt, senior executive Hindi Poupko, former IDF spokesman and lifelong contributor Dani Neuman, and Maj.-Gen. Daniel Goldfus are all living heroes doing all they can for the Jewish people. They serve as a reminder of what can be done and what should be done.

The writer is a co-founder and chairman of Minds and Hearts, and is responsible for setting the strategic direction of a new effort to fight antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment online, through rallies, protests, and mass letter-writing campaigns.