An Internal Crisis—and the Path Forward

Over 4,000 Jewish teens from around the world gathered in unity at Times Square for a Havdalah ceremony and concert, proudly displaying Jewish identity during Chabad’s annual CTeen Shabbaton.

Recent data has sent shockwaves through the American Jewish community. A survey by Israel’s Ministry of Diaspora Affairs reveals a startling disconnect: 42% of American Jewish youth believe Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, while 37% express sympathy for Hamas. Adding to the concern, recent political cycles showed that candidates openly hostile to Israel and the Jewish people’s biblical right to their homeland still secured roughly a third of the Jewish vote.

While external antisemitism is undeniably a growing threat, these numbers point to a deeper internal crisis. If the next generation is drifting so far from its roots, we must ask: Where did we go wrong—and how do we fix it?

A Crisis—and a Countertrend

Amid these troubling signs, a hopeful countertrend has emerged. In 2024, the Jewish Federations of North America (JFNA) studied rising Jewish engagement following October 7, calling it “The Surge.” Their 2025 follow-up found that over 30% of Jews who previously identified as minimally engaged—representing more than 80% of the community—are now deepening their Jewish involvement.

“We started hearing that something was changing,” explained Mimi Kravetz, JFNA’s Chief Impact and Growth Officer, noting a widespread search for meaning and soul-connection.

Notably, the data shows that Chabad is at the heart of this revival. “Close to half of those people who are part of this ‘Surge’—this group showing up more in Jewish life—are doing it through Chabad,” Kravetz observed. Younger Jews, in particular, are leading this trend. Among Jews aged 18–34, Chabad has become the most popular avenue for Jewish engagement, second only to spending time with Jewish friends.

The demand for authentic Jewish connection is clear. The question is whether we will rise to meet it.

From Integration to Assimilation

At the start of the 20th century, Jewish immigrants prioritized integration, sending their children to public schools as a path to opportunity. Jewish education became secondary, often limited to a few hours of Hebrew school each week.

Today, many secular educational institutions and universities foster environments hostile to Jewish identity and Israel. High intermarriage rates, open hostility toward Israel, and relentless pressures to assimilate make it increasingly difficult for Jewish students to maintain their connection to their heritage.

Jewish Education: The Foundation of Continuity

Jewish Education has always been the cornerstone of Jewish survival. The time has come to reassess our priorities. Are we preparing our children to thrive as proud connected Jews, or placing them in environments that challenge their very identity?

With unprecedented access to Jewish learning—through schools, mentors, technology, and community frameworks—we must redirect our resources toward Jewish education that is rich, joyful, and rooted in our values.

A Timeless Lesson

This idea appears in this week’s Torah portion Vayigash. When Joseph invites his family to resettle in Egypt, Jacob sends Judah ahead to prepare.

The verse states: “He sent Judah ahead of him to Joseph, to direct him to Goshen” (Genesis 46:28). The Midrash explains the unusual inclusion of the phrase "to direct him" (Hebrew: להורת לפניו), which shares the same root as the word הוראה (to teach). It interprets this as Jacob instructing Judah to establish a Jewish school—an institution from which direction and inspiration would emanate in anticipation of their arrival.

Jacob understood a simple truth: without Jewish education, there is no Jewish future.

History confirms this lesson. From Pharaoh to the ancient Greeks to Communist Russia, those who sought to destroy the Jewish people first targeted Jewish education. Yet our commitment to Torah, mitzvot, and teaching our children ensured our survival.

Our Role in the World

Judaism teaches that humanity is like a single body, with each nation serving a distinct function. Just as the hand cannot replace the heart, and the heart cannot serve as the brain, each nation must fulfill its unique purpose. When every part functions properly, the body is healthy.

The Jewish people serve a vital role in that body: to transmit the moral code given by G-d in the Torah and to be a light unto the nations. When we abandon that mission, the entire body suffers. A weakened immune system invites disease; a weakened Jewish identity allows moral decay—and with it, antisemitism—to spread.

History confirms this pattern. Whenever societies descend into moral confusion, antisemitism inevitably resurfaces. When the Jewish people are strong, proud, and connected to their purpose, antisemitism is weakened and restrained. It may never fully disappear until the era of Moshiach, but it is kept at bay.

The Path Forward

Jewish day school attendance has proven to be a critical factor in reducing intermarriage and assimilation. According to a recent Pew Research study, children who attend Jewish day schools and Jewish summer camps are significantly more likely to marry Jews, maintain a strong Jewish identity, and raise Jewish children.

We must redirect our resources toward Jewish education for ourselves, our children and grandchildren. Fortunately, modern technology has made the "well of knowledge" more accessible than ever. Whether it is enrolling a child in a Jewish day school, attending a Lunch and Learn at a local business, or spending ten minutes a day studying Torah online, every bit of learning strengthens the "immune system" of our people.

The secret of Jewish resilience has always been education.

By strengthening Jewish education today, we secure not only our future, but help bring a brighter future to the world. As Maimonides writes, “In that era, there will be neither famine nor war, envy nor competition, for goodness will flow in abundance… The entire world will be occupied solely with knowing G-d… as it is written, ‘The world will be filled with the knowledge of G-d as the waters cover the ocean bed’” (Isaiah 11:9).