The 2025 General Assembly is setting the tone for a defining moment in Jewish communal life. Two years after October 7, the North American Jewish community stands at a crossroads—tested by unprecedented challenges and inspired by extraordinary levels of resilience and action. The General Assembly will frame the challenges and opportunities of the year ahead to rebuild Israel, ensure Jewish security and combat antisemitism, and invest in strengthening Jewish life and identity.
As the GA continues, a timely and consequential conversation is unfolding in partnership with The SAPIR Debates. Marking 30 years since the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, the session examines what a realistic future for a two-state solution looks like today.
With Israeli public support diminishing, international pressure intensifying, and the shadow of October 7 and the ongoing war in Gaza shaping current realities, the panel will confront one of the most pressing questions of our time: Is lasting peace still possible?
The session will feature
- Tamar Ish-Shalom, Israeli journalist & host of Jewish Crossroads
- Dr. Michael Koplow, Chief Policy Officer, Israel Policy Forum
- John Podhoretz, Editor, Commentary Magazine
- Doron Almog, Chairman of the Executive, The Jewish Agency for Israel
- Mark Wilf, Chairman of the Board of Governors , The Jewish Agency for Israel
- Noa Rothman, granddaughter of former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabi
MORNING SESSION
The morning plenary session of the 2025 General Assembly will examine both the challenges and opportunities of protecting Jewish life today. We’ll hear from leaders on the front lines who are strengthening systems of safety and trust, and we’ll reflect on how our collective action can build a more secure future for all.
The Free Press’s Olivia Reingold will shed light on media bias and misinformation. Having used her platform to promote nuance when covering sensitive and complicated topics, she will bring an important perspective to the General Assembly stage.
Another major component of securing Jewish communities is enhancing physical security, especially amid an evolving threat landscape. Jewish Federations of North America Executive Vice President Shira Hutt points out that the 2018 terror attack at the Tree of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in which 11 people were killed and six wounded, was a “wake-up call to the North American Jewish community.”
Since then, the Jewish Federations have built an entirely new security infrastructure for the Jewish community. As part of that effort, the number of professionally operated community security initiatives increased dramatically, from just over a dozen in 2018 to more than 130 today.
Today’s Featured Speakers
- Senator John Fetterman, United States Senator for Pennsylvania
- Shira Hutt, Executive Vice President, Jewish Federations of North America
- Julie Platt, Immediate Past Chair, Jewish Federations of North America
- Zibby Owens, Founder, Zibby Media
- Olivia Reingold, Staff Writer, The Free Press
- Rev. Juan Rivera, President, Hispanic Israel Leadership Coalition
- Annie Sandler, President, Joint Distribution Committee
Scholar-in-Residence
- Rabbi Angela Buchdahl, Senior Rabbi, Central Synagogue (NYC)
Performer - The Tamari Project, Musician
Written in collaboration with JFNA