Conference Chair Declares Unity Essential as Jewish Students Courageously Confront Hate Worldwide.
,Betsy Burns Korn Chair of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, delivered a powerful message of unity and resilience during her latest visit to Israel, her 15th since the October 7 attacks.
Speaking about the surge in antisemitism across the United States and globally, Burns Korn described the situation on American college campuses as deeply troubling. “There’s definitely rampant antisemitism,” she said, noting that even her own son, a senior at a large university, faces the hostile climate firsthand.
Yet she praised Jewish students as “heroes,” emphasizing their maturity and courage in confronting hate directly. “They’re living and breathing with these people, and they’re fighting it in a really lovely, very mature way,” she said, underscoring the quiet strength of a generation refusing to be intimidated.
The Conference of Presidents, which represents 50 Jewish organizations spanning the ideological spectrum, works to project what Burns Korn described as a “unified, not uniform” voice. Despite differences in perspective, she noted that the coalition agrees on 80 to 90 percent of major issues — particularly when it comes to defending Israel and combating antisemitism.
Polling data, she explained, consistently shows a dramatic rise in antisemitic incidents in the United States, Europe, and beyond. In response, Jewish organizations are intensifying cooperation, pooling resources, and developing strategies to counter misinformation and coordinated disinformation campaigns targeting Israel and Jewish communities worldwide.
Reflecting on her latest arrival in Israel, Burns Korn described a noticeable emotional shift. For the first time since October 7, she walked through the airport without seeing hostage posters — a symbolic sign of change. The absence of hostages in Gaza, she said, has lifted a profound weight from Jewish communities globally, even as significant challenges remain.
Her message was clear: unity is strength. In an era of rising hostility, coordinated leadership and empowered students are standing firm — determined to safeguard Jewish identity, defend Israel’s legitimacy, and push back against hatred wherever it emerges.
