By:  Fern Sidman

In a high-stakes effort to address a sharp uptick in antisemitic violence, American Jewish leaders convened an emergency mission to Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, calling on Congress to bolster security funding and reaffirm its commitment to Jewish communities at home and abroad. The urgent lobbying campaign comes on the heels of multiple violent attacks against Jews in recent months, including a deadly assault on Israeli diplomats and a firebombing of a pro-Israel rally in Colorado.

As reported by the Jewish News Syndicate (JNS), the emergency leadership mission was organized by the Jewish Federations of North America and the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations. Over two days, roughly 400 Jewish leaders held more than 200 meetings with lawmakers to press for immediate action on security grants, legislative safeguards against antisemitism, and continued bipartisan support for Israel.

Eric Fingerhut, president and CEO of the Jewish Federations of North America, stressed to JNS that the attacks reflect a nationwide crisis demanding a federal response. “We need members of Congress to understand that these threats and the extreme costs of security are in their community. It’s in every community,” he said. Fingerhut emphasized that protecting Jewish worshippers, students, and advocates must become a national priority. “It’s not just in Washington, D.C., where there was an attack. It’s not just in Boulder, Colo. We need the help of the government to take the lead on their responsibility to protect people in their houses of worship and in their places of gathering.”

The sense of urgency was palpable, particularly in light of the May assassination of two Israeli embassy staffers outside the Capital Jewish Museum and the recent firebombing of Jewish demonstrators in Boulder. These incidents, the JNS report noted, have reverberated across Jewish communities, sparking fears of a resurgence in politically motivated antisemitic violence.

A central aim of the mission was to secure funding for the Department of Homeland Security’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program (NSGP), which provides houses of worship and religious schools with critical resources to protect against hate crimes. The program faced a temporary freeze earlier this year, prompting alarm across faith communities.

Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) sought to allay concerns during meetings with the delegation. According to the information provided in the JNS report, Lankford assured participants that he had spoken directly with Russ Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget, and was told the funds would be released imminently. “That funding is not at risk. It is going to be let go, and it should be let go very, very quickly,” Lankford confirmed.

While the House Appropriations Committee voted to increase NSGP funding by $30 million to $335 million, that figure falls far short of the $1 billion that Jewish organizations—including the Anti-Defamation League and the Orthodox Union—had requested in the wake of escalating violence.

Beyond financial support, leaders pushed for the adoption of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism. Lankford, referencing failed efforts to pass such legislation in May due to controversial amendments, urged renewed bipartisan cooperation. “We’re behind British football teams. That’s a bad spot for us to be,” he quipped to JNS. “This shouldn’t be as difficult as it is.”

The IHRA definition, which includes certain forms of anti-Zionism as antisemitic, has been a flashpoint in political debates over free speech and Israel. Nonetheless, Jewish leaders argue that codifying the standard would create clarity for law enforcement, educators, and public institutions tasked with identifying and responding to hate.

Although the Capitol Hill mission had been planned before the most recent Israel-Iran conflict, the leaders used the moment to underscore the connection between Jewish security worldwide and the stability of the Jewish state.

William Daroff, CEO of the Conference of Presidents, told JNS that the U.S.-Israel strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities—authorized by the Trump administration—were a historic step toward diminishing the threat posed by a regime that has repeatedly called for Israel’s annihilation and supported terrorist groups targeting Jews. “Iran has been a major force in promoting hatred of Jews and killing Jews,” Daroff stated. “Just about every act of international terrorism directed at Jews has Iranian fingerprints.”

Daroff went further, describing the operation as having a “positive, multigenerational effect” on Jewish safety globally. The JNS report emphasized that many in the mission viewed Iran’s destabilizing influence as a central driver of antisemitic extremism worldwide, particularly through its financial and ideological support for groups like Hamas and Hezbollah.

The delegation received strong words of support from both Republicans and Democrats. Rep. Randy Weber (R-Texas) emphasized the ironclad alliance between the United States and Israel: “Israel’s our best friend. Period. End of story. Bar none.” Weber rejected calls for a two-state solution, positioning himself firmly in favor of Israel’s current defensive posture.

Rep. Haley Stevens (D-Mich.) declared herself “a Democratic lawmaker and a proud Zionist,” recounting the emotional impact of seeing armed security outside synagogues on Shabbat. “It sends a chill up your spine. Why is there security?” she asked rhetorically. “Because what happened in Boulder could have happened in Michigan.”

This bipartisan alignment stands in contrast to growing friction within the broader progressive movement, where groups such as Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) have amplified criticisms of Israel and voiced support for the BDS movement.

Daroff addressed these internal rifts directly, telling JNS that one of the mission’s core objectives was to present a united front to lawmakers. “One thing that they hear from their local Jewish communities and when they read the newspapers is about divisiveness within our community,” he said. “The truth is that the vast, vast majority of the Jewish people stand with us and stand with Israel on these very important issues.”

Perhaps the most powerful remarks came from Yechiel Leiter, Israel’s ambassador to the United States. Speaking to the gathered leaders, Leiter forcefully defended the centrality of Zionism to Jewish identity. “Don’t tell me what Judaism is,” he said. “You can’t disembowel Judaism from Zionism.”

As JNS reported, Leiter’s message resonated deeply with many in attendance, especially at a time when antisemitic attacks are increasingly disguised as anti-Zionist rhetoric. His words served as a reminder that political activism, international diplomacy, and communal security are inseparable from Jewish continuity.

The emergency mission to Washington underscored an undeniable reality: antisemitism in America is not an isolated or abstract threat—it is immediate, physical, and increasingly violent. Jewish leaders, as reported by JNS, are demanding that the federal government rise to meet this crisis with the moral clarity and financial commitment it deserves.

From legislation to funding to public messaging, the road ahead will require courage and consensus. As the Jewish community continues to navigate a volatile political climate at home and abroad, the voices raised on Capitol Hill this week are a reminder that the fight for Jewish security is far from over—and must never be waged alone.