Looking Inward: A Call to Reimagine the Zionist Movement and Diaspora Engagement
By Coby Schoffman, Social Entrepreneur and Founder of The Nation Foundation
Jewish philanthropic institutions, as well as Jewish thought leaders in the diaspora, need to aggressively prioritize the rebuilding of the Zionist movement.
With our new realities, old frameworks are fading into obsolescence. Amid the current pressing issues of our time, community leadership must recalibrate and reimagine its approach to Jewish and Zionist education. At the same time, it must confront the insidious rise of antisemitism and anti-Zionism, now reverberating across social media, with tools forged for our tech-driven age.
There is an urgent need for serious self-reflection, reorientation, and restructuring. Most crucially, it’s time for the Zionist diaspora leadership to zero-in on fixing the Homefront. They need to support and bolster initiatives focused on recreating Israeli state institutions and rebuilding trust between them and all Israeli citizens. The focus also needs to laser in on bringing the hostages home and restarting the peace process, all while working to reduce Israeli polarization as well as extremism in the diaspora and addressing the rising problem of mis- and disinformation. Lacking this dramatic reprioritization, I deeply fear for not only the viability of nurturing the next generation of diaspora Zionists, but for the future of the Israeli state. Without discounting the multitude of external threats facing Israel — from Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, Syrian and Iraqi-based militias, and Iran — the greatest existential threat facing Israel and the Zionist movement is coming from within; this is not a secret and has been the case for some time.
Following the initial shock of October 7th, diaspora Jewish thought leaders and philanthropic institutions aptly redirected their efforts by dedicating themselves to providing critical support to Israel: humanitarian aid initiatives, equipping the IDF to support the war effort, fighting antisemitism globally, leading grassroots pro-Israel advocacy, and making the case for Israel to policymakers through mainstream and social media. Now, it’s time that folks begin paying equal attention to rebuilding Israel from within. In addition to providing substantial financial support to displaced communities in the north and south of Israel and advocating for its right to self-defense in all forms, diaspora leaders must collaborate with their Israeli counterparts to address and mend the fractures within Israeli society. Diaspora Jews and Israelis have moved beyond blindly supporting Israel. If we want to stand a chance of building a next generation of Zionists, our diaspora leadership must prioritize rebuilding the Israeli State.
There is a long history of Jews in the diaspora either remaining silent when it comes to supporting Israel or offering unquestioning support of the state and its leadership in the hopes that it could handle their internal balagan independently. Both camps have proven to be shortsighted. For those who were relatively silent, there was a rude awakening on October 7th. Comfortably quiescent Jews quickly realized that their safe spaces, where being Jewish had not previously been seen as a problem, were no longer welcome nor ‘safe’. Many of the myopic and unquestioning supporters realized through, the judicial protests and post-Oct. 7 dynamics around the functions of the state and its foreign policy, that there was something rotten in the ideal Israel of their imagination. The question is, what is diaspora Jewry’s role now? It is no longer adequate to obediently assert that Israel is a sovereign country and has the right to defend herself and her own decisions.
This should serve as a wakeup call for the diaspora Zionist camp – the Israelis need our help. Not just for vests for soldiers, or meal subsidies for displaced families, but for rebuilding Israel and the Zionist movement. For those who care deeply about building the next generations of Zionists, I argue that in 20 years, it will be near impossible to do so if Israel stays on the same trajectory. The window of opportunity here is small. If and when regional tensions subside, newly activated thought leaders and philanthropists will likely divert their resources and energy elsewhere. How can we ensure the engagement and motivation of these players? By clearly articulating to our diaspora leadership that the most significant and immediate threat facing the Israeli state is internal, and to help them understand their vital role in this struggle. As David Ben-Gurion once stated, “No Jew can be a complete Jew unless he feels a deep sense of responsibility for the Jewish state and the Jewish people.” It is essential for these leaders to grasp the full array of needs and opportunities for revitalization so that their support for Israel can be as impactful and constructive as possible.
About the author:
Coby Schoffman is a San Francisco-based serial social entrepreneur and Founder of The Nation Foundation (TNF). TNF operates project zones across East Africa, collaborating with local stakeholders to provide educational opportunities to youth, reaching over 60,000 young people since its founding. Schoffman received a MSc in Transnational Security from New York University + a BA in Counter Terrorism & Conflict Resolution from Reichman University, and has a demonstrated history of working to craft complex, community-driven solutions in high conflict zones. The views reflected are his own, and do not reflect those of any organization.
