United for Jewish Resilience

This month, for the first time, Kfar Maccabiah proudly hosted an international conference bringing together global Jewish leadership and partners to confront one of the most urgent challenges of our time: the rise of antisemitism.

The conference was jointly organized by the World Jewish Congress (WJC), NGO Monitor, and Maccabi World Union.

Nearly 100 professionals from over 50 organizations across Israel and 15 European countries - including policymakers, diplomats, ambassadors, and leading experts - gathered for a full day of strategic dialogue, shared learning, and practical collaboration, united in their commitment to defending Jewish communities and strengthening the State of Israel.

Distinguished participants included Israel’s Minister for Diaspora Affairs and the Fight Against Antisemitism, Amichai Chikli; MWU Deputy Chair & Co-Chair of the Maccabi Women’s Forum and the Maccabiah Orly Froman; Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Sharren Haskel; World Jewish Congress CEO Sara Friedman; NGO Monitor Vice President Olga Deutsch; Middle East expert and research fellow at the Moshe Dayan Center at Tel Aviv University Dr. Nir Boms; Hungary’s Ambassador to Israel Zoltán Szentgyörgyi; Albania’s Ambassador to Israel Dr. Meri Kumbe, and many others.

The program featured in-depth discussions on Europe in the post-October 7 reality, the development of advocacy initiatives and campaigns, roundtable sessions focused on lessons learned from the field, and conversations on the responsible and effective use of AI tools in combating antisemitism.  

Following the conference, participants took part in a guided tour of the Jewish Sports Museum, led by Rabbi Carlos A. Tapiero, Deputy CEO MWU. The visit, highlighting inspiring stories of Jewish resilience, identity, and perseverance told through sport, offered a powerful reminder of how Jewish strength, pride, and community have been built across generations.

For Maccabi, this is both a global challenge and a daily responsibility. Since October 7, the importance of strong networks, shared tools, and principled partnerships has become clearer than ever. We are proud that Kfar Maccabiah is serving as a home for this growing forum - a hub for collaboration, meaningful ideas, and real action.

Our sincere thanks to our partners and all participants for their trust, commitment, and impactful work. Together, we continue to stand strong in defense of Jewish resilience - now, more than ever!