By Howie Silbiger
When Bret Stephens spoke at the State of World Jewry address at the 92nd Street Y, he did not rely on comforting words or empty slogans. Instead, he shared a thoughtful argument about the way the Jewish community has chosen to organize itself and why that approach might not be serving us as well as we hope.
Stephens did not mince words: “the fight against antisemitism has become a substitute for Jewish identity rather than a defense of it.” That remark resonates because it gives voice to what many people sense but rarely say out loud. It hints that much of organized Jewish life has gotten better at reacting to danger than at building something lasting, better at keeping track of threats than at nurturing real depth.
He described much of today’s effort to fight Jew hatred as a “wasted effort,” not because Jew hatred is not real, but because the response has become an end in itself. He argued that some major organizations have mixed up vigilance with vitality. If all they produce is reports, statements, and press conferences, then their impact on the long term strength of the Jewish community is, at best, limited.
That critique stings because it points to something deeply structural. Some Jewish organizations exist in ways that are tied to the persistence of Jew hatred. Their funding, staffing, and public relevance depend on a constant stream of incidents. When Jew hatred rises, their importance rises too. When things quiet down, the urgency that supports them fades.
This is not about blaming anyone. It is an honest look at how incentives work. Institutions naturally act to keep themselves going. We have ended up with an ecosystem where every hateful incident becomes fuel for a campaign, a panel, or a fundraiser. The system runs smoothly and professionally, but it also keeps the community in a state of constant alert.
Stephens contrasted this with what he called the overlooked work of actually building Jewish life. He spoke about identity being shaped by education, culture, and commitment, not by living in the shadow of constant threat. A community built on fear, he argued, will always feel fragile, no matter how strong its defenses look on the outside.
There is something real in that observation. Organized Jewish life today often treats fighting Jew hatred as its main focus. We spend so much energy reacting outward and not enough building inward. Solid Jewish education struggles for funding. Day schools are out of reach for many families. There are not enough opportunities for adults to keep learning. Jewish literacy is often thin. Over time, these problems do more harm than any single headline or protest ever could.
Stephens’ argument leads to an uncomfortable truth: building Jewish strength means shifting resources. Money would move away from monitoring and messaging and toward schools, teachers, and the places where Jewish life happens day to day. That change would reshape the communal landscape. Some organizations would have to find new purposes. Some would get smaller. Some might even close.
This is not about right or wrong. It is simply what happens when priorities shift.
Stephens did not deny the reality of Jew hatred. He acknowledged it is real, persistent, and dangerous. But he pushed back against the idea that battling hate should define Jewish life. If a community sees itself mainly through opposition, it eventually loses faith in its own substance.
The response to his speech made it clear how sensitive this topic is. The discomfort was not about denying Jew hatred. It was about questioning an institutional status quo that has become comfortable in its own sense of necessity.
Stephens reminded everyone that Jewish survival has never been just about watchdogs. It has depended on families choosing Jewish life with confidence, on schools that teach depth instead of fear, and on communities that come together because they believe in something, not because they are scared of what is outside.
His point was not radical. It was a call for a reset. He argued for shifting our focus away from constant crisis and toward long term strength. That kind of shift threatens systems built on emergency, but it also offers a way out of the exhaustion so many feel.
Jew hatred will not be defeated by reports alone. It will fade when Jewish life becomes strong enough that hate no longer defines it.
Howie Silbiger is the host of The Howie Silbiger Show on Truetalkradio.com and Political Hitman on Israelnewstalkradio.com. He is the Editor-in-Chief of The Montreal Jewish News
