Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s recent visit to New York unfolded as a poignant chapter in the ongoing story of Jewish resilience, unity, and struggle against rising antisemitism. On December 18, 2025, Herzog addressed the Biennial National Assembly of the American Zionist Movement (AZM), a gathering that brought together the leadership of 51 national Jewish Zionist organizations in the United States. The event, held in a city that boasts the largest Jewish community outside Israel, was charged with emotion, urgency, and a call for both solidarity and action.
Herzog’s remarks at the AZM assembly struck a somber tone as he reflected on the current climate in the United States. According to the Jewish Link, Herzog said he was “extremely disturbed” by the rise of antisemitism in America. He didn’t mince words, declaring, “Antisemitism has never been so apparent in the public discourse, and it comes with hate from both the left and right.” His message was clear: “No Jew should be harassed anywhere in the world because of his or her faith.”
Herzog urged the assembled leaders to fight antisemitism with every legal tool available. “We have to fight together, with all the legal tools we have, to combat antisemitism and explain our case that the only nation state of the Jewish people is protecting the free world and is a beacon of tikun olam to the entire world,” he insisted. His words echoed through the hall, resonating with a community feeling the brunt of increased hostility and public scrutiny.
The president didn’t shy away from addressing local political tensions, either. He referenced a recent incident involving a mayor-elect in New York, expressing concern about what he described as “utter contempt to the nation state of the Jewish people.” Herzog tied this sentiment to recent protests outside an aliyah event at a Manhattan synagogue, emphasizing the importance of freedom of religion and the deep Jewish yearning for Jerusalem. “Jews have prayed three times a day for hundreds of years and thousands of years to Jerusalem, and we yearn to go back to Jerusalem—this is a basic rule of Judaism. … The fact that a mayor-elect, an elected official, speaks in contempt about this whole notion, which is part and parcel of all of us here and the great Zionist movement, worries me a lot,” he stated.
Herzog also tackled the controversial accusations of genocide leveled against Israel. He firmly rejected these claims, saying, “Israel is a law-abiding nation. The law is part of our DNA. Our guidelines are the rules of international humanitarian law. Our sons and daughters went to fight in order to defend our people, and operate according to the rules. If we make mistakes, we also expose them and deal with them.” He added, “Israel was never operating in any genocidal form. On the contrary, we supplied humanitarian aid from day one. I was extremely active on this. We care for the pain of the people in Gaza. We care, and I still care very much, for their future.”
The scars of recent conflict were never far from Herzog’s mind. Reflecting on the aftermath of October 7, 2023—a day seared into Israeli memory—he described Israeli society as “a very strong, resilient nation which carries a scar of agony from generation to generation, and in this generation, we are carrying the scar of pain and agony of October 7th and onwards.”
Herzog also sounded the alarm on the Iranian threat, warning, “Iran is trying to regroup and continue the battle against Israel big time with all of their capabilities. … They want to get to the bomb. They want to advance their terror agencies. We follow this closely. We see what they’re trying to do in Lebanon. We see what they’re trying to do elsewhere. We should not be naive for a moment.”
The assembly was not without its own moments of drama. During the question-and-answer session, Ben Kogan, a member of the World Zionist Organization General Council, posed a question that quickly escalated tensions. As he spoke, voices were raised, his microphone was abruptly cut, and security was summoned. Detectives were even sent to escort him out, though he ultimately remained. Kogan later clarified his intent, saying, “All I said was that it should not be Prime Minister Netanyahu who is being pressured to ask for forgiveness during wartime—but rather that the Jewish people must reflect on how internal division and public attacks against Israeli leadership weaken us when unity is most critical.” The incident highlighted the deep emotional and ideological divisions that persist within the global Jewish community, even as leaders call for unity.
Herbert Block, Executive Director of the AZM, described Herzog’s appearance as a watershed moment for American Zionists. “President Isaac Herzog’s address to the AZM Biennial National Assembly is a powerful affirmation of the vital bond between Israel and the Diaspora,” Block said. “His participation recognizes the central role American Zionists play in strengthening Jewish peoplehood, deepening engagement with Israel, and building a shared future—together.” The event’s theme, “Zionism: Many Visions, One Dream,” was a nod to the diversity and vitality of the movement, inspired by Theodor Herzl’s original vision.
Herzog’s New York visit was only part of a week marked by remembrance and mourning. On the same day as the AZM address, he participated in a Chanukah candle lighting event in the South Hebron Hills in Judea, honoring the memory of Israel Defense Forces Capt. Uri Mordechai Shani. According to JNS, the ceremony was held at Heichal Uri, a synagogue named after Shani, who was killed on October 7, 2023, at the Kissufim post near the Gaza border. Herzog lit the fourth candle of Chanukah alongside Shani’s family and community, saying in a heartfelt message, “May we be worthy of the light that Uri left behind, and that all our sons and daughters who fell for the people and the state have left behind.”
Capt. Uri Mordechai Shani’s story is emblematic of the courage and sacrifice that have defined Israel’s recent struggles. A 22-year-old platoon commander in the 51st Battalion of the Golani Infantry Brigade and a resident of Kiryat Arba, Shani dispatched some of his troops to defend Kibbutz Kissufim during the massive invasion of Gazan terrorists on October 7. He remained with six soldiers at the Kissufim junction, fighting until they were surrounded. Running out of ammunition and water, Shani attempted to reach the Kissufim military post to resupply, but was struck by shrapnel from a mortar shell and killed. He was posthumously promoted from lieutenant to captain, and is survived by his parents, Yehoshua and Shulamit, and his siblings Noa, Rinat, Elihu, Tzofiya, Elisha, and Malachi.
Herzog’s presence at both the AZM assembly and the memorial in Judea underscored the interconnectedness of Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora. The events of the week—marked by grief, resolve, and debate—highlighted the enduring challenges facing the Jewish people, as well as their steadfast commitment to unity and remembrance, even in the face of adversity.
As the assembly’s theme suggested, Zionism today is indeed many visions, but one dream continues to bind them: the hope for a secure, vibrant Jewish future, wherever Jews may live.
