On December 8, 2025, in the heart of New York City, a pair of landmark events brought the challenges and triumphs of the global Jewish community into sharp relief. Israeli President Isaac Herzog’s visit, marked by his receipt of an honorary doctorate from Yeshiva University and a high-profile address at the American Zionist Movement’s Biennial National Assembly, sparked impassioned debate and reflection on the state of Jewish identity, antisemitism, and Israel’s place in the world.
Herzog’s whirlwind day began at Yeshiva University’s Wilf Campus, where the institution celebrated its 101st anniversary. The occasion—dubbed the “Second Century Dinner”—was more than a ceremonial milestone. It was a moment to honor both the university’s enduring legacy and Herzog’s own family’s contributions to Jewish leadership. According to coverage by eJewishPhilanthropy and other outlets, Herzog’s father, Chaim Herzog, had received a similar honor from YU in 1976, while his grandfather, Yitzhak HaLevi Herzog, remains a towering figure in Israel’s rabbinic history.
In his acceptance speech, Herzog painted Yeshiva University as a “beacon of Jewish leadership, thought, and pride,” emphasizing the institution’s dual commitment to Torah and worldly knowledge. “The Torah and knowledge cultivated here have not only shaped our people but have contributed profoundly to global society,” Herzog declared, as reported by World Israel News. He urged the audience to see the university as a source of light and resilience, qualities that have long defined the Jewish experience.
But Herzog’s remarks were far from a simple celebration. He used his platform to warn of a rising tide of antisemitism across the United States, drawing attention to what he described as “institutional antisemitism, distortions of history, and the spread of Jew-hatred online.” In his words, “Across America, we face turbulence and rising challenges. Our community must remain vigilant.”
Herzog’s concerns were not abstract. He cited recent political developments in New York, specifically singling out Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani for what he described as an alarming stance toward Israel. Herzog did not mince words. “The fact is that in the city which comprises the largest Jewish community outside the United States, you have a mayor-elect who shows utter contempt to the nation state of the Jewish people,” he said, referencing Mamdani’s response to a protest outside Park East Synagogue where anti-Israel and antisemitic slogans were chanted. Herzog found Mamdani’s statement—condemning synagogue officials for hosting an event promoting Jewish immigration to Israel—deeply troubling. “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,” he asserted.
This sense of urgency carried over to Herzog’s address at the American Zionist Movement’s Biennial National Assembly, where the mood was anything but placid. The president’s speech was interrupted by a man demanding a presidential pardon for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is currently on trial for fraud, bribery, and breach of trust. Herzog, maintaining composure, rejected the request: “We made it very clear that we should focus on the challenges of the Zionist movement in America.”
Outside the assembly, the political drama continued. A coalition of 1,400 Israeli expatriates, academics, and Jewish leaders, organized by the protest movement UnXeptable, delivered a letter to Herzog’s chief of staff. Their message was unequivocal: granting Netanyahu a pardon before his trial concluded would “send a devastating message” about the health of Israeli democracy.
The day’s events also spotlighted a generational divide within the Jewish community. Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove, delivering the closing keynote at the AZM assembly, addressed the growing support among young Jews for anti-Zionist politicians like Mamdani. According to eJewishPhilanthropy, Cosgrove argued that a rigid communal “orthodoxy” barring public criticism of Israel has fueled alienation among liberal Zionists and the next generation. “For a liberal Zionist disillusioned by the Israeli government, Mamdani’s anti-Zionism is a difference of degree, not of kind. He understood the fissures of our community better than we ourselves did, and the question we face now is, what are we going to do about it?” Cosgrove said, drawing both applause and walkouts.
Cosgrove’s call for “self-audit” resonated with some but rankled others. He warned against treating criticism of Israeli policy as “treasonous,” so long as it comes from “a place of love, loyalty and investment in the well-being of the State of Israel.” At the same time, he cautioned that dissent must be voiced judiciously, especially in a climate where Israel faces existential threats. “For such a time as this, when Israel is surrounded by enemies, Jewish critics of Israel need to be judicious in how they voice their dissent,” he said.
The debates swirling at the assembly reflected deeper anxieties about the direction of American Judaism, Israel-Diaspora relations, and the role of dissent in a community under pressure. Cosgrove’s remarks highlighted a shift: “The dividing lines between us no longer fell along the various levels at which we observe Shabbat or our beliefs as to whether the Torah is or isn’t of divine origin… In many respects, engagement with Israel became more than a religion. It became an orthodoxy.”
Herzog, for his part, called for unity and vigilance. He warned against the naive belief that threats to Israel and the Jewish people are receding. Turning his attention to Iran, he cautioned, “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.”
Throughout the day, Herzog stressed the importance of fighting antisemitism “with all the legal tools we have,” insisting that “no Jew should be harassed anywhere in the world because of his or her faith.” He framed Israel as “the only nation-state of the Jewish people” and a “beacon of tikkun olam to the entire world.”
The events of December 8, 2025, underscored the complexity and resilience of the Jewish community—its willingness to honor the past, confront uncomfortable truths, and face the future with both pride and vigilance. As Herzog concluded, “Our people have endured unimaginable trials, yet we remain steadfast. This moment is both a privilege and a responsibility—to support Am Yisrael, our people, and the State of Israel.”