President of World Jewish Congress Israel, Sylvan Adams, warns of global co-ordination behind antisemitism campaign

With antisemitism exploding from Paris to London, and Sydney to Mississipi, Sylvan Adams, President of the World Jewish Congress Israel and the Region, has warned that Jews worldwide are facing a co-ordinated, state-backed campaign of hate. Speaking as part of the Critical Conversations series at Palm Beach Synagogue in Florida, Adams urged Jewish leaders and Western governments to recognize this threat as strategic and not merely episodic. The event also featured senior Israeli leader Ron Dermer and Dan Senor, who discussed Israel’s security, US–Israel relations, and the strategic implications of rising global antisemitism.

Adams emphasized that the surge in antisemitic activity across Western capitals is not spontaneous but the result of a long-term, well-funded influence effort led by hostile states and ideological movements seeking to weaken Israel and intimidate Jewish communities globally. "7 October didn’t create antisemitism," Adams stated. "It revealed a latent antisemitism that had never disappeared. What we are seeing now is not confusion and not coincidence. It is the resurfacing of something old, now dressed in new language."

He cautioned that the consequences of this campaign are already visible in increasingly frequent and violent antisemitic attacks across North America, Europe, and Australia, warning that Jewish communities should expect further escalation if the underlying drivers are not confronted directly.

Ron Dermer echoed Adams’ concerns, stating, "This is a time that demands unity, leadership, and the courage to fight back." Dermer also praised Adams for his leadership and philanthropy, noting Adams’ significant contributions, including a $100 million donation to rebuild Soroka Hospital after it was hit by an Iranian ballistic missile and another $100 million to Ben-Gurion University following the October 7 attacks. Dermer highlighted Adams' focus on Israeli soft power and his willingness to take on harder fights during this period of heightened global hostility.

Adams also pointed to Iran as a central orchestrator of regional instability and global antisemitic narratives. "We cannot speak about antisemitism without understanding where much of it is coming from," Adams said. "Iran and its partners are not only waging war on Israel militarily. They are exporting hatred, disinformation, and intimidation far beyond the Middle East."

In his address, Adams expressed gratitude for U.S. leadership during the ongoing conflict, thanking Donald Trump and his administration for their support. "Leadership is revealed under pressure," Adams said. "When Israel needed clarity and resolve from its allies, the United States delivered. That leadership mattered not just for Israel, but for the security of Jews everywhere."

Despite the gravity of the situation, Adams noted that Hamas had misjudged the Jewish response to the October 7 attacks. "Hamas believed we were divided, and that we would collapse," he said. "The opposite happened. We have seen unprecedented unity among Israelis and renewed unity between Israel and Jews in the diaspora. That unity is one of our greatest strategic assets, and we cannot allow it to fray."

Share this article: