NEW YORK – World Jewish Congress (WJC) President Ronald S. Lauder delivered a forceful keynote address this morning at the Israel Hayom Summit in New York, issuing a stark warning about the sharp rise of antisemitism across Western societies and calling for a unified international response grounded in truth, education, and moral leadership.
Speaking moments after United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations Ambassador Mike Waltz, Lauder said the world is now facing “a full-scale assault on truth, on democracy, and on the safety of Jewish people everywhere,” pointing to violent attacks on Jews in the United States and Europe and the growing normalization of anti-Jewish rhetoric online, on campuses, and in political discourse.
He said that years of minimization and silence enabled this moment, adding: “This is not normal. And it is not ‘just criticism of Israel.’ It is the world’s oldest hatred, once again wearing political clothing.”
Lauder added, “We are witnessing something we have not seen in generations. Too many people brushed it aside for too long. Now antisemitism is rampant throughout our culture — on campuses, online, in politics, and even in the halls of government.”
Drawing historical parallels, Lauder warned that today’s indifference mirrors the complacency of the late 1930s. He invoked the destructive influence of radio host Father Charles Coughlin, telling the audience that “Father Coughlin was the Tucker Carlson of the 1930s.”
He noted that Coughlin reached more than 30 million weekly listeners, spreading antisemitism and shaping public opinion in ways that helped close America’s doors to Jews fleeing Nazi persecution — with catastrophic consequences.
A central theme of Lauder’s speech was the urgent need to rebuild education around truth. He warned that schools — including K–12 — have become “ground zero” for misinformation and anti-Israel indoctrination, with some classroom materials erasing Israel entirely. He emphasized that the next generation is being shaped by distorted narratives that undermine both Jewish safety and democratic principles.
Lauder outlined the World Jewish Congress’s expanded efforts to combat these trends through partnerships with governments, social media platforms, and community leadership networks. He stressed that combating antisemitism requires broad alliances, including with Muslims and Arabs who reject extremism.
“There are Muslims and Arabs who reject terrorism, who reject extremism, who reject using Israel as an excuse for hatred,” Lauder said. “Let us build a coalition so strong, so united, so determined, that no extremist movement can fracture it.”
Lauder closed with a call for collective responsibility: “If we don’t tell our own story, others will rewrite it. And this time, we cannot allow complacency to win.”
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