Disgusted, scared, confused and angry are all words to describe my feelings about our world post-Oct. 7, the day of the Hamas invasion of southern Israel and mass murder of over 1,200 Israelis.
Moved, powerful, hopeful and proud all describe my feelings after attending the 2024 American Jewish Committee (AJC) Global Forum in Washington, D.C.
I participated in Jewish Community Relation Bureau | American Jewish Committee’s KC Leaders for Tomorrow (LFT) cohort this past school year, and I gained extensive knowledge about the State of Israel, Jewish history and antisemitism. LFT was a platform for me to develop my Jewish identity and connect with other young Jewish leaders.
This June, I attended AJC’s Global Forum as a LFT alumna. The conference consisted of more than 2,000 Jewish and non-Jewish leaders, both teenagers and adults. There was ongoing programming in the form of panels, plenaries and advocacy-in-action meals where groups got to listen to speakers during lunch.
During the general sessions, a segment titled “Heroes of Israel” made the biggest impact on my experience. AJC brought the parents of American hostage Omer Neutra, Druze-Israeli mother Nasreen Youseff, and others to share their stories about Oct. 7. These brave spirits didn’t sit in their bunkers and went out into the terror to save countless lives. Their strength and commitment to the Jewish State of Israel made me feel empowered to stop sitting and watching the news or scrolling on social media and start to actively advocate for the Jewish people and stand up for what I believe in.
Another key part of my experience was hearing from several college students who have dealt with severe cases of antisemitism on campus, including Noa Fay from Columbia Barnard Hillel. Fay expressed how even though she was forced to face numerous acts of antisemitism, she stayed true to the “Core Jewish spirit [of] strength, determination and hope.” As I begin to think about what colleges I may want to attend, a new layer of consideration arises: how present is antisemitism, and is there support for Jewish students?
This reality set in when I was walking to dinner with our Kansas City delegation, the largest-ever group from Kansas City to attend the Global Forum. As we exited the conference hotel, we were faced with about half a dozen protesters cheering and yelling “Free, free Palestine” and “Shame on you for all the murder that you do” while holding signs that read “Zionism is Terrorism.” This unexpected confrontation made me uncomfortable and scared. I had seen similar protests on social media, but hearing those chants be screamed at me was much more intimidating. Speaking with my sister Emma Sandler, who also attended with me, she told me they were only trying to get under our skin and that it is my responsibility to not let them.
AJC’s 2024 Global Forum focused on “Shaping the Future,” and I can confidently say that they succeeded in doing so. While speaking to the LFT attendees, AJC CEO Ted Deutch said, “You are not leaders for tomorrow anymore. You are the leaders of today.”
I plan to take this knowledge and passion that I gained from AJC and LFT throughout my life, especially this next school year, as I know I will most likely encounter more antisemitism than ever before in my life. Being involved with JCRB|AJC helped shape who I am and who I want to be. I am proud and excited to also have the opportunity to share what I’ve learned with my peers in BBYO and elsewhere.
So yes, being disgusted, scared, confused and angry are all valid emotions to have in tragic times like now, but so is being proud, hopeful and empowered to be a Jewish person in a community that stands strong together against all else. In this spirit, I find new courage to continue to be the strong Jewish leader I am and be more public about it. I will keep writing, posting and discussing my views. Whether it be about antisemitism or my passion for the Jewish State of Israel, I will be loud and proud, because now is the time to be.
Sami Sandler is a KC Leaders for Tomorrow alumna and president of Kansas City BBYO.
