How can American Jews help revive a community beset by assimilation and a declining sense of Jewish peoplehood among so many of its members? The answers to that have long been apparent, says JNS editor-in-chief Jonathan Tobin. Support for Jewish education, especially day schools, Jewish camps and trips to Israel is essential. But how can support for this effort be mobilized and energized?

One answer is the Jewish Future Promise, a nationwide effort to get people to make a non-binding pledge that if there are any charitable contributions made upon their passing that 50% of it will be left to Jewish causes. Tobin is joined in this week’s episode by Mike Leven and Hadara Ishak, respectively the founder and the chief executive officer of Jewish Future Promise.

According to Leven, who is a successful businessman in the hospitality industry, his hope for the project involves more than money. He wants parents to have conversations with children about the importance of supporting Jewish causes and in so doing, help reinforce a sense of continuity and their obligations to their fellow Jews, both in the United States and in Israel.

Ishak noted that of the $6.3 trillion being donated to charitable causes in the United States, some 18 to 20% of that total comes from Jews. Yet only 11% of all the money given by Jews went to Jewish causes. They figured if that could be changed, then resources for all of the most vital needs of the Jewish people could be found. And that is what Jewish Future Promise hopes to achieve.

They say the pledge isn’t about trying to persuade people not to give to non-Jewish causes but rather to remind them of the importance of investing in the Jewish future. While many people value acceptance by the non-Jewish world, Leven argues that such acceptance can’t be counted upon and that they need to remember that Israel is the “insurance” of the Jewish people’s survival. He said that this is even more true than ever after the Hamas-led Palestinian terror attack on southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. He wants Americans to take pride in the accomplishments of the Jewish people, especially in Israel.

One of the more encouraging developments is that the Jewish Future Promise is also attracting support from non-Jews, such as actress Patricia Heaton, a passionate supporter of Israel who recently became the 100,000 promiser. The group is also sponsoring a program for young people called Jewish Youth Promise involving them writing a letter to their future selves about their commitment to the Jewish people.

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This episode of “Think Twice” is sponsored by The Jewish Future Promise—ensuring a vibrant and thriving future for Jews and Israel.
Sign the promise: https://jewishfuturepromise.org/jns/

According to JNS editor-in-chief Jonathan Tobin, the horrific Hamas-led Palestinian attacks on southern Israel that took place on Oct. 7, 2023 raise troubling questions about the reactions from the international community. Rather than rallying to Israel’s defense, much of the world responded with a surge of antisemitism that has impacted the lives of Jews around the world as well as isolating the Jewish state. He is joined in this week’s episode of Think Twice by Israel Ellis, author of 10.7 The Wake Up Call: Global Terrorism and the Rise of Antisemitism in a World Gone MAD. Ellis, a Canadian entrepreneur and author who has a son who serves in the Israel Defense Forces, says his new book is an effort to answer the question of how this catastrophe could have happened. It’s also intended as a primer about the facts about Oct. 7 and the war against Hamas in response to the denial about the atrocities as well as the lies that have been spread about the Jewish state’s conduct in the conflict.He spoke of his outrage about the Jew-hatred that is made itself felt throughout North America and especially in his home of Toronto in which sympathy for the Palestinians’ “death cult” and hostility to Israel has become widespread. He pointed out that one of the key factors in transforming colleges and universities into hotbeds of pro-Hamas activism and hostile environments for Jews is the corrupting influence of money from Qatar and Iran. Ellis also thinks that the importing of students from the Middle East who have helped lead antisemitic demonstrations and illegal activities has helped transform these schools since the 1990s when he studied the Middle East.Ellis believes a big part of the problem that Israel faces is the way the West, especially the Obama and Biden administrations in the United States and the Justin Trudeau government in Canada “betrayed” Israel by appeasing Iran and undermining the war on Hamas. He is hopeful about the new administration of President Donald Trump, whom he believes is a “messenger of God,” whose outlier personality and role as an agent of “chaos” has brought about a necessary change in the conversation about the Middle East.Ellis also believes that an imperative of the post-Oct. 7 world is to create Jewish unity. He believes that can only be achieved in Israel by the creation of a constitution and a change in the way the Knesset and government are elected. Though he admits it seems an unlikely prospect, he asserts that when you consider that “Israel is a land of miracles,” anything is possible.Listen/Subscribe to weekly episodes on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio or wherever you listen to your podcasts.Watch new episodes every week by subscribing to the JNS YouTube Channel.This episode of “Think Twice” is sponsored by The Jewish Future Promise — ensuring a vibrant and thriving future for Jews and Israel.Sign the promise: https://jewishfuturepromise.org/jns/

The willingness to succumb to antisemitism is always a sign of a sick society, says JNS editor-in-chief Jonathan Tobin. The mainstreaming of Jew-hatred in the media, popular culture and political discourse since Oct. 7, 2023 has created a perilous moment for Jews but it is also a sign of just how lost so many Americans have become. He believes what’s needed now is a willingness to understand that it is Western civilization, which has its roots in Judaism, that is under attack as much as Israel.He’s joined in this week’s episode of Think Twice by Newsweek senior editor-at-large and podcaster Josh Hammer, the author of the new book, Israel and Civilization: The Fate of the Jewish Nation and the Destiny of the West.JNS will host its inaugural International Policy Summit on Monday, April 28, 2025. This daylong event will convene government officials, policymakers, diplomats, security experts, leaders of pro-Israel organizations, and influencers for vital discussions aimed at addressing Israel's critical challenges and opportunities in a post-Oct. 7 world.Registration at this point is for invitees only. However, you can submit a request for registration at the following link: https://reg.eventact.com//welcome?Form=iZpQAAA&c=iOAE&Event=iUJEAAA&lang=enListen/Subscribe to weekly episodes on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio or wherever you listen to your podcasts.This episode of “Think Twice” is sponsored by The Jewish Future Promise — ensuring a vibrant and thriving future for Jews and Israel. Sign the promise: https://jewishfuturepromise.org/jns/

Jonathan S. Tobin, Editor-in-Chief of JNS, sits down with Jennifer Sutton, Executive Director of the Council for a Secure America (CSA), to discuss the critical intersection of energy policy, U.S. energy independence and its impact on Israel and the broader Middle East.

🔥 Trump’s Crackdown on Pro-Hamas Foreign Students – Is It Justified? | Think Twice with Jonathan S. Tobin & Benjamin Weingarten 🔥This episode of Think Twice is sponsored by The Jewish Future Promise — ensuring a vibrant and thriving future for Jews and Israel.Sign the pledge: https://jewishfuturepromise.org/sign-the-promise/In this episode of Think Twice, JNS Editor-in-Chief Jonathan S. Tobin sits down with Benjamin Weingarten, Senior Fellow at the London Center for Policy Research, Fellow at the Claremont Institute and Senior Contributor at The Federalist, to discuss the latest controversy surrounding deporting foreign students who support Hamas.🚨 Topics Covered in This Episode:Assessing President Trump’s first weeks in office.Why Trump’s immigration policies are sparking outrage from the left.The legal and national security rationale for removing pro-Hamas foreign students.How the woke ideology in American universities fuels antisemitism.The Biden administration’s past failures in tackling radicalization on campuses.The broader implications for free speech, national security, and higher education👉 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay updated on hard-hitting discussions that challenge the mainstream narrative.#Trump #Immigration #CampusAntisemitism #FreeSpeech JNS will host its inaugural International Policy Summit on Monday, April 28, 2025. This daylong event will convene government officials, policymakers, diplomats, security experts, leaders of pro-Israel organizations, and influencers for vital discussions aimed at addressing Israel's critical challenges and opportunities in a post-Oct. 7 world.Registration at this point is for invitees only. However, you can submit a request for registration in the following link: https://reg.eventact.com//welcome?Form=iZpQAAA&c=iOAE&Event=iUJEAAA&lang=enListen/Subscribe to weekly episodes on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeart Radio or wherever you listen to your podcasts.Watch new episodes every week by subscribing to the JNS YouTube Channel.

JNS editor-in-chief Jonathan Tobin is joined in this week’s episode of Think Twice by George Washington University Law School Professor and Fox News legal analyst Jonathan Turley, author of the important new book, The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in an Age of Rage. Turley’s book highlights the fact that almost from the moment the First Amendment was incorporated into the U.S. Constitution, the right to free speech has been under attack. As in the past, the impetus behind the contemporary war on free speech has been the belief that political foes represent a threat that cannot be coped with by normal means.

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Hamas thinks it has won the war it started on Oct. 7, 2023. That’s the conclusion of Col Grisha Yakubovich, the retired Israeli officer and strategic analyst who joined JNS editor-in-chief Jonathan Tobin on this week’s episode of Think Twice. Yakubovich believes that Hamas intends to keep fighting to destroy Israel. That’s a fact that U.S. President Donald Trump needs to take this into account when seeking to promote his reconstruction plan that calls for the Palestinian Arabs who live in the Gaza Strip to be resettled elsewhere.

Catch every story from Israel and the Jewish World:Latest news: https://bit.ly/jewish_news_serviceSubscribe to our free newsletter: https://bit.ly/subscribe_to_JNSYou can also join the fight against media bias! Donate here: https://bit.ly/Support-JNS

Welcome to Think Twice, the weekly show hosted by Jonathan S. Tobin, Editor-in-Chief of JNS. This episode features Dr. Brandy Shufutinsky, Director of Education and Community Engagement for the Jewish Institute for Liberal Values.Topics Covered in This Episode:✅ The Rise and Fall of Woke Ideology: How DEI took over education, corporations and the arts.✅ Why Jewish Americans Are Targeted: How DEI’s oppressor-oppressed ideology fuels antisemitism.✅ Ethnic Studies and Radical Indoctrination: How schools push division instead of education.✅ Settler Colonialism and Israel: The false narrative used to delegitimize Jewish history.✅ The Left’s War on Liberalism: Why American liberalism failed to defend free speech and individual rights.✅ How Parents Can Fight Back: Concrete steps to take control of your child’s education.

JNS Jerusalem bureau chief and CEO Alex Traiman had the privilege of accompanying Prime Minister Netanyahu last week for a historic meeting with President #Trump. Today, he joins JNS Editor-in-chief Jonathan Tobin for a behind-the-scenes discussion of everything that was covered between the two leaders. They’ll go beyond the headlines for a deep dive look at vital issues that will affect the Jewish State for years to come, including: Trump’s Gaza plan; potential landmines between Bibi and Trump; military action in Iran; internal pressure on Netanyahu; the influence of the “woke Right” on President Trump; the future of JNS, and so much more.

JNS will host its inaugural International Policy Summit on Monday, April 28, 2025. This daylong event will convene government officials, policymakers, diplomats, security experts, leaders of pro-Israel organizations, and influencers for vital discussions aimed at addressing Israel's critical challenges and opportunities in a post-October 7 world.Registration at this point is for invitees only. However, you can submit a request for registration through the following link.

Catch every story from Israel and the Jewish World:Latest news: https://bit.ly/jewish_news_serviceSubscribe to our free newsletter: https://bit.ly/subscribe_to_JNSYou can also join the fight against media bias! Donate here: https://bit.ly/Support-JNS

After nearly 16 months of war, a critical and comprehensive look at what went wrong on October 7th is yet to be done. What really were the crucial mistakes made on October 7th? Is Israel poised to repeat the same mistakes in the future? Is the hostage deal pushing Israel in the wrong direction strategically and morally?