By Jonathan Greenblatt in New York City
Every January, millions of people make resolutions. We promise ourselves we’ll exercise more, eat better, learn something new. Behavioral scientists tell us most fail by February. A big reason? We focus on the what without understanding the why.
Organizations face the same challenge. We articulate mission statements, list programs, catalog achievements. But if we lose sight of fundamental purpose—our why—we drift.
Jewish tradition teaches us l’dor v’dor— the carrying of tradition and practice from generation to generation. What endures isn’t just memory, but purpose. At ADL, that purpose has remained constant for more than 112 years: we exist to protect the Jewish people.
ADL was created at a time when the Jewish people were vulnerable and their future in the U.S. was uncertain. The tactics evolve. The threats change form. But the why never wavers. It is timeless, forged at our point of origin.
That clarity matters now more than ever. Our Global 100 Survey found that 46 percent of adults worldwide hold significant antisemitic beliefs—an estimated 2.2 billion people. That percentage is nearly double what we saw a decade ago.
In 2024, ADL recorded 9,354 antisemitic incidents across the U.S.—the highest number on record since ADL began tracking antisemitic incidents nearly 50 years ago. Antisemitic incidents are up 900 percent over the past decade and 344 percent over the past five years.
Now more than ever, let’s be clear: if we don’t stand up for the Jewish community and fight antisemitism, who will? It’s no surprise that half of Jewish Americans believe most people in the broader community would not stand with them against antisemitic threats.
The question, then, isn’t whether threats exist, or should we respond. The question is how best to do so. There are lots of debates about how, which makes sense because there is no single answer, no silver bullet, to end the crisis of antisemitism.
For ADL, we return to a framework honed across generations: protect, advocate, educate. Three pillars. Three responsibilities. One purpose.
First, we protect.
At a time when the Jewish people face threats on all sides, it has never been more important to defend, not just our basic rights, but also our physical being. Antisemitism is not a hypothetical concern but a clear and present danger. We need to resource to the threat.
For decades, the vast majority of extremist-related murders have been committed by white supremacists and their ilk. The list is long: Overland Park, KS; Charlottesville, VA; Lake Forest, CA; Pittsburgh, PA; and Poway, CA let alone Charleston, SC; El Paso, TX; and Buffalo, NY.”
At the same time, we have seen anti-Jewish homicides at the hands of other types of extremists from left-wing radicals to Islamist militants to those without a clearly defined ideology. The list is long, spanning murders in Jersey City, NJ; Monsey, NY; Washington, DC; and Boulder, CO.
But it often starts with words.
In New York City—home to the largest Jewish community in America—elected officials who are animated by animosity to the Jewish state are gaining power. We are monitoring to protect Jewish residents as New York City’s incoming administration brings officials with troubling records into power and an apparent unwillingness to call out indisputable examples of antisemitism.
In the year ahead, we may face challenges that would have seemed unthinkable just years ago.
Protecting the Jewish community means building tools for response before crisis hits. It means ensuring that when Jewish Americans face discrimination, harassment or violence, they have access to serious legal representation. For example, ADL pioneered the innovative Legal Action Network, a nationwide consortium of the top law firms in the country whose attorneys have committed to take cases pro bono. We have filed cases in the past year against private businesses and public companies, large universities and local school districts, white supremacist groups and anti-Zionist actors including a lawsuit to hold the primary architects of the 10/7 terror attacks accountable.
It also means equipping communities with training and resources to protect themselves. Protection isn’t passive reaction. It’s active preparation backed by institutional experience.
Second, we advocate.
Yes, that means in state capitals where, for instance, we supported New York as they worked to pass a bill that protects our community from masked intimidation and hate. In California, we advocated for a law that counters antisemitism in K-12 schools. And in Washington, ADL is fighting for more Non-Profit Security Grants and accountability for antisemitism on college campuses.
We’re also challenging social media platforms whose algorithms reward conspiracy theories, appearing in courtrooms to hold perpetrators accountable, and working in classrooms to ensure Jewish students can learn without fear.
Third, we educate.
College campuses saw an 84 percent increase in antisemitic incidents last year. Jewish students face harassment for simply expressing their identity. The next generation shouldn’t have to choose between feeling secure on campus and receiving a quality education.
Change requires accountability. When universities know they’re being measured, they act. Our second annual Campus Report Card shows what’s possible: following ADL engagement, more than one-third of schools improved by a full letter grade when they strengthened policies, mandated antisemitism education, and improved bias reporting systems.
We’ve also created the ADL Ratings and Assessment Institute, which is standardizing our approach to utilize rigorous data-driven evaluations to assess a wide range of sectors such as state governments, public companies, professional associations and more.
And we’re strengthening partnerships with other Jewish communal organizations such as Hillel International, local Jewish federations, and a range of college and high-school focused student organizations, providing resources so the next generation can carry this work forward.
This is how purpose translates to action.
While our mission has never changed, our strategies will change and adapt to the times. But our core purpose endures l’dor v’dor. That’s the difference between what we do and why we do it.
It may seem like a small distinction, but it’s actually huge. In uncertain times, clarity of purpose matters. It focuses our work. It guides our decisions. It reminds us why we show up.
As we enter this new year, the threats are real. But so is our resolve. We know our why. Now, we execute.
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Jonathan A. Greenblatt is CEO and National Director of ADL (the Anti-Defamation League).