US Jewish Groups Reassess Alliances After Oct. 7, Focus on Unity and Education

by | Feb 8, 2026 | News

American Jewish organizations are reassessing long-standing political and social alliances following widespread disappointment with former partners’ responses to Hamas’s October 7, 2023, massacre, according to William Daroff, CEO of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations.

Speaking to The Times of Israel, Daroff said many groups felt “punched in the gut” when allies remained silent or turned against Israel in the aftermath of the attack, in which 1,200 people were killed and 251 taken hostage.

For years, Jewish organizations invested heavily in coalition-building with labor unions, civil rights groups, and other advocacy movements, partly in hopes of reciprocal support during crises. That expectation, Daroff said, largely collapsed after October 7.

While stressing that Jewish values still support broader social justice efforts, Daroff said organizations with limited resources must now rethink priorities. Increasingly, that means investing more heavily in Jewish education to strengthen identity, confidence, and resilience — particularly among young people facing hostile environments on college campuses.

Despite the challenges, Daroff sees renewed unity within the Jewish community. He said organizations have learned to focus on shared priorities rather than internal disagreements, cooperating on issues such as Israel’s security, combating antisemitism, and strengthening Jewish life.

Daroff also noted a decline in campus unrest following stronger enforcement of anti-discrimination laws and reported sustained growth in Jewish engagement, including synagogue attendance and public expressions of Jewish identity.

“The last two years have reminded us who we can truly count on,” he said. “Now the task is to turn that unity into lasting strength.”

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