“When people think about protecting the Jewish people, they often think about Israel’s army. But one of our fronts is Jewish education in the Diaspora,” declared Yom Tov Raanan, Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism, during his address at The Jerusalem Post Annual Conference in New York on Monday.
In a speech addressing the importance of Jewish education and the global surge in Antisemitism, Raanan argued that the long-term strength of the Jewish people depends not only on physical security, but on the identity and confidence built inside Jewish classrooms.
“Today, the future of the Jewish people depends on Jewish education,” Raanan stated. “It is not just important; it is how we survive.”
The address drew a sharp contrast between the escalating hostility facing Jewish communities worldwide and the identity being built in Jewish schools. From London and New York to Buenos Aires, Raanan said students are increasingly being asked to defend their heritage before they have had the chance to fully understand it.
While security measures remain essential to protecting Jewish communities physically, Raanan emphasized that true resilience also comes from education, identity, and connection.
“Security can protect people physically, but education gives them confidence and strength,” he said, noting that learning Hebrew, Jewish history, and Jewish values helps young people feel connected to their heritage, to Israel, and to one another.
Recognizing that the future of Jewish identity is being shaped in classrooms across the Diaspora, Raanan announced the launch of a major new initiative: The Global Jewish Education Teachers Award.
Developed in partnership with The Jerusalem Post and UnitEd, the award aims to identify and honor outstanding educators who inspire youth to connect deeply with their heritage and the State of Israel.
Describing teachers as the unsung heroes of the Jewish world, Raanan said we need to recognize for the role they play in shaping the next generation.
“This award is more than recognition; it is a message from the State of Israel: We see you, we appreciate you, and we value you. You are building the Jewish future,” Raanan said.
Nominations for the award are set to open soon.
The push to strengthen ties between Israel and Jewish educators abroad comes amid the broader fallout from war and rising antisemitism. Raanan said a major global conference for Jewish educators, originally scheduled to take place in Israel in March, had been postponed following the war with Iran.
The conference has now been rescheduled for October. The Ministry expects hundreds of teachers and educational leaders from around the world, including Toronto, London, Miami, Mexico City, and other communities, to come together in Israel to share ideas, gain new tools, discuss the future of Jewish education, and strengthen one another.
Most importantly, Raanan said, teachers will see that they are not alone.
Ultimately, Raanan closed his remarks by stressing that the investment made in Jewish education today will shape the Jewish world of tomorrow.
“Together, we can make sure every Jewish child can proudly say, Am Yisrael Chai,” he concluded.
Written in collaboration with the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs