Author: Keith Dvorchik

Keith has been a nonprofit leader for 25 years before moving into the consulting world in 2023. He focuses on three major areas: (1) Fundraising - All aspects from creating development plans, solicitations, annual, capital, endowment and special campaigns, as well as feasibility studies. (2) Organizational development - This includes reviewing and creating the business structure, coaching and mentoring employees, board and staff training, job description review and creation, and creating organizational structure and charts. (3) Family philanthropy.- Focusing on the goals of the family/individual to determine where to give and how to measure impact and ROI. This also includes the best vehicles to use for philanthropy and compliance for these vehicles. Keith is a proud Zionist, having visited Israel 25 times. He has spent time meeting with leaders of Palestinian Civil Society as well as Israeli-Arabs, and lots of time with Jewish Israelis. He is a huge sports fan. Favorite teams are the NY Yankees, Penn State Nittany Lions, Philadelphia 76ers and whatever team his oldest son is coaching. The opinions in this blog are entirely Keith’s. To contact him, you can email keithdvorchik@gmail.com

Inspiration from 1976 that applies in 2026

Posted on August 24, 2026August 25, 2026 by Keith Dvorchik

Andres Spokoiny, the CEO of Jewish Funders Network, wrote a powerful piece in his Substack about The End of American Jewish Exceptionalism. As somebody who grew up in Argentina and moved to the United States in 2012, his viewpoint is powerful and spot on. It is something I have been watching and writing about for over a decade. The belief that the United States will always be a safe home for the Jews has ended. I used to wonder how the Jews in Germany could think they were Germans first and Jews second despite all that they saw. What blinded them? Unfortunately, I no longer wonder.

It is easy to want to be part of the majority. To be accepted. To want to be thought of as an American first. As Jews, that has never been nor will it ever be our reality. Look through our history in Israel. The Babylonians. The Persians. The Greeks. The Romans. The Crusades. The Muslims. The Ottomans. The British. During our exile, we thought we were part of Spain, Poland, Russia, and Germany. All proved we were and will always be Jews first. Yet the US gave us a new hope. One we thought we could dream of. As Jews, we have always had our bags packed, waiting for the exile to come. In the US, we unpacked. Haim Salomon funded the American Revolution.

As we witness incredible antisemitism and Jew hatred across the world and throughout the United States, the question is: what are we going to do? Are we ready to pack once again and move? If so, where? To Israel? Back to Poland? Where would be safe? Other than Israel, who would take us? The Jews who packed and ran are part of our history. Israel has shown us that Jews today fight back. We don’t stand by, and we don’t run.

Recently I read a great article in The Free Press about Ronald Reagan’s greatest speech. Reagan was known for great speeches, great lines, and being a great orator. I was excited to see which presidential speech was his ‘greatest’. As a teenager when he was elected at a time when pride in the United States was incredibly low, his voice and speeches inspired me. They gave hope for a better American future. While in hindsight there are many things that Reagan did as President which caused many problems, his powerful love for America and belief in American exceptionalism were uplifting at a time when we needed that.

I was surprised that the article about his ‘greatest speech’ was from the 1976 Republican National Convention after he had lost the nomination to Gerald Ford. It was a speech I had never heard. In typical Reagan fashion, as I read the words, he inspired me once again about what we face today. I watched and listened to the speech and was even more inspired because Reagan’s words in 1976 ring even more true today with the challenges we face.

Reagan’s speech, completely unprepared and off the cuff, has a few significant points that we should listen to for today’s world. The speech was framed around an invitation he received to write a letter for a time capsule that would be opened in Los Angeles 100 years in the future, in 2076, during America’s tricentennial. At first, he thought the assignment would be easy, writing about the problems the United States faced, mostly domestic, in 1976. Then he realized that in 2076, the people reading the letter would already know the history and would know what happened. Did we address the issues of our time? Did we have nuclear war? Is America still a free country? Reagan stated:

And suddenly it dawned on me; those who would read this letter a hundred years from now will know whether those missiles were fired. They will know whether we met our challenge.” He wondered: “Will they look back with appreciation and say, ‘Thank God for those people in 1976 who headed off that loss of freedom? Who kept us now a hundred years later free? Who kept our world from nuclear destruction?’

We face many problems today, on the 250th birthday of America. Fifty years from now, when the letter Reagan wrote in 1976 is opened and read, those people will also know if we succeeded. Did we head off the loss of freedom that we face from the far right and the far left? My children, 26 and 23 years old, wonder if they will be able to buy a house. The people of 2076 will know if we addressed the challenges we face today related to stagnating income, rising costs and inflation, artificial intelligence, corrupt politicians, the rise of socialism, healthcare, terrorism, and climate change. They will know if AI turned into the Terminator, eliminated jobs or the need to work, or is the equivalent of computers or cell phones, things that in 1976 were unimaginable.

When we think of the future and future generations, we need to think differently. My great-grandfather was born in 1880, and my oldest son was born in 2000. It’s likely that the world 100 years from now will be run by my yet-to-be-born grandchildren’s children and grandchildren. What is happening now won’t be their concern, as it will be long ago history.

In 1976, after posing these questions, Reagan gave a powerful conclusion. He declared to the crowd that,

“This is our challenge. We must go forth from here united, determined. And what a great general said a few years ago is true: There is no substitute for victory.”

Here in 2026, 50 years after Reagan’s speech, we are faced with the same declaration. The future will be looking back at us to see how we solved our problems. Did we treat each other with dignity and respect to build a better world, or did we hate each other so much that we destroyed our country and our world? Did we solve our economic challenges, or did they consume us? Did we address healthcare, or did we bring back diseases that we must fight to cure? Are diseases like cancer and diabetes a thing of the past, or do they continue to ravage our society? Did we run out of fossil fuels, or did we solve our energy crisis? Did we stop anti-Semitism, or was there another Shoah, another Holocaust? Were nuclear weapons used, making part of our world uninhabitable, or did we find a way to resolve our disputes peacefully?

It can be an overwhelming responsibility to think this way. However, in Pirkei Avot, the Ethics of Our Fathers, Rabbi Tarfon teaches and reminds us that,

“It is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you at liberty to neglect it.”

When I think of what Ronald Reagan said in his 1976 speech, this is what comes to my mind. 100 years from now, none of us will be here to see how things turned out and what our efforts turned into. We will know what effort we put in, however. We will know if we bothered to learn things and make educated decisions based on what we learned or if we got our information from TikTok and other social media outlets. We will know if we fought against hatred, sat silently and let it grow, or participated in it. We will know if we supported scientific research, sat quietly and let it die, or encouraged its elimination. Each of us has the opportunity and the obligation to do our duty. No more and no less. We live in a world with many challenges. It is easy to think this is the most challenging of all times; however, we only think that because it is when we are alive. I’m sure our ancestors thought the same thing during the Dark Ages, the Crusades, the Spanish Inquisition, the Black Plague, the Great Depression, and of course the Holocaust. However, as Ronald Reagan said, there is no substitute for victory. Our ancestors did what they had to do to make society survive. If we want society to win, humanity to win, we must do all we can to make that happen, even if it doesn’t benefit us in the short term. Perhaps especially when it doesn’t benefit us in the short term. Our grandchildren’s children and grandchildren are depending on us. We can’t let them down.

Fight for the soul of Israel

Posted on August 10, 2026August 10, 2026 by Keith Dvorchik

I have written about my client, Rozana, and the work they are doing with peacebuilding through health diplomacy. When I was doing site visits with them in late May/early June 2026, I wrote extensively about what I saw and experienced with the settler terrorism. I use the term terrorism because that’s what it is, and if we can’t call out the Jewish terrorists, how can we expect anybody else to call out their terrorists? These are people who believe in a Greater Israel that includes Judea and Samaria, along with Jordan, Syria, and Saudi Arabia. They are being empowered by MK Bezalel Smotrich, who has ensured they don’t get arrested and face no consequences, all with the implicit support of Bibi.

While I was there, I had the opportunity to have dinner with three former Israeli ambassadors who each served five postings. It was fascinating listening to them talk about the upcoming election and how it was truly a fight for the soul of Israel. They shared their concerns that if Bibi wins, there will be an incredible exodus of smart Israelis, creating a brain drain, and they discussed the influence of Smotrich and Ben Gvir and their radical beliefs and policies. Later on this trip, I spent time with two friends of mine. They have 3 young, brilliant Israeli children. One of them is a Sabra, born and raised in Israel and politically on the right. She and I spent a long time discussing the impact of the upcoming elections and her concern that if things don’t change, she will need to find another place for her family to live, but doesn’t know where to go. As we watched her children play on the beach, talking away in Hebrew, a tear came to her eye as she said, “They are Israeli though. How do I take them away from here?” The struggle for so many Israelis is real and unless you go visit and spend time really speaking with them, there is no way those of us living in the diaspora can understand. We focus on the things we see and they live an entirely different existance.

I love Israel and go as often as possible. Later this year, I’ll be taking my 27th and 28th trips there. I have friends who serve as MKs in the Knesset and even more friends who are running in the upcoming election because they know how critical this election really is for the future of the country. I have friends actively serving in the IDF or in milium (the reserves) and some of them are running for office while others are planning to move to the US to escape the new, different hardships of Israel. The internal issues, which don’t get the same media attention, are substantial. My friend, Ambassador Rodica Radian-Gordon, recently spoke at our staff meeting to share her insights. They were powerful and depressing and important to hear. Deep thoughts about the future and what it may look like pending the outcome of the election.

I keep going back to the Israeli Declaration of Independence, where it states:

In the midst of wanton aggression we call upon the Arab inhabitants of the state of Israel to return to the ways of peace and play their part in the development of the state, with full and equal citizenship and due representation in all its bodies and institutions, provisional or permanent.

We offer peace and amity to all neighboring states and their peoples, and invite them to co-operate with the independent Jewish nation for the common good of all. The state of Israel is ready to contribute its full share to the peaceful progress and reconstitution of the Middle East.

My friend and the head of Rozana’s Palestinian office, Mohammad Asideh, recently had a piece printed in The Jewish News in the UK. It’s a powerful piece: thoughtful and questioning. I am posting it below to share with you. It is okay to love Israel and also be critical of some of the government policies. It is important to understand what is really happening and ask if that is something we are comfortable with. The Israeli people are asking that question, and those of us who love Israel should be asking it as well. I hope that you read it and think deeply about what it means. If you love Israel like I do, we can really ask ourselves, what does it benefit someone to gain the whole world, and lose their soul in the process? The Jewish people have been kept together because we never lost our souls. To lose it now, when we finally have Eretz Yisrael again, would be tragic.

Here is Mohammad’s article, both as a link and below for easiness of reading. I hope it inspires thought and lots of deep conversation.

“I believe people in a position to act need to have a serious conversation about what might be coming, for the sake of Palestinians, Israelis and Jews around the world alike.”

Ten days ago, I was walking into a meeting to discuss the International Fund led by the UK, Canada and Australia. Just before it started, a friend texted me: “what had happened in your town, Tel?” I didn’t see his next message until the meeting ended. Four young men were killed by settlers in my town on what was supposed to be another quiet Friday morning. He listed their names. I knew all four. We went to the same school and I played football with two of them.

A settler and a soldier were killed too.

There have been more dramatic events than this one. But something about it shifted the public feeling among Palestinians in a way I haven’t felt before. It’s common now to hear: what came before Tel is not the same as what came after.

We should all be ready for a new reality. On your next visit to the West Bank, don’t be surprised if you see Israeli military jeeps patrolling Palestinian cities and no stones thrown back. There will be resistance, but a different kind. I have no idea what would it be.

For a month now, everyone has been struggling to get fuel. These days I take taxis to my meetings for Rozana, the organization I work for, if I go outside Ramallah, because I don’t know if I’ll get another chance to fill my car. My brother waited from morning until evening yesterday just to refill his car. If he hadn’t, he couldn’t have gone to work. No work, no food on the table.

Water, electricity, medication, all of it that reaches the West Bank has been reduced by the Israeli government. Most people I know now think twice before they take a shower.

One of the projects that Rozana runs is a Mobile Clinic in remote communities around Hebron. Getting our teams safely to and from clinics has become harder and riskier. Moving medical supplies, or something as basic as water, through checkpoints that open and close without warning, has become harder.

I’m not the complaining type. I say that because I think these injustices are rarely held accountable or covered in the media. Gaza remains our biggest pain and challenge and now we fear for the safety of the people we love even when we are with them at home inside Palestinian cities.

Radicals thrive on the actions of other radicals. There is no such thing as only one radical side. And yet, despite everything I’ve just described, there has been no violent uprising here. I ask myself why? I think it’s because we’ve entered a new phase of this conflict, annexation.

I know many people are waiting for the election in Israel and Palestine at the end of this year. I’m almost 40. I grew up hearing that things would be better after the next one. This is rarely the case.

I believe people in a position to act need to have a serious conversation about what might be coming, for the sake of Palestinians, Israelis and Jews around the world alike.

Antisemitism has never needed material or justification. It has always been there. However, radical settlers in the West Bank will and are providing so much material for antisemitic voices around the world.

On my last trip to Paris, I came out of a meeting with a Jewish colleague and watched them take off their kippah before we stepped onto the street. They didn’t feel safe. Just a few days ago, a BBC interview went viral here: a settler, a lawyer, called for everyone in my town to be killed, and everyone in other Palestinian towns too, after a settler was killed in the recent settler attack on my town.

I keep thinking of a line from the New Testament: “what does it benefit someone to gain the whole world, and lose their soul in the process?” It’s part of why I have always rejected violence. I felt, watching suicide bombings once justified in this place, that we were losing our soul as a people to win the war.

Israel could take every part of this land. But nothing about it would stay holy in the process. So who wins? Israel, if it loses its soul building a state on another people’s suffering? Or Palestinians, who may lose everything and still refuse to surrender? In the end, I think both sides lose.

Let’s use what time is left to save what can still be saved.

Mohammad Asideh is the CEO of Rozana for Health Diplomacy and is based in Ramallah.

This article is adapted from a message sent by the author to members of The London Initiative (TLI), following the recent deadly violence in Tel in the West Bank. TLI is a network of likeminded members of world Jewry, citizens of Israel and international allies partnering to shape a better shared future grounded in liberal democracy, societal fairness and secure peace. The author is the first Palestinian member of the network who is not a citizen of Israel.

Wisdom from the Great Jerry Garcia

Posted on August 8, 2026August 8, 2026 by Keith Dvorchik

We moved my youngest son into his apartment last weekend. Next week is his law school orientation, and the week after he begins his first year of law school. This means that we no longer have any children living at home, just the two of us, our dog Charlotte (Charlie), and cat Fester. It’s a major life change that we knew was coming at some point, then knew exactly when it was coming, and yet somehow are still not prepared for it. The house is very quiet and feels very big. There is a lot of room in the refrigerator and the pantry. The thermostat is set differently. Our lives have completely shifted overnight from what they have been like for the past 26 1/2 years since our oldest child was born. It feels weird.

It’s all part of the circle of life. Change is the constant in life. As I have been paying attention to this change, it has made me realize how frequently we experience change early in life, followed by a long gap. Here are some examples:

Birth
Crawling
Walking
Talking
School
Turning double digits
Bar/Bat Mitzvah
Drivers license
Graduating High School
College
Graduating College/working
Marriage
Children
Empty Nest

Most things happen within months or just a few years, except for that last phase of children to empty nest. In my case, it’s been 26 1/2 years in between them, not months, but years—nearly 3 decades. I started wondering what else in the world is like that, and I came upon something else: leadership.

Our leaders in the United States, members of the US House and Senate, serve indefinitely. Lindsey Graham z’l served 23 years before passing away and was running for another 6-year term when he died this year. Joe Biden served 48 years as a Senator, VP, and President. Representative John Dingell of Michigan (1955-2015) served just over 59 years. Robert Byrd of West Virginia began in 1951 and served 51 years in the Senate. We have had 10 other Senators serve at least 40 years, while another 13 have served at least 36 years. The House of Representatives isn’t any better. While 33 members of the House have served at least 40 years, currently there are 10. Almost 1/3 of all members of the US House serving 40 years are currently serving. That’s a shocking number.

For 15 1/2 of the past 17 years, Bibi Netanyahu has been Prime Minister of Israel. For nearly 22 years, Mahmoud Abbas has been the President of the Palestinian Authority (he was elected to a 4-year term, and there have never been elections since then – a fact the world doesn’t care about). Once again, we have examples where the circle of life, the change needed to ensure progress, isn’t happening. Change is an essential part of life and society, and we simply aren’t getting it from leadership.

As I experience the change in my life, no longer having any children living at home, and look at what’s happening in the US and the world, I find myself inspired by Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead. It’s easy to want to give up when you see Jew haters being elected to leadership positions in the US and around the world. It’s easy to feel hopeless and helpless when the lies are told so frequently it feels like Germany in the 1930s. It’s easy to shake our heads and walk away when the two major political parties in the US go so far left and so far right that they are almost the same. It’s been helpful to me to see so many Democrats now standing up against the extreme part that is taking over their party—to see them openly state there is a line they won’t cross. Hopefully, we will see the Republicans do the same. James Carville, a Democratic icon, has been public about it and speaking out loudly.

One of my favorite songs by the Grateful Dead is “The Wheel.” I love the music, the jam that is included, and the words. A few years ago, Dead and Company played a show at The Gorge where they played “Playing in the Band,” then right into “The Wheel,” and then finished with “Playing in the Band” once again. It’s one of my favorite things to listen to, and this 28-minute version of these songs is something I listen to at least once a day. The words, the music, the jamming touches my soul. The more I have listened to it during this time of my life and with what is happening in the world, the more the words of “The Wheel” inspire me to continue forward, to continue the fight, and to believe that we can have a better world, despite the challenges we face with leadership around the world, in the US, in Israel, in the PA, with growing Jew hatred, the lies of the media, and the unwillingness for so many to bother to learn and challenge the lies.

The chorus begins with The wheel is turning and you can’t slow down. This reminds me that the world is constantly moving and changing. I don’t have the power to stop or even slow down the problems with our leaders in the world, in the US, in Israel, of the PA, or the media lies and the massive Jew hatred. The world keeps moving. The key word that is easy to miss in this lyric is “YOU“. It doesn’t say the world can’t slow down; it implores you, the individual, not to slow down. The more the world turns, the more we have to keep up. The more we have to fight. The more we have to be unwilling to give up.

The next line is You can’t let go and you can’t hold on. What a lesson! Quitting and giving up is simply not an option. Holding on and hoping that you will survive as the world turns and changes isn’t an option. Once again, we are being told that we must take action. The status quo is not acceptable; it will not work. History has shown us that those who let go don’t survive. Those who hold on and hope that, because they held on and stayed with those who hated them, they will be allowed to remain. They never are. They don’t survive either. The only way to survive and thrive is to keep moving, keep working, and, as in the first lyric, not slow down but speed up.

The third line reiterates in clear words what has been said in the first two lines. You can’t go back and you can’t stand still. What was is no longer. We can’t return to the days of Israel being a bipartisan issue in the US. Those days are gone and will not come back. We can’t go back to the time when being Jewish or supporting Israel excluded you from being a Progressive. The days when the value of the US-Israel relationship was understood and valued are gone. We can’t go back to where we were, nor can we stay where we are. The sand is shifting and collapsing below us. We must move forward. We can reach a better place and build a new reality, but it will be a new one, not the old one. We must take action.

The final line has always been one of my favorites for many reasons. Now it’s a powerful reminder of what happens if we don’t heed the lessons of the first three lines. If the thunder don’t get you, then the lightning will. There is no safe place to just stay. If it’s not the thunder it will be the lightning. If it’s not the far left, it will be the far right. If it’s not Iran it will be Qatar or the Houthis or Canada or Spain or France or the UK. Standing still and hoping for a better outcome without taking the action to make the better outcome happen means somebody will get us. There are enough out there that hate us, that want us dead, that it will happen. Unless we take action. Unless we fight. Unless we educate ourselves and speak out.

I had the opportunity to spend time with three former Israeli ambassadors while visiting Israel and the West Bank two months ago. They all told me that the upcoming election is for the ‘soul of Israel.’ I have no doubt about that. I have seen through my cousins in Israel and my friends in Israel what is at stake. I have seen firsthand what is happening in the West Bank as a result of this government’s policies being driven by Smotrich and Ben Gvir with Bibi’s implicit approval. The world is telling us that they need to see a different leader of Israel to believe there can be a different future. So I learn. I talk to Israelis to engage them in dialogue so I can learn. I am inspired by the number of younger Israelis who are now running for office in the upcoming election and am excited that while I can’t vote because I’m not an Israeli citizen, I will be there during the upcoming election in October.

America is no different. The midterm election in November may well be for the soul of America. Will we elect moderates or extremists? Will we elect those who love America or hate it? A perfect example of if the thunder doesn’t get you, then the lightning will.

The Wheel was written in the very early 1970s and first appeared on a Jerry Garcia album in 1972. Yet in 2026, it may be more important than ever. It is up to us to not slow down. It is up to us to not let go and not hold on. Because we must always remember that if the thunder doesn’t get us, then the lightning will. James Carville knows this and can show us all both what to do and how to do it.

Enjoy the music and video – it’s a phenominal almost 30 minutes of music.

How Ro Khanna harms the Palestinians, Israelis, Jews and America

Posted on July 13, 2026July 13, 2026 by Keith Dvorchik

I’m sure most people saw the news coming out of the West Bank/Judea and Samaria on Saturday. Representative Ro Khanna, an outright critic of Israel, went on an unannounced visit to the West Bank to see what it is like. Shockingly, he ran into an issue with settlers, the IDF, and the police, which turned into an incredible photo op for himself, the anti-Israel movement, and a way to change the focus away from his support from Graham Platner and all he represents (hate, sexual violence, bigotry, etc.). Unfortunately, as you may have noticed, I didn’t say it was incredible for the Palestinians. I didn’t say it was helpful for the world in eliminating terror. And it certainly isn’t helpful for working towards a shared society between Israelis and Palestinians. This was all a show for Ro Khanna.

How can I be so confident in saying that? Because I was just there. I was in the West Bank, meeting with Palestinian leaders, Bedouin town leaders and members, and experienced the impact of the violent settlers and their terrorism (I will call it what it is), along with Palestinians and Israelis who are not just hoping for a better future but working together to create it. He walked away with hate. I walked away with hope. He will likely never go back. I will go back to visit my friends in the West Bank as soon as possible—planning for a few days in October right now.

So what is the difference? How did we both go to the same place, have similar experiences, and walk away so differently? Part of it, I believe, is that mine was real and his is staged. He knew the outcome before he arrived, and those planning his trip made sure it would happen. I hoped for my outcome but didn’t know what to expect and walked in honestly, with open eyes and an open heart to the experience.

Israel and the Palestinians are a complex and complicated topic. Too many people, like Ro Khanna, want to turn it into talking points. They seek simplicity in a deeply complex issue. I am far from an expert, but having spent time with leaders of Palestinian civil society and those in Israel who are working to build a true shared society in which Israelis and Palestinians can live together in peace, I do have on-the-ground personal experience.

To start with, we have to look at the governments of both Israel and the Palestinian Authority. For a very long time, it has been in both of their best interests to not only keep the status quo but ensure that no progress is made. Neither side has a true partner for peace and to build a better future. October 7th only made things more challenging and helped each government strengthen their own base and ensure nothing will change. It is okay to criticize the governments and their policies. Israelis and Palestinians do it all the time. I have heard and seen Israelis do it since I first went to Israel in 1989. My interactions with Palestinians have taught me that they are just as critical of their government. The media chooses not to cover this because it’s not in their best interests. Criticize the ‘pay for slay’ policy of the PA. Criticize how the PA doesn’t help the average Palestinian citizen. Criticize the Israeli government’s refusal to stop the terrorism from the settlers in the West Bank and the actual encouragement of it by Smotrich and Ben Gvir. You can criticize how Hamas uses human shields and how Israel handled the war in Gaza. The people of Gaza do. The people in Israel do. That’s not what Ro Khanna did. That’s not what Bernie Sanders, AOC, Summer Lee, Rashida Tlaib, Ilhan Omar, Candace Owens, Joe Rogan, Dave Smith (the failed comedian who made his name by criticizing Israel), or Tucker Carlson do.

We can also look at those who are working diligently to build a better future. When Rahm Emanuel was just in Israel, he visited with Rozana, an amazing organization that is doing work in the West Bank, within Israel, and in Gaza based on Health Diplomacy. His comments on social media show the impact and opportunity that exist. The Washington DC Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) is invested in the work of Rozana, and this article in the Washington Jewish News highlights their involvement. When I was in the West Bank and Israel, I had the opportunity to meet with the professional and volunteer leaders of Palestinian hospitals that work with Rozana and partner with Israel. It was amazing to spend time with the professional leadership and boards of directors of Al Ahli Hospital and Al Rahkma rehabilitation hospital. Ro Khanna could have chosen to meet with them and hear what could be possible. He intentionally chose not to look for hope but to look for hate. While in the West Bank, I got to experience the Women4Women program of Rozana, which provides a mobile clinic dedicated to women’s health in areas where they don’t have access to quality healthcare. The entire multidisciplinary team is composed of Palestinian women. It was incredible to see. Had he been interested in truly exploring things that are changing the reality on the ground, Ro Khanna could have done so.

The terrorist settlers are a real problem. I got to experience that as well during my visit. There are real issues with what they are doing and the impact they are having on Bedouin villages and Palestinian villages in Area C. They have been emboldened by Smotrich, who has been public about what he wants to happen, and he is ensuring the settlers have the ability to terrorize the Bedouins and Palestinian villages in Area C. This isn’t something that is debatable. I saw and heard from those impacted. The terrorist settlers came out right after we left. We had an issue with the police and IDF because we, unknowingly, were in a similarly restricted zone to Khanna. The difference is that we didn’t know where we went was restricted – they had just made it restricted and didn’t inform anybody. Khanna and his people knew this. They had been told previously not to be there. They knowingly created a PR stunt, a stunt that only helps Khanna, not the Palestinian people. Per the IDF, after reviewing body camera footage,

“A review of body-worn camera footage confirms that the group leader was explicitly warned by officers, as this was not his first time violating the Closed Military Zone order,” police said. “He was issued a final warning that any future violations would result in immediate arrest.”

The video of the interaction – they wanted to wait for the Police to arrive and that’s what got Khanna and his group upset

This was a planned incitement by people who knew that what they were doing would result in them being stopped and questioned. Khana is complicit. He could have highlighted, as I did, the challenges of what he saw and heard in the villages. Instead, he made it about himself. This was his goal all along – to change the narrative from his Platner support to Israel, already something his supporters hate.

Khanna’s self-promoting PR stunt doesn’t help the Palestinian people. They are not the focus; he is. The challenges they face were not the focus; he was. His story continues to change, and as the facts come out, the spin will be interesting. First, he said it was 90 minutes. Then it was an hour. Today, it was 20 minutes. Notice how everything is about Khanna. It’s not about the successes and the challenges occurring in the West Bank. By making it about him, those who dislike Khanna blame the Palestinians in the West Bank. Those who support Khanna focus on how Israel treated him instead of the challenges being faced in the West Bank in terms of the terrorist settlers and the new gates that have been established, making travel difficult for them.

His self-promoting trip will only cause more problems for the Palestinians, Israelis, and Jews in the diaspora. It will help increase antisemitism and encourage divisiveness instead of unity. His inflammatory language—detained, fear for his life—only encourages more hate. Saying the settlers had “machine guns” when they did not is more propaganda designed to spread hatred and promote himself. As Americans, we need to stop enabling all the politicians, Republicans and Democrats, who consistently put themselves first. We need to demand better. We need to reject those who use their positions to increase divisiveness in our country through lies and made-up situations.

The Middle East is a challenging environment. Too many Americans think that it’s just like the West, just like America. It’s not. It is far more complex, with thousands of years of history. The Jews, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Crusaders, Turks, and British have all been in control of the region. People like Ro Khanna choose their own self-interests over helping the Palestinians, Israelis, Druze, and Bedouins. He had the opportunity to meet with the Druze and learn about their challenges but declined. He had the opportunity to meet with hostages and survivors of the Nova festival; he declined. Khanna has no interest in solving problems or even addressing them. He has no interest in helping Palestinians. His interests are entirely about himself. His staged visit and intentionally created ‘detention’ help nobody but Khanna himself.

I’m tired of our ‘leaders’ choosing themselves over the country. I’m tired of the lies our ‘leaders’ tell and believe. Ro Khanna’s trip was just the most recent setup. We need to reject all of our ‘leaders’ when they do this. It’s not a partisan issue, which is why I used the term ‘leaders’. If we want to have a better world, if we want to have peace, if we want to have a country that works together to solve our problems instead of being divided against each other, it’s up to each of us to stand up to those like Khanna, who focus on divisiveness and hate. It’s up to us to focus on the work that is being done to change the world. Ro Khanna could have met people like I did a few weeks ago in the West Bank, people committed to a shared society and changing the world. Instead, he chose self-promotion.

It is time for us all to step up and reject those who stew up bigotry and hate for their own self-interests. Khanna gives us an opportunity to publicly reject him and those like him on both sides of the aisle. We can send a message that we care more about fixing the world than dividing our country. The reality is that there is hope for a better future. There are Palestinians and Israelis who work together to build peace and a shared society. Don’t believe the lies we are being told. While the governments make it difficult, the people on the ground are finding ways to work together for a better future where Palestinians and Israelis can live together in peace. I’m committed to doing that. I hope you will join me.

The world is complex, not simple. So are the solutions.

Posted on July 4, 2026 by Keith Dvorchik

I love Israel. Those who know me well understand just how deep that love goes. I visit as often as I can, and I often get asked, “When are you making Aliyah?” (moving to Israel.) I’m not planning to do that, but I would like to get to a point where my wife and I can spend a month or so each year living in different parts of Israel, renting Airbnbs or doing house swaps with Israelis who want to visit Orlando.

I was raised in a family that was extremely Zionistic. All four of my grandparents went to Israel. They shared the story of listening to the UN vote on the partition plan on their transistor radio and how when they knew it would pass, they yelled, screamed, and celebrated. My parents and in-laws have been to Israel. My brother, sister-in-law, sister, and brother-in-law have been to Israel. My wife and I have been together, and I have now been 26 times, with additional trips planned for this year.

I was also raised in a family that had deep and challenging conversations at the dinner table. Nothing was off-limits, and we were encouraged to challenge each other not just about facts, but also about values, morals, and ethics. It wasn’t uncommon to hear somebody at the dinner table say, “Yes, you CAN do it, but the real question is: SHOULD you do it?” Right and wrong were taught not just in legal terms, but in terms of morals and ethics.

My cousins and I spent a lot of time talking about this as we grew up together. Some are more liberal, some are more conservative, yet we would talk about right and wrong, moral and ethical issues, challenges in the choices we might make, and what those choices said about ourselves, our country, and our world. Nothing was simple, and the conversations would often continue well beyond the dinner table and sometimes last for days.

***Cousins at the Shabbat table – we would talk and debate into the night***

Raised that way, I still take a critical look at things. Too many people today think things are simple. A simple answer to solving the issues the United States faces is that ending the war with Iran is simple. The conflict between Israel and Palestine has a simple solution: if Israel just replaced Netanyahu, everything would be fixed. If the U.S. would go to a net-zero carbon output, we’d solve environmental issues. None of these are true. None are simple. They can begin a conversation, but each, like so many other things, is very complex.

As a result of the complexities and my desire to really understand what is going on, what is behind it, and the potential outcomes of various situations, I make sure to get a lot of updates and information about what is happening in Israel, Gaza, the West Bank/Judea and Samaria, Lebanon, and Iran. Sometimes the information is too much and can be overwhelming. I know I can’t depend on the mainstream media to give me real facts. They are in the entertainment division, and they focus on getting eyeballs, clicks, likes, forwards, and lots of engagement rather than reporting the facts. This is why I have spent time in the West Bank, talked with many Palestinians and Israelis, and made Palestinian, Israeli, and Israeli Arab friends. I can get real information about the complexities, not just the simple solutions that simply aren’t real and won’t work.

In most instances, the information I receive through multiple sources, often directly on the ground, is helpful and broadens my understanding of what is really happening in these areas. Earlier this week, I got an alert that surprised me in many ways. The alert stated, “Earlier this morning, Israeli security forces were dispatched to the area of Mukhmas and began extensive searches following a report regarding several Israeli civilians who had been in the area and lost contact. The forces are conducting searches in the area to rule out the concern of a security incident. The IDF will continue to provide updates as developments occur.” The next update stated, “Following searches and a joint multi-agency intelligence effort by the Israeli security forces in the area of Mukhmas, all of the civilians were located, and the concern of a security incident was ruled out.”

Why did this surprise me? Mukhmas is about 10–15 km from Ramallah, and I was just there a few weeks ago. The main village is spectacular. There are big, modern homes, beautiful infrastructure, a mosque, and it looks like the type of place any of us would love to live. The homes there are mainly owned by Palestinian expats who use them as their summer homes. It is truly an amazing village, as nice as any you’d find anywhere in the world. This part of Mukhmas is in Area B, where the Palestinian Authority handles civil administration while security control is shared with Israel.

***Mukhmus where the Palestinian ex-pats have their summer homes. It’s an incredibly beautiful village.***

When you leave the village, as we did, you move into Area C, which is under full Israeli civil and military administration. We spent our time in the portion that was in Area C. While there, we got to meet the Bedouins who live in that area. We heard their stories and how they lived there peacefully until the illegal settlers showed up and started terrorizing them. They told us how they chose not to respond to violence against them with more violence. One village disbanded due to the harassment and terrorism, while the other chose to stay despite being attacked multiple times each day.

Mukhmas is not a place where Israeli civilians would just happen to be. You don’t make a wrong turn in East Jerusalem and end up in Mukhmas. When I read the alert, I realized the Israeli citizens who lost contact were the terrorist settlers, and if we can’t call our own what they are, why should we expect anybody else to call theirs what they are? The fear from the IDF was that the villagers finally got fed up and responded with violence to the settler terrorism. It didn’t fit the people I met, so when I read the second alert, stating they were found and that it was not a security incident, I wasn’t surprised.

At some point, however, this may not be true. How long can you terrorize people in their homes before they respond with violence? Living in Florida, we have laws like the Castle Doctrine (Fla. Stat. § 776.013) which grants you the right to use deadly force against an intruder in your home or occupied vehicle without a duty to retreat. The law presumes you have a reasonable fear of death or great bodily harm if the intruder is actively and forcefully entering. This has more than been met for these villages who don’t have this legal protection.

***Muhammad speaking to us in front of his village that has been abandonded due to settler terrorism***

I love Israel. It’s a deep part of my soul and my identity. My trip in May was my 26th visit. I have at least two more planned for this year. It is impossible to describe the feeling of being in Israel and walking the streets to somebody who has never been. For those who have been to Israel, you don’t have to describe it. I will defend the right of the State of Israel to exist to my dying breath. But I won’t defend this type of behavior. These people attacking the villages are terrorists. The people who lost communication were likely settlers off to do no good when their communication was lost. Unlike the Bedouins like Muhammad and Yusef, who aren’t getting protection from law enforcement, these terrorist settlers just lose communication, and it’s a nationwide alert. I bring this up because so many people don’t understand any of the dynamics of Israel, the Palestinians, the West Bank, or what the geography even looks like. I write and talk a great deal about how we do not teach the modern state of Israel to our children because they don’t know what it is like. Had I not just been in Mukhmas and seen it personally, met the people there personally, and had an experience with these terrorist settlers, I wouldn’t have known there was anything going on with this alert. It would have seemed like a situation where regular Israeli citizens were in danger. These were not regular Israeli citizens, and they were not in danger. They are creating danger for those who live there, quietly and peacefully. They count on the diaspora’s ignorance of the region to misunderstand what is going on. It’s beyond time to take on that ignorance and no longer permit it.

Our world today is dominated by social media. TikTok has become the way many people get their information. It’s not coming from reputable journalists with integrity; it is coming from people who want to monetize their accounts and who will do or say anything to get enough followers, clicks, and eventually revenue. It is coming from bots that generate fake content, images, and lies to sell their narrative. We continue to sink into our abyss because people don’t speak out and people don’t take risks to call out bad behavior. People don’t have the knowledge to have those deep and complex conversations. We live in a world where too many people want simple answers to complex questions. They may want that, but it isn’t reality. Things are no longer about “the truth,” “ethics,” or “morals.” It’s about “my truth,” “my ethics,” or “my morals.” We have lost that communal responsibility and communal discourse.

For the past three years, I have been blessed to work with clients who inspire me. Clients who are involved with deep issues and understand the complexities. They are answering questions like,

How do we build a just society?
How do we provide a quality education to those who face societal challenges?
How do we teach leadership to teens?
How do we make technology available to children who have no access but have the minds to excel?
Can we use healthcare to build relationships and create opportunities for peace?
Are there new and different ways to show Israel and Judaism in a positive light on college campuses through athletics and athletes?
What is the best way to address the challenge of Jewish identity for people in their 30s and 40s?
Can sports be a way to social justice?
What does it mean to be Israeli, Arab, and a Zionist?

I enjoy working with my clients on these challenges because they remind me of those childhood dinner table conversations. Important topics. Important situations. Complex issues. People with passion who aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty to solve problems. If any of these questions, or others like them, interest you, reach out. Get involved. Learn facts and challenge yourself with the moral and ethical parts, not just the legal parts. There is a role for everybody to play. It is the only way we are going to get ourselves out of the current world situation we are all experiencing.

Hiding your Jewish identity isn’t the answer

Posted on July 1, 2026July 2, 2026 by Keith Dvorchik

Living in Florida, air conditioning is essential. Keeping your AC units running and functioning well is critical. We have our condensers serviced regularly but haven’t had our units, ducts, and vents cleaned in a few years. When we got an opportunity to have it done at a good price and they would clean our dryer vents for free, I jumped on the deal.

The appointment was for yesterday, so of course, they kept pushing it and pushing it, and eventually had to cancel the appointment and reschedule for this morning. When the technician arrived, I greeted him at the door and was shocked as he reached up to touch my mezuzah and kiss it. I asked if he was Jewish, and after he said, “of course,” I told him I thought so because nobody else would kiss the mezuzah. He smiled, and I pointed out all the mezuzahs on my doors.

It turns out he was born and raised in Israel and has struggled to find Jewish people and community since moving to Central Florida. He commented on how he rarely sees mezuzahs on doors here. We talked about Israel – he is from Rehovot, and I have had the pleasure of spending time in Rehovot. I have friends who live there. It’s where the Weizmann Institute is and where I have gone to pick fruits and vegetables for the last two years. We talked about places like Rishon Lezion, which is right next to Rehovot. I could tell how much it meant to him to have somebody to talk to about Israel with.

As he began work on my units, ducts, and vents, I went to my office to work. During a break, we continued our conversation. He told me how excited he was to see that I had siddurim (prayer books) on my bookshelves and that he saw my tallit bag, my tefillin, kiddush cups, Shabbat candlesticks, Hanukkah menorahs, and my Israeli art on the wall of my office. Being at my house and talking with me clearly filled a Jewish need he may not have even realized he needed.

**One of my favorite pictures on my wall**

We talked about convincing my younger son to go on Birthright and visit Israel. The look he gave my son was precious, and as they talked, I hoped he inspired my son to finally sign up. This random person who came to service my air conditioning is a ‘member of the tribe,’ so our connection went deep even though we didn’t know each other until he knocked on my door and kissed my mezuzah.

I offered to help connect him with the local Jewish community. It is something he has struggled to find. He talked about wanting to engage in Jewish learning and be part of the community. I gave him my contact info (he had it in the company records, but this was for him personally). I hope he will reach out, and I can help him find his place.

Earlier today, I was talking with a friend of mine who lives in New Jersey. He was talking about how bad it has gotten in New York and New Jersey and how he removed his mezuzah from his door after October 7th due to the rise of antisemitism. How he doesn’t have any signs of being Jewish on his house or anywhere else because he fears for his safety. I told him how I’m just the opposite. I have a huge mezuzah on my front door and others on my three other external doors. I have my clearly Jewish and Israeli tattoos. I even have the Florida Stands With Israel license plate on my car. What an incredible difference simply because of where we live in the United States.

**Florida Stands With Israel License Plate**

I began thinking about what would have happened had I taken down my mezuzah or never put one up. This Israeli would never have known it was a Jewish house. We never would have talked about Israel and Judaism. He wouldn’t have felt the power of being Jewish in my house by seeing all the Jewish items I proudly display. He would have missed out on the joy that it provided him. I would have missed out on knowing him and connecting.

This is why we need to be proud to be Jewish. We need to show our pride publicly. We can’t be afraid because when we are afraid and hide our Jewishness, the Jew haters win. They want to get rid of us; they want to make us invisible. They want us to be quiet and let them terrorize us. I refuse. I urge you to refuse. Be like the actor Patricia Heaton, who is not Jewish. She was so upset at the Jew hatred and that Jews were removing their mezuzahs from their doors that she, a Christian, put one up on her door and encouraged allies to do the same. Thousands of non-Jews who are allies went ahead and put a mezuzah on their door to stand with us. If they can do it, so can we. For thousands of years, Jew haters have tried to erase us: Babylonia, Persia, the Greeks, the Romans, the Crusaders, the Turks, the Poles, the Germans. We wouldn’t let them, so we survived. Now is not the time for us to do it to ourselves.

I’m proud to be Jewish and don’t hide it. Today reminded me why this is so important. I look forward to hearing from my new Jewish, Israeli friend and helping him find his way in a challenging Central Florida Jewish community. I won’t hide my Jewish identity or my Jewish pride. I encourage you not to hide yours either. Am Yisrael Chai!

The fight against Jew hatred

Posted on June 18, 2026 by Keith Dvorchik

It has become so common to see Israel and the Jews blamed for everything. Have a Nazi tattoo and want to run for the US Senate? Get accused of abusing your ex-girlfriends? Cheat on your wife? Masturbate in public toilets? Have racist writings exposed? Be like Graham Platner and blame the Jews. Want to be elected Governor of Florida but you are not endorsed by President Trump or by Governor Desantis? Be like James Fishback and blame the Jews. Want to be elected to Congress in Texas but are unqualified and need some big time PR? Be like Maureen Galindo and threaten to put the Zionists in internment camps. Want to get elected to Congress in New Jersey? Make sure you are like Adam Hamawy, who called Israel’s actions in Gaza a “genocide.” and who has strong ties to the “Blind Sheikh” Omar Abdel Rahman, who was linked to the perpetrators of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing and who is in prison for life for planning terrorist attacks. For sure one way to get elected in any state is to claim Israel committed Genocide, wrongly interpreting the International Court of Justice’s decision (listen to former President of the ICJ, Joan Donoghue explain what the decision actually was below.)

The former President of the ICJ just destroyed the “Israel is committing genocide” lie.

Joan Donoghue (who presided over the South Africa v. Israel case) on Hardtalk:

“It didn’t decide that the claim of genocide was plausible… The shorthand that often appears… isn’t what the… pic.twitter.com/4R4lK7WfRa
— Mor Edge Insight (@MorEdge_Insight) June 12, 2026

What we rarely see, from Demorcrats or Republicans, is those who stand up against Jew hatred and who are willing to take a power public stance condemning it. Plenty will dance around the corners. Few will stand strongly.

I have had relationships with elected officials of both parties most of my career. I built relationships with many of them around the State of Florida when I was running UF Hillel, did the same as the President and CEO of the Jewish Federation in Seattle, and continued to do so when I moved to Orlando. Many of them don’t like each other but each has built relationships with me. As a citizen and a leader, I believe it is my right and my responsiblity to build there relationships. I work with Democrats and Republicans because Jewish life, safety, fighting antisemitism and Jew hatred, and supporting the right for the State of Israel to exist should never be partisan issues. As such, when Senator Rick Scott’s Central Florida Director called me late last week to invited me to a press conference Senator Scott had called at the Florida Holocaust Museum to address Kanye West performing in Tampa and antisemitism for Monday morning, I wasn’t surprised, was honored, and cleared my calendar to attend.

I have known Senator Scott since he was in his first term as Governor of Florida due to my work with UF Hillel. We had many politicians come speak to our students so they could learn from elected officials and understand that as citizens and leaders, they had access to them and had a responsibility to use that access to share their concerns. I believe it is important that we teach our children and those around us this important lesson. Our elected official serve us, the people. We don’t serve them. So use your citizen’s voice with them.

I’ve attended many of these press conferences held by many different politicians over the years. It doesn’t matter who they are or which party they are affiliated with, they tend to be fairly similiar. They stand in front of a podium, addressing the media, speaking certain talking points that are nice to hear and are supported, but usually in a calm and dignified manner. They are doing what they are supposed to do in representing their population and speaking out, but rarely with true passion and fire. It almost always comes from somewhere inside, is something they truly believe, and is always appreciated. It rarely leaves a lasting effect. It is what I expected would happen at Senator Scott’s press conference.

I was wrong. When Senator Scott stepped to the podium he had fire in his eyes. His words were passionate and filled with fury. He began by making sure that everybody knew that this was not ‘his’ press conference but rather was a bipartisan group who were here because they had enough of antisemitism and hate. They were not going to tolerate Jew hatred in Florida and he wasn’t going to tolerate it in the United States. He made sure to introduce US Senator Ashley Moody, former Governor Charlie Crist, Leo Terrell, the Senior Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights in the United States Department of Justice who oversees the country’s response to antisemitism and all civil rights, Pastor Scott Thomas who represented Christians United for Israel (CUFI), local elected officials, and the local Jewish leaders who were in attendance. This was not the Rick Scott show. This was an entire community standing together.

The issue that had fired him and the others to speak so forcefully was the Tampa Sports Authority’s decision to have Kanye West perform two concerts at Raymond James Stadium. Kanye, in 2025, released a song and music video entitled “Heil Hitler.” In 2025 he also publicly stated, “I am a Nazi.” He has threatened that, “when I wake up I’m going death con 3 On JEWISH PEOPLE.” These are only some of his Jew hating public remarks. As all the speakers reminded us, speaking out against Jew hatred and Kanye West’s pending performace because of the Tampa Sports Authority (TSA) is not a 1st amendment issue. He has the right to say whatever it is that he wants. However TSA is not required to bring him. It is not a requirement that public dollars be used by TSA to stage his concert and to make him money.

As I listened to Senator Scott talk, I was inspired because I was hearing things that I believe in. He spoke about bipartisanship and how Republicans and Democrats were represented at the event. He stated, “It starts with the Jews but it doesn’t end with the Jews.” He talked about his visit to Kfar Aza in 2019 and then again after October 7th and how that impacted him. He talked about how he brought his own children to Holocaust Museums because he doesn’t want them to ever forget and was open and honest about finding the right age and time to bring his young grandchildren to Holocaust Museums because he doesn’t want them to be part of the Holocaust denier movement. I was moved by the power and passion of his comments. He focused on how Kanye has the 1st amendment right to perform but that we don’t have an obligation to use public dollars to bring somebody who spews hate and openly hates Jews. He actually asked what does it say to Jewish Floridians if we use public dollars to bring somebody who openly said he loves Hitler and is a self proclaimed Nazi? How does that make our Jewish Floridians feel safe?

US Senator Ashley Moody spoke next. As somebody who hails from the Tampa Bay region, she was visibly upset about this in her home community. She took the TSA to task, saying their job is clearly stated to ‘evaluate, approve, and prioritize’ the acts they bring. That means that TSA chose to evaluate Kanye West’s Jew hatred and think it was ok, then went ahead and chose to approve his performance, and prioritized it so that it was something that was happening soon. She held them accountable for all three of these responsibilities where they failed.

Senator Moody acknowledged Kanye’s right to perform but also talked about how that doesn’t mean the TSA has to choose to bring him. They could have evaluated, chose not to approve, and not make him a priority, all while not infringing on his free speech rights. She also spoke about the contract and that this would cost TSA money to break it; and that they should because when you make a mistake you must fix your errors.

US Senator Ashley Moody

The next speaker was Leo Terrell, the Senior Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights in the United States Department of Justice. Mr Terrell is the person in Washington who fights antisemitism every single day. He flew in from DC for the event. I was incredibly impressed by him. He said bluntly that it is “a fundamental obligation to fight antisemitism.” No excuses made. No qualifying or saying that ‘its complicated’. It is a fundamental obligation. Powerful words.

He then directly addressed ‘the Jewish tax’. The Jewish tax is the enormous costs the Jewish community bears to keep our community safe. The cost of security at our synagogues, Federations, JCCs, events, and any Jewish space. You don’t see the same thing at churches or mosques. Only the Jewish community. He spoke powerfully about the obligation to make this Jewish tax no longer needed. Hearing Leo Terrell speak and knowing he is fighting for the Jewish community made me feel hopeful. We have a smart, passionate person in charge who is spending his days fighting on our behalf.

Former Governor Charlie Crist spoke next. He started with words we rarely hear from any politician in today’s world. “I am a Democrat but an American first.” It was that type of event – partisan politics were put aside to stand up to hate, specifically Jew hatred and antisemitism. Charlie made sure that everybody heard him when he directly said that “this is not right vs. left. It is right vs. wrong.” When Senator Scott called him on Friday to invite him to participate, he told us that his response was, “I don’t know what I have scheduled but I’ll be there.” He made sure to clear his calendar to be a part of standing up to Jew hatred and antisemitism.

Charlie talked about upholding community standards, standing up against hate. He was also very clear that we should not be using public funds or publicly funded arenas to promote hate speech. It is not ok to use those public funds and publicly funded arenas to platform a self declared Nazi who admits that he idolizes Adolph Hitler.

***Former Florida Governor Charlie Crist***

Pastor Scott Thomas, representing Christians United For Israel (CUFI) spoke, reminding us that if this was the 1930s, Kanye West would be an opening act for the 3rd Reich. He then said, far more eloquently than I have been saying for a long time, that ‘words started the Holocaust but silence allowed it to grow. There won’t be silence in 2026.”

We heard from Jewish Federation leadership, local politicians, community leaders, my long time friend Eric Stillman, the CEO of the Florida Holocaust Museum, and many others, including a Holocaust survivor. The theme throughout was the words on the podium, “Don’t. Fund. Antisemitism.”

***A Holocaust survivor speaking to us***

As Senator Scott took the microphone to wrap things up, he continued to be nuanced and clear. He said that ‘buying a ticket to an artist who you appreciate their creativity does not make you an antisemite.” A very important clarification for those who bought tickets and want to see Kanye West perform. However, he also reminded us that we must consider the power that we have at this moment. He closed by instructing us that “The future is not about just what we condemn. It’s also about what we allow.” Senator Scott hit it right on the head. Condemnation isn’t enough. We have see plenty of that with no effect. It truly is what we are willing to allow.

This bipartisan group, composed of local, state, Federal and communal leaders gathered together to speak out against Jew hatred and antisemitism. They aren’t willing to just allow Kanye West to perform in Tampa and send a message that public funds, meaning the government, approve of his hatred. I was honored to be there. I was inspired by the bipartisan approach and the commitment from everybody who spoke to do what they can to stop a Jew hater from being able to use public funds to make millions. In a fractured political environment where Jews don’t know if they can trust either party, here were Florida leaders making a powerful stand. It made me proud to be a Floridian. It validated all the work I have done and continue to do with our elected officials. We can make a difference. Nobody knows what the Tampa Sports Authority is going to do. They may cancel the concerts and pay the fee. They may change nothing and still have Kanye West perform. What I do know is that our leaders took a stand. They stood with the Jewish community against Jew hatred.

Senator Scott started a petition with change.org that demands the Tampa Sports Authority stop using public funds to to fund antisemitism and to cancel the two concerts by Kanye West. If you are motivated, please sign the petition as I have. We cannot aford to be silent. We must speak out. In the words of Pirke Avot (The Ethics of our Fathers), “It is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you at liberty to neglect it”. Listen to the words of Pirke Avot and begin. Take a stand. Sign the petition. Share it and get others to join in, standing against hate. Silence only allows the hate to grow. We must call it out and take a stand.

Kanye West’s concert at Raymond James Stadium is a slap in the face to Florida taxpayers and our Jewish community.

I’ve started a petition with @Change demanding the Tampa Sports Authority stop using YOUR money to fund antisemitism and call off these concerts ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/Te5dUxoycY
— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) June 16, 2026

There is an old saying that leaders lead. On Monday morning, I got to see a variety of leaders in Florida, Democrats and Republicans, join together to lead the effort to stand up to Jew hatred. I hope that becomes an inspiration to leaders across the country that you can work across the aisle when it comes to fighting hate, to fighting evil. That includes Jew hatred, which seems to be the only hatred that is permitted in today’s world.

How University Leadership Should behave

Posted on June 17, 2026 by Keith Dvorchik

I subscribe to the StopAntisemitism website and get weekly updates on what they find. They often have clickable links that allow you to send an email to organizational leadership about what their employees are doing related to Jew hatred and asking for help in reaching out. I almost always take this action

On Sunday, the following message was sent and I reached out the the leadership of Loras College about this coach.

Edward “Eddie” Liger Smith is an assistant wrestling coach at Loras College and co-founder of the Midwestern Marx Institute. He has repeatedly promoted tropes and conspiracy theories that echoe longstanding anti-Jewish narratives. With an online following of roughly 450,000 across X and TikTok, he possesses a massive platform for disseminating these views to a wide audience. As a wrestling coach, he holds significant influence over impressionable young men while simultaneously leveraging a large social media presence to spread his inflammatory rhetoric. This combination creates a dangerous platform with the potential to shape and radicalize vulnerable individuals both on campus and online.

Smith has publicly promoted violence and has glorified Hamas, a U.S. designated terror organization, to his vast audiences. Examples of Smith’s rhetoric include:

Calling Hamas terrorists “Palestinian resistance fighters” the day following the massacre on October 7th and saying, “What a courageous and powerful group of people.”
Publicly supporting Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
Referring to Hamas as “The people defending their children from the Zionist death machine that you support.”

Eddie Smith frequently uses conspiracy-based framing and broad, collective accusations that target Jewish people and promote antisemitic narratives.

Examples include:

Framing “Israeli Zionists” as part of a “ruling elite” and characterizing them as “compatible with murderous anti-human destruction.”
Stating “the Iranian Revolution is under attack from Zionist pedophiles.”
Sharing “I hope this makes you reflect upon the way that Israel and the Zionist lobby is increasing rates of anti-semitism in the West.”
Claiming it is “an objective, historical fact” that “Zionism is a terrorist ideology.”
Stating “Anywhere in the world where you see actual Muslim extremist groups, you can almost guarantee that the U.S. and Israel have actually supported or funded them.”
Claiming the Israeli government is “literally doing another Holocaust” and saying “but Americans like me need to give Israel 3 billion dollars a year in order to protect the Jews.”

Taken together, these statements go well beyond criticism of Israel and instead promote recurring antisemitic narratives rooted in conspiracy theories and collective blame. Repeatedly portraying Jews or “Zionists” as a powerful force behind society’s problems normalizes prejudice and hostility toward Jewish communities.

Eddie Smith’s role as a wrestling coach at Loras College, combined with his large online following, gives him significant influence over both student-athletes and a broader public audience. While entrusted with mentoring young people, he has repeatedly promoted antisemitic conspiracy theories, used dehumanizing rhetoric, and publicly praised Hamas – conduct that raises serious concerns about his ability to serve in a position of authority and trust.

Given the nature and pattern of this behavior, Loras College must conduct an immediate review and determine whether his continued employment is consistent with the institution’s values and its responsibility to provide a safe and inclusive environment for students.

I was surprised to get an almost immediate response from Loras College’s President, Mike Doyle addressing the issue. He was emphatic that Eddie Smith was not an employee or an active coach. He also promised to look into the issue and address it asap. He took the concern very seriously, was not defensive, and wanted to ensure that this hateful man was not connecting any way to Loras College. I was impressed by the response but honestly didn’t expect much of a follow through because most Presidents hope it will fade away.

I hadn’t heard from President Doyle in a few days so I reached out this morning to ask for an update. Once again, I got an almost immediate response, which again surprised me. President Doyle actually did follow up. He did the work to learn about Eddie Smith, who he is, how he is/was connected and began following up with those who reached out to him as well as with his leadership team at Loras College. He told me he spoke directly with Liora Rez, the Executive Director of StopAntisemitism, to share what he learned and she then removed the reference to Loras College. Once again, I was impressed.

He told me the detailed story of what happened. Smith was listed on an old archived site from 2021 and Eddie Smith has not been connected with Loras College or the wrestling team since then, a year after he graduated from Loras. President Doyle shared that he instructed his staff to remove the archived information and to scrub any mention of Eddie Smith from their online presence. I went an checked myself and sure enough, that archived site was entirely removed, not just references to Smith.

President Boyle went a step futher in his effort to address this issue, sharing that he has instructed his Senior Vice President to make sure there are no indirect connections via groups Mr. Smith is part of in Dubuque. These would be groups that are not affiliated with Loras in any way but could have some tie to Loras in people’s minds. That is how serious Presidnet Boyle takes antisemitism, Jew hatred, and hate in general.

Loras received over 250 emails about the issue and President Doyle and the administration took every one of them seriously. The IT Department went into their quarantine and spam filters to find every email address and compile a list so President Doyle could respond to them as a group (it’s not realistic for a College President to engage with that many people individually). He continues to share more information directly with me, just a regular person who has no connection to Loras College, because it is the right thing to do. To be honest, I’m shocked that he would reply individually for exactly the reason I wrote above – he doesn’t have the time to respond to each and every person who isn’t connected to Loras College. His last note touched my heart. He wrote, “It is simply not acceptable that you/we have to deal with this type of hate or any other type of hate. Be well and prayers for a peaceful and loving world will continue on our end at Loras and with my family and me.”

***President of Loras College, Mike Doyle***

Lots of people wrote to him, critical of Loras College. I hope that this story will be shared and at least twice as many will reach out to thank him. In our crazy world where we deal with so much Jew hatred, physical violence against Jews, and justification of it by so many of our ‘leaders’, President Boyle and Loras College stand out as an example of humanity, of courage, and should be recognized for it.

If you want to send him a thank you email, just click here. If that doesn’t work for you, his email is mike.doyle@loras.edu and please put THANK YOU as the subject line since that will stand out in the quarantine or spam filter. Thank you’s go a long way, especially when dealing with something like this. He deserves to be thanked.

Sometimes it is hard to find hope. President Mike Doyle reminds me of how many good and righteous people and leaders there are who are not afraid to stand up against hate. Who are not afraid to do the right thing immediately because that’s what they stand for. Let’s make sure he and Loras college know both how much we appreciate him but also the College for doing what is right when it is not always easy.

Thank you President Mike Boyle!!

Reflections from the week

Posted on June 11, 2026 by Keith Dvorchik

As my three days of site visits with Rozana and two days of strategic planning with them have come to an end, I find myself thinking deeply about the experience, what it means, and how it has affected me.

As we wrapped things up over our last two days, it felt like summer camp was ending. Even though I only spent 3-5 days with the Rozana team, they became friends. Some live in Hebron and some in Ramallah. I’ll have to go visit next time I am here. Some are East Jerusalem and some Herzaliya. Some are London and some are Melbourne Australia. Some are New York and others in Jaffa. We are geographically diverse and it is not easy to hang out together until the next big gathering, just like summer camp. It was hard to say goodbye and after just five days, the experience and the people are now part of my heart and soul.

I met some people at the various hospitals that became friends. Akram, the CEO of Al Rahkma Rehabilitation hospital, and I ended up seeing each other three different times. I’m looking forward to his visit to the US. Muhammad, who is a doctor and teaches at a Palestinian University, who invited me to visit the University so he could give me a tour that I look forward to taking. We sat, talking and talking over lunch, connecting and becoming friends. I want to follow up on Ruba, an amazing doctor and woman who left her Palestinian hospital to do a fellowship at Sheba to better her skills. After finishing an extended fellowship, she will be returning to her hospital to help other doctors and better serve her patients. All new friends, all Palestinian. If you told me that before the trip, I wouldn’t have believed it.

I met a few of the Rozana team on zoom before coming and there were many I only met when I arrived. Ran, Raed, and Diana went from zoom colleagues to friends, each so much better in person. Adil, Wajdi, Malak, and Muhammad each taught me so much and I am lucky to have met them and call them friends. I’m excited to learn more and hang out when I return.

I spent a lot of time with Ken, Ron, Doug and Rodica, each the board chair of their country’s Rozana board. The US, International, the UK and Israel. I’m excited to spend more time with them all.

Rozana showed me the power of connecting on a human level and how it bridges differences and gets beyond the surface level. As we work together, I’ll not only learn from them but I’ll learn more about them and then about me. We are breaking boundaries that the world tells us can’t be done right now. Proof that the talking heads and politicians are wrong and that Rozana is right. It’s people to people. Shared experiences.

I’ve been thinking a lot about these five days and the different lives we live. Not by choice but by outside forces. As I took the train from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv I found myself thinking how easy that was for me yet how hard it was for Adil and Malak to go from Ramallah to Jerusalem. It was so difficult and would have taken so long that they couldn’t join us that day. It took half the time to take the train to Tel Aviv and the taxi to my hotel than it would have taken them to get to Jerusalem.

I have also been thinking about the partnerships that already exist. Israeli and Palestinian hospitals. Joint programs Rozana has with Magen David Adom, Sheba hospital and a number of other organizations. Good things are happening and there is proof that more good things can happen.

Most Jews I know have never met a Palestinian. Never spent time talking with them. Never listening and sharing. Their experiences are merely the talking heads. Many Palestinians have the same experience. There encounter with Jews are only with the IDF and are not positive ones.

This week has reminded me that we need to get beyond what we are being fed. It’s junk food. It’s not healthy for anybody. This week showed me opportunities that I didn’t think were possible for a decade or more are actually happening now!

This isn’t me being Pollyanna or brainwashed. This is my love of Israel deepening with hope. Change is possible NOW, despite the PA, the current Israeli government, Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran. It’s happening between people, between institutions, and through partnership.

Yes there are terrorists. Yes there are people who want no Israel and no Jews. All that isn’t true. There are far more who merely want to live their lives fully next to Israel, in partnership with Israel, and with respect from and towards Israelis. They want freedom, not the end of Israel or the Jews. That is our hope. That is our opportunity. It does exist.

After one of my long and deep conversations with a Palestinian this week, he spoke with one of the Rozana lay leaders. In the conversation he mentioned our talk and how much he enjoyed it. Then he asked the lay leader, ‘Is he Jewish?’ It shows what can happen when we meet as people, talk as people, show empathy as people, and focus on our similarities not our differences. We get beyond the stereotypes. I believe that he and I did, hence his question.

I am excited to build my friendships with the people I met and those who are my colleagues. I have much to learn from them and I believe they can learn from me. While the governments aren’t talking and building towards a better future, that doesn’t stop each and every one of us to do so.

A few years ago I learned the meaning of the word ‘Inshallah’. It means ‘If God wills it’. So I will do my part to build for a better future. I hope that you will do yours. And perhaps then we can have peace and that bright future.

Inshallah.

Rozana and Day 3. The hospitals

Posted on June 3, 2026June 4, 2026 by Keith Dvorchik

IsraAID is a wonderful organization that does great work on behalf of Israel and the Jewish people all over the world. When there is an emergency, they show up. Today I had the opportunity to go to their Tel Aviv offices and both learn about their work in Gaza.

What happened on October 7 is inexcusable. It’s unforgivable. Since then the people of Gaza have suffered a war their leaders, Hamas, lost at a high cost to the people. Most have had to move from their homes and continue moving because of Hamas continuing to fight.

It was amazing to see the statistics about the work of IsraAID in providing healthcare, medication, supplies, baby food, hygiene kits and more to the people in Gaza. I have complained about how the UN doesn’t do their job, how Hamas and various gangs steal food and supplies, reselling it at a premium. What is happening with IsraAID makes food, supplies and medical care get directly to the people.

Rozana also does work in Gaza the report from IsraAID was helpful and informing for our work.

This work in the medical clinics in Gaza is not only changing lives in Gaza, it is building bridges between the people of Gaza and Israel. While there, we heard a great story that exemplifies this, something you won’t hear anywhere else.

A key clinic coordinator broke his wrist and was unable to join an educational zoom. The people in Gaza heard about this and started calling him, reaching out to him, checking in on him, worried about him. Then they set up a zoom for him with a physiotherapist in Gaza so he could get exercises to help him recover. All this happened while he was sitting on his couch in Tel Aviv. The people of Gaza were taking care of him, not knowing he was already in good hands. He mattered to them. Hard to imagine but true.

There are plenty of employees in Gaza, all working in the clinics providing direct care to those in need. Not terrorists hiding behind medicine but real doctors and nurses working with orgs to help take care of the health needs of the people in Gaza.

IsraAID described the conditions in Gaza to us. The food remains expensive even with aid flowing in. We were told that one sheep is $8,000 in Gaza. It shouldn’t be that way but it is. Hamas continues to create problems for the people of Gaza and yet IsraAID and others are there as trusted partners, providing key humanitarian aid. There is a need for more and we talked about how to expand from two clinics to four. How to provide more trainings for the doctors and nurses in Gaza. You won’t read that in the papers or see it on the news.

We left IsraAID feeling inspired and headed to Sheba Hospital (Tel HaShomer). Sheba is a massive hospital. It is in Israel. Yet Rozana has partnered with them to create fellowships for Palestinian doctors. We had the privilege of meeting with Dr Reut who heads the Pediatric ICU and her fellow, Dr Ruba Rizik. We had a chance to learn about Ruba and the fellowship.

Ruba comes from a small village in East Jerusalem and graduated from Al Quds University. She got a job as a doctor at the Al Makassed hospital in the pediatric ICU. Al Makassed partnered with Sheba (yes, a Palestinian hospital partnered with an Israeli one) and prepared to send her for a three year fellowship at the Sheba Pediatric ICU. But there were many challenges along the way for Ruba. First she had to take the Israeli exams. It took her a year to study properly and then she took them and passed – just in time for Covid to hit.

In 2022 she applied to the fellowship again and was accepted. Now the challenge was getting a Rozana funded scholarship. She worked with Rozana for a year to get the funding and she started October 11, 2023. We all know what happened 4 days prior.

She was unsure if she would be safe in Israel or how her coworkers would treat her. Her parents were panicked. She told us how she would talk with her mom on the phone as she walked the 15 minutes to and from work to help them both feel safe and how she had multiple locks on her apartment door.

Her supervisor and coworkers accepted her. They welcomed her. She learned Hebrew – both conversational and medical terminology. She had to learn to do all things that doctors do in Israel, which included many things that nurses do in her Palestinian hospital.

When the recent Iran-Israel war started, she went home to her parent’s house. Nobody was sure how long she would stay there and her supervisor gave her as much time as she needed. Shockingly, only 10 days later she returned to work at Sheba because she missed her work family and she felt that they needed her. Palestinians and Israelis not just working together but being like a family. When will you see that on the news or read that story in the NY Times?

Ruba shared that Al Makassed, the hospital she is to return to in 6 months, just told her they closed their pediatric ICU. Now she needs to stay at Sheba two more years to do a fellowship in general ICU. Rozana will be there for her financially to continue the fellowship. This amazing Palestinian and doctor, who was terrified of living and working in Israel, is committing for another two years to live and work in Israel, apart from her family. She is amazing. The fellowship program is amazing. And Palestinians and Israelis are working together and are becoming colleagues and friends.

We left Sheba with huge smiles on our faces. What an incredible person, doctor and program. We were filled with pride for what Rozana accomplishes and the idea of growing the fellowship. How many more fellowships could we add at Sheba each year? 10? 20? More? Changing the world with each one.

We started our drive to Haifa so we could visit the Carmel Medical Center and get an update from them on our Shared Life Program that is partnered with Rozana.

Before October 7th, Carmel realized that they wanted to address Jewish-Arab relations in the workplace. It was important to them that every employee at Carmel felt safe, secure and a part of the community. They began in September 2023. After October 7 they weren’t sure if they could run the program but they knew they had to try, so they simply did it.

They knew they had to address the Arab, Jewish, Christian and Druze relationships in the hospital to not only ensure the best medical care for patients but also ensure a safe working space for every employee. The program worked. The response to it was overwhelming. Once again, the media wants to focus on the hate and ignore any instance of shared society, where Arabs, Palestinians and Jews work together, become colleagues and even friends. As we listened to the update we got more and more excited. We began discussing the next steps in the upcoming year. What did they imagine the next year would look like? What else can we do together to enhance the program? How can we help improve these relationships even more? Can we involve patients in this process since Carmel serves such a diverse population?

It was energizing. It was exciting. It was full of hope. Haifa is the epitome of shared society and the Carmel Medical Center is an example of why this is true.

As we were concluding our day, I began to realize how much I missed my colleagues and new friends from Rozana who live in the West Bank. They weren’t with us because some need permits to enter Israel and couldn’t get them while others had checkpoints closed which made it incredibly difficult to join us. It was a powerful feeling and realization. My Palestinian friends. They weren’t allowed to join us. Amazing people and professionals who couldn’t get a permit or who couldn’t travel easily because of blocked checkpoints weren’t able to participate in the joy of what they helped create. Despite the amazing day filled with hope, it made me realize just how much work there is to do and how far we still have to go. It showed me how important this work is – making it possible for Palestinians and Israelis to get to know each other as people and colleagues and maybe even friends. How this work can change the world and our reality.

From IsraAID to Sheba to Carmel it was a meaningful and impactful day of hope and excitement. I am lucky to have the opportunity to meet these people, work with and on behalf of everybody I met in these three days of site visits, and make a difference in the region and in the world. I talk with many friends in the United States who see no hope, who see no future. I’m here to tell them and you that isn’t true. I experienced it myself and sometime soon, you will be able to as well. If you are going to be in Israel and want to see the work in the West Bank, let me know and we will make it happen. If you want to come to Israel and travel to the West Bank to see it, we will make that happen too. It’s simply too important. As we finish our site visits I am filled with gratitude for being a part of the amazing work of Rozana.

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