By Nathan Diament

Last Monday morning, I logged onto my various news feeds and saw photos of the latest antisemitic assault on American Jews. In the Jewish neighborhoods of Pittsburgh, antisemites graffitied hateful messages on the walls of synagogues and other Jewish institutions..

This cowardly act comes at a time when Jews across the United States are feeling anxious and threatened due to record levels of antisemitism. Even more insidious, this hateful vandalism was perpetrated a stone’s throw from the Tree of Life Synagogue — the site of the most murderous attack ever on American Jews in 2018.

The graffiti attack was roundly and rightly condemned by various leaders, from the White House to Vice President Harris to Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro to members of Congress and more. American Jews appreciate the sentiment, but we grow weary of the rinse and repeat cycle. These words of condemnation and solidarity for the community rarely come with consequences for the perpetrators of antisemitism.

As recently as last week, police arrested 25 people who rioted at Washington’s Union Station to “protest” Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu’s speech to Congress. These “protestors” defaced government property with pro-Hamas and antisemitic graffiti, burned American flags and one even assaulted a police officer. And the next day they were promptly released and the local prosecutor indicated no charges would be pressed.

The same happened a few months ago with those arrested at Columbia University and elsewhere for their antisemitic actions. If antisemitism is really “unacceptable” shouldn’t its perpetrators incur penalties? And if they don’t, what message does that send to them and those who would join them in harassing American Jews?

Thankfully, after reading the reports from Pittsburgh, I had somewhere else to be on Monday — the National Summit of Christians United For Israel (CUFI). Led by Pastor John Hagee, CUFI represents tens of thousands of grassroots Christians who are committed to supporting Israel. I had not been to CUFI’s annual summit in more than a decade, but CUFI’s executive director, Shari Dollinger, urged me to come. At a time when we in the Jewish community wonder who we can count on, being among these devout Christians was a balm.

More than 1,000 pastors and congregants from around the U.S. came to Washington to explicitly speak out in support of Israel and her battle against Hamas and — with equal vigor and attention — to support American Jewry and repudiate antisemitism. As Pastor Hagee said: “We are here in Washington to tell all who need to hear it: We will not accept silence or equivocation for the allowing of antisemitism.” He went a step further, declaring, “antisemitism is a sin.”

CUFI members aren’t just offering words. Since Oct. 7, CUFI has raised and donated $11 million to Israeli charities and mobilized its members to advocate in support of legislation to fight antisemitism.

But for me, even as a professional policy advocate, it wasn’t CUFI’s lobbying agenda or giving a platform to the family members of hostages held in Gaza that was reassuring to me. It was the warm spirit of all the people in the convention hall.

Wearing a kippah in public, I had no concerns as I walked through the convention hall. Indeed, I was received with smiles and words of welcome. More important than anything I experienced, the family members of hostages being held in Gaza were embraced warmly by the crowd.

Today, it’s hard to see a near-term end to Israel’s battle in Gaza to free the hostages and defeat Hamas. In fact, Israel’s conflict with Hezbollah in the north appears to be escalating. This sadly guarantees a continued surge of antisemitism in the U.S.; I, and most American Jews, worry about this daily.

But being with allies at CUFI reminded me that all is not lost in this fight. Yes, we have to be vigilant in the face of a modern revival of the world’s oldest hate, but we can’t let that consume us and fill us with foreboding. There are so many Americans of goodwill — like those at CUFI — who stand with us and our brothers and sisters in Israel. They join us on the front lines of the battle against hate and do not waver in their fortitude. I am grateful to our friends at CUFI for reminding me of this.