It’s hard to believe that StandWithUs is celebrating 25 years this month!
StandWithUs began in Los Angeles on May 21, 2001, a quarter of a century ago during the Second Intifada, a horrific terrorist war against the people of Israel. While suicide bombers massacred Israeli civilians on buses and in cafes and nightclubs, global antisemitism also escalated. As volunteers deeply concerned about what was happening in Israel and around the world, we wanted to help educate about Israel’s regional challenges and to empower and support college students as they told Israel’s story and confronted anti-Jewish bigotry on campus.
For the first year, we were entirely volunteers: the original three founders—Jerry Rothstein, Esther Renzer, and Roz Rothstein, along with other extraordinary individuals, such as Newton Becker z”l, Marty and Susan Jannol, Allyson Taylor, Naty and Debbie Saidoff, Shmuel and Evelyn Katz, Mark Karlan, David Suissa, and Roberta Seid, PhD, z”l. Our sacred mission—supporting Israel and fighting antisemitism—brought together remarkable people, each of whom inspired additional superstar lay leaders to join us.
We opened our doors to host rallies supporting Israel. We issued action alerts, providing meaningful ways to support Israel and combat antisemitism online. We produced signature educational materials that delivered critical context, because the media often left out important information in its reporting on the Middle East.
StandWithUs became a trusted household name. People relied on us for support, information, a steady voice, a network, and strength. Because we were strategic and deeply dedicated, because we were open to ideas from volunteers and other organizational partners, we developed rapidly. Soon we grew not only in Los Angeles but in cities around the world, using our proven model, and it quickly became clear that StandWithUs would not remain a volunteer organization for very long. We would need to incorporate and raise funds to hire full-time staff.
What began 25 years ago with a few rallies for Israel and support for college students who felt alone in the face of antisemitism has evolved into a powerful global movement. We have flourished into a multimillion-dollar global organization with over 15 departments operating on six continents.
Our scalable and effective approach to education, countering misinformation, fighting hate, and providing community support reflects the growing and changing needs we have encountered since our founding. We originally began by focusing on campus support and rallies to meet immediate needs. Before long, we realized that we also needed to help high school and middle school students as well as build an audience on social media.
As we learned more, we recognized the need for a legal department dedicated to supporting students and community members with legal remedies against antisemitism and antizionism. Today, our in-house team of eight lawyers work with more than 600 pro bono attorneys and law firms.
When we saw anti-Jewish biases become institutionalized in the U.S. education system, we established our K-12 Fairness Center. Our experts organize Jewish teachers, provide technical support with K-12 incidents, and run high-level professional development sessions for K-12 leaders. More recently, we launched antisemitism training programs tailored to the medical field, including participants at hospitals, medical schools, clinics, and more.
Through the many networks we built, our Data & Analytics department is able to run impactful surveys, providing important research on antisemitism to both the public and key decisionmakers.
Bottom line: we are very busy and very effective.
Our reach is impressive. We are extremely proud of all that we have accomplished, including inspiring hundreds of thousands of students annually through our IsraelLINK platform as well as fellowships, internships, and other programs; reaching thousands of students in classrooms each year with Holocaust education; engaging billions of people in multiple languages on social media; and resolving thousands of incidents through legal advocacy and expert support.
As we turn 25 years old, we are taking this opportunity to salute the dedicated staff, supporters, and volunteers who made all of this possible. We are deeply grateful to all of you who understand the importance of our work and continue to invest time and resources to sustain and expand our impact.
We find ourselves in a very difficult moment, with extremist propaganda fueling a wave of brutal attacks against Jews in the real world. But we know that when lies and hate become deadly, education has the power to save lives. StandWithUs was built for such a time as this, and we will not back down.
We encourage you to invest in the StandWithUs movement because, now more than ever, we need your help. Sign up for newsletters HERE, so you can participate in events and receive action alerts. Report antisemitic incidents HERE to get help. Follow us on social media platforms, and help amplify the truth about Israel and the Jewish people.
To celebrate our 25th year, and to ensure we head into the next 25 years with strength, we invite you to join our upcoming matching campaign. All of your donations will be MATCHED up to $1 million. Please Click HERE to be part of the matching campaign.
As we mark this incredible milestone, we are ready to embark on the next quarter century with renewed strength, passion, and determination. We will continue to grow our movement, expand our impact, and meet the challenges ahead. Because if not now, when? And if not us, then who?
AM YISRAEL CHAI!!
