When two Orthodox synagogues in Queens – Young Israel of Holliswood and Young Israel of Jamaica Estates – were vandalized with human feces and motor oil, the attack was intended to intimidate.
It was another painful reminder that antisemitism continues to evolve in both its visibility and its brazenness. The incidents are under investigation by the NYPD Hate Crimes Task Force.
But while the vandalism captured headlines, it is what happened afterward that deserves attention.
Just days later, rabbis, synagogue leaders, students, parents, and community members gathered at Etz Hayim at Hollis Hills Bayside. Representatives from the Jewish Center of Kew Gardens Hills, the ICCJ Men’s Club, Bayside Terrace, and other Queens congregations came together for an IMPACT advocacy training.
The gathering was not about fear.
It was about preparation.
For too long, Jewish communities have found themselves responding to antisemitism after it occurs. We condemn the incident, hold a rally, issue statements, and then wait for the next attack.
That cycle has to change.
At IMPACT, we believe the strongest communities are not those that simply respond well to crises – they are the ones prepared before the crisis begins.
That is why IMPACT was created.
Our mission is to organize, empower, and mobilize Jewish communities and their allies to combat antisemitism, stand proudly with the people of Israel, and amplify Jewish joy, resilience, and identity.
We do this by connecting synagogues, schools, nonprofits, student groups, and community leaders who too often operate independently. Through advocacy training, leadership development, digital engagement, rapid-response organizing, and coalition building, we help communities become stronger together than they could ever be alone.
As Rabbi David Wise reminded participants: “There are plenty of sources of anxiety. But we do have agency. We do have the capacity to make a difference.”
That message resonated because it challenged a growing feeling of helplessness.
Agency is one of the most powerful antidotes to fear.
William Maiman of the Jewish Center of Kew Gardens Hills described why this coalition matters: “Here in Queens, we see the ugly rise of antisemitism. This initiative is about unifying people and leading to more effective communication and positive action.”
Months before this gathering, community leaders such as Ira Chazan recognized that relationships needed to be built before another crisis occurred. Instead of waiting for the next antisemitic incident, they brought congregations together to establish a foundation for coordinated action.
That may prove to be the event’s greatest achievement.
Strengthening Jewish life
Rabbi Moshe Taub of Young Israel of Holliswood, whose synagogue had been targeted, refused to let hatred define the conversation.
Rather than urging Jews to retreat, he encouraged them to embrace their identity even more openly.
“Continue to come to shul, continue to pray, wear your Magen David (Star of David), wear your yarmulke, and keep your head held high,” he said.
He also reminded the audience that the fight against antisemitism cannot belong solely to the Jewish community: “We cannot survive without the help of our non-Jewish neighbors.”
History supports that observation. The greatest victories against hatred have always been built through principled partnerships between Jews and allies who recognize that defending one community ultimately protects all communities.
The lesson extends well beyond Queens.
Whether in New York, Jerusalem, Paris, London, Melbourne, or Buenos Aires, Jewish communities face different challenges but share a common need: organization.
Hate networks coordinate.
Extremists collaborate.
Disinformation spreads globally within minutes.
Jewish communities must be equally intentional in building networks of trust, leadership, and action.
This is not only about fighting antisemitism.
It is about strengthening Jewish life.
Communities that celebrate Jewish identity, proudly support Israel, invest in young leaders, cultivate allies, and respond together become far more resilient than communities defined only by the threats they face.
At the conclusion of the training, Rabbi Taub offered IMPACT a remarkable blessing.
He prayed that one day the organization would no longer be needed because there would be nothing left to protest.
That is a future worth striving for.
Until then, the Jewish world must move beyond reacting to antisemitism and begin investing in resilient communities capable of confronting it together.
Because while hate may be organized, hope can be organized as well.
And organized hope is one of the most powerful forces any community can build.
To learn more about IMPACT and join the movement to organize, empower, and mobilize communities to combat antisemitism, stand with the people of Israel, and amplify Jewish joy, follow @joinimpactnow on social media or visit www.joinimpact.app.
The writer is a nonprofit fundraiser, video journalist, and growth strategist specializing in Jewish storytelling and advocacy. He is co-founder and CEO of IMPACT, a movement to organize, empower, and mobilize communities against hate while celebrating Jewish joy (join the movement and follow on socials at @joinimpactnow). His reporting has appeared in national and Jewish media outlets. Aaron holds a BA from Binghamton University and an MPA from NYU’s Wagner School. Aaron can be reached at aaronherman@gmail.com.