Transcript [00:01] Good morning. [00:02] Welcome, Ambassador. [00:05] We are excited. While this is not your [00:07] first KUFI summit, we're excited that [00:09] you are speaking to the Kufi Summit for [00:11] the first time in the distinguished and [00:14] critical position that you serve in in [00:16] the Trump administration. [00:18] >> Thank you. [00:19] >> We have a great deal to get into. Get we [00:21] have a great deal to cover. So, let's [00:22] dive right in. You've described [00:24] anti-semitism not only as a threat to [00:27] Jewish Americans, but as a warning sign [00:29] for the health of our entire country. [00:32] Why should every American view [00:34] confronting anti-semitism as a moral [00:36] imperative? [00:39] Because our founding fathers when they [00:41] created this country and especially [00:43] after July 4th for America's 250th [00:46] birthday, our founding fathers knew that [00:48] Judeo-Christian values are the basis for [00:52] why a country has to succeed. So if you [00:55] take and you start reducing [00:58] those freedoms or challenging the [01:00] ability to have religious freedom, you [01:03] end up destroying the moral fabric of [01:05] society. When the moral fabric of [01:07] society thinks it's okay to attack any [01:11] particular segment in America or any [01:14] American at that point you realize that [01:17] we have a breakdown in society and part [01:19] of that is occurring today. [01:23] >> Yes. And so let's go a little bit [01:24] deeper. What we're seeing right now in [01:27] terms of anti-semitism, [01:29] what distinguishes this from what we've [01:31] seen at different periods in our [01:34] history? So I think we all are blessed [01:36] to live in a tech country that has [01:38] extreme technological advances. But [01:41] because of that because the ability to [01:43] disseminate information both true and [01:46] untrue so quickly allows people to take [01:50] a lie and bring it across the globe [01:53] within minutes. And because of that it [01:57] changes the dynamic. You see, if some [02:00] country 500 years ago decided that they [02:03] were going to have a ban against [02:05] something that was Jewish, no one knew [02:07] about it instantaneously. [02:10] Today, you know about it and it could be [02:12] a lie when a newspaper publishes an [02:15] absolute untruth about something that's [02:19] happening in Gaza or something that a [02:22] Jewish leader said and it's 100% false. [02:26] 50 million people will see it. But when [02:29] they correct it, a 100,000 people see [02:32] the correction. So therefore, when that [02:35] happens, you don't have that same [02:38] ability to correct what's wrong. [02:42] >> And speaking of, you know, how [02:43] everything now is global, your mandate [02:46] is not just domestic, it is global. The [02:48] office of the special envoy to monitor [02:50] and combat anti-semitism has this global [02:53] mandate. and you've traveled the world [02:56] in this position. What have been some of [02:58] your key takeaways from these issues [03:01] abroad and what would be meaningful and [03:04] measurable progress against [03:05] anti-semitism? [03:08] So having a global mandate that the [03:11] president and the secretary have given [03:13] and especially the fact that Congress [03:15] has elevated this office to an [03:16] ambassador level position and the [03:19] secretary and the president's executive [03:21] order to combat anti-semitism on every [03:25] level of government [03:27] means that there's a lot of weight [03:29] >> that deserves applause. [03:31] [applause] [03:36] It means that there's a lot of weight [03:38] when you walk into an office and you [03:40] represent as an ambassador of the United [03:42] States of America. [03:44] Case in point, I'll share with you a [03:46] brief story. We went to Belgium. My [03:49] first trip that we took as a diplomat [03:52] and we went to visit the synagogue that [03:54] was firebombed in Lege, France in [03:57] Belgium. [03:59] When I walked in an hour later to the [04:01] Belgium foreign minister, he said, "We [04:03] really don't have a major problem about [04:06] anti-semitism in Belgium." [04:09] And I said, "I agree with you. You're [04:11] right. I can go home." [04:13] I said, "But first answer a question for [04:16] me. [04:17] Why is it that it's my first trip to [04:19] Belgium? I'm visiting a synagogue that [04:22] was firebombed [04:25] and I visited with a hundred people who [04:27] live in your country who are scared [04:29] because they are Jewish. To me that is [04:33] anti-semitism and defines that we have [04:35] to do a better job. [04:38] Let me ask you a question sir. What do [04:41] you think it is? [04:44] Well, the the result of that story is a [04:48] few hours later we walked out with a [04:50] commitment from the Belgium government [04:52] to provide military personnel to protect [04:56] the Jewish community there. [05:06] The end result was three days later that [05:08] same military caught three youths trying [05:11] to firebomb a synagogue. They were [05:13] linked to the Iranian IRGC [05:17] and as a result, Belgium had to declare [05:19] that Iranian Revolutionary Guard as a [05:21] terrorist organization. [05:24] [applause and cheering] [05:29] Little things matter. When you do the [05:33] little things, it makes a huge [05:35] difference. Now to their credit, we'll [05:38] take the story a little bit further [05:41] that our office which is not the typical [05:44] office for ambassador to combat global [05:46] anti-semitism [05:49] but when the person was stabbed two [05:52] people were stabbed in Golders Green [05:53] England after a spade of 23 attacks [05:58] and I spoke about it with Secretary [06:00] Rubio [06:02] and he had gone into the Oval Office and [06:04] the sec president said let's get him. [06:07] and the person who is responsible for [06:10] all 23 attacks [06:12] of masterminding and funding those [06:15] attacks [06:17] through the efforts of our office, [06:20] US attorney for the Southern District, [06:23] Jay Clayton, [06:24] and Sebastian Gorka, who's the [06:27] president's counterterrorism individual, [06:30] and together with the incredible people [06:32] from the intergovernment agencies of the [06:35] FBI, DOJ, and all the agencies He's [06:37] involved. This gentleman is now cooling [06:40] his heels in the Brooklyn detention [06:42] center awaiting trial. And we haven't [06:46] had an attack since then. So this is [06:50] what our American people, our president, [06:52] our secretary, [06:55] and our government officials do. But you [06:58] see, here's something that has changed [07:00] in history. [07:02] You applauded when I said that there was [07:06] an increase in security by the Belgium [07:08] government for synagogues. When I grew [07:10] up as a child, I went to school without [07:12] having to have security by a synagogue, [07:15] without having to go to school that I [07:18] had to go through a maze of security. [07:21] We have to get back to that level in [07:23] America and the world. [07:28] [applause] [07:31] Absolutely cannot agree more. And my [07:33] children who go to a Jewish high school [07:34] in Atlanta passed through a gate, three [07:37] security guards. I'm thankful for all of [07:38] them, but that's the reality we live in [07:40] in America. [07:42] Let's talk about October 7th because so [07:45] much has shifted since that horrific [07:47] day. Anti-Semitic incidents and rhetoric [07:50] have surged online, in campuses, [07:53] workplaces. [07:54] What do you believe is driving that [07:56] increase? and please talk about some of [07:58] the ways that the Trump administration [08:00] is countering this. [08:03] >> I think the lesson from day one when the [08:05] president signed an executive order that [08:08] anti-semitism is not going to be [08:09] tolerated anywhere any place in America [08:12] and B on college campuses or anywhere [08:16] else. Everyone has the right to [08:17] religious freedom is probably the most [08:19] pivotal thing that he did on day one of [08:22] his administration among many of the [08:23] other things that he did. That's step [08:26] one. [08:31] The foreign influences of people funding [08:33] and having these groups that are busy [08:35] funding education, they claim it's [08:37] education, but it's really activism to [08:40] promote anti-Israel, anti-Jewish, [08:43] anti-Christian agendas, is really [08:46] something that we have to be much more [08:47] vigilant about. Here's a simple [08:50] question. when everyone speaks about how [08:52] we're all activists for humanity on the [08:54] college campuses. [08:56] Simple question. [08:59] You saw thousands of people on campuses [09:02] around the globe demonstrating against [09:04] what was going on with Israel and Gaza. [09:08] 42,000 people were killed in Iran in [09:10] less than 22 days. In two days, [09:15] those same college campuses didn't have [09:17] a protest. [09:19] That's called anti-semitism, not [09:22] activism. [09:24] [applause] [09:27] >> So, let's stay for a minute on on the [09:30] topic of campuses. First of all, in this [09:33] room, we have over 300 college students [09:36] representing over 150 college campuses [09:39] who are the allies of Jewish students. [09:41] So, thank you. [applause] [09:48] And this one is personal for me as my [09:49] son, my Jewish son is starting college [09:51] in August. So what responsibility do [09:55] universities have to protect our Jewish [09:57] students and where have some fallen too [10:00] short? [10:01] >> The responsibility is very clear. They [10:04] have every responsibility to protect the [10:07] Jewish students. Period. That's a [10:10] non-negotiable. [10:12] That's number one. Number two, to those [10:15] members that you just mentioned who are [10:17] on campuses, I salute all of you for [10:20] being on the front lines. Do not be [10:24] intimidated. [10:25] Do not hide yourselves and stand with [10:30] pride because you are doing what is [10:32] right. And I will share with you a [10:35] thought from the portion of the week [10:37] that we just read in the Bible where [10:38] Pinas was a zealot. [10:42] You can be the zealots. Lead by example. [10:46] You have to lead by example. There's a [10:49] great story that the rabbis were having [10:52] a discussion about what is the most [10:53] important verse in the Bible. [10:58] The most important verse. One rabbi [11:00] said, "In the beginning, God created the [11:02] heavens and the earth." That's the most [11:03] important one. Another rabbi said, "The [11:07] next verse is here. Oh Israel, the Lord [11:10] our God, the Lord is one. That's the [11:12] most important verse. And another rabbi [11:15] chimed in and he said, [11:17] "And you should prepare the lamb for [11:20] slaughtering every day on behalf of the [11:22] Jewish people in the temple." [11:25] And the question is, why is that so [11:27] important? And that was the verse that [11:30] was decided in the argument. The reason [11:33] being, and this is important for the [11:35] youth out there and for everybody in the [11:37] room, the reason it was so important is [11:41] because that lamb that they brought [11:46] made no difference in the contribution [11:48] size of the wealthiest man to the [11:50] poorest man. Everybody had given the [11:52] same amount to the temple, the half [11:56] coin, the half shekele that they did in [11:59] order that everybody's equal. The beauty [12:02] that our founding fathers did in [12:04] creating this country [12:06] is that all men are created equal. [12:10] Whether you're the poorest person, the [12:12] richest person, whether you are a [12:14] special needs child, or you're a genius, [12:18] we all are Americans. We all are [12:20] protected. We all have to be protected [12:23] equally. And for those of you on [12:25] campuses or for those of you around the [12:27] world who are doing and what you're [12:29] doing here in America that Kufi does, [12:31] it's so important because the lessons [12:34] have to be we are an incredible nation, [12:37] but we are incredible nation when we [12:39] have everybody being equal and everybody [12:43] respecting one another as ambassadors [12:45] for all of humanity. [12:47] >> Thank you and amen. [applause] [12:51] So, uh, that leads beautifully into the [12:54] next question. Here we have thousands of [12:56] Christians from all over the United [12:58] States representing all 50 states. Thank [13:01] you, Hawaii and Alaska. [13:04] [applause and cheering] [13:05] So, what can our Christian allies do to [13:09] stand with this Jewish community? [13:11] >> Well, first of all, to those in Hawaii [13:13] and Alaska, I think in the last month [13:15] and a half, I have a lot more frequent [13:16] flyer miles than you guys. [13:20] What can you do? [13:23] You're going to laugh when I say it [13:24] because I think you may think it's so [13:26] simple, but it's not. [13:29] Be active in your local school boards. [13:32] Be active in your public schools. [13:35] Be active in your communities, in your [13:38] churches, in your places of worship. It [13:41] is so important [13:44] for people to hear [13:47] what it means that you're friendly with [13:49] the Jewish nation, what Israel means, [13:52] what we do as people. [13:55] I cannot tell you how many people in the [13:57] Midwest have never met a Jew. [14:02] Okay? It's you our responsibility [14:05] collectively to make that message clear [14:08] to everybody what the Jewish nation is [14:10] about. A short story. I was in a having [14:14] a discussion with a group of people and [14:16] a child told me, a high school student, [14:19] the Holocaust didn't happen. You made up [14:21] the numbers [14:24] in the Midwest. I said, "Have you ever [14:26] met a Jew before?" And he said, "No." I [14:27] said, "But let me ask you a question. [14:30] Are you calling General Eisenhower a [14:32] liar? [14:34] Let me ask you a different question. Did [14:37] your any family members serve in the US [14:39] military during World War II? He says, [14:41] "Yes, proudly." [14:43] I said, "I promise you they would roll [14:45] over in their graves if they knew that [14:48] you think that what they saw in [14:50] combating the axis of evil going through [14:53] Europe, seeing the death camps, for you [14:57] to be able to say that you think this is [15:00] made up. General Eisenhower said there [15:03] would come a time when people would deny [15:05] its existence. Unfortunately, I think he [15:08] was hoping it would be 500 years from [15:11] now. Not today. We are in a fight [15:15] because history can be distorted with a [15:18] click of a button. [15:20] We all collectively have to ask those [15:23] groups that are allowing that distortion [15:27] to be able to fix that or at least [15:30] announce it. You can have freedom of [15:32] speech. People have a right to hate me. [15:34] They don't have a right to impede my [15:37] ability to worship. And they don't have [15:39] the right to stop me from going to [15:41] synagogue pray or anybody to go to [15:43] church and pray or intimidate our [15:46] childrens that they should be [15:47] embarrassed or afraid to be able to go [15:50] to a synagogue or a church. Religion is [15:53] not a dirty word. Okay? We cannot allow [15:57] religion, any type of religion to be [16:01] something that is condemned by groups of [16:03] people. [16:05] >> Thank you. And [16:07] uh you you'll be happy uh to learn that [16:10] every single KUFI pastor we bring to [16:13] Israel, we now bring them to Poland [16:15] before because of what you just said. [16:17] They may have congregants. They have may [16:18] have people in their community who [16:22] say the same thing that student said to [16:23] you and they can come back and say, "No, [16:26] we stood in the gas chambers in [16:28] Burkenau. We saw Ashwitz with our own [16:30] eyes. We just had a group of 50 high [16:34] school students returned from a week in [16:35] Poland and we implemented a Holocaust [16:39] curriculum in Christian schools across [16:41] the country." Exactly what you just [16:44] shared. Thank God we're able to [16:45] implement. So, thank you. [16:52] So, let me ask you about a line that a [16:55] lot of people struggle to draw. How [16:57] should Americans distinguish between [17:00] legitimate criticism of the Israeli [17:02] government and anti-semitism that [17:05] targets Jews collectively, denies [17:07] Israel's right to exist, or excuses [17:10] violence against Jews? [17:13] >> So, first of all, you have freedom of [17:15] speech. Everybody has a right to [17:16] criticize. I can tell you that I I've [17:18] leared it. I've gotten it. So, I can [17:20] tell you that everybody has a right to [17:22] criticize. What you don't have a right [17:24] to do is what makes crosses the border [17:28] is what I said before. If you're not [17:30] going to condemn the slaughter of [17:32] Christians in Nigeria, you're not going [17:34] to condemn the eager. You're not going [17:37] to condemn the terrorism and those [17:39] people in Iran. But what you're going to [17:42] do is say Israel is the person. Then you [17:46] don't have a right to condemn. Period. [17:48] Because that's the anti-semitism level. [17:50] You don't have to like every [17:51] government's policies. You don't have to [17:54] like how governments do things. And you [17:56] can legitimately criticize. What you [17:58] cannot do is selectively criticize only [18:02] Israel because you don't like what [18:04] they're doing. That's where it becomes [18:06] and crosses that line. Be consistent in [18:09] your criticism, but be cons consistent [18:12] across the board that Christians are [18:14] being killed in so many countries and [18:17] the world is silent. Jews, when I was in [18:20] England, one of the ministers said to [18:22] me, "We're only here to discuss [18:24] anti-semitism." [18:26] And I said, "I'm sorry. No, we're not. [18:27] We're here to discuss the grooming of of [18:30] women. We're here to discuss the fact [18:32] that synagogues have that churches have [18:33] been burned." She said, "Why? You're the [18:35] ambassador for anti-semitism." I said, [18:37] "No, the president and the secretary [18:39] have made it clear. We are all [18:41] ambassadors for humanity. I will speak [18:44] out on things that are not." And to go [18:47] there and share with you a brief story, [18:50] [applause] [18:51] Ellie Weisel, [18:53] a mentor of mine who was a close friend [18:57] on July 4th would read the Declaration [19:00] of Independence to his family about how [19:02] incredible this country is. And as I [19:05] said on the Shabbat that we did and [19:07] Pastor Hegy and Dr. Aden and his family [19:10] were so kind in being there for [19:12] America's birthday 250th birthday [19:15] Shabbat. I said we have to change the [19:17] term that I don't want to be the [19:18] ambassador to combat global [19:20] anti-semitism. [19:22] Anti-semitism is a word that's come up [19:24] in the last 250 years. Our next 250 [19:29] years needs to be I am the ambassador [19:32] for proseism. [19:34] Thank you. [19:35] >> Thank you. [19:39] I I could think of no better words to [19:41] end our time together. And just so you [19:44] know and everyone in your office knows, [19:46] there's 10 million Christians who are [19:48] praying and actively working on behalf [19:50] of combating anti-semitism and ensuring [19:53] that dream comes true. So I would ask [19:56] all of you, we are announcing a major [19:58] initiative out of our offices that we [20:01] are going to promote 250 of the greatest [20:04] Jewish American contributors to America [20:07] through history. [20:09] It's going to go from the likes of Kaim [20:11] Solomon who helped fund the American [20:13] Revolution [20:15] [applause] [20:16] to Jonas Sulk to Irving Berlin to Sandy [20:21] Kofax for those of you who are are you [20:24] know fans but but across the boardman [20:27] Rickover who designed the nuclear [20:29] submarine program for America we have so [20:34] many heroes we don't have to stop at 250 [20:37] we'll continue but Use those things on [20:40] the Instagram and the internet to help [20:42] combat. Share it. Spread it. The more we [20:46] talk about the p positive impacts that [20:48] American jury has for a kid who doesn't [20:51] know a Jew or is learning what a Jew is [20:55] from people who hate Jews or hate [20:57] religion or hate Christianity, it is so [21:00] important that they get messaging across [21:04] that is absolutely positive. So please, [21:07] I urge you all to work with it, learn [21:09] more about it, contact our office, but [21:12] it's something that the State Department [21:13] is doing worldwide together with various [21:16] partners. I thank you all. I thank you [21:19] and I urge you, keep up what you're [21:21] doing. It is so important what you do. [21:24] You don't know the long-term effects. [21:26] But as I said when I took this job, I [21:30] said, I won't know all my victories [21:31] because if we teach a child not to hate [21:33] and he doesn't do something stupid, I'll [21:36] get the victory in heaven, but we're not [21:38] going to get the victory down here. But [21:40] thank you. [21:41] >> Amen. And thank you.
