Without comparing the two experiences, I want to share with you what the Jewish community has experienced over the past several months, and the striking lack of support and solidarity.

Since October 7, 2023, Jews around the world have experienced a level of violence, fear, and vulnerability not seen since the 1940s. A rise in antisemitism is evident in the rhetoric and vandalism Jews have seen for well over a year in their communities and on their social media feeds. And in the past couple of months, antisemitic behavior escalated to multiple acts of violence, including murder.

In April, on the Jewish holiday of Passover, a man tried to burn down Jewish Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s residence with his family inside.

In late May, a young couple—a Jewish woman and a man who was preparing to convert to Judaism—were publicly executed in Washington, DC. When apprehended by police, the shooter said, “I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza.” The couple was shot 21 times.

Barely a week later, in Boulder, Colorado, a man firebombed a peaceful march advocating for the release of Israeli hostages while shouting “end Zionists”. Dozens were burned, including a Holocaust survivor and many other elderly people.

In early June, a man in Michigan was arrested for planning a mass murder at a Jewish preschool. This massacre was prevented only because the man was caught trying to purchase assault weapons.

In response to these events and after monitoring online activity, the FBI and DHS declared there is an elevated threat to the Jewish community in America.

This spree of events has been extremely traumatic for Jews everywhere. It caps off 18 months of mounting intimidation and attacks on Jews around the world—on campuses, in places of worship, in homes, businesses, restaurants, and more. Yet the response from society, especially from the same leaders, institutions, and voices who claimed to stand for justice in 2020, has been shockingly quiet. There has been no flood of letters from CEOs. No social media squares. No mass vigils or protests. No corporate giving. Barely a dribble from Hollywood.

Most of the figures speaking out have been Jewish. Many Jews do not know a single non-Jew who has addressed these incidents on social media or in company communications. Many have not had a single non-Jew check in on them to ask how they are holding up. If they are afraid. If they feel unsafe.

Just a few years ago, allyship was emphasized as a moral imperative. Today, many of those allies are conspicuously silent, even after Jewish leaders proudly stood up to support other groups’ social justice causes, as they have for decades.

This has left Jews everywhere feeling isolated from any degree of support outside their own community. The hallmarks of antisemitism that Jews have observed for centuries—blaming Jews for society’s ills, spreading falsehoods or outright lies about Jews, or ignoring Jews’ pleas for support—are visible throughout our society today.

In fact, these warning signs of antisemitism are increasingly evident in multiple influential institutions in our culture. Particularly, Jews are observing this in academia, the news media, popular culture, and politics.

Colleges and Universities

Antisemitic rhetoric is, unfortunately, deeply rooted on many college campuses, which have become a key point of incubation. Ideological activists have spent years emphasizing a simplistic oppressor-versus-oppressed framework where moral responsibility is determined not by character or actions, but by identity, and academic leaders have been especially receptive to this framing. Because I wrote extensively about this in early 2024, I won’t spend too much time on that here, but I welcome you to read that post, which time has validated in many ways. What is important to know is that within this lens, Jews have been arbitrarily cast as “oppressors,” unworthy of support, an ideology that’s visible in campus leaders’ lackluster response to campus unrest.

The News Media

CNN, MSNBC, the BBC, and The Washington Post have all repeatedly published and later retracted false stories of alleged Israeli atrocities, based solely on claims from Hamas or Al Jazeera, without any independent fact checking. For example, days before the DC murders, a viral claim spread that 14,000 babies were going to die in 24 hours due to the Israeli blockade in Gaza, which was a dishonest twisting of a United Nations statistic. Then, the very day of the Boulder firebombing, those news outlets reported that the IDF murdered Palestinians seeking food at an aid distribution center in Gaza, even though there was no evidence that the shooting occurred.

While both stories were retracted, those corrections were buried. Meanwhile, lies always travel much further and faster than the truth, inflaming antisemitic rhetoric online and in the real world, aided by social media algorithms. These retracted reports, from legitimate news sources, give credibility to people aiming to paint Jews as the oppressive enemy.

Popular Culture

In 2017, when a terrorist bombing killed 22 people and injured over 1,000 others at an Ariana Grande concert in Manchester, artists like Coldplay, Justin Bieber, and Miley Cyrus hosted a tribute concert that raised over $13 million to support victims and their families. It was a deeply moving show of compassion and a cause my own daughter raised money for at the time.

But an even deadlier attack took place at the Nova Music Festival on October 7th. Nearly 400 young adults, including festival goers and staff, were slaughtered by Hamas, making it the deadliest massacre at a music event in history. Yet the music world was conspicuously silent.

Last summer, I visited the Nova Exhibition in New York, a memorial to the victims that features footage captured on the terrorists’ own GoPro cameras and attendees’ cell phones. Outside the building a crowd of protestors gathered, lit red and green flares, and held signs stating “long live the intifada,” effectively celebrating the very massacre that the memorial was commemorating.

Can you think of any other instance where we have ever tolerated the protesting of a memorial?

Political and Civic Leaders

Among government and civic leaders, there has also been a clear lack of compassion or consistent moral standards. Humanitarian groups such as UN Women, Human Rights Watch, and Amnesty International—normally swift to condemn gender-based violence—remained noticeably silent in response to the rape and murder of many Israeli women during the October 7th attack. These organizations stood by while the survivors of these assaults had their credibility openly questioned, including by the United Nations. It wasn’t until March 2024 that the UN quietly acknowledged the veracity of those women’s claims.

And in our polarizing political moment, one thing that unites the fringes on opposite sides of the political spectrum is antisemitism. The progressive wing of the left is now rivaling the right in promoting antisemitism, often with far less scrutiny and criticism. Cloaked in the language of social justice, this has become the fastest-growing and most socially accepted form of antisemitism today, hiding in plain sight. Even Van Jones, a progressive commentator, recently called out this behavior, questioning whether progressives are being manipulated into hating Jews.

The same people who condemned the chants of “Jews will not replace us” in Charlottesville are now conspicuously silent when antisemitic hate—thinly disguised as “anti-Zionism”—rings out across many other campus quads. They say nothing when calls to “globalize the intifada” or “free Palestine from the river to the sea,”—which are explicit calls for the eradication of Israel—inspire violence against people simply for being Jewish.

And make no mistake, this rash of attacks is not precisely targeting staunch supporters of Israel’s war in Gaza. In fact, the opposite is true.

Governor Shapiro has criticized the war in Gaza and staunchly opposes the current Israeli government. His home wasn’t set on fire because of his views, but because he is Jewish.

The man who shot the couple in the street in DC didn’t know a single thing about his victims. He surely didn’t know that the couple were public advocates for peace between Israel and Palestine. He saw two people who appeared to be Jewish and loudly and proudly executed them.

The marchers in Boulder were not rallying in support of Israel’s current government or its actions. Their goal was to raise awareness about the dozens of hostages still imprisoned in Gaza 18 months after October 7th. And a person decided to try to burn that group of Jews to death.

War is horrific, and there has been extraordinary suffering in Gaza. Many civilians in Gaza desperately want Hamas to lay down their weapons and return the hostages. Many Jews who believe Israel has the right to exist strongly oppose both the war and the Netanyahu administration.

Seeing the rise in antisemitic rhetoric and violence makes something crystal clear: even Jews who oppose the war are not safe from this ideological danger, because recent events have shown that many see the war as justification to target any Jewish person. The war is regularly used to justify the boycott or exclusion of Jewish customers, businesses, academics, athletes, and institutions around the world. Jews are being harassed for wearing traditional religious garb. They are seeing their businesses torched and vandalized, as was done in the lead-up to the Holocaust. And Jews are being targeted for lynching and murder on an increasingly frequent basis. These acts have nothing to do with Israel. People are not asking these Jews if they support Israel’s current war or government before they harass or harm them. They are frequently using “anti-Zionism” as cover for hate. Zionism itself is a term these assailants have weaponized beyond what the vast majority of Jews believe it to mean: that Israel has a right to exist.

Jewish parents today routinely tell their children to hide visible signs of their identity and it has become common advice among Jews to change their last names on rideshare apps as a practical safety tip. And outside of nearly every Jewish place of worship or school, there is invariably armed security or a police car.

The fear is real. The threat is real. This is all happening right now. I urge you to pay attention.

This is why so many Jewish people feel a deep, unwavering connection to Israel, not just as a homeland, but as a safeguard for their right to exist freely and openly in a world that too often fails to protect them. Without it, the fear of another Holocaust isn’t theoretical. And looking at the world today and the behaviors and actions we have normalized, it is hard to argue that fear is misplaced.

The double standards are clear and the lack of basic moral clarity is devastating.

Listening to people defend the indefensible is exhausting.

We have a choice.

As individuals. As leaders. As communities.

We can recognize right from wrong.

We’ve stood up for what’s right before.

We can stand up again.

We are better than this.

Now it is time to prove it.

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There's no way around it: last year, far too many campus deans, presidents, and administrators did not receive a passing grade in leadership. This fall, just as a struggling student would, they must improve their performance to retain their place at their prestigious institutions. Specifically, that means overseeing campuses where free speech and diverse ideas thrive alongside respect and civility.

Campus leaders should follow this eight-step lesson plan, assembled from best practices proven effective on campuses nationwide, to restore control and create a welcoming environment for all students.

1. Eliminate Double Standards: Fairness and consistency aren’t electives—they should be the foundation of leadership. Apply the same rules to everyone, without exception or bias. Without consistency, a leader's legitimacy is nearly impossible to maintain. It did not go unnoticed that many of the same schools that supported and enforced preferred speech codes, enabled cancel culture, and implemented microaggression and sensitivity training for professors suddenly allowed free speech to be a viable defense for hateful rhetoric and open discrimination on campus. 

2. Enforce the Rules, With Real Consequences: Most campuses prohibited encampments, but these rules quickly lost meaning when administrators failed to enforce them. This inaction emboldened students to push boundaries, escalating their behavior. This lack of action emboldened students to push boundaries, leading to more aggressive behavior. Schools like the University of Florida, which made consequences clear from the start, maintained safer and more respectful environments. As we head into fall, some schools have outlined clearer prohibited behaviors, but the real challenge will be their commitment to enforcement. When a suspended group violates that suspension, the individuals involved should face suspension or expulsion. Moreover, administrators must stop negotiating with rule-breakers, as it only invites further misconduct. Finally, allowing student representatives to exonerate peers further undermines the administration’s authority to enforce its own rules.

3. Enforce Time and Place Restrictions: One person's rights should never infringe upon another's. Students deserve the freedom to learn, sleep, and attend events, including speakers and graduation ceremonies, without harassment, disruption or interference. The right to protest does not extend to disrupting others' educational experiences. Specifically, diplomas should be withheld from those who disrupt graduations.  

4. Make Tough Decisions Early: Avoiding difficult decisions upfront only leads to compounded problems and forces tougher choices later. Leaders must act decisively before campus protests spiral out of control, as seen at Columbia this past spring. Failing to do so undermines the administration's authority and control.

5. No Masked Protests: Student protestors should not be allowed to hide behind masks. Concealing identities fosters bad behavior and undermines accountability. Allowing protesters to hide their faces eliminates the fear of consequences, which can easily lead to increased violence and misconduct. If students want to take a stand for their principles, they should be willing to put their face to it—this will encourage protestors to act with greater integrity and responsibility.

6. Protect Private Property: Most college campuses are private property, and campus leaders are not obligated to allow non-students to incite violence or vandalize property as they did this spring, actions that caused millions of dollars in damage. Individuals who disrupt campus life and cannot present a valid student ID should be immediately escorted off campus. Local law enforcement should be called upon to assist if campus security cannot enforce this policy.

7. Reinforce Values: Leaders must firmly and unequivocally denounce behaviors that conflict with their schools’ stated values, especially if the violated behavior is rooted in hate and intimidation. While certain expressions may be protected by free speech, a university is not obligated to condone such behavior in classrooms or on campus. Students and professors unwilling to adhere to their institutions’ values should seek a different place to teach or study.

8. Lead from the Front: Leadership isn’t about issuing statements from the safety of your office. True leaders must be visible, actively engaged, and ready to take control. In times of crisis, step out, take charge, and lead from the front with presence and proactive action.

Following these principles will help leaders create a campus environment where protest and free speech coexist without one person's rights trampling another's, allowing everyone to enjoy their educational experience without harassment. This fall, we’ll see which leaders and campuses earn top marks—or get a failing grade.

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“Have we reached the ultimate stage of absurdity when some people are held responsible for things that happened before they were born, while other people are not held responsible for what they themselves are doing today?”
- Thomas Sowell, 2022

As someone who graduated almost 25 years ago, I was largely unaware of the dramatic changes unfolding across Ame…

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This weekend, Penn is hosting a cultural event called the Palestine Writes Literary Festival. The event, which is a cultural celebration of Palestinian writers and arti…

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For many years, I led a culture orientation for new employees at our company. In addition to providing an overview of our company's vision, mission and core values, I also addressed how we live and act on those principles within our organization. At the end, I always asked the new employees to share how they feel about their first few weeks at Acceleration Partners (AP) and to tell me how our company differs from other places they have worked.

Once, a new employee remarked that everyone at AP was surprisingly helpful. He said our team's willingness to share knowledge reflected a mentality that was quite different from what he was used to at his previous place of employment. If you knew something there, he said, you kept it to yourself "as a competitive advantage."

I found that stunning. What this employee was describing was an organization actually fighting itself from within—essentially experiencing "friendly fire."

How does that happen? My view is that it all comes down to leadership.

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I had the same title for over 10 years after I started Acceleration Partners: Founder and Managing Director. I was reluctant to change it because I liked that it was understated. A friend of mine calls himself "chief cook and bottle washer" at the company he founded, and I've always appreciated the humor and humbleness of that.

But once Acceleration Partners grew to over 100 people and got a global footprint, my title started causing some confusion. We needed Managing Directors to run different regions and areas of the business, so I finally changed my title to founder and CEO in 2018. Again, this was over a decade after the company’s founding in 2007.

When I made the change I took some time to reflect on what these roles and titles mean for a founder and an entrepreneurial business as it grows and evolves.

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People say, "Don't sweat the small stuff." But that's no way to get ahead in business. A better quote for success comes from Hunter S. Thompson: "Anything worth doing is worth doing right."

Without a doubt, that's the philosophy that has made Ann Miura-Ko one of the most respected venture capitalists in the country.

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The purpose of giving feedback to someone is to help that person improve. Likewise, when we ask others for feedback, we’re asking them to assist in our own journey of self-improvement.

We can all improve at something, which means we can all benefit from feedback. For a leader of a company or team, asking employees, friends, and colleagues for feedback serves an additional purpose: it’s a way of walking the walk and ensuring the feedback processes you build into your company's operations are still useful.

Giving timely feedback provides context--which helps people understand how to apply it going forward.

The idea of real-time feedback is used at successful companies all over the world, including Ray Dalio's world-renowned head fund, Bridgewater Associates. In his book, Principles, Dalio encouraged one of his employees to send him feedback after a relatively poor speech he gave to a potential client. The feedback was sent on the same day:

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If you're in the market for a new job and think you've found the one, the first thing you should do before signing any paperwork is investigate that company's culture.

Specifically, try to determine whether the company in question values inputs more than outputs. In other words, does management care more about face time and time cards than the outcomes employees produce?

More often than not, such companies have very unhealthy cultures. Here's why.

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There are a few obvious things people look for in a company culture. We all want to be where people are treated well, where leadership cares, and where the benefits are terrific. At the same time, most people agree that mistreating workers, lying, stealing, and cheating are sure signs of a bad culture.

But there's more to culture than these broad outlines, and that's where most companies and workers run into trouble. Once the fundamentals are covered--such as decent pay, safe conditions, and clear expectations--I think great culture comes down to values and fit. What's perfect for one person can be terrible for someone else, so it's important for people on both sides of the hiring line to discuss expectations.

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Every business leader wants an edge to help develop talent faster and with a higher success rate. But despite these innovative efforts, career paths at most organizations look similar: An employee starts at an entry level job working on a team, advances to manage their own projects, then eventually is promoted to lead a team of their own.

In fact, most organizations have an explicit or unstated norm that becoming a manager or team leader is the only way to advance up the organizational chart or gain higher levels of compensation. To reach the highest level of seniority in an organization, an employee may even need to lead a full department, with dozens, or hundreds, of people under their leadership.

This path doesn't suit everyone, however. While a key responsibility of a leader is to identify and develop new leaders, it's also crucial to ensure the people identified for leadership roles actually want to lead. Any leader who fails to do this puts their organization's health in jeopardy.

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On the final day of our advanced leadership training workshops at Acceleration Partners, which we design to prepare new managers to lead, we do something that always catches attendees by surprise.

After spending previous sessions on things like core values and authentic leadership, we close with “difficult conversations” role-playing exercise. We crafted several prompts that were based on real performance management conversation topics, and we assigned volunteers to act out each role—with one person playing the manager and the other playing the direct-report.

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Having a great company culture always mattered a lot to me at Acceleration Partners (AP). We spent years developing a culture that both supports employees and helps us deliver value to customers; along the line we have built a great reputation.

Glassdoor, a website that features anonymous employee reviews, has given us several awards, including #4 Best Place to Work and #2 Small Business CEO. That’s why I was a bit taken aback when, back in 2018, a past employee posted a negative review on the site, commenting both on what it was like to work at the company and taking my leadership to task.

Based on the specific nature of the comments, I was able to check my exit interview notes and determine the review likely came from someone who left the company almost four years before the review, when we were a much smaller, and very different business. Since this employee was a top performer and well-liked by both peers and management, it was not someone I would have expected to be carrying around such negative feelings years later.   

This is one of the reasons the feedback was valuable, and I learned several important lessons from this experience that I carried forward during my tenure as CEO.

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This week, it was a pleasure to host a private seminar for Friday Forward’s paid subscribers. I was joined by Conor Neill, who is a serial entrepreneur, world-class public speaker and professor of leadership at IESE Business School, where he specializes in teaching people how to be outstanding communicators and public speakers.

In the seminar, which you can watch below, Conor walked the audience through four key steps to level up as a communicator in all facets of life. Check it out:

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Thank you for your ongoing support of Friday Forward!

If you enjoy Friday Forward and share it regularly, I am excited to announce that with Substack’s new referral program, you can now receive subscription credits for those referrals.

Here’s how it works

1. Share Friday Forward.

There are two ways to get credit for referrals.

• Use the “Share” button that…

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Trendy health interventions are now called "biohacks," and "growth hacking" is presented as a quick and easy business strategy. Such hacks are an easy sell to people who want instant gratification, but you shouldn't believe the hype.

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As author Daniel Pink illustrates in his bestselling book When: The Science of Perfect Timing, a poor start often has long-term negative effects.

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There are a lot of positives to saying no. Turning down additional work and obligations allows you to remain focused on your top priorities and the commitments you have already made. If you don…

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