WASHINGTON — Christians and Jews must stand together amid a “moral plague” that fuels the types of hatred responsible for the assassination of political figures like Charlie Kirk and senseless attacks on houses of worship, the CEO of the antisemitism watchdog Anti-Defamation League told a gathering of Hispanic Christians.
“The ADL is the oldest anti-hate organization in America,” Jonathan Greenblatt told attendees at the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference’s annual leadership summit on Tuesday. “We were founded in 1913, and we are steadfast in our commitment to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and secure justice and fair treatment to all.”
NHCLC, which represents thousands of churches throughout the United States and the Spanish-speaking world, hosted the summit at the Museum of the Bible, focusing on various issues facing Latino communities, like immigration and antisemitism.
Drawing from the book of Genesis, Greenblatt reflected on the biblical teaching that every human being is created “in the image of God,” noting that Christians and Jews share this belief.
“Every life is sacred. Every person is deserving of dignity,” he said. “But in recent years, we’ve been beset by a kind of crisis — like a moral plague. Far too many people in our great country have forgotten this most fundamental teaching.”
The CEO cited the murder of conservative activist Kirk last month as an example of the current crisis he believes is impacting society. Kirk, the 31-year-old founder of Turning Point USA, was fatally shot during a public debate session at Utah Valley University.
“Kirk was a political activist and the father of two young children who was killed in cold blood,” Greenblatt stated. “Now, yes, he had a range of ideas and all of us, including at ADL, might not have agreed with all of them.”
“But Charlie Kirk was a champion; a warrior in the fight against antisemitism, and a true friend of Israel and a Christian and a man of devout faith,” he added.
Greenblatt declared that a “tsunami of antisemitism” has swept across American society, with reports of violence and harassment against Jewish students on college campuses and attacks carried out at synagogues.
“What starts with the Jews never ends with the Jews,” the advocate and CEO warned.
The ADL, which tracks incidents of antisemitism nationwide, recorded 9,354 antisemitic incidents across the United States in 2024 — the highest number recorded since the organization began tracking this type of data over 40 years ago.
Greenblatt referenced multiple tragedies that have impacted people across a variety of faiths and ethnicities: the 2018 Tree of Life Synagogue shooting in Pittsburgh, the 2019 Walmart attack in El Paso targeting Hispanic shoppers and the 2015 massacre at one of the oldest black churches in Charleston, South Carolina.
“All these attackers denied their humanity,” he said. “They were nihilists who believed in nothing — consumed by hate.”
He described the protective measures Jewish synagogues and institutions throughout the country are forced to take to defend against hate, such as hiring a security detail or installing bulletproof windows.
“But let’s be honest,” the CEO said. “You can never build walls that are high enough to keep out hatred.”
Instead, Greenblatt believes that the solution lies in building relationships. “The answer isn’t to shut yourself in or lock yourself away, but to open yourself up — not to erect walls, but to build bridges,” he told the audience.
Expressing gratitude for the NHCLC, Greenblatt announced a “historic partnership” between the ADL and the church network to combat antisemitism. He promised free registration to everyone from NHCLC to attend the ADL’s annual Never Is Now summit in New York this March.
“This partnership is about standing together as Jews and Christians, side by side — to say that we see the image of God in every person; to say that we feel the divine spark in each and every one of us,” he said. “And we will defend the dignity of every human being.”
He called on Christians and Jews alike to connect and recognize the “real threats” and “real enemies,” arguing that the current culture is one that “demands moral clarity.”
He urged the audience to have “the moral courage to live a life of faith.”
“To embody the very values we take from our texts — texts that we share — and to teach our children to love our neighbors as we love ourselves,” he said.
“Visit your Jewish neighbors. Introduce yourself to a rabbi in a local synagogue,” Greenblatt urged. “And we’re asking our Jewish community to do the same — to visit their Christian neighbors, to introduce themselves to your pastors and ministers, to build bridges with you in your cities and towns.”
“This is about people, it’s about connection,” he declared. “It’s about showing our congregations, our children, our communities, what it looks like when Christians and Jews stand shoulder to shoulder in the face of hate.”
“Imagine Hispanic pastors standing up publicly against antisemitism. Imagine Jewish leaders standing up against attacks on Christian churches. Imagine our communities across this country modeling fellowship instead of division.”
Concluding his remarks, Greenblatt said the Shehecheyanu, a Jewish blessing traditionally recited to offer thanks after experiencing something for the first time.
“So, standing here today in front of all of you in the shadow of the miracle that took place yesterday, this is one of those moments,” Greenblatt said, referring to Hamas releasing 20 living hostages as part of a peace deal brokered by President Donald Trump’s administration.
The remaining hostages freed through the deal endured over 700 days in captivity. Hamas, the terror group that has controlled the Gaza Strip for nearly two decades, abducted many of the hostages from the Nova Music Festival or from kibbutz communities on Oct. 7, 2023.
Samantha Kamman is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: samantha.kamman@christianpost.com. Follow her on Twitter: @Samantha_Kamman
