On May 6, Emunah hosted its annual WOW (Women of Wonder) Dinner at the elegant Moise Safra Center in the Upper East Side of Manhattan. The rain had cleared just in time for guests to enjoy a bountiful buffet on the balcony, where a display of photographs by professional photographer and honoree Abbie Sophia captured the strength and resilience of Israel since Oct. 7, 2023.
After an hour of mingling, guests transitioned indoors for the evening’s powerful program. The atmosphere turned solemn and respectful as the audience stood for “Hatikvah,” “The Star-Spangled Banner,” and prayers for the IDF soldiers and hostages. A poignant tribute followed, honoring the late Alana Karp, z”l, a beloved Emunah team member and the visionary behind the WOW Dinner. A newly dedicated music room at Achuzat Sara, one of Emunah’s children’s homes in Israel, has been dedicated in her memory.
Emunah’s National President Careena Parker welcomed the crowd with stirring words: “This year, with the escalating rise of antisemitism and terror across the world, we are more aware than ever of the need to be strong, united, outspoken and proud. Since Oct. 7, the landscape of Israel and the Jewish world has shifted. And yet, Emunah didn’t hesitate. We mobilized immediately—opening our centers to displaced families, expanding trauma therapy, providing emergency care to children, and supporting our front-line educators and therapists—while never losing sight of the individuals behind each statistic.”
Debbie Bienenfeld, chairwoman of Emunah of America, introduced the evening’s panel discussion: “Voices Against Antisemitism: Advocacy in Action.” The conversation was moderated by Tova Plaut, co-founder of the New York City Public School Alliance, a groundbreaking initiative supporting students and parents confronting antisemitism in the city’s school system.
The panel featured three compelling voices from vastly different backgrounds:
Ellie Cohanim, a former U.S. deputy special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism, media host and national security contributor;
Rawan Osman, a Lebanese-Syrian/German activist who promotes Arab-Israeli normalization and open dialogue through her platform “Arabs Ask”; and
Tessa Veksler, a young Jewish leader and former student body president at UC Santa Barbara, known for her bold stand against campus antisemitism.
Each woman shared her personal journey. Cohanim recalled her family’s escape from Iran during the 1979 Islamic Revolution, after her father was threatened for his ties to Israel. They were on one of the first planes out of Iran after the president of their Jewish community was killed. They arrived in Queens. Her father had been very successful in Iran but they had to lose everything to simply escape. “I carry the Jewish story with me, and I have no choice but to speak out,” she said.
Osman reflected on her own transformation: “I was an antisemite just like my friends in Lebanon. I was one of Hezbollah’s biggest fans as a teenager.” Her perspective changed during a year of study in France, where interactions with Jewish neighbors challenged the hatred she realized she had been brainwashed to feel.
Veksler described her awakening as a Jewish advocate. “I was actually really proud of myself when I got into UC Santa Barbara and then I realized that you didn’t have to be that educated to go. The people I was sitting next to were so easily brainwashed by a 60-second video on TikTok.” Veksler was the student body president, a position of power among the 24,000-strong student body. Many were committed to removing her from the office; in fact there was a campaign for her removal, and ongoing harassment. Someone put a sign on her office building that said, “Zionists Not Allowed.”
When asked about the current manifestations of antisemitism, Osman didn’t mince words: “I’ve lived in Germany for 12 years, and I’m seriously concerned. I think Europe is lost. Europe is starting to resemble the Arab world I left behind.” She warned that the hard-won reconciliation between Germans and Jews is now being jeopardized by rising extremism.
Cohanim offered a global perspective: “In Europe, antisemitism is the product of a failed immigration policy—importing people from the Middle East and North Africa who bring with them a hatred of Jews. In Latin America, historic Christian antisemitism has combined with the Palestinian narrative, especially in countries like Chile with over 500,000 Palestinian expats. In the Arab world, antisemitism is rooted in Islamic ideology and Nazi influence. But what has been a shining light has been to see that there is room for change. I experienced that in my official capacity in places like the UAE and Saudi Arabia, where there has been a genuine effort to accept the notion of a Jewish state in the Middle East.”
Plaut then asked about the personal cost of their advocacy. Veksler answered honestly: “Oct. 7 unveiled who my real friends were. … I had to take classes online because students wouldn’t sit near me or work with me. But I would do it all again—tenfold.”
Cohanim shared: “I feel the responsibility to talk about how societies that feel very comfortable can turn overnight. And frankly, in the last 18 months it was feeling like this in the U.S.”
For Osman, the cost is deeply personal. “Many family members and old friends no longer speak to me,” she said. “But it’s nothing compared to the families in Israel who have lost sons, or soldiers who’ve lost limbs. My cost is nothing.”
When asked how to best educate the next generation, Veksler emphasized strength and preparation. She explained how she was recently sitting with a parent who was saying that she would never let her kids go to Columbia University or to colleges with antisemitic students. Veksler told her about a concept she learned about not transferring your fears to your children. “Don’t make your kids afraid to go to college campuses and don’t make them afraid of antisemitism. If you do, you are breeding a future generation that’s unequipped to deal with reality. But give them tools that they need—make sure they are educated. If we don’t know ourselves, how can we expect other people to know us?”
The evening concluded with remarks from honoree Abbie Sophia, whose photography has documented both heartbreak and heroism since Oct. 7. Known for her activism and photography, she co-produces a podcast with Professor Shai Davidai; launched Teaneck’s weekly “March for Our Lives,” and has traveled across Israel and the U.S. capturing the faces and scenes of resilience. “Since Oct. 7, none of us have been the same,” she said. “Through my work, I’ve witnessed the depths of our pain—but more than that, the power of our resilience.”
