At a moment when antisemitism in the United States is surging to levels not seen in decades, accusations that paint The Heritage Foundation with a broad brush as “antisemitic” are not only false, they are reckless. These claims distract from the real and pressing task of confronting groups that pose a true threat to American Jews, American values, and the foundations of Western civilization. We cannot and should not discount an entire organization because of a poor decision that they have acknowledged and are now working on rectifying to rebuild trust. Our faith teaches us to be discerning and welcoming, rather than alienating, especially when the stakes are this high.
A serious look at Heritage’s record makes it clear that allegations of antisemitism are being driven by particular incidents and controversies, rather than the organization’s body of work as a whole. It is critical not to assess institutions based on the outrage cycle of a single day, but to evaluate them holistically and historically, including the projects they have built and the goals they have pursued.
Since Hamas’s horrific attack on Israel in 2023, antisemitism has shifted from an outdated idea to a prevalent, dangerously accepted form of protest. In the year following the October 7 massacre, the Anti-Defamation League recorded close to 9,000 antisemitic incidents in the U.S., a 140% increase from the previous year and the highest total since the organization began tracking the data in 1979. This wave of hatred has continued into this year, making it indisputable that antisemitism is alive, spreading, and increasingly normalized under the disguise of political advocacy.
The Heritage Foundation has been clear about this threat. Heritage opposes antisemitism not only because of the harm it causes American Jews, but because it violates America’s founding principles and undermines the moral framework of our society. This stance is not merely rhetorical. Heritage has attempted to pair condemnation with strategy, something that has become far too rare in an era of empty statements and “thoughts and prayers.”
In the immediate aftermath of Oct. 7, The Heritage Foundation was quick to convene a major event uniting key U.S. policy officials and advocates on Israel in condemnation of Hamas’ attack and the antisemitism it unleashed across the country. Shortly after, Heritage helped create the National Task Force to Combat Antisemitism in an effort to connect like-minded institutions focused on the issue. Whatever one thinks of the organization on other subjects, that was not the behavior of an institution trying to look away from antisemitism. It was a response from people who see it as the national crisis it has become.
That commitment deepened in October of 2024 with the launch of Project Esther, a comprehensive strategy to combat national antisemitism named after Queen Esther, the Jewish heroine who helped save the Jews of ancient Persia. Project Esther provided a blueprint for confronting the modern infrastructure of antisemitism by focusing on funding networks, coalition-building, and coordinated action inside government to ensure equal protection under the law.
Project Esther matters not only because of its objectives, but because it names uncomfortable realities that too many institutions avoid. It recognizes that this wave of antisemitism did not spontaneously arise after Oct. 7. It has been fueled for years by networks that hide behind the label “anti-Zionism,” refuse to condemn Hamas, and in some cases celebrate it.
Some critics who claim Heritage is antisemitic ignore this record. They overlook the National Task Force, Project Esther, and the ongoing work of scholars focused on Israel, national security, and antisemitism. They also ignore the fact that Heritage has personnel and fellows who live and work in Israel, and that the organization has invested real resources in combating antisemitism.
That does not mean Heritage is beyond criticism. Recent turmoil has justifiably angered many in the Jewish community, and I understand and share that frustration. Some important projects have been sidelined, and trust has been shaken. But it would be a mistake to respond by writing off the entire institution or treating everyone in its orbit as irredeemable.
At a time when antisemitism is rising, the United States needs fewer accusations and more serious strategies. Many legacy organizations hold glowing galas and issue lofty statements, but struggle to deliver specific, coordinated plans to curb the rising tide of antisemitism. When I speak to Jews around the world, the consistent theme I hear is frustration and fear, paired with a sense that too few leaders have a real plan.
Heritage, at its best, is trying to build one.
FOR UNIVERSITIES THAT TOLERATE ANTISEMITISM, FEDERAL FUNDING MUST END
Combating this ancient bigotry requires moral clarity, coalition-building, and a willingness to confront hard truths. Heritage’s leadership has acknowledged mistakes and has said it is working to rectify them. If we are serious about protecting Jewish Americans, it would serve us better to work with institutions to improve and rebuild than to burn down every bridge and hand victory to the extremists who want Jews isolated and alone. Our enemies are trying to bait us into cutting ties, rather than rebuilding.
To fight bad ideas, we need to promote good ones. And to defeat antisemitism, we need every serious institution willing to do the work.
Eyal Yakoby is a political commentator and Jewish activist committed to combating anti-Americanism. He spoke at a House Congressional leadership press conference in 2023 and testified before the House Judiciary Committee in 2024 as a witness to the violence and harassment of Jewish students.
