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More than 275 emerging Christian leaders from across the United States convened this week in Orlando, Florida, for the Christian Leaders Summit — a joint initiative of Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM) and International Christian Embassy Jerusalem–USA (ICEJ USA).
Designed to equip participants with the knowledge and tools to stand with Israel and confront rising antisemitism, the two-day forum — held under the banner of “Defending Truth, Strengthening Faith” — brought together pastors, ministry leaders, campus advocates, media voices, and young professionals for teaching and collaborative strategy building.
The goal of the summit was to empower up and coming Christian leaders to speak confidently about Israel’s biblical and historical significance and actively combat antisemitism in their communities and online.
CAM Director of Christian Outreach and Engagement EJ Kimball said, “Antisemitism is not just a Jewish problem, and it does not only attack Jews. It is a societal scourge that destroys from within. That’s why it is so important for you all to be here to learn and, more importantly, speak out.”
“Today, we see prominent voices on the Right fully embracing antisemitism, yet too many remain silent,” he noted. “Some dismiss this as a small fringe. We heard the same thing ten years ago when a small fringe on the Left, called ‘The Squad,’ was ignored. And now, New York City just elected an antisemitic mayor who supports calls to ‘Globalize the Intifada.”
ICEJ USA President Dr. Susan Michael told the audience, “You are here today because you are a new generation of Christian leaders. Some of you are already leading, some are emerging, and some are still aspiring — but you are here to prepare for your leadership in this generation. The situation is critical and urgent, and your generation needs your leadership. What many of you have known as normal over the last several years is not normal, and God wants to use you to bring about change.”
She added, “I want to encourage you: don’t think small. Think big. Think of ways you can be world changers, because the world desperately needs you.”
Featured speakers included: the Honorable Jay Collins, Lieutenant Governor of the State of Florida; Seth Dillon, CEO of The Babylon Bee; and social media influencers Officer Tatum and Ami Kozak, among other leading voices committed to fighting antisemitism and strengthening support for Israel.
“Faith and truth matter,” Collins said. “Standing strong matters. As Christians, we recognize that the story of Israel is part of our story. It’s the foundation of a shared belief. And standing with Israel means standing with the truth.”
In his remarks, Officer Tatum referred to the proliferation of conspiracy theories — including many antisemitic in nature — following the murder in September of conservative political activist and media personality Charlie Kirk.
“When Charlie was killed, a few things happened in the spiritual world,” he said. “The biggest thing that happened is the separation between the wheat and the tares. Now you know who is on the right side and who is on the wrong side. Now you know who really loves God and the people who have been posing this entire time — people who have the spirit of God in them and people who are just acting on Sunday.”
“When somebody who believes in God gets assassinated, your first response tells me everything I need to know about your spiritual life,” Officer Tatum continued. “When your first response is to push conspiracy theories, when your first response is to destroy everything God created through him, something’s wrong with you. You’re not hearing from God. You don’t have the spirit of God in you. This should have been a spark, a fire for all of us. But for the ones it hasn’t been — we know them, we mark them, we see them.”
Dillon said, “There’s antisemitism on the Left, lots of it. There’s now going to be a lot more of it in New York City. But it’s on the Right as well. It’s a growing threat on the Right. There is an identitarian, white nationalist movement that’s gaining a lot of momentum, and it has some helpers. And these bad ideas are rising almost completely unchecked. They need to be confronted.”
Attendees also heard powerful firsthand testimonies from former Gaza hostage Almog Meir and Nova music festival massacre survivor and CAM Public Affairs Officer Natalie Sanandaji.
“I spent 246 days in captivity in Gaza, and it was a nightmare,” Meir recalled. “Days filled with fear, violence, hunger, and abuse — physical, mental, and even religious. But it made me stronger and prouder to be a Jew.”
The program featured musical performances by Kaya Jones, a Grammy-winning recording artist and former member of The Pussycat Dolls who now uses her platform to share her Christian faith and support for Israel, and Carine Bassili, a Lebanese-born Christian worship leader known for blending Middle Eastern and contemporary worship styles. Bassili has recently drawn attention for her outspoken defense of Israel despite backlash from some in the Arab world.
Igor Tulchinsky, philanthropist and CEO of WorldQuant, said, “We are here to stand together — Jews and Christians — children of one God, people of one promise — the promise God gave to Abraham, that, through his seed, all nations would be blessed. God told Abraham, ‘I will bless those who bless you.’ That’s not ancient history — that’s a living promise. And tonight, I see that promise alive in this room.”
“When you stand with Israel, you stand for truth,” he emphasized. “You stand for covenant. You stand for God’s faithfulness. When you defend the Jewish people, you defend faith itself. And when you raise your voice against hate, you make the world safer for all our children.”
Key sessions included:
- Antisemitism: A Biblical and Historical Perspective
- Antisemitism Today: How to Recognize and Counter It
- Diverse Voices in Support of Israel
- Combating Antisemitism on Social Media
- Extending the Reach: Activating in the Current Environment
A highlight of the summit was a Strategy Lab, where attendees met in four focus groups — pastors, campus leaders, social media influencers and faith-based leaders/young professionals — to develop strategies to combat antisemitism within their spheres of influence.
Leaders presented their strategies in a closing session, encouraging continued collaboration and partnership beyond the event.
