TL;DR: Amid the ongoing Middle East conflict, we must understand that collaboration is essential. While leaders widely agree on the need to work together, real progress has been slow. Through gatherings, tools, and incentives, Global Jewry is working to turn aspirations into collaboration, but greater participation and funding are needed. This moment calls for moving beyond parallel efforts toward true, sustained collaboration across the Jewish world.
As all of us at Global Jewry pursue our work, we do so with heavy hearts and clear purpose, mindful of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and the toll it continues to take on lives, families, and communities. Our commitment to collaboration is not separate from this reality, it is a response to it. We hold a deep hope that the violence will come to an end, that healing can begin, and that a more peaceful and secure future will emerge for all who call the region home.
Until then, our responsibility is to strengthen one another, to build bridges where there are divides, and to act with the urgency and unity that this moment demands.
It was with that in mind that I recently participated in the AJ2026 Summit and the Jewish Funders Network Conference. Both were excellent events, and highlighted the need for deeper connection and collective action in the Jewish world. Across panels, conversations, and informal exchanges, a consistent theme emerged: there is broad agreement that we must work together more intentionally and more effectively. And yet, despite this shared understanding, the path from aspiration to meaningful collaboration remains uneven and underdeveloped.
The good news is that there is a growing recognition across communities and organizations that collaboration is not just a nice idea, it is essential. In a world defined by complexity, fragmentation, and rapid change, not to mention the fighting in the Middle East, no single institution can meet the moment alone. Many leaders now understand this and even desire deeper cooperation.
The less good reality is the slow pace our community is moving from intention to action on this front.
At Global Jewry, we are focused precisely on that transition: helping turn shared aspiration into tangible collaboration. It begins with creating spaces where trust can form. Through curated gatherings, virtual conversations, and small-group exchanges, we bring together leaders who might not otherwise connect. These are not just networking opportunities, they are structured environments designed to spark alignment and uncover common goals.
From there, we work to lower the barriers to collaboration. Too often, organizations hesitate because partnership feels complicated, time-consuming, or risky. We are developing practical tools such as shared communication platforms, collaborative storytelling initiatives, and joint programming frameworks that make it easier to take that first step together. Our weekly connection efforts, for example, highlight opportunities for organizations to amplify one another’s work, turning isolated voices into a collective chorus.
We are also advancing incentives. Through initiatives like collaboration prizes and recognition programs, we aim to celebrate and reward those who model what cooperation can look like at its best. By elevating success stories, we not only honor participants but also create replicable examples that others can follow.
Of course, one of the greatest barriers to turning vision into sustained action is funding. While there is widespread support for the concept of greater collaboration between organizations, major philanthropic investment in this work has not yet kept pace with its importance. Building trust, infrastructure, and ongoing coordination requires real resources. We need champions who are open to making our work something they support, and assist in opening doors, making the case to funders, and encouraging major donors to step forward, not just to support individual organizations, but to invest in the connective tissue that allows them to work together more effectively.
Global Jewry should not do this alone. The shift from understanding to action requires a broader ecosystem of partners willing to experiment, share, and sometimes step outside their comfort zones. We need organizations to open their networks, leaders to champion collaboration internally, and supporters to invest in the infrastructure that makes partnership sustainable.
The opportunity is clear: to move from a landscape of parallel efforts to one of genuine connection and shared impact. The desire is already there.
Now is the moment to act deliberately, consistently, and together in order to make collaboration not the exception, but the norm.
Shavua tov,
Sandy Cardin
Founder, Global Jewry
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