In a recent episode of the Recalibration podcast, Malcolm Hoenlein, executive vice chairman emeritus of the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, reflected on a vital truth that resonates now more than ever: 

“The individual should never underestimate the power they have to make a difference.”

He was making a connection between what he believes people ought to be doing today and the campaign to free Soviet Jews – a grassroots movement built on small actions by thousands of everyday people.

He emphasized that the successes of that movement weren’t achieved solely through headline events or large-scale political maneuvers. They were built, brick by brick, by ordinary people who wrote letters, made calls, rallied friends, and simply cared enough to act. Their collective determination formed a powerful machine for justice and freedom. He stressed that such a blueprint is desperately needed today.

Over the last 30 years, the enemies of Israel and the West have not rested. They have waged an unrelenting campaign to tear down the cultural institutions of the West and, by extension, Israel’s legitimacy. They utilize tools equally as powerful as media and money: friendship, storytelling, and personal connection.

Activist Linda Sarsour speaks while people participate a protest called March for Racial Justice in New York City (credit: STEPHANIE KEITH/REUTERS)
Activist Linda Sarsour speaks while people participate a protest called March for Racial Justice in New York City (credit: STEPHANIE KEITH/REUTERS)
Their connections and personal efforts have paid off. One glaring example is personified by Linda Sarsour, a prominent organizer and co-chair of the Women’s March.

Sarsour wears a hijab and is a proponent of Sharia law. Those laws stand in direct contradiction to the equality of the sexes, yet she was nominated to be one of its leaders. This is a direct result of the relationships and common causes that she was able to establish. 

On campuses and in streets across the West, young people chant slogans like “Everything is Palestine” and “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.” These are not harmless expressions of political preference; they are a nefarious conflation of social justice issues with the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, as well as a threat to eradicate Israel.

The power of personal connection

Yes, there are many factors at play: foreign influence from Qatar, communist China’s attempts to sow anti-American sentiment, and radical academics who believe the West must fall. But nothing is more powerful than the power of personal connection, which the proponents of these ideologies have mastered.It’s a playbook that must be studied and adopted. 

The truth is that the Jewish people and their allies are not as isolated or powerless as it may feel. In the United States, the Jewish community and its allies have numbers. With the appropriate effort, the minds and hearts of individuals can be influenced through personal relationships. People often underestimate the impact they could possibly have because they discount the effect of what influencing “just one person” can have. 

The big organizations, political leaders, and Jewish celebrities are only a small part of the solution. They will often follow the pulse of the people, not lead it.

“Recalibration” host Aaron Herman said, “When you’re friends with someone and you’ve heard their story, it becomes not about the fact but about the feeling.”

He’s right. Facts matter, but feelings move people. Relationships build resilience. Trust opens doors.The bestselling book Atomic Habits by James Clear offers a useful parallel. He writes that real change doesn’t usually come from a single dramatic moment. It comes from small, repeated actions that accumulate into something powerful. 

He compares it to sports, asking, “Have you ever heard the phrase, ‘That guy came out of nowhere’? He didn’t. He’s been doing the right things consistently until suddenly, everything aligned.”

Jewish communities – and anyone who cares about freedom, decency, and truth – need to get back to the basics. Show up, not just online but in real life. Some of the most important work happens in the quiet spaces: the extra conversation over coffee, the arm around the shoulder, the patient act of listening.

A strong house is built brick by brick to withstand time, as opposed to a house built of bamboo, which is built quickly and is good for the moment but will not last when tested. 

The writer is a co-founder of a new initiative called Emissary4all, an app to organize people by ideology, not geography to act in collective ways to balance out the narrative on social media. You can reach him at drosen@emissary4all.org.