President Herzog Opens 'Time to Talk' Unity Conference in Jerusalem

He warned of a small but very dangerous minority that threatens violence. “The answer to this danger, when there are fuel fumes in the air, and we are entering elections, is here, in this tremendous movement of ‘Time to Talk,’” Herzog said. He said he will go from one end of the country to the other to do everything to lower the flames and enable respectful discourse in Israeli society.

Herzog linked Israel’s internal cohesion to its relationship with Diaspora Jewry. Herzog said Jews abroad were facing a hell of unimaginable antisemitism and looking to Israel for stability and responsibility. “They want to hear us, and they want to know they have our backing,” he said.

The conference included a dedicated panel on relations between Israel and the Diaspora that featured a special conversation with Israeli actress Gal Gadot. The panel was moderated by Ofer Hadad, Netali Shem Tov, and Sivan Sisay Yosef. Rebecca Caspi, senior vice president and director general of the Jewish Federations of North America’s Israel office, said North American Jewish communities had been forced to divert major resources from community-building programs toward growing security needs.

Jewish Federations had provided more than $900 million in historic support on the ground in Israel since October 7. That support included a loan fund for small businesses damaged by the war, assistance for thousands of businesses supporting more than 34,000 people, and the establishment of a national support system for reservists’ families.

Rabbi Marc Baker, president and CEO of Combined Jewish Philanthropies of Greater Boston, said October 7 had marked the beginning of an awakening for Israelis and North American Jews.

The conference was scheduled to conclude with a performance by Yuval Raphael, a survivor of the Nova massacre and Israel’s representative at Eurovision 2025. @Jerusalem_Post reported these details from the opening day of the event.