The relationship between Israel and Diaspora Jewry must be urgently strengthened, World Jewish Congress President Ronald S. Lauder said in an interview with The Jerusalem Post as the organization marked 90 years since its founding in Geneva.
Reflecting upon the WJC’s historic mission and contemporary challenges, Lauder warned that Israel could no longer take Diaspora Jews for granted, calling them “among the most important ambassadors of the Jewish state throughout the world.”
“The bond between Israel and the Diaspora cannot be taken for granted,” Lauder told the Post. “It must be nurtured, respected, and protected for future generations. We must repair any cracks before it’s too late.”
The comments came as the WJC formally marked 90 years since its founding in Geneva with a week of events and meetings focused on rising antisemitism, global extremism, and the security of Jewish communities worldwide.
Lauder, who took over the presidency of the WJC from Edgar Bronfman in 2007, said he understood early on that antisemitism in the modern era would increasingly be expressed through hostility toward Israel.
“I understood very early that the new antisemitism would increasingly become antisemitism directed against or motivated by animosity toward the State of Israel,” he told the Post. “That realization shaped much of my work from the very beginning.”
He said this led him to focus beyond Europe and the United States, including by building relationships in the Middle East and across the broader Arab world.
“Securing the future of the Jewish people also means advancing the standing and legitimacy of Judaism in the Arab world,” Lauder said.
At the same time, he said, the Israeli-Arab conflict must eventually move toward resolution, arguing that without long-term regional stability, threats facing Israel and Jewish communities would continue to evolve.
When asked whether the wave of antisemitism after the October 7 massacre represented a temporary surge or something deeper, Lauder said the threat had been building long before Hamas’s attack.
“The warning signs were already on the wall,” he said. “What we are witnessing is not simply a religious conflict. It is far deeper than that.”
Lauder said Israel’s enemies were driven by “radical extremist ideologies” that also targeted the Western world.
“The enemies of Israel are driven by radical extremist ideologies that oppose the Western world itself, Christians and Jews alike,” he said. “These are forces that reject democracy, tolerance, and freedom.”
He said that the American administration understood the danger.
“President Donald Trump understands the meaning of this threat and the broader consequences of ignoring the root of the problem,” Lauder said.
Lauder also praised Trump’s record on Jewish and Israel-related issues, saying he believed the president had shown a deep understanding of Jewish values and Israel’s importance.
“I have said this before, and I will say it again: President Trump is one of the presidents who has most deeply understood Jewish values and the importance of the State of Israel,” he said. “In my opinion, he is the most pro-Zionist president I have known since President Ronald Reagan.”
Turning to Iran, Lauder said the threat remained unresolved.
“The mission is not yet complete,” he said. “Iran remains one of the central threats to global stability and to the security of Israel and the Jewish people.”
Lauder said he believed that Trump would deal decisively with the Iranian threat.
“The president of the United States understands this clearly, and I believe with all my heart that he will bring this issue to a decisive resolution,” he said.
'Only education can truly bridge the gaps'
Lauder also reflected on his long investment in Jewish education, particularly through the Lauder schools, which were established to help rebuild Jewish identity in communities devastated by the Holocaust and decades of communist rule.
“Only education could truly bridge the gaps created by history and rebuild Jewish continuity,” he said.
The goal, he added, was never simply to build schools, but to restore “belonging, confidence, and the foundational values of the Jewish people.”
“When we opened the first Lauder kindergarten in postwar Eastern Europe, many people believed it was impossible,” he said. “Today, seeing thousands of graduates, thriving Jewish communities, and young families rebuilding Jewish life, proves that education remains the strongest guarantee of the Jewish future.”
Lauder also said that Holocaust restitution work remained unfinished, with stolen Jewish property, dormant bank accounts, art, and other assets still not returned to their rightful owners.
“There is still Jewish property stolen during the Holocaust that has never been returned,” he said. “There are still dormant bank accounts, works of art, and assets that rightfully belong to Jewish families.”
Restitution, he said, was also a moral issue.
“Restitution is not only about money or property,” he said. “It is about dignity, historical truth, and moral responsibility.”
He said the next generation would have to continue the effort.
“This work will not end with my generation,” Lauder said. “The next generation will have to continue this mission until justice is achieved wherever possible. I am sure more information will come to light in the future that will allow justice to be done.”
When asked what he would tell his mother if she walked into his office today, Lauder said his work had been guided by the values she imparted to him.
“I would tell her that, thanks to the Jewish values she gave me, love of humanity, hard work, responsibility, and commitment to our people, I dedicated my life to helping lead and strengthen the Jewish people around the world,” he said.
“Everything I have done has been guided by those values,” Lauder added. “I hope I have made her proud.”