Looking back at 2025, antisemitism remained at crisis levels, but the year also proved that strategic advocacy, grassroots mobilization, and bold partnerships can deliver real results. From launching the first-ever 50-state assessment of antisemitism policies to forging historic coalitions, our National Affairs team turned urgency into action.

And with your support, we've entered 2026 with even greater momentum – one we’ll be building on together at Never Is Now this March. Read on to learn more.

I'm Max Sevillia, SVP of National Affairs at ADL, and I'm sitting down today with three leaders who made our 2025 victories possible: Danny Barefoot, Senior Director of the Ratings and Assessments Institute, Kristina Exline-Manson, Director of Volunteer Advocacy and Community Mobilization, and Meredith Weisel, Vice President of State and Local Policy.

Danny, let's start with the Jewish Policy Index (JPI). What drove that work? 

The need was glaring. Governors, legislators, advocates, everyone was asking: "What policies actually work to protect Jewish communities?" But there was no single resource comparing state approaches, no way to know if your state was leading or lagging. We built the JPI to answer that. It assesses all 50 states across key policy areas—education, safety, and combatting antisemitism—and gives each state a clear score, while also providing critical research, best practices, and model legislation.

And the response?


 

Within weeks, we were working with folks at JFNA and presenting to the National Association of Jewish Legislators. Governors' offices started reaching out and putting out press releases highlighting their scores. Legislative staff were using it to draft bills. People don't just want data, they want a roadmap. Now that new state legislative sessions are largely underway, we are finding great leadership, energy and partnership from many states looking to enact JPI policies.

So, where does the JPI go from here?


 

It's a living document. We'll update it as states pass new laws and sadly as threats emerge. But the bigger vision is making it indispensable. We want the JPI to be the default reference so no governor or legislative staffer can say they didn't know what policies work. This is for every advocate who wants to make their state safer.

Kristina, I know your leadership has transformed ADL’s community activation, including mobilizing over 55,000 ADL volunteer leaders in support of key policy priorities during strategic advocacy moments last year. The in-person mobilization was also unprecedented, correct? What did that look like?

It was relentless. For example, after the deadly antisemitic attacks in D.C. and Boulder, we organized more than 50 in-district lobby meetings across 22 states. All to get our volunteers face-to-face with their members of Congress to share their experiences with antisemitism and offer ADL priority solutions. These weren't phone calls. We had parents and community leaders sitting in congressional offices, sharing their stories, pushing for legislation to protect the Jewish community.

And you went beyond in-district meetings?


 

We coordinated a federal fly-in focused on fighting antisemitism in schools. The data showed the need for this; incidents in K-12 schools have spiked 434% since 2020, with 860 incidents in 2024 alone, so we knew we needed to take action.

We also deployed the ADL Board of Directors across Capitol Hill to meet directly with Congressional leadership. I believe that when you show up in person, when you make it impossible to ignore what people are going through and experiencing, that's when elected officials pay attention and take action.

That's turning personal involvement and urgency into political impact. 

 

Exactly. Our volunteers showed up because they trusted we'd give them the tools and strategy to make an impact. That's where the JPI comes in, where ADL’s state wins come in, ADL’s expertise and leadership, working with our community leaders, that’s the secret sauce to effective advocacy that connects this work.

Meredith, can you build on the ADL state policy agenda that the ADL community has been actively supporting? 

 

Can you walk us through UnMaskHate New York? This was a core advocacy campaign, correct?  

 

And now other states are interested? 
 

 

Wait, let's not move past state advocacy just yet. What about our recent and critical success in California in 2025?  

 

2025 wasn't just about responding to crises, but about building infrastructure for the long fight. The JPI gives us the roadmap. Our volunteers give us the people power. State victories give us proof of concept. Partnerships give us the coalitions to win. Now in 2026, the stakes remain high, but so does our capacity to meet them.

I think this is the year of advocacy; it has to be. We are seeing antisemitism at levels we haven't experienced in generations, and this moment demands that people stand up, fight back, and ensure their elected officials see them and understand their lived experiences. That means more in-district meetings, more fly-ins, more lobby days. And smarter targeting.

Using the JPI, we can tell volunteers, "Your state ranks 35th on campus protections. Here's the bill, here's your legislator's position, here's when the vote is." We are also expanding training so volunteers show up prepared, with data, with stories, with asks. And we are deepening partnerships so our volunteers are part of broader coalitions from day one. The rise in antisemitism is astronomical, and now more than ever, we need people to educate their communities and push their elected officials to take meaningful action.