“United we stand, divided we fall” sounds logical — but is it practical or even possible?

Since October 8, many have called for unity against our “enemies.” Yet this call, however well-meaning, promises disappointment, exhaustion, and fatigue. Unity — in the sense of homogeneous consensus — is nearly impossible. Ironically, it’s often harder than confronting the opposition. Organization of like-minded individuals is the best and most effective way of confronting the challenge for the Jewish people.

Even describing Jewish people as “the Jewish people” is incorrect since so many Jewish people support actions against the well-being of the “Jewish people” and the Jewish State. Furthermore, the Jewish people have been stateless for so long and have been dispersed to so many different countries that seeking unity is even more enigmatic. A French Jewish person is French and carries with him/her the cultural identity of a Frenchman, and a South African Jewish person is South African first. Similarly, an American Jew is American first, and on and on. Asking for Jewish unity is closer to asking for world unity than anything else. It is true that there is a common religion, Judaism — the connector — but the difference in culture outweighs the commonality of the religion.

Throughout history, Jewish people have rarely been united — not in antiquity and not in modern times. Even within communities like New York City, where many reside, deep ideological splits persist.

Consider the 2025 New York City mayoral race. Surprisingly, pro-Palestinian candidate Zohran Mamdani — who has been sharply critical of Israel, supports the BDS movement, and refused to condemn the slogan “globalize the intifada” — garnered significant support from Jewish voters.

A Zenith Research poll in collaboration with Public Process Solutions found that 43% of Jewish voters support Mamdani, with support rising to 67% among Jewish voters aged 18–44. The same polling group found that Mamdani also holds a 17-point lead among Jewish voters in the race, according to combined polling.

As stunning as these figures are, these numbers reflect the diversity of opinion. A person would be hard-pressed to convince a pro-Mamdani Jewish voter to be on the same page with a pro-Netanyahu supporter. It would be much more likely to get the large percentage of anti-Mamdani New Yorkers to work together than it would be to seek unity among all.

Another stark example of disunity in the face of dire circumstances occurred during the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising of 1944. During this period, the Jewish people of the Ghetto faced total annihilation by the Nazis. Yet two major resistance groups — the Jewish Fighting Organization (ŻOB) and the Jewish Military Union (ŻZW) — fought separately due to ideological differences. Their divided strategy ultimately weakened them. Even amid life-or-death stakes, unity remained unattainable. This example underlines the strong drive for power, control, and respect that exists within humankind. This would be an example of cutting off one’s nose to spite one’s face if ever there was one.

 

A Path Forward

To build a fire, you need a spark, followed by embers, quickly followed by small twigs. Once a small flame is strong enough, more wood can be added to create a large fire. Organizing individuals is akin to creating the small flame, and through impactful action, that movement can grow. Complete unity is not needed. Organization among the like-minded works. Groups with shared values can form a kind of collective strength — a kindling that can ignite a broader movement.

If enough people who share core convictions — such as Israel’s right to exist and rejection of antisemitism that targets Israel alone — organize and act, meaningful progress follows. Once this is achieved, the movement’s participants can act with strength, and the broader public can have tremendous impact.

The expectation of universal agreement leads to frustration and burnout. History shows this clearly — unity has always been out of reach.

Unity may be a fantasy, but organized action among those who share core beliefs is tangible and effective. Those who agree that Israel has the right to exist — and that to deny this is antisemitic — should focus on building structured, local networks. From these nuclei, real momentum can grow.

The utilization of technology to organize people should be incorporated. By using technology, people in New York, Atlanta, Miami, Chicago, Houston, and L.A. can all share in campaigns that promote shared values across the country.

Let’s trade the mirage of unity for the power of organizing. Like a grand fire that started with a little kindling, like-minded Jewish people can rise and organize to defeat their enemies. Through the power of people — WE will overcome.

Daniel Rosen is the co-founder of a non-profit technology company called Emissary4all, which is an app to organize people on social media by ideology, not geography. He is the co-host of the podcast Recalibration. You can reach him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..