By Yosef Sosnow

It is no secret that antisemitism has reared its ugly head throughout the world. It is not an exaggeration to say that the overt antisemitism being witnessed worldwide has not been seen since the 1930’s.

As a son and son-in-law of Holocaust survivors, Rav Dovid Hofstedter views this epidemic of antisemitism with great concern.

Over the past months Rav Hofstedter has become acquainted with Ambassador Mark Walker, Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom who served as a U.S. Representative for North Carolina's 6th district from 2015 to 2021.

The Ambassador’s mission entrusted to him by President Trump and Secretary of State Rubio is to combat rising global antisemitism and protect faith groups from persecution. The Ambassador developed a close relationship with Rav Hofstedter and is clearly dedicated to fighting antisemitism throughout the world.

On Motzoei Shabbos, Ambassador Walker visited the Dirshu Convention where he had a personal meeting with Rabbi Hofstedter, delivered a short address to the thousands in attendance and participated in a panel discussion about antisemitism. Below are some highlights from his visit.

When Ambassador Walker was introduced by MC, Reb Naftali Friedman, he was given a standing ovation. He told the assembled that he was President Trump’s principal advisor for global religious freedom and it was a great honor for him to push back against antisemitic behavior and religious intolerance throughout the world. He then expressed how he feels it a great privilege to call himself a friend of Dirshu’s Nasi, Rav Dovid Hofstedter.

He stressed how impressed he was when he observed the Slabodka Yeshiva in action during a recent visit to Bnei Brak and was gifted the opportunity to meet the venerated Rosh Yeshiva, Rav Moshe Hillel Hirsch, shlita.

“Since my initial meeting with Rabbi Hofstedter, I feel we have developed a strong connection and bond. I believe we are going to be lifelong friends.”

Ambassador Walker concluded, “Let me simply give you a few parting words: Stand strong! Stand strong in maintaining your convictions and your principles. I grew up in a very conservative household. My father was strong enough that he did not want the world to influence us. He took away our television to make sure that the immoral conduct sometimes portrayed there would not influence us. Make sure to continue raising strong families who are proud of their convictions so they can go out and be upstanding, moral, productive citizens.”

Panel Discussion On Antisemitism

Before the Melave Malka, Ambassador Walker participated in a panel discussion regarding antisemitism. For brevity purposes we will only cover two of the questions that he was asked.

In Belgium there was recently a dispute between the Belgian government and the U.S. Ambassador to Belgium who called out the government for trying to outlaw circumcision. The Ambassador was called in and disciplined by the Belgian government. What are your thoughts about government-sanctioned antisemitism in European countries?

My role at the behest of President Trump and Secretary Rubio is that I am the personal emissary for global religious freedom. It is my job to monitor religious minorities under attack, and as we saw recently, that this was a direct attack against the Jewish faith. After all, historically according to the Bible, on the 8 th day, young males would be circumcised. It would be my job to go in and meet with the leaders [who make that an object of discrimination], push back and say, ‘No! That is religious discrimination.’ We stand with the Jewish people whether it’s in Antwerp or anywhere else.

In America, antisemitism has never been higher. Over the last decade, far-left antisemitism has had the greatest resurgence. More recently, there has been a resurgence of right-wing antisemitism in what we can call “the Tucker Carlson wing of MAGA.” On the one hand, we understand that politically President Trump needs the electoral force of that wing of MAGA. On the other hand, as the President’s ambassador, how can he condone the overt antisemitism infecting a large wing of his supporters?

That is a long, very important question. First of all, today on social media I gave my unequivocal support for Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, for the strength he displayed in the Tucker Carlson interview. I am honored to call him my friend and we stand by him.

Regarding antisemitism, even when I was a congressman sitting on the Homeland Security subcommittee, we already saw a bell curve of antisemitic behavior in our country. Now we are going almost vertical. So yes, we need to address it. We have many people around the world monitoring religious discrimination, but we need to do the same in our country. We cannot afford to be bashful about calling it out whether it is in the entertainment industry, on our university campuses or coming from religious groups. We must be strong voices against it!