StandWithUs’s (SWU) annual “Festival of Lights” (FOL) gala celebrated the international nonpartisan organization’s 24th anniversary, recognizing the courageous people who educate about Israel despite the hardships, and potential marginalization it may cause them. Held on December 7, 2025 at the Fairmont Century City, the Los Angeles event gathered more than 850 people including many students and young adults.
Co-founded in 2001 by its CEO Roz Rothstein, its COO Jerry Rothstein and its international president Esther Renzer, StandWithUs is a leader in the fight against global antisemitism and in educating about Israel on campuses, in high schools, in middle schools, in communities and on six continents and on social media platforms. Based in Los Angeles and with chapters and programs throughout the United States, Canada, Israel, the UK, Brazil, Argentina, the Netherlands, Australia and South Africa, SWU combats misinformation and dispenses accurate facts about Israel daily in different languages on various platforms to millions of people worldwide. SWU will continue to elevate the truth through its many departments including, the Holocaust Education Center, K-12 Fairness Center, Research and Strategy, Data & Analytics, StandWithUs Saidoff Law, Center for Legal Justice, Center for Combating Antisemitism and its campus Emerson Fellowship, Kenneth Leventhal High School Internship and middle school program IsraelLINK, among others.
Esther Renzer and Jerry Rothstein greeted the audience and thanked two important and inspiring couples, board members and co-sponsors of the gala Ellie and Bruce Lederman and Debbie and Naty Saidoff, whose generosity brings everyone together every year to showcase StandWithUs’ growth, international presence and impact. All proceeds raised at the FOL galas are directed toward its mission of Israel education and combating antisemitism.
Once again, Naty Saidoff conducted the fundraising portion of the evening.
Roz Rothstein, co-founder and CEO of StandWithUs challenged the audience, “What will we do in this moment?” As the daughter of Holocaust survivors, 25 years ago, Roz knew exactly what was needed. The Holocaust didn’t begin with gas chambers. It began with hateful words that became normalized and led to violence. Today, those who stand with Hamas and facilitate their treacherous strategies, are complicit in their lies. It worked for the Nazis — a lie repeated over and over became “truth.” Twenty-five years later, she told the audience, I am sorry to say we were RIGHT to start this organization in 2001 — and after October 7, 2023, StandWithUs is needed more than ever.
Hate against Israel and the Jewish people is louder, uglier, and more normalized than anything we have seen in decades. And in the middle of this storm, our students — our children and our grandchildren — are being targeted simply for being Jewish or for supporting the Jewish state.
People ask: “How do you handle this every day? How do you wake up ready to face another wave of hate, another attack on our students?”
My answer is simple: We have no choice.
As long as the world is upside down…as long as people chant vile threats against the Jewish people…as long as crowds cheer for Hamas and call it “justice”…as long as collaborators with terror organizations pretend to be human rights activists…we have no choice. And if not now, when? And if we don’t do this together, who will? StandWithUs. Because if we don’t do this together, we are lost.
Community members and Jewish institutions are also being targeted. Roz pointed to the protest in front of Wilshire Boulevard Temple including its nursery. She asked Eliana Jolkovsky who courageously documented the event using her phone, to stand up. Roz reminded the audience that the people who do these rallies and riots have become violent. She was personally shoved backwards and nearly fell at UCLA.
Carly Gammill, Director of Legal Policy and Litigation for StandWithUs Saidoff Law, explained how the department has expanded its legal response to the endless antisemitic incidents that predated October 7, 2023, including increasing staff, resources and legal courses, and is making a real impact protecting Jewish and Zionist communities. She offered specific examples of the results SWU achieved taking legal actions against antisemitism on campus, school districts, workplaces and joining in helping to pass legislation in California.
Carly emphasized that these cases — and the people living through them — are why StandWithUs Saidoff Law exists: to ensure Jewish and Zionist communities are protected from unlawful discrimination and abuse. She was very clear: As long as StandWithUs exists, no student will ever face antisemitism alone. We will train them. We will empower them. And we will stand with them every step of the way.
Beverly Hills Mayor Sharona Nazarian praised StandWithUs and presented Roz, Jerry and Esther with a Certificate of Recognition.
One of the most outspoken advocates for the US-Israel relationship in Congress, keynote speaker Congressman Ritchie Torres’ (NY-15) unwavering moral clarity and courageous leadership has made him an influential ally in the fight against antisemitism. In a thoughtful interview with StandWithUs Board member, attorney Barak Lurie, he revealed that he became a supporter of Israel on his first trip to Israel, as a Congressman. Touring the Old City, Yad Vashem and Sderot gave him insight into Israel’s security issue. He admitted that he grew up in a hostile neighborhood, but the danger was “guns not rockets.”
When asked how can support for Israel can remain non-partisan in Congress, Ritchie responded that its not a right-left issue. Zionism is a progressive rights movement. The Abraham Accords are profoundly progressive. And, Israel and its freedoms and inclusion of others, is the embodiment of progressive rights. Criticized for supporting Israel by the far left, Ritchie said that what gives him the courage to continue while others stay silent, is aptly stated by Martin Luther King, “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” For Ritchie, the burden of proof is on the naysayers.
Ritchie warned about the influence groups such as Queers for Palestine have, remarking that “the odds are stacked against us” especially in how fast lies spread through social media. October 7, 2023 revealed a trend that has been going on for a long time, but Israel has emerged as the region’s super power. “The greatest deterrence to war is strength,” the Congressman revealed and one reason that the countries involved in the Abraham Accords are with Israel. Barak asked Ritchie what message he thinks young progressive will respond to? The reply was that there is “no magic bullet.” We need to end the double standard and give Israel equal treatment, the same sympathy and consideration as every minority and the freedom to be who you are. Ritchie laughed that he represents a vibrant Jewish community, “its the only place I am more popular than Taylor Swift!”
Oz Davidian, the farmer moshavnik, was fittingly presented with the StandWithUs’ “Guardian of Israel” award by Roz and Jerry Rothstein and Esther Renzer. A true “angel,” Roz said. Oz’s farm is located near the Nova Festival area. On October 7, when he saw that something was amiss, he jumped into his truck at 7:30 a.m. and drove to the Nova Film Festival 15 separate times, saving 120 Israeli lives, risking his life to save theirs, armed with only a handgun and his keen knowledge of the terrain. When he no longer found teens to rescue, Oz began to collect bodies of murdered young people. Dashcam footage captured each moment of the trips he made, maneuvering past burnt-out cars, piled up corpses and terrorists. He dodged machine gun fire and even one RPG. Oz witnessed terrorists firing their guns to guard a man raping a woman.
When presenting Oz with his award, Roz and Jerry said they met Oz in Israel. They wondered what gave him the courage to go in and out of such a deadly scene, knowing that there were terrorists throughout the area. Oz replied that he realized no one else was coming for these kids. With luck, God’s help and sheer will, the “accidental hero” persisted and survived. The intensely deep and permanent connection between Davidian and those whose lives he saved was embodied in the couple that called their newborn son “Oz.” A documentary “Oz’s List” was made, and SWU showed clips of his unbelievable courage.
Roz took the stage and recounted the founding of StandWithUs. In 2001, during the 2nd Palestinian Terrorist Intifada, Israel was besieged by suicide bombers and trashed in the media. She, Jerry and Esther realized something had to be done. They gathered community leaders, professionals from all the Jewish organizations, and Rabbis from every denomination into their living room in May of 2001, and StandWithUs was created.
During the early years of StandWithUs, Oran Almog from Haifa, then 10 years old, was living an ordinary life and was on the beach with his family on October 4, 2003. At lunchtime they went to a nearby restaurant – Maxim. A female suicide bomber pretending to be pregnant entered the restaurant, and detonated herself right next to their table, killing Oran’s father, little brother, grandparents and cousin. Oran was severely injured and lost his eyesight.
Almost 22 years later, Sami Jaradat, the mastermind behind that deadly attack, was released as part of a hostage deal with the Hamas. Speechless and shocked at the news of the release, Oran said he managed to understand the bigger picture: Keeping Jaradat imprisoned would not bring back his family nor the hostages. But his release would help bring back the hostages.
Oran’s story is truly one of resilience and hope. He realized he had two options after losing his sight: to survive or to live. He chose to live in the best way he could. Oran studied Braille and how to use a computer and phones with special screen readers. He marvels that it was “unbelievable” how his schoolmates helped him. Oran learned to sail and won third place in the world sailing boat championship for blind people. After high school, he volunteered with the IDF and served in in the Special Forces. Oran spoke before the UN Security Council and is a partner in a few startups, some which he founded. He plays guitar. Oran offers that he encountered many challenges he could not have imagined, but with “strong willpower and support, one can emerge a winner.”
As it does every year, StandWithUs chooses two student leaders who exemplify courage and resilience in the face of the antisemitism they experienced to receive the “Star of David” award. On stage were Steve and Rita Emerson, founders of the campus Emerson Fellowship and Perri Polansky, representing the Kenneth Leventhal Foundation.
Aayush Keshari, a Hindu student leader at the University of Cincinnati, Ohio, is the 2025-26 StandWithUs Emerson Fellow. Aayush spearheaded programs that reached hundreds of students, tackling critical topics such as the October 7 attacks and the innocent hostages in Gaza; the Holocaust and rising antisemitism; the morality of the IDF; Middle East geopolitics, and Israel’s history and significance to the Jewish people. Through bold public displays, interactive exhibits, and dialogue-driven events, he not only educated his peers but also created spaces where Jewish students felt seen, supported, and safe. Aayush’s leadership helped build bridges between Jewish and non-Jewish communities, counter misinformation with empathy and clarity, and shift perceptions of Israel across his campus. Despite facing personal backlash, Aayush has remained unwavering in his commitment to stand with Israel and the Jewish community, especially in the wake of the October 7 attack. His example demonstrates how one student’s courage can influence an entire campus and reminds us that in this moment, we have tremendous friends and allies standing with us.
A senior at Santa Monica High School in California, Sadie Gryczman serves as Student Body President and was the StandWithUs Kenneth Leventhal High School Intern. A committed leader, Sadie has worked to strengthen community and promote cultural understanding. In the wake of rising antisemitism, Sadie convened campus-wide discussions, including bringing a Holocaust Survivor to share their story which drew 1,000 students and community members. Sadie was instrumental in facilitating the visit of busloads of high school students to the Nova Music Festival Exhibit in Los Angeles in the wake of Hamas’ October 7th terrorist attack in Israel. Sadie was the youngest speaker at the 2024 National Mayor’s Summit on Antisemitism, where she represented K-12 Jewish students across the country. She co-authored “Brighter Together,” a children’s book that uses empathy and storytelling to foster connections between Jewish and Muslim students; a project now being shared in classrooms to inspire dialogue and co-existence.
A piano appeared onstage and the legendary Idan Raichel performed to the cheering crowd. He had the audience sing along to “Hine Ma Tov Umanaim” rocking back and forth together to the harmony.
As in previous years, Elon Gold regaled the crowd with his unique humor and insightful outlook on Judaism.
Rabbi Cantor Alison Wissot and her daughter Abby, who is an alumnus of the StandWithUs Kenneth Leventhal High School Internship, sang the American National Anthem.
Daniel Isenberg, Abigail Frankel and Eyal Shraga of The Harkem Hillel Hebrew Academy children’s choir, sang Hatikva.
Everyone was given a StandWithUs bag to take home after the gala, which included a booklet about “Answering Difficult Questions About Israel,” a bag of chocolates for Hannukah, and two autobiographies. Written for young adults, “Lisa of Willesden Lane,” is Mona Golabek’s unsettling story about her mother being sent on the Kindertransport to London and how she fulfilled her dream of becoming a world-renowned concert pianist. “Under The Stretcher” is about American-born Max Levin who became a lone soldier, offering his griping account of being thrust immediately after joining the IDF, into 2014’s Operation Protective Edge, and its aftermath.
There was a strolling dinner reception and a captivating silent auction with art, sports memorabilia, exotic jewelry and fabulous trips throughout the world.
