Date: Wednesday, March 26, 2025
Time: 8:00 - 9:00 PM
Location: Park East Synagogue

About:

Join us for an important discussion between Yaakov Hagoel and Brooke Goldstein on Balancing Freedom and Accountability: The World Zionist Congress Election, Free Speech, and the Fight Against Jew-Hatred. Moderated by Gerard Filitti, this event will explore critical issues affecting Israel, the Jewish people, and the global fight against Jew-hatred.

This event will delve into the controversial case of Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil. Brooke Goldstein, who has been vocal in defending the U.S. government’s decision to hold Khalil accountable, will argue why his actions—leading a violent pro-terror encampment and spreading Hamas propaganda—should not be framed as a free speech issue. Instead, she stresses that conduct must be held to account when it threatens national security and incites hate. This timely conversation will emphasize the need for responsibility and the importance of standing firm against all forms of Jew-hatred.

The discussion will also highlight the World Zionist Congress Election, which is already underway and crucial to shaping the future of Israel and the global Jewish community. Voting, which is open until May 4, 2025, will determine how over $1 billion in funds supporting Israel’s non-governmental national institutions will be allocated, impacting the strength and safety of the Jewish people worldwide.

This event is now free to attend, thanks to the generosity of a private donor, and is a crucial opportunity to learn, engage, and stand united in the fight for Jewish safety and justice. Don't miss out on this impactful discussion on March 26, 2025, from 8:00–9:00 PM ET at Park East Synagogue.

Yaakov Hagoel
Chairman of the World Zionist Organization

Yaakov Hagoel is the chairman of the World Zionist Organization having served in this capacity since 2020. He was previously vice-chairman from 2015 – 2020. He served as acting chairman of The Jewish Agency from 2021 – 2022.

The Jerusalem Post listed him as #20 in the list of Top 50 Most Influential Jews of 2022.

Mr. Hagoel Hagoel is a member of The Jewish Agency Executive, the WZO Finance Committee, the Yad Vashem Council and is on the Board of Trustees of Keren Hayesod.

He has been active in combatting Antisemitism having served as co-chair of the Task Force on Antisemitism and travelling to various countries to attend conferences and workshops with diverse Jewish communities. After the deadly shooting at a synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he travelled to comfort the families and attended the funerals of some of the victims.

As part of his role as acting chairman of the Jewish Agency, he led the rescue operation from Ukraine which brought tens of thousands of Jewish refugees to Israel. This year over 60,000 new immigrants (olim) from around the world moved to Israel, a record number for the past 30 years.

Prior to his military service, Mr. Hagoel volunteered for a year of national service in Ofakim and then joined the Israel Defense Force Nachal Brigade. After completing his service, he joined the reserve forces in the Gaza Division. As a youth, Mr. Hagoel was a member of the Betar Movement eventually serving as the chairman of the organization.

Brooke Goldstein
Executive Director and Founder of The Lawfare Project and #EndJewHatred

Brooke Goldstein is a Miami-based human rights attorney, award-winning filmmaker, and author. She is the Founder and Executive Director of The Lawfare Project, a global legal organization dedicated to defending the civil rights of Jewish people through strategic legal actions. The organization provides pro bono legal services and manages an international network of over 800 lawyers.

She is also the founder of #EndJewHatred, a grassroots movement aimed at eliminating Jew-hatred through education and direct action.

Goldstein’s documentary, The Making of a Martyr, investigates the recruitment of Palestinian children for suicide attacks. She is a regular commentator on FOX News and has contributed to various media outlets. A sought-after public speaker, she has lectured at top universities and briefed government officials on human rights issues.

Gerard Filitti

Senior Counsel at The Lawfare Project

Gerard Filitti is Senior Counsel at The Lawfare Project, an international non-profit legal think tank and litigation fund based in New York City. A lawyer, political strategist (two presidential campaigns, multiple other campaigns and legislative initiatives) and regional expert on the Middle East and Central Asia, he has expertise in public policy, national security law and policy, counterterrorism, international law (including the International Criminal Court), civil and human rights, and economics. As a trial lawyer and commercial litigator with two decades of experience, Gerard has handled a wide variety of cases in state and federal courts, including, in recent years, civil counter-terrorism litigation with an emphasis on money laundering investigations and sanctions violations, and representing victims of hate crimes and international acts of terrorism. His current portfolio includes strategic litigation to combat antisemitism and directing grassroots civil rights activism for the #EndJewHatred movement.

Gerard earned his undergraduate degree from New York University, went on to complete a Master’s Degree with a dissertation in economics at the University of London, and earned his law degree from the University of Michigan Law School. He is a Fellow of the Royal Asiatic Society (U.K.) and a Middle East Affairs Analyst and political strategist on NTD News and Merit Street Media. He is a frequent contributor and recurring guest on Newsmax, Fox News, Scripps News, i24News, CNN, and other programs, and is often quoted as an expert by numerous media outlets.

Gerard’s first book, Frozen Tide, was featured in Panama City News Herald’s “The Beach’s Best Bookish Bets” as a “timely thriller” that “follows the investigation of a terrorist attack on American soil – with plot twists that could be ripped from the headlines.”

The Lawfare Project (LP) is a non-profit legal think tank and litigation fund based in New York City that focuses on matters of civil and human rights, discrimination, antisemitism, and counter-terrorism.

#EndJewHatred (EJH) is an international grassroots civil rights movement that unites ordinary people, activists, and organizations from around the world who support the cause that defines the movement: to end Jew-hatred in our lifetime.

Yaakov Hagoel in Conversation with Brooke Goldstein

March 26, 2025 - Park East Synagogue