How to Build a Jewish Future: Jewish Federation's Julie Platt on Supporting Israel & Communal Safety

A VERY special episode of Being Jewish with Jonah Platt!! Julie Platt — lifelong Jewish leader, philanthropist, Chairwoman of Jewish Federations of North America– and Jonah’s mom! — joins Jonah for the highly anticipated Season One finale of Being Jewish. Her tenure as Chairwoman of the Diaspora’s largest philanthropic organization has seen Julie lead the Jewish community through Covid, the war in Ukraine, the horrors of October 7th and its aftermath, Israel’s war with Iran, and more. Through these crises and her decades of leadership, Julie has amassed a lifetime of wisdom and experience that she generously and candidly shares with Jonah and the BJJP community. If you’ve ever asked, “What can I do to help?” — this is the episode for you. Julie offers rich stories, practical insights, and inspiring advice to power up the leader in each of us. In this dynamic and heartfelt episode, Jonah and Julie dive into: ✡️ Why and how to be a leader 🏕️ Why Jewish Summer Camp is more than just fun — it’s formative 🌍 All the big Jewish orgs– AJC, ADL, JFNA, FJC, JDC, Hillel, Prizmah, The Jewish Agency– and how they’re trying to work together as never before 🇮🇱 When Julie received Israel’s highest civilian honor from President Isaac Herzog 🎓 Campus antisemitism in America — and how as interim board president, Julie helped steer the University of Pennsylvania through the most chaotic period in the school’s history 😂 A hilarious and personal peek inside Jonah and Julie’s own family dynamic It’s a finale full of heart, humor, and hope — guaranteed to leave you empowered, emboldened, and inspired to be a leader, even from the comfort of your own home. 👉 Subscribe, like, comment, and share! 🎧 Available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts & more 📲 Follow Us: @JonahPlatt @BeingJewishPodcast Host & Production Team Host: Jonah Platt; Produced by Rainbow Creative (Executive Producer: Matthew Jones; Story Producer: Sean Leviashvili; Editors: Patrick Edwards & Nathan Wheatley); Consulting Producer: Bethany Mandel; Research Associate: Samantha Greenwald; Executive Assistant: Josie Rothschild; Creative Associate: Rachel Stern; Social Media Manager: Yuval Yosha; Graphic Designer Noah Bell; Interns: Sasha Nelson & Emma Webb Sign Up For “One Mitzvah A Day”https://onemitzvahaday.com/ #JewishAdvocate #Israel #HelpIsraelToday #JewishAndProud #JFNA #JonahPlatt #BeingJewish #JuliePlatt #Podcast #YouTubePodcast #JewishPodcast #Jewish 00:00 Introduction and Special Guest Announcement 00:48 Introducing Julie Platt: A Leader in Jewish Philanthropy 02:20 Julie Platt's Ongoing Initiatives and Security Efforts 03:29 The Importance of Jewish Community Security 06:10 Julie Platt's Political Engagement and Advocacy 07:29 Julie Platt's Early Life and Jewish Identity 12:21 The Impact of Jewish Summer Camp 16:30 Challenges and Achievements in Jewish Summer Camps 20:44 Julie Platt's Dedication to Jewish Federation 23:24 Gender and Leadership in Jewish Federations 25:01 Lessons from COVID-19 and Jewish Community Collaboration 27:31 Combating Antisemitism: A Unified Approach 28:59 The Power of Collaboration in Scientific Research 29:40 Coordinating Messaging Against Antisemitism 30:47 Leadership During Crisis: COVID and Ukraine 33:05 Challenges and Triumphs at Penn 40:37 Emotional Stamina and Community Inspiration 43:22 Personal Reflections and Family Values 43:33 Fundraising and Leadership Insights 51:39 Honors and Leadership in the Jewish Community 56:09 Season Finale: Gratitude and Future Plans MENTIONED IN EPISODE Julie Platt’s Legacy at JFNA https://ejewishphilanthropy.com/what-we-can-learn-from-ju… JFNA (Jewish Federations of North America) https://www.jewishfederations.org/ Julie Platt Receives Presidential Medal of Honor in Israel https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-838346 What is LiveSecure? Understanding the Jewish Protective & Security Initiative https://www.jewishfederations.org/livesecure