The program equips community-based leaders with ADL expertise, tools and networks; applications close October 16
New York, NY, September 9, 2026 – ADL (the Anti-Defamation League) opened applications for the second cohort of Hazak, its first-of-its-kind accelerator for the grassroots leaders and organizations on the front lines of the fight against antisemitism. Applications are open through October 16 on the Hazak website.
"Hazak" – meaning "strong" in Hebrew – is an accelerator program for community-based organizations whose core missions include preventing, educating and advocating against antisemitism. Participants receive leadership and advocacy coaching, direct consultations with ADL experts, rapid response support when incidents hit their communities, strategic and operational guidance, purpose-built advocacy tools, and access to ADL's network and a peer learning community. The program culminates in a capstone convening and an ongoing alumni program.
"Antisemitism is surging across every sector of American life, and the people best positioned to confront it are often already inside those spaces: the workers who refuse to stay silent," said Jonathan Greenblatt, ADL CEO and National Director. “Hazak utilizes ADL's more than a century of expertise and puts it directly into the communities' hands. We are not just standing behind these leaders; we are building their capacity, expanding their reach and becoming lasting partners in their work."
Hazak's inaugural cohort spanned healthcare, arts and culture, labor unions and K-12 education, and included The Artists Against Antisemitism, American Jewish Medical Association, the National Education Association Jewish Affairs Caucus, the Jewish Parent Alliance in Schools and the Jewish Employee Resource Group at a large Massachusetts healthcare institution.
"Most of us in this cohort didn't set out to build a nonprofit. We stepped up because we saw something wrong at our own schools or communities and felt compelled to speak out," said Rachel Greenfield, founder of the Jewish Parent Alliance in Schools. "Hazak's guidance helped us build a business plan, draft board bylaws, and understand the art of soliciting donors and writing grant proposals."
"What stood out most to us was that ADL chose to invest in grassroots organizations at all," said Alison Hammer and Elizabeth Berkowitz, Co-President and Co-Vice President of The Artists Against Antisemitism. "They stepped up in a real way, providing content-specific expertise alongside the practical, unglamorous knowledge nonprofits actually need."
For Cohort 2, Hazak is open to grassroots groups from across the country in sectors including but not limited to: public affairs, civic engagement, entertainment, sports, campus communities, law enforcement and public safety, mental health and social work, music, and more.
Who Should Apply
Hazak is open to grassroots leaders and community-based organizations working to combat antisemitism anywhere in the United States. Applicants may be unincorporated, fiscally sponsored, a 501(c)(3) or a 501(c)(4), and may be fully staffed or entirely volunteer-run. Strong candidates have documented early momentum and wins, clarity about the problem they are working to solve, and the capacity to devote 12 to 15 hours per month to Hazak programming.
To apply or learn more, visit www.adl.org/hazak.
ADL is the leading anti-hate organization in the world. Founded in 1913 to protect the Jewish people, ADL works to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and secure justice and fair treatment to all. In the face of rising antisemitism and extremism, we protect, advocate, and educate, through a mix of programs and services using the latest innovations and technology, and seek to create a world without hate.