More than 2,000 people from 60-plus countries and six continents are attending the premier annual global Jewish advocacy event - AJC Global Forum -  from April 27-29.

Here are four highlights to look for on the AJC Global Forum stage.

After 246 days in Hamas captivity – days she described as “pure hell” – Noa Argamani knows she’s one of the lucky ones. That’s why she has spent every day since her rescue fighting for the release of all the hostages, including her partner, Avinatan Or, who is still being held in the tunnels of Gaza. She continues that mission at AJC Global Forum 2025. 

”I’m especially humbled to serve as a voice for the hostages who remain in captivity—those who can’t speak for themselves,” she said when Time Magazine recognized her on its annual list of the 100 most influential people of the year.

Video footage of Noa’s terrified pleas as she was abducted from the Nova Music Festival went viral shortly after the October 7, 2023 Hamas terror attacks and became a symbol of Jewish trauma around the world. Now she is a symbol of hope that all of the remaining living hostages will return home and dance again. 

In February 2024, she became the first former hostage to address the UN Security Council, speaking of the unbearable pain of knowing her boyfriend, Avinatan, is still in Hamas captivity and calling for the return of all the hostages.

Parents of hostages still in captivity will bring that same mission to the Global Forum stage. Ruby and Hagit Chen, the parents of Israeli-American hostage Itay Chen, and Adi Alexander, the father of Israeli-American hostage Edan Alexander, will call for the return of their children. 

The IDF confirmed in March 2024 that Itay Chen, 19, was killed on October 7 while serving on the border. He is one of three U.S. Israeli citizens whose bodies remain held in Gaza, along with those of husband and wife Gad Haggai and Judith Weinstein Haggai.

Edan was raised in Tenafly, New Jersey and volunteered to serve in the Israeli Defense Force after graduating high school in 2022. He is the last American hostage left in the tunnels of Gaza. Since his abduction, Hamas has released propaganda videos that include chilling footage of his pleas to come home. 

What does “America First” mean for U.S. global leadership? That’s the question at the heart of this year’s Great Debate at AJC Global Forum 2025.

Neoconservative commentator Bill Kristol, editor-at-large of The Bulwark, argues that true “America First” policy has always meant strong global leadership. From the moment the U.S. became a superpower, he says, American interests have been best served by shaping the world order. In contrast, he sees the Trump-era “America First” agenda as a retreat—one that elevates adversaries like Russia and China to near-peer status.

Ellie Cohanim, a senior fellow at the International Women’s Forum and former U.S. Deputy Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Antisemitism, sees it differently. As a contributor to the anthology An America First Approach to U.S. Foreign Policy, she contends that Trump’s version of “America First” focuses on the needs of everyday Americans over the political establishment—strengthening the economy, securing energy independence, and protecting the homeland.

Cohanim, who fled Iran with her Jewish family during the 1979 Islamic Revolution, is reportedly under consideration for U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations under the second Trump administration.

Kristol’s conservative credentials span decades. He got his start as a White House intern under President Nixon, then served as chief of staff to Education Secretary William Bennett under Reagan and to Vice President Dan Quayle under President George H.W. Bush. He spoke about U.S. leadership on the sidelines of AJC Global Forum 2019.

This is Kristol’s second turn on the AJC Global Forum Great Debate stage. In 2012, he faced off against then-U.S. Representative Barney Frank (D-MA) on the 2012 presidential election. 

U.S. Representative Ritchie Torres returns to the Global Forum stage - back by popular demand after he delivered an inspiring address at last year’s gathering. 

“We’re all in this together. We all have an obligation. We all have an obligation to fight antisemitism no matter what form it takes and no matter what direction from which it comes,” declared Torres who also provided a robust endorsement of Israel’s right to self-defense, highlighted the imperative that Hamas terrorists must be brought to justice, and passionately called for all the hostages to be released. 

Torres has been one of Israel’s staunchest supporters and advocates since Hamas’ massacre on October 7. He delivered a rousing address at the March for Israel, traveled to Israel in the months after October 7, and has sponsored numerous pieces of legislation aimed at protecting Jewish students, strengthening the Abraham Accords, and supporting Israel. Long before the start of the second Trump administration, Torres urged Columbia University to modify its nondiscrimination policies and expand its definition of antisemitism. 

In May of 2024, AJC CEO Ted Deutch, in a People of the Pod interview, reflected on the New York Congressman, “If you pause for a moment and think about what Richie Torres has done, as a member of Congress, a progressive member of Congress, standing firmly in support of Israel and Israel's right to defend itself and speaking with a moral clarity that we wish others could follow. Ritchie's a hero.”  

When Paraguayan President Santiago Peña reopened his country’s embassy in Jerusalem in December, he pledged unwavering support for Israel.

“It is such a privilege to take this decision… we will stay with the people of Israel forever,” Peña said at the time.

Peña will be one of three heads of state addressing the AJC Global Forum in April. Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema and Israeli President Isaac Herzog will address attendees via video.

Paraguay is the sixth country to open an embassy in Jerusalem, following the U.S., Guatemala, Honduras, Kosovo, and Papua New Guinea.

Israel, meanwhile, recently inaugurated its embassy in Zambia. Hichilema, who visited Israel in August 2023 as part of an AJC Project Interchange delegation of African business leaders, praised AJC during a State Dinner hosted by Herzog. Hichilema and senior advisor Chipo Mwanawasa emphasized the agency’s vital role in fostering ties between Israel, Zambia, and the U.S.

“Ties between the two countries will continue to deepen,” said AJC Africa Institute Director Wayne Sussman, who met with Hichilema during the trip. “Agritech, fintech, and independent power generation are key areas for expanded cooperation. President Hichilema is a results-oriented leader who sees great promise in this partnership.”

Herzog will address the Global Forum for the third consecutive year. Last year, he reflected on the October 7 attacks and his Voice of the People initiative, a global Jewish council he launched beforehand.

“October 7 proved that while hatred endures, so does our resilience,” Herzog said. “The global Jewish community has stepped up for Israel. This connectedness is a resource we must actively nurture and protect.”