Jewish American Summit 2026 Where Hollywood, Culture and Community Took Center Stage

Los Angeles is no stranger to big conversations. This is, after all, a city where entertainment, politics, culture and influence constantly collide. On Sunday, that mix came together at the Jewish American Summit 2026, where more than 1,000 people gathered for a day of conversation, connection and some very timely discussions about what it means to be Jewish in America today.

Now in its third year, the Summit has quickly become a gathering where Hollywood personalities, business leaders, creators, activists, diplomats and community leaders share the same room. This year was no exception.

From the moment the programming began, the atmosphere felt less like a traditional conference and more like the center of the cultural conversations happening right now.

When Hollywood Gets Political

The entertainment industry has always had a voice, but the question of how that voice is used has become increasingly important.

That conversation was front and center when UTA Vice Chairman and UC Regent Jay Sures joined national reporter and anchor Erielle Reshef for Hollywood, Campus & the Courage to Speak Up. Their conversation explored the responsibility that comes with having a platform and the importance of speaking up when the subjects are difficult.

The discussion was followed by conversations surrounding antisemitism, Israel and the United States, diplomacy and the changing landscape of Jewish American life. Businessman and philanthropist Adam Milstein and Israeli Ambassador Yechiel Leiter were among the notable voices taking part.

The program continued with Ambassador Mike Huckabee, discussing America & Israel: An Unbreakable Alliance, moderated by Emmy award-winning journalist Stella Inger Escobedo.

The morning’s conversations also explored antisemitism and anti-Zionism, alongside discussions highlighting the courageous search-and-rescue missions carried out by Unit 669 of the IDF. The program featured appearances by Tanya Tsikanovsky, David Englin, Jacki Alexander, Carly Gammill, Liora Rez, Ben Carraso The ‘Spokeskid’ of Israel and others.

The New Hollywood Advocates

Perhaps one of the most telling conversations of the day was The New Face of Advocacy, which looked at something that feels particularly relevant in 2026: the power of personal platforms.

Filmmaker and THINK AGAIN founder Zach Sage Fox, beauty queen Melanie Shiraz, journalist and writer Luai Ahmed, actor and advocate Andy Buckley, famously known for The Office, and IDF veteran Eli Wininger joined entrepreneur Erik Huberman to discuss how storytelling and social media are changing the way people engage with issues surrounding Israel, antisemitism and Jewish identity.

And this is where the Summit felt especially connected to Los Angeles.Advocacy is no longer limited to politicians, institutions or traditional media. It is happening on Instagram, TikTok, podcasts, film sets and in everyday conversations. Creators have audiences. Actors have platforms. Filmmakers have stories to tell. And increasingly, people are deciding for themselves what they want to stand for publicly.

From Hollywood to California Politics

The conversation eventually moved closer to home, with JAS 2026 turning its attention to California politics and the Jewish American vote.

California gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton and Elizabeth Barcohana took part in Fixing California, while Dillon Hosier of ICAN explored The Jewish Vote: What the Data Tells Us. Sheriff Alex Villanueva also joined the day’s programming.

Later, more speakers with unique prespectives took the stage with Dr. Gad Saad speaking about antisemitism, suicidal empathy and the challenges shaping today’s cultural and political climate. Followed by the provocative discussion between author and activist Mosab Hassan Yousef, known as “The Green Prince” and Jonah Platt. Yousef offered us a more personal look at his own life experiences, an insight into what drives him and the perspectives that have shaped his views on Israel, antisemitism and the Jewish American experience.

The People Made the Summit

Of course, events like this are ultimately about more than the names on the program.

Walk through a gathering of more than 1,000 people in Los Angeles and you get something that cannot be captured on a schedule. You get entrepreneurs meeting creators, longtime community leaders connecting with a younger generation, activists exchanging ideas and people from completely different corners of the cultural landscape finding common ground.

At a time when our community faces enormous challenges, from rising antisemitism and online hate, to questions about Israel, Jewish identity and mass misinformation, the energy in the room made it clear that Jewish Americans are not going to retreat. JAS is a platform for multiple perspectives and opinions and is a powerful reminder of the resilience and strength of the Jewish people and our allies, and of what we can accomplish when we stand together with courage, purpose and pride,” said Mike Drath, Co-Founder and Co-Executive Producer of the Jewish American Summit.

For Drath, seeing more than 1,000 people come together was an emotional milestone and a reminder of what can happen when a community decides to create its own space for conversation. He was also reflecting on how far the event had come in just 3 short years, partnering with Rabbi Aryeh Markman of Aish LA and Boris Epstein.

And Then the Rooftop

The serious conversations of the day made way to a lighter community event. After the main program wrapped at 5:30 p.m., guests headed to the rooftop for the Layla Lavan Young Professionals Mixer, where music, entertainment and networking carried the energy into the evening. It was a fitting ending for an event that managed to bring together two very different sides of Jewish Los Angeles: serious conversations about culture, politics and identity, alongside the social energy and personalities that make the city what it is.

A Cultural Moment in Its Own Right

What made JAS 2026 stand out was not simply the lineup. It was the collision of worlds.

Hollywood was represented. Politics was represented. Business, social media, advocacy and community leadership were all part of the conversation. And in the middle were the larger questions about unity, visibility and voice.

Who gets to shape the conversation? Who is willing to speak? And what happens when a community decides it will no longer sit quietly on the sidelines?

In a city built around storytelling, the Jewish American Summit created a stage of its own.

And judging by the turnout and energy, the audience was ready to listen.