CPAC 2025 was a bonanza of incredible speeches and panels, rich networking, and all-around conservative exuberance. The air was permeated by a sense of optimism, as the victory of President Trump has brought so many of CPAC’s core issues to the forefront of public consciousness. In recent months, President Trump has appointed many longstanding CPAC friends to positions in his administration, and this conference highlighted the dawn of this exciting new era in American politics.
In my role as Senior Fellow for Israel & Jewish Affairs, I am tasked with serving as the bridge between the American Jewish conservative community and CPAC, as well as connecting CPAC with conservative voices in Israel. This year, Jewish involvement in CPAC reached record levels, and a larger-than-ever delegation of Israeli conservatives joined their counterparts from many other countries in participating in the conference.
Arguably the most moving element of CPAC was seeing the wall-to-wall embrace of Israeli hostage families by speakers and attendees at the conference. These brave family members spoke on the main stage in an emotional conversation with Mercedes Schlapp (video). They also were acknowledged by numerous speakers, including Vice President JD Vance and President Trump (Video). They were swarmed by rank and file CPAC attendees who hugged them, prayed with them, and offered them comfort and support. The CPAC International Summit which convened the night before the conference formally opened, also began with a prayer led by Gal Gilboa Dalal, brother of hostage Guy Dalal.
Speaking of the International Summit, Israeli Cabinet Minister Amichai Chikli joined counterparts from around the world in representing the conservative movements in their countries. At the end of the summit, CPAC Board member and former Deputy National Security Advisor KT McFarland read out loud a resolution on Israel, which was unanimously adopted by those present. This resolution (video here), made waves in Israel for being a significant statement of solidarity and for calling for Israeli sovereignty in Judea & Samaria (link here.)
Minister Chikli also spoke about Antisemitism in a main stage conversation with Josh Hammer. See this link for an excellent video montage made by Chikli’s team about CPAC. Additional members of the Israeli delegation who spoke at breakout sessions were: Education Minister Yoav Kisch; members of the Israeli parliament Simcha Rothman and Ohad Tal, and Governor Yisrael Gantz.
On Friday night and Saturday, 175 participants attended the Shabbat program at CPAC. Aside from the Israeli notables, the following other visitors attended: Mark Levin, Matt & Mercedes Schlapp, Sebastian Gorka, RNC Chair Michael Whatley, Sarah Carter, GA Attorney General Chris Carr, journalist Katie Pavlich, and many others. Shabbat candles were lit on Friday evening in a moving musical ceremony with the Israeli hostage families.
In short, under the leadership of Matt & Mercedes Schlapp CPAC 2025 sent a robust message of support for Israel to the thousands of CPAC attendees. Additionally, the growing community of Jewish conservatives here in the United States were embraced and welcomed.
