An ‘Israel Explainer' Makes Her Country's Case in America

Last week, on a Los Angeles stage, two Israeli women discussed their anger and grief in the aftermath of the Hamas terror attack that took place in Israel on Oct. 7. Over 500 people crammed into the auditorium of a synagogue to hear this, and another 400 tuned in via Zoom.

Noa Tishby told them that they were witnessing the horrors their grandparents had warned us about. We're witnessing them in real life.

Gal Gadot was also there, the star of the blockbuster movie 'Wonder Woman', among other films. In this dangerous moment, Ms. Tishby is the one who has caught the attention of American Jews and television news programs, but most importantly, social media.

Ms. Tishby, once the villain in a popular Israeli TV drama that she was hated for, moved to Los Angeles with the hope of finding a similar career path as Ms. Gadot - an Israeli actress and super-celebrity who is now famous on Hollywood.

She has instead become a dominant, provocative voice in a war being fought not only on American campuses and streets, but also on TV, social media and on American streets.

Ms. Tishby, who is a fervent supporter of Israel, describes herself as "pro-Palestinian and just anti-Hamas." She is adamantly against a Gaza ceasefire and those who support the attack on Israel, including U.S. Students. She says her mission is to fight global antisemitism, and digital misinformation. Her critics may think she is an apologist of the Israeli government.

She has, aparently, been everywhere in the three weeks that have passed since the beginning of the war between Israel & Hamas.

The New York Times' paperback bestseller list was topped by Ms. Tishby’s 2021 book 'Israel: a Simple Guide to the Misunderstood Country of the Earth' for the first month. It rose recently to No. 4.

She has appeared on Fox News and CNN's "Morning Joe" as well as MSNBC. She has several hundred thousand fans.

Instagram

Since she first broke the news of Hamas terrorists entering Israel. If you ask pro Israel Jewish Americans whether they follow Ms. Tishby’s posts, the answer is often: "I'm obsessive."

At a moment when Jewish people raised to revere Israel feel stunned by what they perceive as an unjust war, it is important that we remember the history of Israel.

Lack of empathy on the progressive left

She has become a star in the universities she attended and for those who have supported her. Yoav David, the creator of the popular

Instagram Account for Jews of NY

She works closely with her on digital content. I keep telling her God has been grooming for this moment.

Ms. Tishby spoke at a Washington rally in 2021. She is the co-author of "Israel: A Simple guide to the most misunderstood country on earth."

Credit...

Chris Kleponis/CNP/picture-alliance/dpa, via Associated Press

Her message has one main theme: when people reject Zionism and suggest that Israel doesn't have the right exist as a Jewish State, this is code for hatred towards Jews. "When a mass murder occurs, more brutal than anything the world has seen in decades, people say that Israel deserves it," said Ms. Tishby. Anti-Zionism is antisemitism.

This concept -- that antisemitism and anti-Zionism are the same -- has been at the core of an argument for generations. Many mainstream organizations support this position, while others reject it. This includes many progressive Jews. Critics claim that linking a disavowal Zionism with antisemitism discourages critical discussion about Israeli policy.

Simone Zimmerman said: "My main criticism of Noa is the fact that she is part and parcel of an Israeli government effort to confuse all strident criticisms of Israeli government policy with antisemitism."

A writer and activist

Who helped to create "If Not Now," a group of American Jews critical of Israel's policies towards Palestinians.

Ms. Tishby says that she is happy to have the debate, despite the fact that she claims she was fired from the Israeli government for criticizing the Netanyahu regime. She does not apologize, however, for her belief in the right of her homeland to defend itself. This is true even today, when Israel faces intense criticism over its barrage against areas in Gaza that are populated by both civilians and Hamas.

She said, 'Three week ago, Israel suffered a brutal attack by barbarians who were out to destroy it.' If Mexico had done the same to the United States no one would have said'restrain yourselves' three weeks ago. Israeli is trying to do the best they can in a difficult situation.

She only dissents when asked if she supports Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's handling of the conflict. She said, 'I'm not going to talk about it'.

Ms. Tishby, in social media videos and interviews, speaks with the confidence of a broadcaster who knows her stuff, and the passion and conviction of an activist willing to show her emotions, but not to give in.

She said that her goal is to raise the morale of Jews around the globe and to reach out to those on the left who think the Hamas killing 1,400 Israelis, and the kidnapping of another 240, was an act by Palestinian resistance. She said that the progressive left had been manipulated.

Then, you can get in touch with us.

Look at the pictures below.

On Fox, last week, with Sean Hannity Ms. Tishby pointed out that Hamas had broken cease-fires before, and she highlighted the threat posed to the West by Iran, which is a Hamas supporter. She said that if Hamas was not removed from power in the West, the same human rights would be enjoyed by the Iranians. "Israel is fighting the West’s war."

Instagram: And In An Instagram

Video

After showing footage of the plane which crashed into the World Trade Center Ms. Tishby addressed the camera. Imagine if, within days after the Al Qaeda attacks on 9/11, a group of American students held rallies to support that terror attack. She continued: "That's exactly what's happening right now on American campuses."

For many Jewish people, Ms. Tishby represents inspiration. She is a general on the frontlines of a war of messages, providing supporter of Israel an insider's understanding of Israel's history, and an answer to any accusations about a nation they love, all through shareable Instagram posts. Ritchie Torres is a Democrat and close friend of mine from New York who said, 'She's a pro Israel influencer, on a platform which is notoriously hostile towards Israel.' The Jewish community has often said, "We feel alone and afraid, and voices like Noa Tishby make us feel less scared and alone."

Ms. Tishby had been relatively unknown to Americans before the war. For decades, however, she was a household brand in Israel. This was confirmed by her friend Gideon Raff who produced the Israeli series Prisoners of War and executive produced 'Homeland', the Showtime adaptation.

Ms. Tishby is a Tel Aviv native who was raised in a progressive, politically active family. She served as a member of the Israel Defense Forces in what could be called the Israeli U.S.O. In her book she describes her journey from the Golan Heights, to Hebron, to Gaza Strip. She sang cover tunes, and performed sketches for her fellow soldiers.

She was cast as Dafna in a TV drama while still in the military. The character is a young designer who has been hired to inject youth and relevance into a fashion house. The show was called 'Ramat Aviv Gimmel' after an affluent Tel Aviv suburb. It became a hit.

Ms Tishby is a former Israeli TV star who arrives in Los Angeles for an event commemorating the 60th anniversary state of Israel.

Credit...

Chris Pizzello/Associated Press

Ms. Tishby was a singer and an actress who moved to Los Angeles around 20 years ago. She was frustrated with the difficulty of building a career as an actor or singer in Hollywood. She was also surprised by the relative ignorance she felt some Americans had of geopolitics, and Israeli history.

They would criticize Israel and I would ask a simple, "Do they know the difference between Hamas, the Palestinian Authority, or where Gaza is?" She said. "They wouldn't know what to do."

She said that Ms. Tishby was 'the unofficial Israel Explainer' among her friends and colleagues.

She changed direction professionally. She changed her career.

She has also built a successful side hustle as an activist. She created a digital platform for rapid response to counter misinformation, which she felt was not being addressed by the Israeli government. She spoke at panels and sat in on speeches as her mission evolved.

She published "Israel" in 2021. It is a primer about the ancient and recent history of the country.

The jewelry of Ms. Tishby reveals her loyalty.

Credit...

Mark Abramson, The New York Times

Ms. Tishby has a great way of talking and her writing is conversational. She writes that after presenting 3,000 years' worth of Jewish struggles in just 20 pages she says, "All these ancient, dramatic events took place on the same land as Israel today." This is not a religious belief, but based on archaeology and science. Let's not bring her into this discussion because it's not about God.

Next year, Ms. Tishby was appointed Israel's official representative for the fight against antisemitism.

Yair Lapid

Then, Israel's Foreign Minister was.

"Israel, as a nation, had failed miserably to realize that the new generation did not have the attention required for the Holocaust memory to be told by an older generation," said Mr. Lapid. He is now the leader of the Israeli opposition.

He told his staff: "Let's appoint someone who is beautiful, smart, and a great communicator with the ability to speak a new language.

The title of'special envoy to combat antisemitism' and 'delegitimization' was made.

official

She said that Ms. Tishby already did what she was saying.

She gave her a new entree last September

Testified

At the U.S. Capitol - but also increased criticism after the death Shireen Abu Akleh, a Palestinian journalist.

Ms. Abu Akleh died in May 2022 while covering a shootout between Palestinians, and Israeli forces. Israeli officials initially blamed Palestinians, but later said that she could have been hit by Israeli crossfire. A United Nations committee conducted an independent investigation and recently released the results.

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The Israeli security forces are responsible for using 'lethal violence without justification'.

Ms. Tishby responded by saying that anger directed towards Israel was unfair. She posted on social media that 'Journalists die around the globe every week without the same worldwide reaction'. This is antisemitism's double standard.

The official position of Ms. Tishby was not long-lived.

In speeches and written criticisms, Ms. Tishby has criticized the proposal made by the Netanyahu government in the early part of this year.

M. Lapid told her that she was going to be fired by the voters, after he served as Prime Minister for a brief time before Mr. Netanyahu was reinstated late last year.

"I don't mind," he replied, to which Ms. Tishby agreed.

She spoke publicly about her work without a title.

Growing tide of antisemitism

What this could mean for Israel. Her phone buzzed as she sat in a friend's home in Los Angeles after Shabbat, on October 6, early the next morning in Israel. She rushed home to begin broadcasting live on Instagram. She translated Israeli news in real-time. She was one of the first people to post videos of Israeli terrorists.

In response to anti Israel demonstrations, she has redoubled her efforts to encourage Jewish parents to provide their children with a solid history of Israel.

She said that the Jewish community must be open about Israel's complex past and current issues, "even if it's uncomfortable." The justification of the existence of a Jewish State does not require that we hide anything.

Last week in Los Angeles, Ms. Tishby asked Ms. Gadot where she was and what she felt when she heard about the Hamas attacks.

"I am happy to live because it is not something that can be taken for granted anymore," Ms. Gadot replied, her voice bursting with emotion.

Ms. Gadot asked the same question of Ms. Tishby. What was her mood? She replied without hesitation, 'I am pissed.'