Won The Forum Dvorah Award for Foreign Policy, 2022
Nominated by Forbes Israel as one of the Top 50 Most Influential Women in Israel, 2017
Just over a decade ago my nonprofit, Vibe Israel, pioneered the concept of bringing digital influencers to Israel on a weeklong immersive tour and connecting them with Israelis like themselves, so that they share Israel’s authentic story with their followers.
Fast forward to 2023, and we have created through this strategy over a BILLION positive mentions about Israel online.
Our research confirms that these mentions dramatically improve Israel’s image and provide context to young people who are indifferent to the anti-Israel narrative. Since research shows that these people are the majority, engaging them positively is crucial.
Back in 2010, I didn’t think Israel’s image was getting better despite all the effort the community and government were investing. That, combined with the dramatic change in how the next gen communicates, forms opinions and is influenced by others, made me realize that social media could be a gamechanger in Israel’s ability to manage its image.
After a three-year Covid-induced hiatus, we are running new tours every six weeks or so. We aim to reach the next billion positive mentions about Israel within three years by doubling down on all forms of digital engagement with targeted audiences. Flooding the social media feeds of young people the world over can transform how future decision-makers perceive Israel and Israelis.
I became an evangelist for this mindset years before it was acceptable to discuss Israel or share its story in terms beyond the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (in fact, ISRAEL21c was the catalyst for this mindset to gain mainstream acceptance!).
The challenge was for my own community – donors and Jewish professionals I partner with – to believe it was possible to improve perceptions of Israel without focusing the conversation solely on the conflict and explaining Israel’s policies. I am delighted that over time, this has changed, and the value of positive engagement is now a given.
I recently published a bestselling book, Ethical Tribing: Connecting the Next Generation to Israel in the Digital Era, that summarizes my entire ethos and strategy.