Back in 2019, I was one of the first students to file a Title VI complaint against a university for antisemitism – before President Trump’s Executive Order on Antisemitism and long before October 7, 2023. For two years, I fought for Jewish students as an activist largely offline, before heading to law school to continue that fight in the courtroom.
After October 7, my legal work against antisemitism did not stop, but I also stepped into a new arena, choosing to make my account public, beginning to post on social media – and it took off like wildfire. I came to understand that while courts and legislatures shape policy, digital platforms like Instagram and YouTube now shape public perception, where millions consume their news, form their impressions, and decide who deserves sympathy. If antisemitism was spreading there, then I had a responsibility to show up there too.
This war is being fought on multiple fronts – of course, with weapons in the air and on the ground, but also with words, images, and narratives online. October 7 took place in Israel, but its effects were felt worldwide: Jews chased through the streets of Amsterdam, synagogues attacked in Sydney, and two Jewish professionals shot in Washington, DC.
In this environment, Jewish influencers serve two crucial roles: defending our existence to the world and uplifting our own people so Jews everywhere know they are not alone.
These roles are not optional or frivolous. They are necessary.
Influencers reach audiences that traditional institutions cannot. They break through echo chambers, spark conversations in unexpected spaces, and remind millions that Jewish is not meant to be hidden.
Take Zach Sage Fox, whose witty man-on-the-street style videos reach millions with humor and candor, or Lizzy Savetsky, who empowers and strengthens women and mothers who might otherwise feel small, helpless, and afraid for their children’s Jewish futures, or Bellamy Belluci, speaks truth to power with a clarity that resonates far beyond Jewish circles. And, of course, rising activists like Shabbos Kestenbaum, Tessa Vecksler, and Eyal Yakoby represent the next generation of Jewish leadership, demonstrating that “influence” is defined not by popularity but by the moral courage to stand firm, even in solitude.
I could list dozens more. Each one delivers a different message to a different audience, and each one is necessary. Together, their voices form a chorus that carries Jewish pride, resilience, and truth into corners of the world where official statements could never reach.
How Jewish influencers contribute during wartime
And just as every Jew contributes their skills in wartime, influencers contribute theirs. Therapists counseled trauma victims. Business leaders invested in Israel. Congregations flew to Israel to volunteer on the land. Even winemakers found creative ways to raise funds and awareness for the hostages. Many of us who speak out online once had entirely different careers, but when October 7 changed our reality, we realized our platforms could serve our people. Some call it talent; others call it timing. I call it responsibility.
So yes, call me an “influencer.”
There are countless ways to support. What disappoints me most is seeing energy wasted on tearing down fellow Jews who are simply doing their part. Criticism may win headlines, but it does nothing to win the war.
Postscript:
Influence takes many forms. Charlie Kirk held no elected office, he was not a public official, and had no college degree, yet he touched the lives of countless people – some who agreed with him, others who did not. His impact was proof that influence is not conferred by title or institution, but by the willingness to use one’s voice. That same truth applies to us.
Each of us has the ability to lift others, to inspire courage, and to carry forward our story. And if this moment has taught us anything, it is that even in the darkest of times, our voices together can bring light, hope, and the certainty that the Jewish people will endure.
The writer is a legal advocate and media contributor committed to protecting Jewish rights and addressing antisemitism in academic institutions. She is best known for filing a complaint against NYU under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act in 2019 for failing to protect its Jewish community from discrimination and harassment.