Noa Tishby appointed Israel’s first ever Special Envoy for Combating Antisemitism and the Delegitimization of Israel
Israel’s Foreign Minister Yair Lapid has announced the appointment of the country’s first-ever Special Envoy for Combating Antisemitism and the Delegitimization of Israel. Israeli artist, author and model Noa Tishby will be the first person to fill the newly-established position.
Israeli-American actress, producer and activist Noa Tishby. Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Tishby has been prominent in recent years for taking the initiative to defend Israel on social media. She is not as famous as actress Gal Gadot, but Tishby took to Instagram and TikTok in force in 2021 to give the world Israel’s side of the story during Operation Guardian of the Walls.
In her new role, Special Envoy Tishby—who was born and grew up in Israel and now lives both there and in the United States—will focus on raising global awareness of antisemitism and efforts to delegitimize Israel and serve as an advocate to prevent and fight hate directed towards Jews. She will act on behalf of the Israeli Foreign Ministry to spearhead initiatives worldwide before key audiences, generate an international dialogue, and respond to acts of antisemitism.
“The creation of this post and the appointment of Noa Tishby is another step that will strengthen Israel and our fight against antisemitism internationally at a moment when Jews around the world once again face an alarming and dramatic resurgence in antisemitism,” said Yair Lapid.
“She is a gifted author and thinker who has long been a powerful voice on issues of antisemitism and the delegitimization of the State of Israel,” he added. “In this fight, it’s critically important to tell the Israeli story well, influence decision-makers and world opinion, and to be quick and powerful in our response to acts of hate and violence directed against Jews.”
Lapid went on to describe her as one of the world’s most influential Jews.
Israel’s Foreign Ministry points out that surveys show that more than one billion people worldwide hold anti-Semitic views. Recent FBI reports cite that Jews are the target of 58% of all religiously-motivated hate crimes in the U.S. even as Jews make up just 2% of the U.S. population.
As a result of rising antisemitism, half of American Jewish college students have hidden their Jewish identity and 65% have said they’ve felt unsafe on campus. A survey showed that one-in-ten young American adults didn’t recall ever hearing about the Holocaust, while 63% of those young adults surveyed didn’t know 6 million Jews were murdered in the Holocaust. Moreover, inherently antisemitic efforts to delegitimize Israel have risen sharply in recent years through initiatives such as the BDS movement.
“I can imagine no greater honor than representing the State of Israel to work to eradicate the rising threat of irrational and dangerous hate against Jews, bring antisemitism to the surface, and foster dialogue,” said Special Envoy Tishby.
Tishby described antisemitism as the world’s oldest and most enduring form of hatred and discrimination. She referred to the nazi demonstrations held in Charlottesville, North Carolina, and more recently in Texas, as well as the surge of anti-Semitic attacks around the world during the conflict with Hamas in Gaza in 2021, as proof that “the danger facing Jews and the State of Israel is more prevalent now than at any time since World War Two and the Holocaust.”
“No one individual will ever eliminate antisemitism—this is a fight that must be done collectively by Jews and non-Jews alike. I will work tirelessly to help lead that effort,” added Tishby.
“Yair Lapid has chosen a proven and powerful voice to play a leading role in this important fight,” said US Congressman Ritchie Torres (D-NY). “With antisemitism on the rise, I know Noa will continue to be a leading voice in the battle against hate and for the truth.”
Noa Tishby was born in Tel Aviv, Israel and served in the Israeli Defense Forces. She received a drama scholarship from the Tel Aviv Museum of Arts and appeared prominently in popular Israeli TV, film, and stage productions before establishing her film and television career in the U.S. as a producer, actor and writer.
In 2011, Tishby founded Act for Israel and since then has become a leading voice in the U.S. and abroad on issues involving antisemitism and efforts to delegitimize Israel.
TPS
