Four days before the joint US-Israel strike on Iran – with tensions between the countries at an all-time high – a delegation of influencers and content creators from around the world made its way to Israel. 17 participants in a media lab run by Hen Mazzig, the veteran Israeli advocacy activist and founder of the Tel Aviv Institute for Combating Antisemitism, arrived in the country to experience Israel up close – through food, community, and even conversations with Israeli politicians. What they did not anticipate was that they would also experience one of the most distinctly Israeli experiences of all: war.
The group of the Jews Talk Justice Influencers Lab – made up of content creators who each, in their own way, work to debunk false narratives about Israel, particularly since Hamas' attack on October 7, 2023 – came to Israel for three content-packed days. The central focus was obtaining factual, evidence-based information about the conflict and discussing the best ways to fight the delegitimization of Israel in the world, especially among Gen-Z, which consumes its news from social media.
Just as they were preparing to take their Israeli experience back to their home countries, Operations Roaring Lion and Epic Fury began, adding an unexpected layer to the workshop: firsthand experience of Israeli reality.
Among the participants, as expected, are Israelis and diaspora Jews. But alongside them, descending into bomb shelters, are people whose connection to Israel is anything but trivial: non-Jewish, non-Israeli influencers for whom there should seemingly be no connection to this place. These participants – who come from countries whose governments are hostile to Israel, such as Spain – are creating pro-Israel content and openly supporting the country in a way that runs counter to the mood among many of their peers. And no, no organization is paying them to do so.
"It's like you're in a movie," Spanish activist Issac Moraleja, who has been creating content fighting against anti-Israel rhetoric since Hamas' attack on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, says. "Tel Aviv reminds me of my city, Barcelona. Everything is so cool, young people all around, I love it. Then all of a sudden, you turn a corner, and you see a destroyed building."
"I'm happy about my time in the bomb shelter"
In what he described as a very Israeli response, Issac said he is not alarmed by the war and feels safe, particularly given the US-Israel cooperation in the strike on Iran.
"I'm still processing everything, but I think that seeing the news from back home would make it seem much more intense. I think it's because of the people around me; everyone is so chill. One thing I'm happy about is my time in the bomb shelter. I'm loving that. I'm getting to meet so many people, and it's amazing. When we saw that the ayatollah had been killed, hundreds of people were all shouting and celebrating in the shelter. We were experiencing history here in Israel."
One thing that struck him – and something he said would not be reflected in his home country of Spain, known for its hostility toward Israel in recent years – was Israeli solidarity.
"There's an organization made up entirely of young Israelis volunteering to help in some of the places that were destroyed. They help remove trash and broken glass; many of them are at the place where I'm staying. That's incredible for me to see, values that are all about helping each other. It's incredible how the media and the world portray everything that is related to Israel in a completely different way than what is really happening here. They [Spanish leadership] blame the Jews for everything they are involved in."
"How do Israelis manage to endure it?"
German activist Karoline Preisler – best known for her silent counter-protest at pro-Palestinian demonstrations, where she holds a sign reading "Rape is not resistance" – also participated in Mazzig's media lab and found herself caught up in the war with Iran.
"Today I slept through the night for the first time since leaving Israel," she says, after managing to return to Berlin. "How do Israelis manage to endure it? They have been threatened, shelled, and plagued by mass murderers since Israel's founding. I only now truly understand the psychological strain on Israeli society."
Though she had visited Israel before, Preisler shared her experience against the backdrop of the Iranian missile attacks. "This time, the alarms were more frequent, the attacks more intense, and the repercussions felt around the world. Every minute, I felt more grateful for the Iron Dome. In the shelter, I also made many new friends and grew to love Israel even more."
She said the way Israelis cope with war – something she has not experienced in Germany in decades – surprised her and deepened her appreciation for the country and its people even further. "In Germany, war hasn't been known for decades. And in the last war, the Germans also exterminated more than 6 million Jews. Their children and grandchildren have just given me protection in Israel and made my return home to my children possible.
"The boundless love overwhelmed me. Israel is a tormented land; Nevertheless, the Israelis were ready to rush to the rescue of the Iranian people. An entire nation was prepared to endure the convulsions of mass murderers in the shelter. What a people! Am Israel Chai."
