Key Issues Identified

Lack of Coordination

• Communications efforts are amateurish, fragmented, and uncoordinated
• Talented individuals (e.g., Noah Tishby, Einat Wilf, Dan Senor, Quentin Tarantino) are not integrated into a unified strategy.
• Bureaucratic silos and personal egos prevent effective collaboration, even among top professionals in the U.S. and Israel.

Internal Political Dynamics

• Israeli leaders from both left and right pursue personal agendas, often undermining unified messaging.
• Historic coordination between coalition and opposition has eroded, leading to conflicting public statements and a weakened national narrative.

Underappreciation of Communications

• Communications work is stigmatized within Israeli society and viewed as less respectable than fields like cyber or the military.
• There is a cultural disregard for the strategic importance of public relations, despite its proven effectiveness in past efforts (e.g., Soviet Jewry campaigns).

Missed Opportunities

Global Talent and Resources

• Hollywood and Jewish communications professionals worldwide are underutilized.
• Notable figures (e.g., Spielberg, Tarantino) could contribute significantly but are neither approached nor coordinated.

Effective Spokespersons

• Past and present IDF spokespeople (e.g., Daniel Hagari, Chaim Herzog, Nachman Shai) have excelled in calming and informing the public.
• Their impact is constrained by broader systemic issues.
• Prime Minister Netanyahu is recognized as a credible spokesperson, yet he lacks adequate strategic support.

Media Engagement

• Western media outlets (BBC, CNN, The New York Times) are often viewed as biased against Israel.
• There is insufficient strategic response.
• Legal action and public exposure of media bias have been effective in the past but are not systematically pursued.

Strategic Priorities

Focus on Core Messaging

• The primary communication goal should be to highlight the threat of a nuclear Iran; other issues are secondary.
• Messaging should target the “middle”—uncommitted Americans and international audiences—rather than internal political factions.

Professionalization and Unity

• A professional, coordinated communications “A-team” led by Israel is needed.
• This team should integrate domestic and diaspora talent.
• Lessons from past successful efforts (e.g., Soviet Jewry, unified wartime messaging) should guide current strategy.

Conclusion

Despite abundant talent and resources, internal divisions and cultural attitudes hinder effective messaging. There is an urgent need for professionalization, unity, and strategic focus to safeguard Israel’s international standing and security interests.

Bio

Jeff is a retired career coach, university lecturer, memoirist, author, and marketing consultant. An active Jewish leader since 1981, he participated in four previous missions to Israel, and has visited Israel many times. He spent a year volunteering on kibbutzim on the Golan during the 1973 War.