A bestselling author, actress, activist and Israel’s former special envoy for combating antisemitism walks into a room. Such will be the case on May 6 when Noa Tishby takes the stage in Washington, D.C., at an event sponsored by Washington Hebrew Congregation.
After Oct. 7, 2023, Tishby became a leading Zionist voice in the United States. She was among The Jerusalem Post’s “50 Most Influential Jews” in 2025.
Nancy Duber, a member of WHC’s board of directors, had connected with Tishby and was enthusiastic about the idea of bringing her to the nation’s capital.
“When she mentioned the possibility to me, I was thrilled,” WHC’s Senior Rabbi Susan Shankman said.
The idea was made possible by the Ellenbogen family at WHC, whose support will bring Tishby to Washington.
“By supporting a speaker who could engage our community in an important conversation about Israel and antisemitism, the Ellenbogen family [will] help create an opportunity for learning, reflection and dialogue, at a time when these conversations matter deeply,” a WHC staff member said in a statement sent to Washington Jewish Week, expressing gratitude to the donors.
Tishby will reflect on understanding Israel and Jewish identity in this moment of polarization, social media’s role in playing into misinformation and misunderstandings, and how to respond to antisemitism and anti-Zionism.
Drawing upon her experience in Hollywood and global media, she will delve into how narratives about Israel spread, why “complex realities are often flattened into slogans” and how misinformation gains traction, according to the event listing.
Shankman spoke to the importance of having these conversations, especially now.
“We are in a moment when we are experiencing antisemitism, much of which is connected to people’s perceptions and understandings related to Israel,” she said. “It’s important to us as a congregation that is a proudly Zionist congregation to not shy away from that word. It is not a bad word.”
She added that the definition of Zionism has shifted and “manipulated” from its “historic core.”
“We want people to feel proud of their Judaism and also to feel a sense of connection to Israel, and that sometimes means engaging in the hard, challenging conversations that we have faced over the last two and a half years,” Shankman said.
Shankman said some WHC members may also wonder how to respond when they see events unfold in Israel that cause concern: “How do we still support Israel?”
“One of the reasons we were very excited to bring Noa Tishby to the D.C. Jewish community is because she is a strong voice for Judaism [and] for Israel,” the rabbi added. “Not just a strong voice, but also a proud voice.”
Much of the dialogue since Oct. 7, has been “filled with grief, pain, confusion and a sense of loss,” according to Shankman. Now, she said it’s time to boost confidence within the Jewish community.
“We hope to be able to provide our community with the confidence to stand for Judaism, to be proud of their Judaism and to feel that connection to Israel as well,” Shankman said.
Tishby is accustomed to Israeli advocacy, having founded the online Zionist advocacy organization, Act for Israel, in 2011, and Reality Israel, which holds “leadership trips” to the country for both Jews and non-Jews, in 2014.
She’s also written two books: one investigating antisemitism and the other about Israel — both of which Shankman has read.
“Both are engaging in different ways,” Shankman said. “One of the things that I am very excited about in terms of having [Tishby] come and speak is that she’s both unfiltered, but also very down to earth and relatable … Her books are accessible and that’s the way she speaks as well.”
Tishby differs from the congregation’s typical speakers, said Ori Hoffer, WHC’s director of communications, in terms of age and perspective.
“She is definitely younger,” Hoffer said. “She is more on TV and social media. We typically have academics, authors, journalists. This is somebody who’s coming at this topic from a very different perspective.”
He added that Tishby is relatable largely because she’s so active on social media. “So when she says, ‘What can we do?’, it’s not an academic exercise. She is actually out there talking on social media and talking to people in general,” Hoffer said.
He also brought up Tishby’s background in entertainment — she began acting as a child and landed her first commercial appearance at the age of 8.
“She [brings] a different angle than our usual speakers, which is one of the things that makes this so exciting,” Hoffer said.
Shankman said she hopes that the discussion with Tishby will foster an open dialogue, regardless of how audience members view Israel: “It’s an opportunity to talk about what’s on everyone’s mind.”
The May 6 event is part of WHC’s ongoing programming around Israel and antisemitism. The Reform synagogue was supposed to hear from Israeli journalist Lee Yaron in April, before the event was canceled due to unforeseen circumstances. The community is also co-sponsoring a June discussion with Jon Polin and Rachel Goldberg-Polin, the bereaved parents of hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin, in partnership with Milton Gottesman Jewish Day School.
“Noa Tishby is certainly someone who has not just the voice and the confidence, but also the understanding and the background and experience that make her the perfect speaker for this moment,” Shankman said.
