The New Phase of Hasbara

What the last year taught us and where we go from here

As the war slowly moves toward a close, something interesting is happening. The Hasbara world is starting to split into two realities. On one side you have the familiar playbook we’ve relied on for years. On the other side you have a new ecosystem that’s quietly reshaping what influence really looks like.

And honestly, this shift has been a long time coming.

When misinformation starts inside our own walls

The whole “Israel pays influencers seven thousand dollars a post” story is a perfect example. It didn’t start with our enemies. It started with our own news outlets. Then our own community believed it. And now it’s become a weapon against us, used to question our credibility and authenticity.

That moment showed us something deeper. The echo chambers aren’t only external. They’re internal too. We’ve been so flooded with urgency, fear, and content that we sometimes amplify narratives that end up hurting us.

Meanwhile, the real influence is coming from somewhere else entirely

The creators moving people right now aren’t the ones posting nonstop about Israel. They’re the ones showing up as whole human beings. They speak as Jews. They give strength. They lift our community from within.

People like Hallie Abrams, Sara Akiba, Meir Kay, and Jeremy Awakens. Each of them weaves identity naturally into their world, not by turning their content into a megaphone, but by bringing Jewish life into the lane they already thrive in.

I sat on a panel with Sara and Meir, and it was clear. Their impact comes from trust and character, not talking points.

Identity is becoming the strategy.

And then there’s the YouTube effect

YouTube has become one of the only platforms where creators can still break through the echo chamber. Long form content gives people room to think, explore, and actually understand what’s happening instead of reacting instantly.

Barak Swarttz, known online as @otherBarak, captures this better than most:

“YouTube lets you reach people who genuinely want to understand the nuance behind Israel and what’s really happening here. That’s why the majority of my audience isn’t even Jewish. They’re curious, thoughtful, and looking for context they can’t find anywhere else.”

Creators like the Traveling Clatt, and Barak and Ollie from JTV show exactly what this next phase looks like. They’re reaching people who would never click on a typical Israel-related reel on other platforms. They’re speaking to the curious middle, the people who want clarity, not noise.

That’s where real narrative shifts happen.

The part we rarely say out loud

We will always need Hasbara creators. There will always be people who explain, contextualize, and push back when necessary.

But the past year revealed something honest. We thought going all in on Hasbara was the most effective route. In reality, many of the creators who stayed in their own fields had more influence.

The fashion creator who sprinkles Judaism into her content.

The fitness creator who shares a moment from Israel.

The entrepreneur who mentions a mitzvah in a business story.

Influence is strongest when people see your values inside your passion, not instead of it.

Creators like Hallie Abrams (fashion and lifestyle), Jeremy Awakens (wellness and spirituality), Sara Akiba (fashion and education), and Meir Kay (breathwork and wellness) show exactly what this looks like. They don’t talk about Judaism or Israel in all of their content, only in some of it. And because it’s woven naturally into their world, it feels authentic, grounded, and relatable.

These are the creators who strengthen the core. They help people feel connected, proud, and rooted without turning their pages into debate stages. And that is influence with real staying power.

This is exactly where Barzel comes in

And the truth is, this has been our focus from day one. It just feels like the world is finally catching up.

From the moment we launched Barzel, we believed the creators with the biggest long term impact would be the ones who stay rooted in their lane and weave Judaism or Israel into their passions naturally. Our whole model was built to support those creators and protect their livelihood so they never have to choose between being authentic and being employable.

Because when creators influence from their passion, their circle, their craft, the effect is far more powerful than any debate.

So where do we go from here?

We need:

• Creators who speak to the Jewish world with confidence

• Creators who reach new audiences by staying true to their field

• Influencers who weave values into their content instead of turning their feed into a battlefield

• Community builders who strengthen Jewish identity

• A system that protects creators so they don’t have to choose between values and income

This is the new phase of Hasbara. Intentional, grounded, and fueled by creators whose real commercial influence gives our story strength.

Want to help shape this next phase?

If you want to influence this next phase and help Barzel keep supporting the creators who are shaping Jewish identity and global perception, we would love your help. Please consider donating to the Digital Israel Fund, our 501c3 that powers this work.