A personal reflection.
For the better part of the last two decades, I hustled all day every day to build a tech consulting business that, thank God, grew quite significantly and continued to grow. As far as I was concerned, that’s how I was going to retire.
Hamas had other plans for me.
Alongside my business, I was building my social media platforms.
On that dark day, instinctively, without giving it much thought, I shut down my business and decided the state of Israel needed me more than the tech world needed me. (Thanks Racheli for supporting this crazy decision.)
Once I decided to “Pivot” to Israel advocacy, I sat down and thought about where I am most needed, where we have the biggest gap.
I decided to focus on a mission with two components.
1- To be a source of real-time accurate information. You see, real time and accurate are generally mutually exclusive. If it’s real time, that means you don’t have time to verify it. If you verify it and it’s accurate, you can’t publish it in real time.
However, since I’m getting feeds from many formal sources, many of which I can’t disclose, I realized I have the unique opportunity to cross reference things before I post and to potentially become a valid news source for people around the world who really want to know the truth about Israel, and not what the mainstream media tells you.
I am extremely proud that with very few exceptions, my reporting has been accurate. Trust me, it’s harder than you might think.
2- To give people a reason to get up in the morning. There are enough people sharing information about the losses and the tragedies. I realized there are many good things happening all around us. I’d focus on those and become a feed of positivity.
My mission: Give people a reason to smile in these difficult times.
That is what I’ve been exclusively focused on since 10/7/23.
The good news? My posts have reached many many billions of views. I don’t check often but they stand at somewhere between 6 and 7 billion.
More meaningful are the thousands of messages I’ve gotten from people who told me that I gave them a fresh perspective on Israel and some who even told me I changed their mind.
For the past 2.5 years, this is all I’ve been doing all day; every day. (Thank Gd for Shabbat to make sure I don’t lose my mind.)
The bad news?
Despite many organizations and institutions offering to fund my operation, I remained independent so no one can tell me what I can or cannot post.
That sounds like good news…
There are two problems.
1- Going from running a multi million business to having zero set income for 2.5 years has not been easy. Thank Gd I’m not starving and I have a roof over our heads, but that’s only because The CEO (I mean THE CEO.) miraculously takes care of me. I kid you not, it’s a miracle that I’m able to get by, let alone pay a team. Literal miracles.
2- I am on the edge of the worst of humanity every single day. The amount of hate I get is completely off the charts. It comes in all forms and from all directions. The Islamists hate me. The liberals hate me. The conservatives hate me (Not conservative enough for them.), the left wing Jews hate me, the right wing Jews hate me (Not right wing though for them.)
The hate also comes in all forms. Horrible replies and comments on my posts, malicious emails trying to trick me, phishing attempts, attempted hacking of me and my family, etc.
The list is long.
Of course the positive feedback keeps me going but there are definitely days where I’m ready to give up and just go back to marketing. There are days where I question if I’m even making a difference.
The hate is, quite frankly, very difficult to handle.
But then, God sends me a head nod and reminds me that I’m doing what I was put on this earth to do.
Like when my friend Dan Illouz who I know for years and is now a member of Knesset, invited me to the Knesset to give me this award to thank me for my work.
It was a very emotional moment. We were allowed to bring family members so my parents and kids were there as I went up to this stage to get this beautiful plaque.
Below is an image of the twins standing outside of the Knesset, a very proud moment for me and an exciting one for them.
Like I always say, if my grandmother in Auschwitz knew that her grandson would one day receive an award from the state of Israel, she’d probably ask “The state of what?” 😁
Anyway, I was looking through some old photos on my phone and I was reminded of this moment. It made me smile and gave me the jolt of energy I needed to keep going.
Another thing that helps me keep going is when people approach me offline and tell me things like my content helps them get through this war.
That’s what I set out to do and while I see the numbers, it’s hard to put a face to them so when someone tells me that I’m actually having an impact, it is very gratifying.
Anyway, out of all my meaningful moments throughout this war, this moment of receiving this award at the Knesset from an MK had to be one of my proudest.
A brief letter to my late grandmother, Esther Varga.
Dear Grandma,
Just wanted to tell you something. Your only child, my mom, is in Israel and has built an incredible life here.
23 grandkids, six great grandkids, and growing. It’s all from you!
But that’s not the best part.
Your grandson Ari is an official national hero of the state of Israel, but you already knew that. Something tells me you guys are chilling up there and Ari is enjoying your world-class schnitzel.
Your other grandson, yours truly, has dedicated his life to defending our people and our country. Proud to say my work made a little bit of a difference for our nation.
Your youngest grandson, Eytan, spent years serving our country working in the parliament and now continues to help the Jewish people.
Oh, by the way, your other grandsons are also doing incredible things.
Moshe is helping people come to Israel and to settle here and Doni is helping those who already bought a home here but don’t live here yet make sure their home is ready for them when they do decide to come home.
In other words, grandma, you win and the Nazis lose.
Oh and by the way, our daughter Estee who is turning 17 this week, carries your name and she sure is on her way to becoming the incredible lady from where she got her name.
That’s all. Just thought you should know.
Ok, now back to work. There sure is a lot of work to do!
Am Yisrael Chai!
The plaque reads, “The Knesset Caucus for Public Diplomacy Chaired by MK Dan Illouz
Certificate of Appreciation
Presented to Hillel Fuld
In recognition of your unwavering commitment to defending Israel's truth during the Swords of Iron War.
Your dedication ensured that Israel's resilience and justice shone brightly on the global stage, providing vital support to our nation and its soldiers.
With gratitude,
Member of Knesset Dan Illouz
My Contacts With Tucker Carlson About Anti-Semitism on His Show
A few weeks ago, a mutual friend asked me if I’d be willing to speak to Tucker Carlson off the record. I agreed and Tucker called me three weeks ago to talk. I continued texting with him for eight days after that.
But this past Friday, Tucker released a video in which he reported to the public on his off-the-record conversations with me. Inaccurately, of course. So here’s some additional information on my short-lived discussions with Tucker Carlson about anti-Semitism on his show.
Tucker called me on Sunday, February 1. We talked for 1 hour and 23 minutes. Here’s what I noted down on my desk calendar right after the call:
"8 am Tucker Carlson 83-minute call wanting to know how to end the charges of anti-Semitism against him. Trump told him to end it on Jan 11."
As you can see, Tucker explained that he was calling because he had come under pressure from President Trump at his famous meeting at the White House on January 11. He told me the administration wants him to find a way to stop his high-profile fights with Jews and Zionist Christians. Tucker told me that he wanted my advice on “practical steps” he could take to change the impression that he is an anti-Semite.
I thought he was asking me to host him in Israel. So I explained to him that I can’t do much to help him, because just about every Jew I know believes he’s been waging a savage campaign against Jews, Judaism, and Israel for the past 18 months—and that most think his aim is to drive Jews and Zionist Christians out of the Trump coalition and out of the Republican party. I said that even a year ago, quite a few Jews would probably have jumped at the chance to appear on the Tucker Carlson Show and to present an alternative point of view, but that this looked impossible to me now—and that it would stay that way as long as there’s no change of direction on his part.
Tucker wanted me to explain to him why anyone would think he was an anti-Semite. I answered that question for more than an hour, giving him a series of examples of statements he and his guests had made on his show that seemed completely unhinged and motivated by a desire to slander Jews, Judaism, Israel, and Zionist Christians in order to do as much harm as possible. He kept expressing amazement that anyone would think he was an anti-Semite, and I kept giving him more examples of why I thought any fair observer would reach that conclusion if they were familiar with the relevant conversations he had hosted on his program.
The conversation ended with my agreeing to continue the discussion. I didn’t feel he was open to dialing down the hostility toward Jews, Judaism, Israel, and Zionist Christians constantly being expressed on his program. But I also didn’t want to close the door to the possibility that the pushback from the administration would eventually get him to make a change. (Anyone who has been following Tucker’s program in the weeks since January 11 knows that, so far, there hasn’t been any such change.)
On February 3, Tucker wrote to me asking if he could speak at the first Israeli National Conservatism Conference (NatCon), which is scheduled to be held in Jerusalem on June 8-10. I was taken aback that he would ask for something like that, given the content of our conversation two days earlier. But I did my best to draft a reply that would reinforce my previous description of what a great many Jews, Israelis, and Zionist Christians think of Tucker right now. Here’s what I wrote in response to his request to speak at the first NatCon conference in Israel:
"Tucker, I appreciate the offer. But I need people to show up at this event. Realistically, Jews and Zionist Christians are not going to share a platform with you or come to hear you under the current circumstances. I’m just speaking descriptively about the situation: Much of the lineup will revolt if you join the program and that story will blow back on you [and other public figures] in addition to blowing up the conference. If you want to change this situation, there are things you can do unilaterally to shift the dynamic and I think that’s the way to move forward."
I thought Tucker had finally gotten the message that he should stop asking me for favors, and instead consider how he could make unilateral changes that would help people get past the impression that he is one of the leading Jew-haters of our generation.
But then on February 9, he wrote to ask me if I would set up a meeting for him with Prime Minister Netanyahu. I’m not sure why he thought I was the right address for that request. But I knew very well that if someone were going to contact the Prime Minister’s office with such a misguided idea, it wasn’t going to be me. Here’s what I wrote in reply to his request that I arrange a meeting for him with Bibi:
"I don’t see how that could happen. It doesn’t serve any interest I’m aware of. It could only damage him."
This was a perfectly honest answer, and Tucker could have thanked me for giving him my honest assessment of the situation he has created. But Tucker wasn’t happy with it, and he typed an agitated little speech into his phone to indicate that our conversation had come to an end.
On February 20, Tucker released a peevish summary of the contacts between us as part of a wild video in which he also suggested that Israel might be trying to kill him and his family.
That’s the story. I’ll just add one comment. Most of what I do in public life is building coalitions. That means I talk to a lot of people who don’t agree with me on all sorts of things, and sometimes that means meeting with people who don’t like me very much. I have these in-person, off-the-record conversations because often people turn out to be quite different in private. Sometimes, I’ve just misunderstood who they are from their public appearances. Sometimes, I’ve understood very well who they are, but it turns out they are willing to explore the possibility of making a change. And also: Even when nothing else comes of it, I learn a tremendous amount about people from these private conversations.
In Tucker’s case, the private person turns out to be exactly who we’ve been seeing in public. As of now, I’m not seeing any sign that he is willing to play ball with the mainstream nationalist camp in the Republican party, much less that he has any regrets about who and what he has become since leaving Fox News in 2023. Whatever his motives for turning his podcast into what seems to be a circus of anti-Jewish messaging, right now that project is clearly more important to him than helping the administration keep its coalition together so it can govern effectively and win elections in 2026 and 2028.
🚨 Ben Shapiro goes SCORCHED EARTH at TPUSA on “frauds”, “grifters”, and “charlatans” Tucker Carlson and Candace Owens
He blasts Megyn Kelly for her “cowardice” for refusing to stand up for the truth and condemn Candace’s conspiracy theories and lies
Watch every second of this
Clearing the air regarding the Hamptons trip with Charlie Kirk and Bill Ackman.
What’s true:
1. Yes, dozens of influencers including myself were invited to an event by Charlie and his team, not by Bill Ackman. Charlie wanted to get to know rising conservative voices and where we stood on various issues.
2. The subject matters were primarily about the following topics: Islam’s growing presence in the West, marriage/dating, Mamdani, right wing in-fighting, the economy, and various narratives regarding Israel
3. Charlie wanted to see us respectfully debate him and each other. There was a RANGE of views there on every topic. He wanted to learn our perspectives and analyzed our debating skills from an objective POV.
He started each topic with a provocative statement to encourage the creators to debate. EXAMPLE: One of the topics he started by saying (rough quote) “If I were to post right now ‘Bibi Netanyahu needs to resign,’ what would be the reaction?” This of course led to a number of responses. Someone said the post would indirectly empower Hamas and Charlie responded that her statement was “moral blackmail” and that if she wants to debate the topic of Israel, she needs to work on using more facts and less emotion. The conversations with Charlie were less about WHAT to believe—it was about how we express it if we want to truly make an impact.
4. Bill and Charlie never debated or argued. Idk where that narrative came from. If it happened, it certainly wasn’t around any of us. Bill mostly spoke about marriage and economics, then chilled with us.
5. I’m not going to pretend to know every thought of Charlie’s, but he very much stood with Israel. His frustrations expressed during the Hamptons event were that many people debated the topic emotionally rather than logically. Mind you—this was a small portion of the event.
6. When @MaxBlumenthal from Grayzone (which I never heard of until he called) contacted me, I was wine drunk and boarding a boat in Italy. I was literally just confused why he was calling me and annoyed that he wouldn’t tell me who gave him my personal number. Charlie was murdered a week ago, so when I got a call about the Hamptons trip, I was trying to assess what narrative someone was putting together. So no, Max, I didn’t panic. I just don’t trust you. It’s giving stranger danger.
Lastly, nothing about the Hamptons trip (from the POV of creators) was an “intervention.” Charlie designed the event, and led it as a chance to listen to all of us and spark conversation in a way only he could.
We were encouraged to keep using our voices and fight for what we believe in, regardless of where we fell on various issues.
That’s exactly who Charlie Kirk was. And my last memories with him in the Hamptons are something I’ll always cherish.
Yallah, let's dig into Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45 from Egypt, using open-source intelligence #OSINT. Buckle up for a journey through the digital bread crumbs of a Muslim Brotherhood terrorist. Thread 🧵
Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) Thread 🧵Dear Jocelyn Brooke Christensen (47) and Steven Lavar Christensen (47) devote members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and parents of Guy Christensen (19), a college student at @OhioState University calling for "greater resistance and escalation" following the ruthless murder of Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky. Let's chat 👇
NEW DETAILS on the Horrors Endured by Omer Shem Tov and Omer Wenkert in Hamas Captivity
- Omer Shem Tov was thrown into complete isolation after his friend Itay Regev was released in the first hostage deal. For months, he had no human contact, no light, no hope—just silence and starvation. He lost nearly 40 pounds (17 kg) as his captors deprived him of food.
- Omer Wenkert spent over 500 days trapped in a tunnel, buried alive with no sense of time, no fresh air, and no glimpse of sunlight—until just days before his release. He was completely cut off from the world, knowing nothing of what was happening beyond the darkness.
These testimonies shatter our hearts and make one thing painfully clear: every second in captivity is torture, and every moment we wait is a moment too long.
63 hostages are still suffering. We will not stop until they are home.
They kidnapped them from their homes, murdered and tortured their loved ones, and held them hostage in unthinkable conditions for nearly 500 days.
In one final act of cruelty, they paraded them onstage while armed terrorists and a jeering crowd reveled in their suffering.
Hamas cannot be allowed to exist.
Just to clarify: These are the tunnels where the hostages were held by Hamas were built using cement funded by foreign aid. USAID contributed $310 million to build a cement factory in Gaza, and likely, the EU funded the materials entering the strip.
I was wondering if the USAID and the EU could be held legally responsible for the crimes committed by Hamas, given they helped provide the infrastructure for what became the largest terror hub in the world?
This the picture and visuals that should be in @nytimes@washingtonpost and all media outlets and TV today. The terrifying moments of Arbel Yehud, surrounded by terrorists and a Gazan mob ready to murder her.
I was honored to mark my first day as Israel’s Ambassador to the United States with a visit to the @HolocaustMuseum on International Holocaust Remembrance Day. In a post-October 7th world, it is evident that truly remembering the Holocaust means fighting those who would do it again if they could: from the mullahs of Teheran and their axis of evil to the knaves across college campuses chanting “from the river to the sea.” This is our mission at the Embassy - we invite you to join our efforts.
Hamas built a stage, put up a banner with slogans in English, forced the girls into some dead soldier’s uniforms, and paraded them in front of the world…
All so you would forget they kidnapped the girls in their pajamas, beat them bloody, and slaughtered all their friends…