Nimrod Palmach is fighting a two-front war. The thirty-nine-year-old Palmach is a special forces major in the IDF reserves search and rescue unit, who, when he learned of the Hamas attack on October 7, raced that morning to Israel’s south to fight the terrorists, armed only with a pistol and nine bullets. Palmach eventually obtained more advanced weaponry, helped hold off the attackers at Kibbutz Alumim, fought at Kibbutz Be’eri, and helped rescue residents from the enemy forces.
He is also fighting on another front – connecting young Israelis and their peers worldwide through ISRAEL-is, an NGO that broadens the lens through which Israel is perceived, by creating meaningful conversations focusing on shared values, diversity, and inclusiveness.
Which front is more challenging? “They are both sides of the same coin,” says Palmach, “Hatred of the Jews is at the root of each.” Yet ultimately, he says, changing the perception of Israel in the world may be more difficult than defeating Hamas, because of the vast numbers of people worldwide who are unfamiliar with the Israeli narrative and the emotional distance of many, particularly members of Gen Z and Gen Y, from Israel’s perspective.
Palmach operated a successful leadership training company around the world before joining ISRAEL-is a year and a half ago, after deciding that he wanted to improve Israel’s connection to the outside world by interacting with the Jewish diaspora and fighting antisemitism.
ISRAEL-is trains twenty-five thousand young Israelis annually to be “ambassadors” for Israel by teaching them how to tell their personal stories. “If more young people from Israel who go out into the world tell their personal story about what living in Israel is like, it will break down barriers, and from there, they can discuss more complex topics,” says Palmach.
He notes that most Israelis are destined to encounter antisemitism after they complete their IDF service and go on their post-army trek. “They will be sitting in a guest house with other tourists from Norway, for example, and when they tell them that they are from Israel, everyone else will get up and leave. What should they do? How should they react?” ISRAEL-is conducts simulations for discharged soldiers, teaching them how to tell their life stories and overcome antisemitic encounters.
ISRAEL-is suggests the same friendly, non-confrontational approach when encountering antisemitism on college campuses. “The classic method that was employed when countering a pro-Palestinian demonstration,” says Palmach, “was standing with an Israeli flag opposite the demonstrators and chanting pro-Israel slogans. Instead, when that happens, we spread a mat on the lawn, prepare coffee, and invite people to speak with us – and it works. They come by the hundreds to sit, talk, and engage in dialogue,” says Palmach.
He adds that members of Gen Z and Gen Y care less about facts and more about emotion. Showing them that people in Israel enjoy life in the same way as their peers around the world can strengthen the connection. Palmach concedes that while it is difficult to measure hearts and minds, research that ISRAEL-is has conducted shows that their approach is successful.
ISRAEL-is also working with youth in Abraham Accord countries to foster friendship with young Israelis. The Leaders of Tomorrow initiative works with Israeli, Moroccan, Bahraini, and Emirati youth, connecting young leaders and developing ideas and projects related to the connections between the countries. The initiative has already engaged over 1,500 young leaders in digital forums, bilateral delegations, collaborative social projects, and unique cultural events.
What sets ISRAEL-is apart from other organizations, says Palmach, is that it works with younger generations in a positive way. “I myself am old,” he chuckles, despite the fact that he is still under 40.
Palmach is currently on a one-month hiatus from his army duties and recently traveled to Germany and England, briefing government leaders about the events of October 7, as well as delivering lectures to the Jewish communities in an effort to uplift their spirits and counter antisemitism. He is currently in Australia on a similar mission.
Palmach was a guest on a special panel at the recent Jerusalem Post Second Front Conference. Participants in addition to Palmach, included Dr. Dan Diker, President of the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs, and Jonathan Davis, Vice President for External Relations and Head of the Raphael Recanati International School at Reichman University.
This article was written in cooperation with Israel-Is.