top of page
Thursday, February 27 – Sunday, March 2, 2025
SPEAKERS
Zach Sage Fox
Zach Sage Fox is a Philadelphia native turned YouTube sensation by high school, which then quickly landed him a development deal with the Disney Channel at just 17 years old. He went on to create two shows for the network in Los Angeles, where he then started a production company. Their studio relocated back east when Fox attended the University of Pennsylvania, where Fox studied film and political communication. While a junior at Penn he made his first feature film, which he wrote, starred in a directed before selling to Hulu, followed up by another hit with Amazon Prime.
In the years since his business has become an NYC multimedia empire both known for its award-winning film and TV division, where he's sold, written, directed, produced, and starred in, projects for TLC, Amazon and HBO MAX; as well as pioneered the new world of viral video and meme marketing with juggernaut brand partners like goPuff, Kickstarter, What Do You Meme?, Pioneer, Bud Light, MTV, Bloomberg and more. On social media Fox has millions of followers across TikTok and Instagram where his videos on mental health, voting, and combatting anti-semitism have made him an actor turned viral activist, racking up billions of views for brands and non-profits alike. He has a musical in development too.
Since October 7th, he has spearheaded and been the star of “Facts for Peace,” a social media initiative backed by Jewish titans of business, where his studio’s viral videos combatting Hamas propaganda and antisemitism have racked up well over a billion views and impressions, and have even been featured by the Israeli government, United Nations, and most recently the US Congress during it’s hearing on college antisemitism with his global journalistic sensations, “Gaza Graduation” and the “Wild West Bank.
In the years since his business has become an NYC multimedia empire both known for its award-winning film and TV division, where he's sold, written, directed, produced, and starred in, projects for TLC, Amazon and HBO MAX; as well as pioneered the new world of viral video and meme marketing with juggernaut brand partners like goPuff, Kickstarter, What Do You Meme?, Pioneer, Bud Light, MTV, Bloomberg and more. On social media Fox has millions of followers across TikTok and Instagram where his videos on mental health, voting, and combatting anti-semitism have made him an actor turned viral activist, racking up billions of views for brands and non-profits alike. He has a musical in development too.
Since October 7th, he has spearheaded and been the star of “Facts for Peace,” a social media initiative backed by Jewish titans of business, where his studio’s viral videos combatting Hamas propaganda and antisemitism have racked up well over a billion views and impressions, and have even been featured by the Israeli government, United Nations, and most recently the US Congress during it’s hearing on college antisemitism with his global journalistic sensations, “Gaza Graduation” and the “Wild West Bank.
Luai Ahmed
Luai Ahmed is a 31-year old Yemeni journalist and content creator. He was born and raised in the capital of Sanaa, and moved to Sweden when he was 20 years old in 2014 where he has been living since. He worked as a columnist and journalist at the local Swedish newspaper Bulletin where he focused on integration, migration, and radical Islam. In 2024, and after he started making content in English, he started working as a host for Builders of the Middle East, an online content hub that fosters interfaith kinship, and fights extremism, radicalization, fake news, antisemitism, and racism on the internet.
Matthew Nouriel
Matthew Nouriel serves as the Community Engagement Director at JIMENA - Jews Indigenous to the Middle East and North Africa. Based in Los Angeles, California, Matthew is also a digital activist and content creator of Iranian Jewish heritage.
Matthew is a passionate advocate who uses their voice to champion various causes close to their heart, including LGBTQ+ rights and equality within the Iranian and Jewish communities, the fight against antisemitism, and their active support of the Women Life Freedom movement for a free Iran. They leverage their social media presence to connect with individuals who resonate with their unique perspective and lived experiences.
Matthew also actively engages with audiences through panel discussions and speaking engagements across the country. Their leadership roles extend to organizations such as JDC Entwine, JQ International, and the Tel Aviv Institute.
Matthew's written contributions have been featured in publications such as JNS, The Forward, and Hey Alma. They have also been profiled in media outlets including the Jewish Journal, Tehran Magazine, the Algemeiner, Jerusalem Post, and more. In recognition of their impactful work, Matthew received the TrailBlazer Award at the 2021 JQ International annual Impact Awards.
Matthew is a passionate advocate who uses their voice to champion various causes close to their heart, including LGBTQ+ rights and equality within the Iranian and Jewish communities, the fight against antisemitism, and their active support of the Women Life Freedom movement for a free Iran. They leverage their social media presence to connect with individuals who resonate with their unique perspective and lived experiences.
Matthew also actively engages with audiences through panel discussions and speaking engagements across the country. Their leadership roles extend to organizations such as JDC Entwine, JQ International, and the Tel Aviv Institute.
Matthew's written contributions have been featured in publications such as JNS, The Forward, and Hey Alma. They have also been profiled in media outlets including the Jewish Journal, Tehran Magazine, the Algemeiner, Jerusalem Post, and more. In recognition of their impactful work, Matthew received the TrailBlazer Award at the 2021 JQ International annual Impact Awards.
Baruch Apisdorf
Baruch’s family made Aliyah in 2012. For
Baruch, adjustment to life in Israel took
about a decade. Baruch attended YTA high
school with David Newman, after which they
became roommates and best friends. Prior
to David’s death, Baruch worked as the
Director of Bioinformatics for Gift of Life. On
Friday October 6th, David borrowed
Baruch’s car to drive to the Nova Music
Festival near Gaza. That was the last time
Baruch saw David alive. Baruch’s life
changed the day David’s ended.
Baruch, adjustment to life in Israel took
about a decade. Baruch attended YTA high
school with David Newman, after which they
became roommates and best friends. Prior
to David’s death, Baruch worked as the
Director of Bioinformatics for Gift of Life. On
Friday October 6th, David borrowed
Baruch’s car to drive to the Nova Music
Festival near Gaza. That was the last time
Baruch saw David alive. Baruch’s life
changed the day David’s ended.
Daniel Braun
Daniel made Aliyah to Israel in 2017
and soon after became a track athlete
for the Israel National Team, and the
IDF. In 2019, Daniel started creating
content on social media and has since
amassed over five million followers.
Before October 7th, Daniel was a
proud activist for Israel, but after
October 7th, Daniel tuned all of his
content creation abilities into helping
his ancestral homeland and the Jewish
people.
and soon after became a track athlete
for the Israel National Team, and the
IDF. In 2019, Daniel started creating
content on social media and has since
amassed over five million followers.
Before October 7th, Daniel was a
proud activist for Israel, but after
October 7th, Daniel tuned all of his
content creation abilities into helping
his ancestral homeland and the Jewish
people.
Moshe Shear
Moshe made Aliyah with his family in 2008.
He attended YTA high school with David
where they became friends and later
roommates. Prior to Oct. 7th, Moshe worked
as a donor specialist for Gift of Life, and
represented Israel on the National Football
Team.
He attended YTA high school with David
where they became friends and later
roommates. Prior to Oct. 7th, Moshe worked
as a donor specialist for Gift of Life, and
represented Israel on the National Football
Team.
Dalit Merenfeld
Dalit is a versatile creative professional with extensive experience in production, copywriting, and content strategy across a range of industries, including media, entertainment, and digital marketing. Fluent in English, Spanish, and Hebrew, Dalit has worked with high-profile brands and organizations like MrBeast, Warner Bros. Discovery, VICE Media Group, and ViacomCBS producing viral content and shaping compelling narratives for global audiences. With a strong background in both creative strategy and project management, Dalit has led teams in overseeing large-scale productions, crafting impactful copy, and driving content strategy across digital platforms. With a passion for storytelling, Dalit brings a unique blend of creativity, technical expertise, and business acumen to every project.
Roz Rothstein
Roz is a co-founder and CEO of StandWithUs. The daughter of Holocaust survivors, Rothstein and her husband Jerry, along with community leader Esther Renzer, sought to strengthen Israel’s image by empowering Israel’s supporters worldwide with innovative educational materials, conferences, fellowships, campaigns, missions to Israel, social media, educational videos, and programs. Since the inception of StandWithUs, the Forward has twice named Rothstein one of the 50 most influential Jews in America, and the Jerusalem Post has twice named her one of the 50 most influential Jews in the world.
Michael Dickson
Michael Dickson is Executive Director of StandWithUs Israel. Michael leads a dynamic team at StandWithUs in Jerusalem which includes pioneering innovative Israel educational initiatives, running campaigns to counter discriminatory BDS boycotts of Israel, oversight of digital operations and hosting delegations of politicians, diplomats, academics and other people of influence in Israel. Born in the UK, Michael made Aliyah to Israel in 2006 from London as the Second Lebanon War ended, together with his wife and two young children – they now have five children and live in central Israel. Michael regularly addresses audiences and broadcasts on issues pertaining to Israel and public diplomacy. He is an accomplished writer, with many published articles, TV appearances and and is the author of the bestselling book: ISRESILIENCE — What Israelis Can Teach the World. Under Michael’s leadership, StandWithUs’s operation in Israel has grown exponentially, empowering people in Israel and internationally to be active advocates for Israel and countering efforts to impose commercial, academic and cultural boycotts on Israel. Michael oversaw the construction of the new StandWithUs Educational Center in Jerusalem, opposite the King David Hotel. The site hosts tens of thousands of students and tourists each year, participating in educational programs. Michael is a Senior Fellow at the Center for International Communication (CIC) of Bar Ilan University, is an Honorary member of Alpha Epsilon Pi, and was appointed to the Spectrum Forum of leading Executive Directors in Israel under the age of 40. He was named by JTA as the 14th most influential Jew on Twitter and also one of the “30 Israelis Making a Difference” by Channel 10 TV at a ceremony at the President of Israel’s Residence. Michael was cited in the Top 30 of "The Aliyah 100 List" of British immigrants to Israel, as one of the "flag bearers who shaped the state of Israel and made a significant contribution". In 2019, he won the prestigious “Bonei Zion” (“Builders of Zion”) Prize. Michael continues to be an energetic, influential and active voice for Israel to the world.
Noah Shufutinsky
Hip-hop artist and Jewish activist
Noah Shufutinsky is the Education and Outreach Manager as well as a Jewish educator, lecturer, and musician. Noah is also known by his stage name, Westside Gravy. As a student at George Washington University, where he received his BA in Judaic studies, he was heavily involved in Jewish life and Zionist activism. As an artist, he fuses his passion for Jewish culture and history with his lived experience of growing up Black and Jewish across the U.S. to write and produce hip-hop. He speaks about topics regarding Israeli and Jewish history, connection to the homeland, the intricacies of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and how it affects Jewish people around the world.
Noah Shufutinsky is the Education and Outreach Manager as well as a Jewish educator, lecturer, and musician. Noah is also known by his stage name, Westside Gravy. As a student at George Washington University, where he received his BA in Judaic studies, he was heavily involved in Jewish life and Zionist activism. As an artist, he fuses his passion for Jewish culture and history with his lived experience of growing up Black and Jewish across the U.S. to write and produce hip-hop. He speaks about topics regarding Israeli and Jewish history, connection to the homeland, the intricacies of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and how it affects Jewish people around the world.
Neil Lazarus
Neil Lazarus is an internationally acclaimed commentator and educator in the fields of Middle East politics, public diplomacy and effective communication training.
Neil addresses over 30,000 people a year both in Israel and internationally.
He has emerged as one of Israel's leading keynote speakers. His presentations are motivating, informative and challenging.
Neil addresses over 30,000 people a year both in Israel and internationally.
He has emerged as one of Israel's leading keynote speakers. His presentations are motivating, informative and challenging.
Charlotte Korchak
Charlotte Korchak is the Senior Educator at StandWithUs, where she educates and trains students from around the world in Israeli history and activism. Charlotte grew up in both the United States and Israel, spending her formative years living in Jerusalem during the second intifada, giving her both an internal and external perspective on Israel and the conflict. She graduated with a BA in Middle Eastern History from the University of Southern California, where she also took part in the StandWithUs Emerson Fellowship. Charlotte has since been working for StandWithUs having initially served as the West Coast Campus Coordinator based in Los Angeles, she then immigrated back to Israel transferring to the StandWithUs Israel office. In her current role as Senior Educator, Charlotte works with over 40,000 students a year from nearly every continent educating them about Israel and training them to be effective activists in their high schools, universities, and communities worldwide. She has quickly become one of the foremost public speakers in her field.
Nili Alon-Amit
During her years of study at Tel Aviv and Haifa Universities in humanities and arts, Nili assisted Professor Judith Buber Agassi in her research on Jewish women prisoners of the Nazi concentration camp Ravensbrück. Since receiving her PhD in ancient philosophy from Haifa University in 2013, Nili has been researching and teaching in Israeli teacher colleges, in Los Angeles as an Israel Institute Visiting Assistant Professor, and as Visiting Research Scholar at UCLA Nazarian Center for Israel Studies. Her ongoing research on the history of happiness culminated in her latest publication (2021). In June 2022, Nili joined the Holocaust Education Center as Associate Director, bringing new humanistic and pedagogical approaches to our growing community of learners.
Mina Rush
Mina’s father was the youngest foreign volunteer to fight in Israel’s War of Independence (15!!) and her mother was the first female regional president of USY, so you might say that her passion for Jewish continuity and Israel is in her blood. Mina joined the staff of StandWithUs in February 2015 to begin work on her passion project, the IsraelLINK middle school curriculum. Acknowledging the crisis facing pro-Israel students, as well as the rise in antisemitism, she believes that meaning-making and identity-building are best achieved through a learner-centered, relational approach to education. Her belief is that knowing yourself, where you come from, and taking pride and inspiration from the collective lived experience of your people, is the best defense against ignorance and hatred. Through IsraelLINK, over 6,500 students now have a deeper understanding of the place Israel – both ancient and modern – holds as an integral part of their identity. To ensure that IsraelLINK is constantly evolving and on the cutting edge of the best in 21st century education, Mina recently completed an MA Ed in Israel Education from George Washington University.
Yoni Zierler
Yoni Zierler is the StandWithUs Director of Tourism and a leading field educator in Israel. Raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Yoni immigrated to Israel for his last year of high-school and then served (with excellence) in the IDF’s Kfir Brigade as an infantry squad commander. Following his army service, which was combined with four years of intensive studies at the Otniel Yeshiva, he enrolled in the official Ministry of Tourism tour guide course to better understand the connection that drew him to Israel at such a young age. Since passing the rigorous Ministry exams, he has dedicated his work to introducing visitors of all backgrounds to the land he calls home. A skilled storyteller, and a lover of music and the stage, Yoni infuses his tours with his diverse talents and a fiery passion, creating a unique and emotionally immersive experience for both real-life and online tour participants. His online tours on StandWithUs.tv and the various StandWithUs social media platforms have garnered hundreds of thousands of views, and in 2020, he spearheaded the creation of “Jerusalem LIVE” - a series of private interactive tours broadcast live and in real-time from the field, which has brought Israel to schools, synagogues, and communities around the world. Yoni is happily married to Yochi, and the proud father of Golan Noam and Klil Eden.
Carly Gammill
Carly Gammill is the Director of Legal Policy of the StandWithUs Center for Combating Antisemitism. She is a constitutional litigator with extensive experience assisting clients on an array of issues, including freedom of speech and religious liberties. For the past decade-plus, she has been active in fighting antisemitism on campuses, in local communities, in court, and at the United Nations. Her passion for this work, particularly on campuses, derives from her background in the educational field, as well as from a deep personal conviction that the world—including people of all races and religions—cannot afford to stand by silently while the Jewish people are once again targeted, marginalized, demonized, and harmed. To that end, she regularly works with students, professors, and members of the broader community to inform them about their legal rights and ensure they are best positioned to protect those rights.
Max Samarov
Max grew up in Boston and is a first-generation American. His parents fled to Israel from the Soviet Union to escape the racism and discrimination Jews faced there. Although Max now lives in Southern California he has traveled to Israel and lived there for extended periods throughout his life. Max graduated from the University of California at Santa Barbara in 2011 with a degree in political science and international relations. He interned at the office of Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) before joining StandWithUs in 2012. The focus of his research is Israel, the Israeli–Palestinian conflict, and the discourse about these issues on campuses. He has also spent the last six years helping to educate, organize, and empower students and others across North America in the struggle against anti-Israel boycotts and other forms of bigotry. Max has been quoted by many media outlets, including the Associated Press, Inside Higher Ed, Haaretz, and Israel’s Channel 10, and his articles have been published in the Huffington Post, the Jerusalem Post, the Times of Israel, The Tower, and the Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles. He also contributed a chapter to The Anti-Israel Agenda: the Political War on the Jewish State, a book published in August 2017.
Rena Nasar First
Rena Nasar First has worked in the campus department at StandWithUs since the beginning of her professional career. As the Executive Director of Campus Affairs, Rena directs a team of local professionals who each work tirelessly to help college students stand up to antisemitism and proudly bring Israel education to their communities. Rena was also featured on the NY Jewish Week’s “36 to Watch” list for 2022, which features innovators who are remaking the Jewish community, or contributing to society in ways that draw upon their diverse Jewish identities and sensibilities. As a proud Syrian Jew, Rena is eager to represent her community wherever she goes. She is honored to be part of the Sephardic Jewish American Diversity and Inclusion Initiative, powered by JIMENA, where she serves on the Sephardic Leadership Advisory Committee and the Women's Leadership Committee. Rena currently resides in Brooklyn, NY with her loving husband, Jason.
Yael Lerman
Yael Lerman is the founding director of the StandWithUs Saidoff Legal Department, providing free legal resources to anyone confronting antisemitic and anti-Israel activity. Yael coordinates a team of four staff attorneys and over 250 pro bono attorneys. She is a graduate of Columbia University, graduating Phi Beta Kappa, magna cum laude, and as a Truman finalist. She attended NYU Law School, where she served as Senior Articles Editor of the NYU Journal of International Law and Policy. Before joining StandWithUs, Yael worked at Boies, Schiller and Flexner and in the ADL’s legal department. She lives in Los Angeles with her family.
Kate Chavez
Kate Chavez received her Masters Degree in Government, Diplomacy, and Conflict Resolution from Reichman University. At StandWithUs, Kate focuses on increasing comprehensive and quality education about the Jewish community in schools across the U.S. Kate is a proud Mexican Jew, passionate about public service, international relations, and fighting antisemitism. Kate has held fellowships, internships, and leadership positions with Masa Israel Journey, Israel Policy Forum, the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles, and the United States House of Representatives, among others. In college, Kate was elected as the Executive Vice President of Associated Students and advocated on behalf of 9,400 students. Kate was also the President and Founder of the first Israel club at her university, as well as the Israel Advocacy Intern for the Hillel on campus.
ACCESSIBILITY
The conference sessions will include closed captioning services. If you plan to utilize these resources or need additional resources, or for any other questions, please email events@standwithus.com
Proudly sponsored by
bottom of page