Understanding Israel: Narratives and Archetypes

What wins hearts and minds — facts, or feelings? This week, Noam Weissman sits down with Toba Hellerstein, author of American Perceptions of Jews and Israel and a leading expert on antisemitism, diplomacy, and narrative strategy. Together, they unpack why Israel advocacy so often falls flat. From the meaning of Zionism to the archetypes of “king,” “victim,” and “antihero,” this conversation reframes how Jews (and their allies) should talk about Israel in a world flooded with images, emotions, and outrage.

Here is a link to Toba Hellertsein's article in the Sapir Journal that inspired this episode: Actually, Feelings Don’t Care About Your Facts.

Go to Attunenow.org to download the full study on Perceptions of Jews and Israel.

Here is a link to Unpacking Israeli History: Sabra and Shatila: What happened and why it matters.

Please get in touch at noam@unpacked.media. Your questions might be included in part 2 of this episode.

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