Skip to Content Subscribe Our Offers My Account Manage My Subscriptions FAQ Newsletters Canada Canadian True Crime Canadian Politics Health World Israel & Middle East Financial Post NP Comment Longreads Puzzmo Diversions Comics NP News Quiz New York Times Crossword Horoscopes Life Eating & Drinking Style Sponsored Play for Ontario Travel Travel Canada Travel USA Travel International Cruises Travel Essentials Culture Books Celebrity Movies Music Theatre Television Business Essentials Advice Lives Told Tails Told Shopping Buy Canadian Home Living Outdoor Living Kitchen & Dining Tech Style & Beauty Personal Care Entertainment & Hobbies Gift Guide Travel Guide Amazon Prime Day Deals Savings National Post Store More Sports Hockey Baseball Basketball Football Soccer Golf Tennis Driving Vehicle Research Reviews News Gear Guide Obituaries Place an Obituary Place an In Memoriam Classifieds Place an Ad Celebrations Working Business Ads Archives Healthing Epaper Manage Print Subscription Profile Settings My Subscriptions Saved Articles My Offers Newsletters Customer Service FAQ Newsletters Canada World Financial Post NP Comment Longreads Puzzmo Diversions Life Shopping Epaper Manage Print Subscription HomeNewsCanada'We feel alone often': Israeli entrepreneur-activist tells Canadian Jews their social feeds aren't real lifeThe emotional toll of the online battlefield can bring a sense of isolation for Jews watching the news and their feeds, Hillel Fuld saysLast updated 5 minutes ago You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account."I think I can speak for everyone. when I say we feel alone often," says Hillel Fuld. "The algorithm's work is to make you feel alone." Photo by Dave GordonJews often feel alone in these times of rising hate, an Israeli-American entrepreneur and activist told an Ottawa crowd, but he insisted that “algorithms don’t reflect reality” and it’s imperative to live openly and proudly as Jews.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Enjoy the latest local, national and international news.Exclusive articles by Conrad Black, Barbara Kay and others. Plus, special edition NP Platformed and First Reading newsletters and virtual events.Unlimited online access to National Post.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an Accountor“I think I can speak for everyone in this room when I say we feel alone often,” Hillel Fuld, a longtime tech consultant and advisor who largely shifted to Israel advocacy after October 7, 2023, told one of two talks in Ottawa last week organized by Friends of JNF.The emotional toll of the online battlefield can bring a sense of isolation for Jews watching the news and their feeds, he said.Get a dash of perspective along with the trending news of the day in a very readable format.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of NP Posted will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again“I have to tell you something that not many people know. The algorithm’s work is to make you feel alone. They send you and show you things that they know are going to anger you, so you stick around, and read more. And the other side sees the exact opposite,” he said. “But it is extremely important that we understand that these algorithms don’t reflect reality.”Fuld leverages a following of about a half-million, with around five billion views or engagements, to defend Israel and offer hopeful Zionist messaging. It is a mistake to believe that even a modest online following cannot make a difference, he said.“That’s not how social media works. Even if you have five followers – if you share something, other people share that too, and that travels outside your followers. Everyone has to speak up. And that applies to both Jews and Christians.”It’s perspective that the Jewish people need at a time like this, he suggested, when the headlines and the hostility can easily eclipse any sense of hope.“People say to me: ‘Give us a reason to get up in the morning.’ There’s a lot of positivity happening. And that doesn’t take away from the devastation. But we need a feed of positivity because the positivity is all around us.”The odds have been stacked against the Jewish people many times over the course of 3,000 years – such as the Maccabees fighting the Roman army, or Queen Esther trying to save Jews from annihilation, or after 200 years of slavery in Egypt. “If I had told you back then we were going to celebrate one day, you would have thought I was nuts,” he said.“I think it’s definitely a Jewish phenomenon that we don’t see what’s happening around us. But we have to remember all of our holidays. This is not our first rodeo. It ends well. But we also have to recognize the miracles all around us, because this isn’t the first time we’re making this mistake that we don’t notice the miracles around us.”He encouraged listeners to be emboldened by the notion that there is a different Hebrew interpretation of the Biblical verse of “God will bless those who bless the Jews, and those who curse the Jews will be cursed.” It’s one where the last “cursed” shares the root for “light” — inferring that the haters will eventually turn a new leaf. “They’ll see your delegations. They’ll see your unity. They’ll see the incredible nature of the Jewish people.”He told the Ottawa audiences that Western societies are becoming morally confused, which increases the need for Jews to remain visible, principled, and unambiguous about who they are.“There’s never been a better story than the Jewish people. And not only are we not good at it, but we’re ashamed. We’re embarrassed. We don’t want to own it. And it’s, ‘Oh, what are they going to say about us?’ It’s terrible, right?” The answer, he said, is not to shrink in the face of fear.“‘Let’s just be like them,’ people think, as if assimilation lowers antisemitism. But the more we assimilate, the more they hate us,” he said of history’s proof. “So we have to own the narrative. We have to own the story, which is, again, an amazing story. And stop being ashamed and embarrassed to say it. You know what? If they don’t like it, screw them.”Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our newsletters here. Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.