Yishai Fleisher, international spokesperson for the Jewish Community of Hebron, spoke at the Arutz Sheva Summit in New York City, held in cooperation with Chazaq, about media advocacy, aliyah, the Hebron community, and support for Israel.
Speaking ahead of the Israel Day Parade, Fleisher described participation in the event as "a mitzvah."
"It's a mitzvah because we have to be supporting the Jewish people when we come out strong for Israel, for Jerusalem, for kibbutz galuyot (gathering in the exiles), that G-d gave us this land and we're promoting it and saying it out loud here in New York," he said.
Asked about New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani's decision not to attend the parade, Fleisher responded, "I respect him. I like an overt enemy. It's better that he tells us what he is. He says, 'I'm against you all the way.' He's not two-faced."
At the same time, Fleisher stressed that such opponents should be taken seriously.
"We have to take our enemies seriously, and when there's somebody out there that calls to destroy Israel, which is what he wants, we have to take it seriously," he said.
Discussing his frequent appearances in international media, including on programs critical of Israel, Fleisher explained why he continues to participate.
"You could just say, 'Who cares what they think?' But the truth is that lies must be countered. You can't allow lies to spread out without any pushback against them," he said.
Fleisher added that while falsehoods must be challenged, Israel should not focus exclusively on seeking validation from others.
"We have to have both sides. One side's got to be like, 'I'm on this land, and if you understand that, that's good, and if you don't understand that, that's also okay.'"
Addressing the debate surrounding the concept of hasbara, Fleisher said he does not use the term.
"My main thing is you've got to know that Israel's strong. You've got to respect us," he said.
Asked what positive reactions he receives from his work, Fleisher pointed to people who have been inspired to strengthen their connection to Judaism and Israel.
"Meeting people that are touched by the stuff that you make, that want to buy that apartment in Israel, come closer to Yiddishkeit (Judaism)," he said.
He also rejected the notion that speaking to supporters is merely "preaching to the choir."
"It's important to speak with our base people. That's why I'm here today with you in Queens," he said. "But it's also important to get out there because the battle's for every soul."
Referring to his work on major media platforms, Fleisher said that confidence and conviction can be as important as arguments themselves.
"If you have the attitude of strength, more than logic of how to argue Talmudically, people are like, 'Oh, the stance. The posture. We're right.'"
Fleisher also spoke about Hebron, which he described as "the most ancient Jewish community."
"It's our first burial place. That's where Abraham and Sarah were buried and the rest of the biblical family," he said.
While noting Hebron's reputation as a community of determined Jewish residents, he emphasized its role in connecting Jews around the world.
"The Hebron Fund has a float in New York City. Why? Because Hebron connects everybody," he said. "We want to come out here and hold hands across the Atlantic. We want to be here with the people. We want to connect them. Hebron from the word chibur."
Asked about the current US administration, Fleisher expressed strong support for President Donald Trump.
"I think that we've had the best president that we could have," he said, describing Trump as "a Cyrus-type historical figure."
Fleisher argued that Israel should take fuller advantage of American support.
"The only question is, have we done as much as he's recognized that we should do?" he asked.
Turning to Iran, Fleisher said, "I hope that this war in Iran continues."
"I think people don't understand that this is a bad guy for the whole world. They want to suppress the whole world. They want to destroy America, destroy Israel. They also want to destroy the Middle East. They want to suppress every freedom-loving people there."