Noa Tishby on “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Jew” and Fighting Antisemitism

For 15 years, Noa Tishby has been an outspoken pro-Israel activist. So when it came time to write a book, she knew what topic she would cover: her homeland of Israel.

She went on to write, “Israel: A Simple Guide to the Most Misunderstood Country on Earth.” It dispelled myths about the Jewish state and gave the facts in a relatable and easy to digest way. In it, Noa included her personal story of growing up in Israel and then moving to Los Angeles to work in entertainment, while still keeping her country close to her heart. The book, which came out in early 2021, became a New York Times bestseller.

Now, her second book, “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Jew,” which she co-wrote with former NFL linebacker and author of “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man” Emmanuel Acho, has also hit the bestseller list – and it just won a National Jewish Book Award. This time, the idea for it came about differently.

“I didn’t even decide to write this book,” Noa told Aish. “Emmanuel noticed a rise in antisemitism years before anybody else did and decided to do something about it. He asked me to write it with him, and I said, ‘Absolutely.’”

The Hot Topics the Book Covers

“Uncomfortable Conversations with a Jew” covers everything from whether the Jews killed Jesus to antisemitism vs. anti-Zionism, Jews and money, and how Jews are the favored scapegoat throughout history. Emmanuel sits down with Noa to ask her questions, and she answers them thoughtfully and thoroughly.

For example, in the chapter about Jews and money called “The Math Ain’t Mathing,” Noa explained how Jews were forced to become moneylenders and bankers and take the blame for money issues within a society. Those in power put the Jews in those positions, and the peasants hated the Jews when they had financial problems.

“It was a major win for those in power—they profited at the peasants’ expense while the Jews took the blame,” said Noa. “Meanwhile, the peasants rarely blamed those in power for being taken advantage of; their frustration and anger was most often directed at the moneylender—and pretty much all the Jews.”

The stereotypes around money followed Jews wherever they went, from Nazi Germany to America.

“When Jews started becoming more prominent as bankers and lawyers—jobs that were uniquely available to them as an antisemitic side effect that we’ll get into in a minute—the imagery of Shylock and the money-loving Jew was already firmly implanted into the collective consciousness, informing people’s opinions about Jews, whether they knew it or not,” said Noa. “For example, it birthed the term ‘to Jew down,’ meaning to haggle or bargain for a lower price, which you still hear today.”

Noa also takes on explaining Zionism, a word that has been weaponized and used to mask antisemitism. She asks Emmanuel, “Are you sure you’re ready to learn what exactly ‘Zionism’ means? Because this could be a ‘You can’t handle the truth’ moment.”

“We’re here now,” he says.

“Zionism is the Jewish people’s right to have self-determination and self-governance on parts of their ancestral land,” she replies. “That’s it. It’s Israel’s right to exist.”

Noa believes that anti-Zionism is a form of antisemitism.

“I’ve been having meaningful conversations about anti-Zionism being the new form of antisemitism for the past 15 years,” she told Aish. “People are using antisemitic tropes from the 1500s. Not a lot of people noticed it, aside from me and other activists and organizations. I wasn’t alone before Oct. 7 on this, but it wasn’t as apparent as it is now. A lot of people dismissed campus antisemitism as ‘something these kids will grow out of.’ They won’t. We’ve been saying it’s a real danger.”

Noa and Emmanuel felt it was important to release this book – which they started working on before Oct. 7 – as soon as possible because of the rampant rise of antisemitism over the past 15 months.

“We were very blessed in the Jewish community that we didn’t have to answer these uncomfortable questions over the past few decades,” Noa said. “But the climate changed – and it changed drastically. We have to educate ourselves.”

Combatting Antisemitism in a Meaningful Way

Oct. 7 brought out the “genie in a bottle that has been worked on for a few decades,” according to Noa. It’s going to take time to see the tide shift and to truly combat widespread antisemitism.

“I don’t know that we are able to put it back into the bottle quickly, but the fact that we are discussing this is a change to begin with,” she said.

“Uncomfortable Conversations with a Jew” is both educating people about Jews and encouraging meaningful dialogue between Jews and non-Jews. Since the book came out, Noa has been receiving inspiring feedback from readers.

We need to start getting comfortable with being uncool outsiders again.

“It’s incredible that it’s on the New York Times bestseller list and it’s winning awards, but the thing that is most moving to me is the people who tell me it made a difference in changing their community,” she said. “That’s the biggest compliment, and it’s happening across the board. I was happy I was able to provide this toolkit for the community.”

In a time when young people especially are confronted with antisemitism, Noa gave this advice: “We need to start getting comfortable with being uncool. We are the courageous uncool kids, and we need to be okay with being outsiders again. The Jewish community had not been outsiders for a few decades, but that is who we are and how we bring change to societies.”

Noa is impressed with Gen Zers who aren’t afraid to stand up for what they believe in.

“I’m not that concerned about the younger generation,” she said. “I go out to high schools and colleges, and they are fired up. I see 13- to 18-year-old girls and guys with stars of David necklaces and yarmulkes on. They are proudly displaying their Judaism more than I have ever seen before.”

She continued, “They are way stronger than we give them credit for, and they can teach us more than we can teach them. I’m not worried about them.”

Facing rising antisemitism? Find your voice and community with United Against Antisemitism (UAA) on Aish+. This safe online space empowers Jewish students and young professionals with resources, expert guidance, and a supportive network to navigate today’s challenges and build a stronger Jewish future. Click here to join and turn adversity into strength.

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