We Need to Open Windows to Israel, Not Shut Doors

If I asked you to explain what a farmer is, you would think it’s a pretty simple question. But how many farmers have you actually interacted with? How many farm workers do you know? We all eat and we all reap the benefit of their work, so why do many of us have such little interaction with the people who actually bring the food to our tables?

The dominating narrative is that the internet and social media have connected people more than ever before, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. While it may be easier to message someone 5,000 miles away, most of these interactions are purely surface-level. From the loneliness pandemic to our divided worldviews, individuals are having fewer meaningful interactions and seeing less of society as a whole. We are less exposed to different points of view and are given fewer opportunities to explore the nuance and complexity of humanity.

A contributing factor is that while people are instinctively curious beings, machines are not. Algorithms and machine learning are leading us further into a segregated digital ecosystem that has real-world consequences. The rise of new technology only threatens to make this crisis even more dire.

It doesn’t have to be this way. Technology can also be used to better understand others’ viewpoints, to widen the lens on complex topics, and foster learning in visually creative ways. And we can prove it.

We conducted a survey of nearly 400 college-aged students on one of the most polarizing and complex topics: Israel. Participants were shown nonpolitical social media content about Israel and asked whether certain posts provided insight or changed their opinions about Israeli society. This content was created by college students for college students, showing the aspects of Israeli society they find relevant, exciting, and inspiring.

Jewish communal leaders are understandably concerned with trends related to young peoples’ perceptions of Israel and how to fight back against overwhelming divisiveness – or worse, apathy. What we found is that people are exhausted by the constant politically-charged rhetoric that dominates the media about Israel. But, there’s good news here too. Regardless of their personal profile, young people want to engage with posts that will deepen or expand their understanding of Israeli culture – without being bogged down by partisan language.

Whether it generated a more cognitive or a more emotional reaction, the majority of respondents found the posts we showed them about Israel relevant and engaging. In fact, 90% of respondents said they gained insight into Israeli culture from this content. Posts highlighting the most Instagrammable spots in Jerusalem, showcasing an ideal day in Tel Aviv, influential Israeli women or spotlighting street art throughout the country are more impactful than you would assume.

Not only were the young people we surveyed more interested in learning about individuals, places, or objects that show Israel from an everyday perspective, but 66% of respondents came away from this survey with a more positive view of Israeli society simply by being shown something other than the never-ending conflicts that dominate the news.

People are looking for media that adds value to their lives. Instead of being an echo chamber, social media content – when thoughtful and targeted – can broaden a person’s understanding of a place and its people.

Life, like Israel, is about more than politics. We, as news organizations and nonprofit leaders, need to stop contributing to the partisan clutter dominating our social media accounts. We must foster connection and understanding by showing all aspects of Israeli society: The fun, the food and the fabulous.

It is possible to achieve the connectedness that social media proclaims to offer, so long as we change our behaviors – and expand our posts. Our actions online need to model our curious nature and content creators need to promote the exploration of new ideas. Only then can we bridge gaps in understanding and initiate meaningful, informed conversations.

People crave windows into other cultures and societies, including Israel; we just need to give it to them.

Jason Harris is the Executive Director for ISRAEL21c, a nonprofit news organization and unifying platform that creates space to educate, inform, and initiate meaningful conversations about the Israeli people and their positive impact on our world.