Hen Mazzig

Hen Mazzig
חן מזיג
Mazzig in 2024
Born
Israel
Hasbara promotion during the Gaza war
In office
10 October 2023 – end of the war
Serving with
Appointed byForeign Minister Eli Cohen
PresidentIsaac Herzog
Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu (Likud)
PrecedingPosition established [3]
Personal details
OccupationConsultant, commentator, international public speaker, writer, activist, and a social media enthusiast.[4]
ProfessionConsultant, commentator, and public speaker
Military service
AllegianceState of Israel
Years of servicenearly 5 years [4]
UnitCOGAT [4]
Battles/warsOccupation of the West Bank
PositionHumanitarian affairs officer
RegionWest Bank
Gaza warGovernment-appointed public advocate for Israel
Instagram information
GenreIsrael advocacy
Twitter information
Topics
Other names“A Gay Jew of Color”[5]
“intersectionality incarnate”[5]
TitleSenior fellow
Academic work
InstitutionsTel Aviv Institute

Hen Mazzig (Hebrew: חן מזיג) is an Israeli writer, speaker, and social media influencer. He is also a senior fellow at the Tel Aviv Institute.[6][5]

Biography

Mazzig is a gay Mizrahi Jew of Iraqi and Tunisian descent, whose grandparents fled after the Farhud.[7][8] He served in the Israel Defense Forces in a role coordinating between international organizations, Palestinians and the army. He spent time in the United States, working for Hillel International and StandWithUs, before returning to Israel, where he started a social media company.[9]

Activism

Mazzig has been a staunch defender of Israel during the Gaza war. He emphasizes the importance of careful word choice and framing in addressing Israel's actions. Mazzig co-founded the Tel Aviv Institute in 2019, an organization aimed at influencing younger audiences who are skeptical of traditional news media coverage and receive information from social media influencers.[9] He started a movement in August 2020 to take over the antisemitic hashtag on Twitter, #JewishPrivilege, by encouraging Jews to tell personal stories of discrimination and abuse.[10][11] Mazzig criticized a student Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions resolution passed at San Francisco State University in November 2020.[12]

In October and December 2023, Mazzig, among others, reshared a false post claiming that Palestinian babies killed by Israel during the Gaza war were actually dolls.[13]

In 2025, Mazzig criticized the band Massive Attack, after they showed a clip of late Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar walking in a tunnel in the Gaza Strip in a backdrop video at their show during the 2025 Lido Festival in Manchester. He accused them of "encouraging [sympathy] with Hamas" and incitement. The band responded by threatening to sue Mazzig for defamation, and defended the clip, which was cut with scenes from Jean Cocteau's Orpheus, as "placement and implicit tone of horrified lament; that an individual of power can take people down into hell". They also felt the criticism of the clip was selectively chosen from a broader montage of various issues and themes. Mazzig subsequently deleted the post.[14][15]

In 2025, The Jerusalem Post included Mazzig on their list of "50 Most Influential Jews", ranked 45th in a group entry of "seven pro-Israel influencers" that also included Gal Gadot (Israeli actress and model), Arsen Ostrovsky (Israeli lawyer), Siggy Flicker (Real Housewives of New Jersey), Hillel Neuer (Executive director of UN Watch), Noa Tishby (Israeli actress and model), and Eyal Yakoby (social media strategist).[16][17]

Speaking

Mazzig spoke to the New South Wales Jewish Board of Deputies in December 2020, commemorating the exodus of 850,000 Jews from Arab lands after the 1948 Arab–Israeli War.[8] He was a panelist in 2020 with Arizona State Rep. Alma Hernandez, on antisemitism.[18][19] He debated left-wing British commentator Owen Jones on Sky News in April 2024 regarding Israel's response to the Hamas-led October 7 attacks.[20][21] CNN commentator Van Jones described Mazzig as "someone who respects opposing points of view".[9]

In 2018, The Forward reported that Mazzig had received payments from Israel's Government Advertising Agency (LAPAM) during his 2017–2018 speaking tour of U.S. college campuses. The report suggested this arrangement could have required registration under the U.S. Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA). Mazzig denied any wrongdoing, explaining that his work for the government agency focused on combating discrimination. “The consulting that I gave to the [government] was about fighting anti-Semitism,” he said in a phone interview. “I gave information about being attacked for being LGBT, being a Jew of color. That gives me the understanding of how to combat anti-Semitism, racism and LGBT phobia. And that was the consulting I gave to the agency.”[22] No legal or regulatory action was reported to have resulted from the claims.

Political positions

Mazzig supported Black Lives Matter in 2020.[7] He endorsed then-Vice US President Kamala Harris's views on Israel and the humanity of Palestinians during her presidential campaign in 2024.[9] His posts were shared by Pink, Amy Schumer, and Gal Gadot, and were turned into billboards in Times Square.[9]

Works

His first book, The Wrong Kind of Jew: A Mizrahi Manifesto, was published in October 2022 by Wicked Son Press.[23]

References

  1. ^ משרד החוץ חושף: כך הוא פועל למען ההסברה העולמית [The Ministry of Foreign Affairs reveals: This is how it works for global outreach]. Ice www.ice.co.il (in Hebrew). Israel. 10 October 2023. Archived from the original on 2026-02-24. משרד החוץ מגייס את משפיעני הרשת הבולטים לטובת ההסברה הישראלית בעולם. המשפיענים שהצטרפו לבקשת שר החוץ: ארסן אוסטרובסקי, נעה תשבי, חן מזיג, טלי אשכולי, מייקל דיקסון, ג'ו זבולוני, נטלי דדון, אמילי שריידר, מיכל קוטלר-וונש ופלר חסן-נחום. [The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is recruiting prominent online influencers to benefit Israeli outreach around the world. The influencers who joined at the Foreign Minister's request: Arsen Ostrovsky, Noa Tishbi, Chen Mazig, Tali Eshkoli, Michael Dixon, Joe Zevuloni, Natalie Dadon, Emily Schrader, Michal Kotler-Wensch, and Fleur Hassan-Nahum.]
  2. ^ Klein 2023: "Among the influencers who have heeded the call are: Arsen Ostrovsky, international human rights lawyer and digital diplomacy advocate; Noa Tishby, actress, producer, and activist for Israeli causes; Chen Mazig, writer, speaker, and LGBTQ-rights advocate; Tali Eshkoli, event organizer and social media specialist; Michael Dickson, executive director of the Stand With Us advocacy organization; Joe Zevuloni, community organizer and social media personality; Natalie Dodon, former model, digital content creator, and cultural commentator; Emily Schrader, digital media strategist and pro-Israel advocate; Michal Cotler-Wunsh, legal expert and social justice advocate; Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, Jerusalem municipal politician and public relations expert."
  3. ^ Klein, Zvika (10 October 2023). "MFA launches online advocacy campaign with Israeli influencers". The Jerusalem Post. ISSN 0792-822X. Archived from the original on 2023-10-10 – via JPost.com.
  4. ^ a b c "Hen Mazzig". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Archived from the original on 2025-11-02. ...an Israeli born international speaker, writer, activist, and a social media enthusiast. Hen was in the IDF for almost five years serving as a humanitarian affairs officer in the COGAT unit at the West Bank. His family came to Israel from Iraq and North Africa in the early 50's. He is a consultant, commentator, and public speaker...
  5. ^ a b c d אילני, עפרי (2018-10-24). פוליטיקת הזהויות הגיעה לשלב האבסורדי ביותר [Identity politics has reached its most absurd stage]. הארץ (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2021-01-06.
  6. ^ פעיל נגד ה-BDS על הפעילה המעוכבת בנתב"ג: "יש כאן יותר מסטודנטית תמימה" [Anti-BDS activist on activist detained at Ben Gurion Airport: "There's more here than just an innocent student"]. www.maariv.co.il. 7 October 2018. Retrieved 2021-01-06.
  7. ^ a b "How Hen Mazzig is Advocating for Jews and Israel Online". Jewish Journal. 2020-07-20. Retrieved 2021-01-06.
  8. ^ a b Narunsky, Gareth. "Advocate's family story". The Australian Jewish News. Retrieved 2021-01-06.
  9. ^ a b c d e Sperling, Nicole (2024-11-02). "A Whisperer to the Stars on the Middle East Conflict". The New York Times. Retrieved 2024-11-23.
  10. ^ Schechter, Dave (2020-08-10). "What is 'Jewish Privilege?' It's complicated". Atlanta Jewish Times. Retrieved 2021-01-06.
  11. ^ Schechter, Dave (2020-08-10). "What is 'Jewish Privilege?' It's complicated". Atlanta Jewish Times. Retrieved 2021-01-06.
  12. ^ Greschler, Gabriel (2020-11-24). "S.F. State president opposes student BDS resolution". J. Retrieved 2021-01-06.
  13. ^ Shuham, Matt (2023-10-16). "Israel Made False Claims About A Horrific Image, Says Palestinian Journalist". HuffPost. Retrieved 2025-06-05.
  14. ^ Wilkes, Emma (9 June 2025). "Massive Attack threaten legal action against Israeli influencer accusing them of "incitement" over Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar footage". NME. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  15. ^ Ringel, Shai (June 10, 2025). ""מאסיב אטאק" מאיימת לתבוע ישראלי שהאשים אותה בהסתה". Haaretz. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
  16. ^ "50 MOST INFLUENTIAL JEWS 2025". The Jerusalem Post. Israel. 2025. Archived from the original on 2025-09-21. 45. Gal Gadot, Arsen Ostrovsky, Siggy Flicker, Hen Mazzig, Hillel Neuer, Noa Tishby, Eyal Yakoby: From Hollywood stars to human-rights lawyers, seven pro-Israel influencers share a commitment
  17. ^ Perets, Shir (21 September 2025). "No. 45: Gal Gadot and other powerful pro-Israel voices". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. The Jerusalem Post. Archived from the original on 2026-02-06.
  18. ^ "Sharanksy calls out 'progressive' antisemitism panel for anti-Zionism". The Jerusalem Post. 20 December 2020. Retrieved 2021-01-06.
  19. ^ Writer, Jesse Bernstein | Contributing Writer and Ellen O'Brien | Staff (22 December 2020). "Diverse anti-Semitism panels focus on interconnectedness". www.jewishaz.com. Retrieved 2021-01-06.
  20. ^ Hayes, Kathleen (2024-04-10). "The Holocaust as Jew-Haters' 'Gotcha'". Jewish Journal. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  21. ^ "'Have Some Decency': Debate Derails As Owen Jones Accuses Germany Of 'Making Palestinians Pay' For Its Holocaust Guilt". Mediaite. 2024-04-05. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  22. ^ Pink, Aiden (2018-08-23). "Did This Pro-Israel Superstar Work As A Secret Agent On College Campuses?". The Forward. Retrieved 2025-08-02.
  23. ^ Mazzig, Hen (2023-03-06). "Hen Mazzig on the 'Wrong Kind of Jew'". Hadassah Magazine. Retrieved 2023-04-06.
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