For me, October 7th was full of difficult emotions. At one point I didn't know where to get information. I saw stories of a beautifully written post by a woman named @oligolds. She describes herself as a journalist and an influencer in her Instagram bio, but she also sheds light on so much key information about Judaism, Israel, and technology. A few months ago I got the opportunity to interview her for this incredible outlet, the interview is down below.

‍G: What content did you cover before October 7th?

‍O: I started my account in 2020 but it was not a daily thing. I do this very intuitively. I studied business administration and then got a master's in journalism. Just before I was going to move to Singapore, my editor at La Nación told me I should become an influencer. I told him, "Marvelous, that is a crazy thought. What will I post about?" When I moved, my account was "Oli in Wonderland" but after COVID, my content shifted, all I had was a lockdown. So when the show "Unorthodox" came out, out of boredom and my sister's recommendation, I opened a question box so people who were watching the show could get the answers they wanted. 

‍G: You just talked about "Unorthodox". Given the exponential growth in the amount of film that's produced where many times, Judaism is not portrayed truly, what are your feelings on how Judaism is portrayed and how it impacts how society views us?

‍O: I don't want one more TV show, I want a thousand. For them to show it how they can stem from the genuine interest of telling a story. I don't need Jews to look good on such a massive platform like Netflix or Amazon. Give me 400,000 TV shows. People think that antisemitism is rooted in us being bad, but the only direct association is ignorance. If there are 400,000 stories, I want them to be portrayed how they are. Pluralism is one of the beauties of Judaism.

‍G: You worked for a very important Spanish news outlet, how was your experience?

O: When I did my master's at La Nación, I got the chance to do an exchange with "El País", which was the bar for comparison over here. El País is considered one of the best outlets in Latin America and Spain. The first time I published an article, was the honor of a lifetime. The first time I wrote about Israel, it was about the 2016 Olympics in Rio with the No. 1 of the whole outlet covering the opening ceremonies at 3 AM and I was ecstatic. In 2016, when a Judoka didn't shake hands with an Israeli opponent and was disqualified, I wrote my only article pertaining to Israel. It was not what it was now with the situation in Israel. Now I see the way they are communicating everything that is happening in Israel and I want to die. They always write as if it's a conflict between Israel and Palestine and not against Hamas, and if they can avoid the word terrorism, they will do it. Those are just some ways they will try to push what is a false narrative. My heart aches when I see it because they're an incredible newspaper.

‍G: Having to communicate so much, how do you not feel bombarded with information?

‍O: I don't have a relationship with news like most people. I don't feel an addiction to it and don't get overpowered with information. My friends and family create a safe environment that permits it.

‍G: How's the collaboration between you and other influencers like Gorda Meir who also talks about Israel?

‍O: With her, it started in 2020-2021 one time when tensions rose and I talked to Damian Patcher and my expectations of getting an answer were lowered to zero. He is considered a hero after telling the world that Alberto Nisman was found dead in his home and he had to move outside Argentina. I asked him to do an Instagram live through a Twitter DM. He told me, "Of course, Oli," and I announced it on social media. I plastered all over that I was hosting an interview with an Israeli expert but he reached out a few days later and he told me he was unable because there was a rain of rockets in Yafo and he didn't know the situation. So I asked Gorda instead, we did the interview and the results were incredible because she is a force of nature, she has a lot of information and a lot of passion. I then left for Shabbat dinner and conversations couldn't steer away from that Instagram live. We don't have an explicit collaboration, but we support each other through our hearts and through private messages.

‍G: What is your involvement like in the Jewish space?

‍O: I went to a Jewish school for primary school and then I moved to an English school nearby. My primary group is a mix of people from all over who are all informed. They share my content and ask me questions. I wasn't part of any Jewish youth movements but I'm part of the board of directors of my synagogue and I do a lot of things for that community. I believe that everyone has a role but for me, the key part is giving information outside of the Jewish community. 

‍G: How do you think we can use social media to help combat the global threat of antisemitism?

‍O: There's a war between the people in Israel and the IDF and those who are attacking them and they are giving their life for us. Those outside can give so much in different ways on social media because we cannot ask more of them. Those who think social media doesn't interfere with people's views, don't understand how the world is working.