Orthodox Jewish influencer talks in Scottsdale

By Shannon Levitt - Phoenix Jewish News

Elizabeth (Lizzy) Savetsky, an Orthodox Jewish social media influencer was hosted by the Phoenix women’s division of American Friends of Magen David Adom (AFMDA) in Scottsdale on April 23, for a conversation on antisemitism and how social media can be used to support Israel.

“I’m here to talk about how passionate I am about Israel and, of course, the shocking and disturbing rise of antisemitism and antisemitic hate crimes,” Savetsky told Jewish News.

Savetsky entered the national spotlight in the fall of 2022 when she left season 14 of the reality television series “The Real Housewives of New York” after reportedly receiving a plethora of antisemitic messages.

During Israel’s war with Gaza in May 2021, “things really started to explode in terms of the hate that I was receiving online and for the first time, I realized that my public persona could endanger myself and my family,” she said.

At Sunday’s gathering, she also had some words of advice for any young Jews hoping to become influencers: Don’t go in thinking you’ll get rich. The public is looking for authenticity and will see through anyone who thinks it’s an easy job, she said. Instead, having something unique to say or being able to share your passions, as she does for fashion, Judaism and Israel, is the key to gaining a loyal following.

Additionally, it’s important to be open to the possibility of change. When she first started her Instagram account, she mainly focused on fashion and “being a fashionable mom,” but it soon evolved into “teaching about Judaism and sharing my passion for Israel. Fashion is still very important but also more of an accessory to the rest,” she said.

Sarah Langert, a Tucson native, has been following Savetsky on Instagram for years, and when she heard the influencer was coming to town, she quickly signed up to listen to what she had to say.

“I really appreciate some of her Israel advocacy and antisemitism work and she’s opened my eyes to different perspectives on how to be an advocate,” Langert said.

Dana Luksenburg is another of Savetsky’s many Instagram followers who attended Sunday’s event.

“When it was announced that Lizzy was coming, I was very interested to come and hear her speak, especially with all the current events that are going on with antisemitism,” she said.

Savetsky added that she was eager to promote the work of Magen David Adom, Israel’s national paramedic and Red Cross service. The organization includes roughly 30,000 volunteers from varying religious and cultural backgrounds, which demonstrates “the unity that you actually see and feel when you’re in Israel, when what we see in the media is controversy and divisiveness,” she said.

One 150 people attended Sunday’s event with Savetsky. Being in Arizona with so many young women who feel proud of Israel and their Judaism was wonderful, especially given that her goal as an influencer is to inspire young women, she said.