I had a pleasure to interview Michal Cotler-Wunsh

😊 Who is Michal?

Michal Cotler-Wunsh is Israel’s Special Envoy for Combatting Antisemitism.

In this role she engages local and global partners around the shared responsibility to comprehensively identify and address the rise and mainstreaming of ever-mutating antisemitic hate.

Michal is a former MK (Member of Israel’s Parliament), where she served as Chair of the Subcommittee on Israel-Diaspora Relations, and as an active member of several other committees, such as the Women’s Status Committees.

Recognizing the inherent connection between online hate and real-world violence, Michal co-founded the Interparliamentary Task Force to Combat Online Antisemitism, together with multi-partisan elected officials from Canada, Australia, the US, and the UK.

She received her LL.B. from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and her LL.M. from McGill University in Montreal, Canada. Her PhD research focused on freedom of speech on university campuses

Michal was born in Israel and grew up in Canada, and today she lives in Israel with her husband and their four children.

🎙️ What did we talk about?

- How has her personal life and professional mission changed after October 7th?

- How has antisemitism evolved since October 7th? What are the most alarming trends?

- As co-founder of the Inter-Parliamentary Task Force to Combat Online Antisemitism, what are the policies or tools that can effectively counter hate speech online?

- As former Chair of the Subcommittee on Israel-Diaspora Relations, what are the biggest challenges in uniting global Jewry today?

- As a former MK and envoy, how does she navigate these male-dominated spaces? What unique strengths does she think women bring to leadership, especially in security and diplomacy?

- Why are women’s voices critical in combating hate and shaping policy?

- How did her multicultural upbringing shape her Jewish identity and career path?

- What advice does she have for young Jewish women aspiring to leadership in law, politics, or activism?