[Press Release] The Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce led an unprecedented mission to Israel together with Chris Ruddy CEO of Newsmax, bringing an exclusive delegation of prominent U.S. journalists, White House correspondents and media influencers for a historic visit to help promote Israel’s voice and fight the negative and fake PR battle Israel is falling behind with international public opinion and Struggling to win.

Mission leadership: L-R Alan Dershowitz, Chris Ruddy, Israel Foreign Minister Gidon Saar, Malcolm Hoenlein, Duvi Honig

The delegation, staying at Jerusalem’s iconic King David Hotel, began their evening with a private VIP dinner on the rooftop of Aish HaTorah, hosted by its CEO, Rabbi Steven Burg. The keynote speaker was MK Boaz Bismuth, a former journalist and the newly appointed chairman of the Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. This marked his first official address since assuming the leadership role.

Bismuth opened the evening with welcoming remarks to the distinguished group and its leaders, which included Professor Alan Dershowitz, Malcolm Hoenlein, Chris Ruddy, Duvi Honig, and other key participants.

During the dinner, Duvi Honig held an in-depth discussion with Bismuth about the pressing challenges facing the Orthodox Jewish community. Bismuth expressed his determination to collaborate closely with the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce to address these issues and strengthen ongoing ties to help overcome these challenges and help stabilize the government.

The tour was Guided by Foreign Ministry Ambassadors Dan Oryan and Sharon Regev, the group visited key sites across the country, bearing witness to both the devastation of war and the resilience of Israeli society.

Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar opened his remarks by thanking Duvi Honig and the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce for its leadership in organizing the mission. He praised the initiative as a critical effort to bring influential American voices to Israel at a time of rising disinformation and hostility in global media.

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A Passionate Mission for Israel’s Image

Sa’ar emphasized that Israel is fighting not only on the battlefield but also in the realm of public opinion. “Israel was losing the PR war, and it desperately needed partners in the fight against misinformation,” he said. “This mission has been about building a network of ambassadors and forging relationships with major media outlets like Newsmax, so Israel’s story is told with clarity and truth.”

He highlighted “Duvi’s vision in bringing such a staunch delegation — partnering with Chris Ruddy and Newsmax to lead 60 top U.S. media personalities — ensured that Israel’s leadership stood side by side with influential voices from America. Thanks to these efforts, Israel is now far better equipped to fight fake news and misinformation.”

Israels Chief Superintendent Head of OperationsBorder Guard of the Central District Yoni Zeitak and his team joined the group as they visited the southern city’s who were attacked on October 7th underscored the significance of the visit, telling participants that out of all the missions they had witnessed, this was “the most effective, significant, and important one yet.” They praised the program as “above and beyond” and expressed deep gratitude on behalf of Israel.

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High-Level Meetings and Recognition

During their visit, the delegation met with Israel’s top leadership, including President Isaac Herzog, Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar, and U.S AMBASSADOR Mike Huckabee.

The group also joined Newsmax’s Independence Day Gala, where Chris Ruddy, Chamber leadership, and Malcolm Hoenlein presented the Maurice Katz Legacy Award to U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee. The award recognized Huckabee for carrying forward the message of Holocaust survivors—“Never Again”—and for standing firmly with American and Israeli leadership.

Presenting US Ambassador Mike Huckabee with the Morris Katz Legacy Award

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Prime Minister Netanyahu’s Address

One of the mission’s defining moments came when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the Gala, thanking the delegation and Newsmax for their partnership in what he called the “eighth front” of the war—“the battle for truth.”

L-R Duvi Honig, Chris Ruddy, Speaker of Knesset Amir Ohana, Alan Dershowitz, Malcolm Honeline

“Seven fronts against Iran and its proxies, the eighth front – the battle for truth. And Newsmax, you have let the truth circle the globe against the lies,” Netanyahu said. “There’s only one way to beat the lies, and that’s with the truth. Thank you for standing up with Israel. Thank you for standing up with the truth.”

The Prime Minister delivered a powerful, wide-ranging speech, warning that the same kinds of blood libels and lies that fueled centuries of antisemitism are being weaponized today against the Jewish state. He rejected accusations of genocide and starvation, pointing to Israel’s extraordinary humanitarian efforts in Gaza and its commitment to separating civilians from combatants even amid urban warfare.

Netanyahu connected today’s propaganda war to antisemitic campaigns throughout history, stressing:

“Then we had no defense. Now we have a country. Now we have an army. And now we fight back against our tormentors. That’s why I salute Newsmax and others who stand together, stand up for the truth, are not cowed, can speak their mind, can show the facts, could stand up for our common humanity and for our common future.”

In addition to his public remarks, Netanyahu also held a private meeting with the mission’s leadership, underscoring the seriousness with which Israel regarded the delegation personally thanking Duvi honig for his leadership. The opportunity for direct dialogue reflected the mission’s impact at the highest levels of Israeli government.

PM Netanyahu Thanking Duvi Honig Founder / Ceo of the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce for Spearheading the Delegation

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Bearing Witness to Tragedy and Resilience

Among the mission’s most poignant moments was a helicopter tour to Kiryat Shmona, where the delegation stood on the soccer field where 12 children were killed in a rocket attack.

The commander of Israel’s Chatzor Air Force Base personally came to brief the delegation, outlining Israel’s strategic challenges in confronting Iran and Hezbollah’s growing threat on its northern border. His participation underscored the importance Israel’s defense establishment placed on the mission and its guests.

The Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce also signed a memorandum of understanding with the Druze community of Ayn Qunya, marking a step toward greater cooperation.

The group additionally met with Israel’s Air Force leaders, Border Police, and battalion commanders stationed across the country’s north and south. They were briefed on the challenges of securing Israel’s borders and protecting civilian communities under constant threat.

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A Defining Moment on U.S.–Israel Relations

Duvi Honig addressed the group at the president’s residence about U.S. military support for Israel.

“We must stop using the term that Israel receives billions in U.S. aid, because that’s not the case,” he explained. “Israel is America’s most cost-effective forward defense—keeping U.S. boots off the ground, providing priceless intelligence, and reinvesting that money into American companies. This is not aid—it’s strategic partnership.”

His remarks were met with applause and agreement from the mission participants.

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Journalists Reflect on the Experience

Members of the delegation described the mission as life-changing.

John Tabacco, host of WiseGuys, said:

“As a Christian, it was one of the most powerful experiences of my life. Many forget that the most sacred places for Christians are in Jerusalem. Seeing the devastation and gaining firsthand understanding enlightened me on all sides of the war.”

Stacy Washington, on-air talent for SiriusXM Patriot Channel and host on Salem News Channel, explained that the trip reshaped her long-held perceptions:

“The Mission to Israel completely reshaped my preconceived notions of what Israel is, how Israelis live, and how they perceive the rest of the world. Meeting survivors from the kibbutzim attacked by Hamas and seeing how they are rebuilding their lives was both informative and emotionally overwhelming.”

Jeff Katz, host on WRVA Radio, added:

“Walking the grounds of the Nova Music Festival and Kibbutz Nahal Oz, I could barely process the brutality inflicted by Hamas. What struck me most were the unguarded moments with Israelis who want nothing more than to live in peace with their neighbors. May G-d bless those who had the vision to bring us here so we may share the truth with the world.”

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A Partnership for Advocacy

The mission was made possible through a partnership between the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce, Israel’s Foreign Ministry, Newsmax, and international community leaders. Its success was reflected not only in high-level recognition from Israeli leadership and the Prime Minister’s personal engagement with the group, but also in the powerful stories participants are now sharing with audiences across the United States.

[Press Release]