Posting proudly: Jewish influencer says ‘just existing online’ now comes with a cost

Being visibly Jewish online is now “brave by default”, social media chef Ben Rebuck told a packed JW3 audience on Thursday night, in a candid conversation about navigating Jewish identity, food, and hate in the digital age.

Rebuck – who has built a following of more than 400,000 through viral recipe videos, particularly his ‘Oy Ve-Gan’ series – said expressing Jewish pride on social media has come at a personal and professional cost, but he refuses to stay silent.

“Whenever I post anything about Judaism, the hatred comes,” he said. “When it’s Israel? Even worse. But I’m not going to stop. I’ve always used my platform to speak about what I care about – and the biggest part of me is being Jewish.”

The event, titled Posting Proudly: Jewish Identity on Social Media, was hosted by Jewish Leadership Council chief executive Claudia Mendoza, in partnership with Beacon and JW3. It explored what it means to share Jewishness in a digital space increasingly hostile to nuance and visibly Jewish voices.

“I’m not like Hen Mazzig or Dov Forman – I don’t only talk about Israel,” said Rebuck. “But I am who I am. And that includes going to shul and having family in Israel. So, if I post about it, that’s not politics. That’s just me.”

Rebuck – who appeared on BBC’s Celebration Kitchen in September 2023 for a special Yom Kippur episode – said the abuse escalated sharply after 7 October. “The overlap between the extreme vegan crowd and the anti-Zionist mob is basically a full circle,” he joked. “I dealt with the pro-Palestinians, and then I got all the vegans.”

But in the wake of the Gaza food crisis dominating headlines in recent weeks, Rebuck said even staying in his culinary lane has felt fraught. “it’s been hard to post food content lately,” he admitted. “Other influencers are sharing about famine in Gaza, and if they don’t, they lose followers. If I post anything Jewish or Israeli, I lose followers. “It’s exhausting.”

He described a recent exchange with a fellow food content creator who messaged him asking for “the Israeli side” before posting. “I sent him a 10-minute voice note and links to proper sources,” Rebuck said. “He might still post something I disagree with – but at least he asked. That’s something.”

Rebuck also reflected on the sense of isolation many Jewish creators feel. “I’ve lost friends. People I filmed with, supported, helped build their platforms – they blocked me after 7 October. And not quietly. There were group chats where they coordinated unfollowing me. I keep a list,” he said.

But he hasn’t let it shake his core mission. “If someone sees a guy like me – tattoos, a father, talking about Zionism in a reel about babka – and that makes them feel less alone, that’s worth it.”

Mendoza asked how he distinguishes between critics worth engaging and those to ignore. “I can tell straight away,” he replied. “If it’s real curiosity, I’ll respond. If it’s just another faceless account saying, ‘I’m mocking the Nakba because I referenced 1948, I don’t owe them my time.’”

Rebuck acknowledged he’s lucky to have built his audience before taking a public stance. “I’ve already got the platform, so I’ll use it. Maybe people who haven’t should protect their peace. But for me, not posting would feel worse.”

Asked if it’s worth it, he didn’t hesitate. “Absolutely. Because when I see someone else posting something unapologetically Jewish, it lifts me too. We’re all scrolling through horror – when you see someone saying something true, it stands out.”

Reflecting on the power of his platform, he added: “Food brings people together, whatever their religion or background. It’s something we all share. If I can use that to bring in conversations about Jewish life, that’s a privilege. And I’ll keep doing it.”