ADL’s NextGen Ambassadors shared breakfast with Israeli Police Foreign Press Spokesman Micky Rosenfeld on November 11. Described as “Israel’s anti-terrorism superstar,” Rosenfeld explained the critical need of getting ahead of every situation following terrorist and other disruptive incidents. The conversation focused on Rosenfeld’s three areas of emphasis: operations, gun control, and the media. He discussed the importance of heightened operations in order to find potential terrorists and increased security to make the public feel safe, explaining that “People understand security.”
The conversation sparked an interesting dialogue about the role of misinformation and the media. Rosenfeld describes the issue as an “information problem.” According to Rosenfeld, with a plethora of inaccurate information available to everyone, Israel now makes a point of fighting back with the facts. “The media war is something that we’re always dealing with. You have to win by showing the truth. . . Everything comes out,” he said. Employing social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter, the Israeli police are able to communicate quickly and practically with the public. Rosenfeld emphasized the importance of these channels. “That’s what I’m using; that’s the name of the game today. The public has to know what’s going on.”
During Rosenfeld’s swing through the southland for ADL, he also provided law enforcement training and an insiders’ briefing to ADL supporters in the San Fernando Valley.
If you would like to know more about NextGen Ambassadors or ADL events for young leaders, email LA@adl.org or call 310-446-4264.