In this episode of Family Matters, Simon speaks with Yifat Goddard who has just had her Meta account cancelled because she was talking about antisemitism.
Yifat is a New Zealander and also Israeli citizen, and she shares how one morning she found that her Facebook, Instagram and Messenger accounts were fully disabled by Meta after a period of restrictions and vague claims she breached “community standards,” with no clear explanation or right of appeal.
Yifat uses social media, in-person seminars, and Zoom sessions to educate people about Israel and to challenge antisemitism. She shares how she has faced escalating online abuse, including vile antisemitic messages and death threats that she says were reported yet left unaddressed by Meta.
The conversation covers the sharp rise in antisemitism globally and in New Zealand, harassment of Jewish students and businesses, and why Yifat distinguishes legitimate criticism of Israel’s government from antisemitism aimed at Jews and local Jewish communities.
Simon and Yifat also talk about her work leading delegations to Israel, including a recent 10-day visit by Māori leaders to see Israel’s diversity, history and the impact of October 7th firsthand. They both encourage viewers to have a social media platforms, for once the likes of your Facebook is cancelled, everything is gone and lost. They also encourage people to continue good faith discussions despite resistance from activists and the actions of the likes of Meta.
You can still find Yifat and her discussion online via: X – https://x.com/YifatGoddard and LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/yifat-goddard-b090aa2b0/
