Are Jews a Nation, a Family, or a Religious Community?
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Fitness entrepreneur Shai Albrecht paused her business after Oct. 7 to fight anti-Israel misinformation, engaging in the online battle with fearless truth-telling rooted in family, faith, and chutzpah.
When the propaganda war exploded after October 7th, Shai Albrecht put her fitness business on hold and has dedicated her life to creating pro-Israel content—debunking lie after lie while garnering nearly 400,000 followers on social media. Armed with extensive knowledge and a whole lot of chutzpah, Shai has found an effective and satisfying way to shut down haters who spew lies and propaganda: she hits them with the truth.
Shai was kind enough to share some insight about her life and what drives her.
Shai with her family (B Photography & Designs)
Shai Albrecht: I am a unique Orthodox Jewish woman. I have always been a strong individual—a thinker and a questioner. For as long as I can remember, I have been speaking out even when my opinion was unpopular. As a young girl in a strictly Orthodox school I argued with teachers about theological dictums that I felt did not make sense (often to my Rebbes’ chagrin). I never accept the status quo and speak up when something is not right.
I am the daughter of two amazing parents—my father was a chazzan at a large synagogue in Baltimore. He is adored and admired by all who meet him and has been a pillar of his community. My mother stands alongside him, and she is no wilting violet. When she speaks, the room is silent. As the daughter of a clergy member, I became comfortable in the spotlight and embraced my role as a leader and the responsibility to express my values and help guide others.
Growing up, the Shabbat meals at my parents’ house were quite memorable. All were invited. Jewish, non-Jewish, secular, and Chasidic. We sang beautiful songs my father wrote and heard stories my father and mother would tell. My parents engaged in enthusiastic debate about theology and current events. They shared their love for Judaism with such enthusiasm that people still tell me about the time they spent at my parents’ house twenty years ago.
I grew up watching two people strongly share their opinions with people who did not necessarily have those same opinions, but they shared them with love and acceptance. That had a lasting impression on me. There is a strong statement in Ethics of the Fathers: “In a place where there are no men, strive to be a man.” I think this is the role of the Jew. In times of darkness when the world seems to be embracing lies, be the one who stands up for truth and morality; regardless of the consequences.
SA: Another quote I live by from the great Rabbi Hillel: “If I am not for myself, who is for me? And if I am only for myself, what am I?” I am not someone who expects somebody else to do my bidding for me—I’m the kind of person that will get up and do it myself. That is a deep part of who I am.
I come from a long line of courageous Jewish women who fought for the Jewish people. From Miriam, to Esther, to Yael and Judith, to Chana Szenes and Golda Meir. If not for women of chutzpah, the Jewish people may have perished. I was raised by two incredible Israeli parents, so God has blessed me with chutzpah in my DNA. We must advocate for ourselves and speak up against the lies being told about us, even if it is uncomfortable. Of course, you can sugar coat and soft peddle the truth, but that is simply not me.
SA: I was (and still am!) a loving and incredibly dedicated wife and mother. There is no greater honor and responsibility than raising children who embody my Jewish and Albrecht values. Professionally, I had a thriving personal training business that I started in my basement and grew into an online fitness app. It was an amazing way for me to express my love and passion for health and wellness, and impacting others for good. Women came to me feeling hopeless—I gave them hope and helped change their lives. I always infused Jewish values and mental health into the work. It was incredibly fulfilling and I loved it so much.
Then October 7, 2023 happened and I realized there was a new battlefront in the survival of the State of Israel: online misinformation. While all the soldiers started leaving for battle, I remember feeling that I had to go fight as well, in the way that I could. I put my fitness career on hold and dedicated myself to dispelling horrendous lies about Jews, even at great personal risk and financial detriment.
SA: It is my responsibility to be informed about our history and our land, and give others the arguments and truth they need to know in order to advocate for Israel. I knew a fair amount prior to October 7th, but I didn’t know about all of the layers and layers of nuance. I have dedicated myself to the truth—I read primary sources on the history and I ask people. I ask Israelis and soldiers for firsthand testimony. I traveled to Nova and heard from police officers who were there, and I speak to those who experienced the Intifadas when I speak about those topics. Sometimes I spend all day researching a topic in order to make a video—I’ve made it my mission to know the truth, and not just believe the lies that I was hearing.
I am a strong believer that every single Jew (and every person in the world) needs to be responsible for their own education and be knowledgeable on Israel and our own Jewish history. My Rabbi (Rabbi Yaakov Mosbacher, may his memory be for a blessing) would often say (quoting the Torah), “It is not across the ocean or in the sky,” knowledge and wisdom is right here in every single Jew’s hands. We just need to know we can obtain it and then we find it is obtainable. Each of us must get educated, otherwise others will educate us with lies and misinformation.
SA: Yes, I have never experienced so much hate in my life for simply sharing the truth about Judaism and Israel. I have learned to not read comments and not engage, I have learned to not argue with people who aren’t open to learning. I have learned to shake off death threats and other truly vile and personal hate. But I am also not blind to the fact that we are dealing with people who are crazy and violent.
I often think of my safety and my family’s safety. For the first time in my life, I am cautious about where we travel, and we have invested in serious security systems for our home. This is the aspect that makes me most sad. I have always believed that one should not raise kids in a place where you need a security system. When you do, it impacts one’s psyche and mental health more than most people even know. I wish this was not the case, but the risk I am taking is nothing compared to the soldiers who have left their families and jobs to go to reserve service. They inspire me to keep going.
Shai and her children in Israel at a memorial for a fallen soldier
SA: Being there on October 7, 2023 shook the foundations of our lives. That morning we were in Jerusalem, sleeping. My son ran into the room and yelled that there was a fire alarm. My husband, Eli, (being a former IDF soldier in the special forces) knew it wasn’t a fire alarm. We ran to the stairwell with two of our kids, and realized our middle daughter, Paz, was nowhere to be found. (The kids had gone down to have breakfast with my parents. We learned later a family pulled Paz into a bomb shelter on the main floor.) After the sirens ended and we were able to leave the stairwell, I went downstairs into the lobby and I saw Paz—I hugged her and tears welled in my eyes, and I was just so grateful that she was okay.
At the same time there were so many who could not hug their loved ones and were not reunited with the people they loved most. I keep thinking of those people. I come from a family of survivors—my grandfather survived the Nazis by hiding. On October 7th, all of the Holocaust trauma was reignited. Then, I saw the videos of the massacres and realized this has happened to us too many times in our history. I remember imagining all of our ancestors experiencing the same thing, except this time it was all over social media. Everybody saw it, and everyone knew what was happening. And I thought nobody could lie about it. Until they did.
In contrast, on October 13, 2025, we were back in Israel with our children and it was a momentous occasion. I just remember waking up and being so excited to feel the country’s celebration. We happened to be in the north, but I really wanted to get to Tel Aviv. I was really surprised that the energy and celebration was not all over Israel (we saw people celebrating, but they were small crowds). And then we got to Jerusalem, and people were just getting ready for the holiday. Of course, people were happy and there was an energy, a lightness, but there was not unbridled celebration.
Then, I remembered what my Rabbi told me about when Jacob battled the angel. Even though Jacob won, he left with a dislocated hip—limping and scarred. Rabbi Mosbacher told us that even in victory, we are left deeply scarred. We are scarred physically and emotionally. We have lost husbands, wives, sons and daughters. My Rabbi (our adopted family in Israel) lost Sgt. Major Betzalel Mosbacher in Gaza and we are still mourning his loss. We celebrated the hostages’ return, but it was bittersweet. We are all deeply scarred by the last two years. Like Jacob, even in victory, we are traumatized and hurt. Now the rebuilding begins, but the first step is to recognize our trauma.
SA: The reaction from my family and friends has been overwhelmingly positive, it is so nice to have the support from my family and people around me. As I said, I am an incredibly dedicated wife and mother. I prioritize those roles (which is why I can do very few in-person engagements), but my work on social media is very important.
Advocacy is who I am. While the fighting has slowed, the war is not over. We may have been victorious in Iran, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, and Gaza, but I do not think we have won the battle online. We have much, much more work to do. Anti-Jewish hate and anti-Israel sentiment are not going anywhere. I believe that it is my role and duty as a Jew and an ethical person to continue to advocate, and that is what I will do. I am grateful to have a platform. I am grateful God has given me the wisdom to use my voice. And hopefully I will be able to continue to change the minds of millions of people and strengthen the Jewish community.
Shai with her family in her former office, where she made many videos about Israel (B Photography & Designs)
Given Shai’s far-reaching knowledge about Israel, I’ll admit I was surprised to learn she’s not a scholar or historian with a background in the Middle East. Rather, she’s a proud Jew with the drive to seek out the truth and the courage to set the record straight.
What a powerful reminder that being educated and advocating for ourselves isn’t reserved for a select few—it’s an attainable objective each and every one of us can pursue.
As Shai points out, “It is not across the ocean or in the sky, knowledge and wisdom is right here in every single Jew’s hands.”
Keep up with Shai on Instagram.
Republished from The Times of Israel blogs, with permission.
I admire her very much! Thanks Shaindy for telling it like it is!