When Montana Tucker got invited to walk the red carpet at the Grammy Awards in February, she felt she had to do something “big” to showcase her concern for the hostages being held in Gaza. So the singer, dancer, actress, activist and social media influencer contacted an Israeli designer and, within a week, they came up with a gown that featured a large yellow ribbon with “Bring Them Home” blazoned across the front.

“It was one of the scariest moments of my life,” Tucker said, but she knew that walking the red carpet with a bold symbol was nothing compared to what the hostages and their families were going through. “It really made an impact, and I’m so thankful that it did,” she said of the headlines that her action garnered, and the response from former hostages and hostage family members who wrote to thank her.

Tucker, 31, is still speaking out, posting regularly about Israel and antisemitism to her 14 million followers across her social media platforms. She was the keynote speaker at Hadassah’s National Conference in Las Vegas in July and even recorded a dance video for TikTok with two Israeli teenage girls representing Hadassah’s Youth Aliyah villages at the conference. This interview, conducted after her keynote, has been edited for brevity and clarity.

How do you feel about the artists and entertainers unwilling to openly support Israel?

I understand the real fears of those not wanting to publicly show support, of those who worry about their careers and their livelihoods. But I also tell people who are more advanced in their careers than me: “If you stepped up and said something, it would make such a difference.”

How crazy is it that we are living in a time when you can’t share publicly that you’re Jewish or that you support the only Jewish state? With my blonde hair and not very Jewish-sounding name, people don’t know I’m Jewish. I want to make sure everyone knows.

What influenced you to become a Jewish activist?

I had heard my grandparents’ Holocaust stories my whole life. When my zaydie, who was a huge part of my life, passed away four years ago, I rewatched their Shoah Foundation testimonials. They motivated me to go to Auschwitz and Poland, and I did a TikTok docuseries on their stories and the Holocaust. When I released that series, it was the first time many of my followers found out I was Jewish. Once October 7 happened, this is now my purpose—to educate my huge following, who started with me because of my music and dance, not because of my activism. I have to do everything I can, with visits to Israel and sharing personal stories, to show people the truth.

@montanatucker

I am beyond sad and sick to my stomach with all of the ANTI-SEMETISM going on in our world. HOW is HATE towards ANY religion, race, ethnicity, sexual preference, etc allowed/tolerated?!? My grandparents are Holocaust SURVIVORS- 77 years later and this is STILL happening ?! •Follow along as I travel across the world to WITNESS the ATROCITIES of the Holocaust and dive even deeper into my family’s Holocaust survival story. Sharing their story with you is the most meaningful thing I could ever do with my platform. Episode 2 coming November 1. Join me in making sure we #neverforget #neveragain #holocaust #education #nohate #jewish #antisemitism #endantisemitism

♬ original sound – Montana Tucker

What kind of reaction have you gotten to your activism?

My videos come with a lot of hate—and I have lost thousands and thousands and thousands of followers. But I also have people message me who aren’t even Jewish or pro-Israel saying, “I never saw it that way. Thank you for educating me, thank you for sharing.” What’s the point of being an influencer if you can’t speak about what you believe in?

What have been the most meaningful moments you have had in Israel?

I’ve become very close to some of the released hostages, including Moran Stella Yanai, who was taken from the Nova music festival and held captive for 54 days. We did a dance video at the Nova site with a bunch of Nova survivors, called “We Can Dance Again.” A dance video is going to relate to a different audience than me just speaking to a camera. That’s the power of social media, you truly don’t know whose page it’s going to land on and you don’t know who’s going to be impacted by it.

@montanatucker

We CAN dance again. Imagine going to a music festival for PEACE and LOVE with your friends. Now, imagine dancing with your friends, and all of a sudden TERRORISTS ATTACK, KIDNAP 44 people, and brutally MURDER over 384 people. THIS is the story of the Nova Music Festival massacre- dedicated to all the victims and survivors. We will NEVER forget. @CombatAntisemitism @Lilach Friedman dance center

♬ Aria – Argy & Omnya

After October 7, there’s the on-the-ground war and then the digital war. It’s a huge war that we need to fight. We’re losing it, unfortunately, but we’ve got to keep fighting. 

Lisa Hostein is the executive editor of Hadassah Magazine.