Donald Trump’s inauguration as the 47th president of the United States has brought together influential supporters, including three prominent Jewish women—Dr. Sheila Nazarian, Tanya Zuckerbrot and Siggy Flicker—who reflected on their advocacy for Trump, their connections to Israel and their journeys in activism, often at personal cost.
Flicker, the daughter of a Holocaust survivor who was born in Jerusalem, shared her unwavering loyalty to Trump, whom she has supported for nearly a decade. "I left reality TV from day one. I left everything and my husband said, 'Siggy, go full force with Donald Trump,' and that was about 8 years ago and I got a lot of heat for it, but I knew in my heart this is a friend of Israel. This is a friend of the Jewish people. This is the man who will save the world and get rid of jihad. Donald John Trump," She says in an exclusive interview at the Ynetnews studio.
Watch the full interview here
Nazarian, an Iranian-born plastic surgeon and activist, recalled braving freezing temperatures to attend the Liberty Ball on inauguration night. "I like to think of it as conservative Disneyland," she said. "Once inside, it was great to be with other like-minded people. It was really fun to see all the MAGA hats and everyone so excited for the future of America."
Zuckerbrot, a nutritionist and mother of five, described the relief she felt on election night. "I had a viewing party here at my home, and there was just so much elation, but even more so relief," she said. "The direction our country was heading in was concerning for so many reasons – national security, the economy – but as a Jewish woman with five children in college, to see antisemitism on such a national scale and the Democratic Party's failure to make Jews feel safe. As a mom and as a Jewish woman, I was just so relieved that Trump won the presidency."
Flicker: "I left reality TV from day one. I left everything... and I got a lot of heat for it, but I knew in my heart this is a friend of Israel. This is a friend of the Jewish people"
Zuckerbrot added that she believes that standing by Trump "shows our connection to our homeland Israel because Trump has been an advocate of Israel."
"It's been shown in his policies—from the Abraham Accords and sanctions of Iran and also Trump's willingness to fight antisemitism here in the United States," she said. "So for me, this election was not so much about national issues but really my connection. I was a one-issue voter because Israel is our ancestral homeland and it is our obligation and our privilege as Jews in the Diaspora to do whatever is necessary to protect Israel's future.'
Flicker praised the president's "no BS" attitude and described him as a "fearless" leader who speaks from the heart. Flicker, who has a personal relationship with Trump, highlighted his passion for America and strong stance against antisemitism.
She recounted Trump’s frustration with being mislabeled as antisemitic, emphasizing his Jewish family connections. “In the beginning, he used to say, Siggy, what's wrong with your people? I've done so much for your people. Why do they call me an antisemite? Don't they know that my daughter is Jewish and my grandchildren are Jewish? I said, Mr. President not everybody has common sense.”
Flicker also discussed her meeting with Trump following the October 7 Hamas attacks. "After October 7th, Trump asked me to speak in front of 1,000 people in Palm Beach, and I told him I couldn't do it. I couldn't get out of bed, but he wanted me to do it. My face was swollen. I was devastated like everybody else. So I told him, 'Mr. President, the first thing we have to do, is to take a picture with my Israeli flag so everybody can see'."
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"After October 7 I told him, 'Mr. President, the first thing we have to do, is to take a picture with my Israeli flag so everybody can see'." Siggy Flicker with Trump and the Israeli flag
"Now, as a candidate who was a prior president, you're not supposed to bring another country's flag, and the Secret Service first approached me. I said, go talk to the president. I really need to take a picture with this Israeli flag. They came back and said they needed the flag, 'we would like to iron it, and you know, get the creases out,' they said. And when I saw President Trump, I didn't really talk to him, I just cried."
Flicker pauses with tears, saying: "I'm still crying because I know that our women and men are still in tunnels and God knows what they're doing to our people, but President Trump told me back then, 'listen, I'm going to do my best', and he kept on saying it would have never happened if he was president... he promised it's a priority and he we will do everything to get the people home."
"I thought I was going to lose everything"
Nazarian shared her journey from posting about plastic surgery to becoming an outspoken advocate for Israel. She said she began addressing antisemitism on social media in response to growing hostility on U.S. college campuses. "I went from ‘boobs and Botox’ to Israel and the Jewish people."
Her pivot intensified during May 2021's Operation Guardian of the Walls, and again after the October 7 Hamas attacks. Despite backlash and threats, she continued her advocacy. “I thought I was going to lose everything, and I was willing to lose everything, but not only did I get to keep everything, I have gained so much more. So I highly recommend following your soul, following your core values, and being true to yourself. God rewards the authentic,” she said.
Nazarian addressed a shift in Jewish American political affiliations, noting that Jews from Holocaust survivor families often lean left due to concerns about nationalism, while those from countries like Iran and Cuba lean conservative due to their experiences with socialism.
"A lot of Jews have switched to the Republican Party, and I hope more will switch. I hope that more people will wake up, and I know that these women on this show with me today are going to be a huge factor in that," she said. Nazarian highlighted Trump’s unwavering support for Israel, including the Abraham Accords and adding antisemitism protections under Title IX.
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'I was a one-issue voter because Israel is our ancestral homeland,' Tanya Zuckerbrot
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"there was no way I could ever vote for a candidate that would ever threaten Israel's future." Tanya Zuckerbrot
Zuckerbrot explained why she took the unusual step of publicly endorsing Donald Trump, despite it being a contentious choice within the Jewish community. “As a Jew, we feel that even our safety in this country is being challenged,” she said. “Jews make up less than 1% of the world population. We are a minority, and such few voices are standing up for the Jewish people.”
She emphasized the significance of advocacy, even at a personal cost. "For the first time in my professional career, I publicly shared which candidate I was voting for and I did it because I felt that if I could sway even one person to come over to vote for Trump, then that would have been an impact," she said.
Zuckerbrot: "As a Jewish woman with five children in college, to see antisemitism on such a national scale and the Democratic Party's failure to make Jews feel safe"
Zuckerbrot cited data to illustrate shifting allegiances: Trump's share of the Jewish vote in New York rose from 30% in 2020 to 45% in 2024, a 50% increase. “I do believe that that increase was due to people like Siggy, Sheila and hopefully myself too, who explained why Trump was a friend to Israel and a friend to the Jews here in the U.S.,” she added.
While acknowledging the Democratic Party’s history of supporting liberal social values, Zuckerbrot criticized what she described as "double speak" on the campaign trail. "I think that the threat to withhold arms from Israel was a turning point for many people, especially myself, where I could never go back," she said.
"The United States should always present as an unwavering ally to Israel and to suggest that we would not give Israel what it needs to eradicate a terrorist organization, which they are doing on behalf of the world, was so disheartening to me, and there was no way I could ever vote for a candidate that would ever threaten Israel's future."
"Our children are afraid to wear their Star of David"
Flicker described how her father’s experiences in the Holocaust and warnings shaped her commitment to advocating for Israel and the Jewish people.
"I grew up in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. We moved there from Israel, and I remember at Kiddush every Friday night my father would repeat story after story after story about the Holocaust, and I would say to my father, 'why do you keep repeating the same stories? We're in America, Daddy, we're safe.' And he said, 'Siggy, antisemitism is like cancer. It stays dormant, but when it comes out and it will come out, I want to make sure that you're strong enough to look at it in the face and defeat it," she recalled.
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'There is nothing that makes me more proud than to stand up for the Jewish people in the State of Israel.' Sigi Flicker with Donald Trump
Reflecting on recent events, Flicker noted the rise in antisemitism globally, including attacks on Jews in Europe, the U.S. and college campuses. "Look where we are today, our children are afraid to wear their Star of David, Jews are being persecuted, we look at what's happening in Europe. Look what's happening all over the United States in our colleges," she said.
"We are 0.2% of the world's population, we are only 15 million in the world. Our enemies don't think we have a right to exist. What the Israelis have created in a land that has no oil underneath is absolutely remarkable," she said. "
"Hell hath no fury like a Jewish woman. You will not touch my people. You will not touch my children, and if I lose my life tomorrow, I lose my life in the way that I want to lose my life. There is nothing that makes me more proud than to stand up for the Jewish people in the State of Israel," she added.
"I'm not interested in having a dialogue with jihadists"
Flicker explained why she limits public interaction on her social media platforms. Despite addressing controversial topics like her support for Israel and President Trump, Flicker said she has not received direct threats. However, she emphasized her decision to avoid toxic exchanges. “I will not give jihad a platform on my social media,” Flicker said, referring to anti-Israel sentiments and online abuse.
"I'm not interested in your comments, I'm not interested in having dialogue. If you want to have a dialogue with me, send me a DM. I'll respond to you and then we can go on from there. But what a lot of people are doing is they leave their comments on and all the bots and all the jihadis come out there with their 'Free Palestine' and 'From the river to the sea.' Not interested in that."
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'I will not give jihad a platform on my social media.' Sigi Flicker with Donald and Melania Trump
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'I went from ‘boobs and Botox’, to Israel and the Jewish people.' Sheila Nazarian with Women For Trump
Flicker said her focus is on sharing her own message and maintaining a positive space. “I'm very passionate about what I feel and I feel like I have a phenomenal life because I do not allow toxic energy in my life, and that starts with social media,” she said, adding that avoiding negativity allows her to live a fulfilling life. "I can't be on every day because I'm a fighter. If somebody comes on and says 'From the river to the sea,' I'm going to respond in a way that I can't repeat right now."
"Trump will not handicap people who want democracy and freedom"
Nazarian expressed her belief that Trump would continue to strongly support Israel. "I think the things that he for sure is going to do is bankrupt Iran so that there isn't all of this money to be given to the proxy terrorist organizations to be attacking Israel, which is great," she said.
"I know he's going to be giving the 2,000-pound bombs to Israel and those are the bunker busters to really be able to do some damage to the nuclear program if they need to," she added. "I don't think he's going to stand in the way of Israel and their right to defend themselves. He has said many times that he is a president of peace, peace through strength. But I don't think he's going to handicap Israel the way that the prior administration did."
Nazarian: "If somebody comes in and steals a child and you pay ransom to get your child back, that's not a deal, that's extortion"
She criticized the Biden administration’s decision to lift sanctions on Iran, saying it allowed Iran to grow $150 billion wealthier and fund destabilizing efforts, including anti-Israel protests on U.S. college campuses.
"When the revolution started in Iran, it started on the campuses," Nazarian noted, describing parallels between tactics used then and the growing antisemitism she sees on American campuses today. "They're using the same playbook – to create chaos and division here in the U.S. just like they did in Iran."
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"Donald Trump has shown that he is a good friend to Israel." Sheila Nazarian with the Trumps
She also addressed criticisms of hostage negotiations with Hamas, calling it “hostage extortion” rather than a deal. "If somebody comes in and steals a child and you pay ransom to get your child back, that's not a deal, that's extortion,” she said. Nazarian voiced confidence that Trump would not force Israel into such positions, adding, "Donald Trump has shown that he is a good friend to Israel. He's not going to be paying both sides. He's not going to handicap people who want democracy and freedom in the Middle East."
“Abraham Accords on steroids"
Flicker emphasized the president’s decisive actions in favor of Israel during his first term and his potential future impact. "Israel is very significant to Donald Trump," she said. "I believe actions speak louder than words. When Donald Trump was president, Iran was broke, he bankrupted them, and he also bankrupted the Palestinian Authority. When you stop funding 'pay-for-slay,' you're stopping funding the killing of innocent Israelis. Trump recognized the Golan Heights, and poverty in Judea and Samaria. Donald Trump is a man of little words and all action."
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She also praised Trump’s business-oriented approach to governance, describing his vision for expanding peace in the Middle East as “Abraham Accords on steroids.” She explained that Trump is fostering alliances with Arab nations that oppose extremist groups like Hezbollah and Hamas.
"There are Arab nations who do not like the jihadis. They're done with it and they are coming on board and we will have peace in the Middle East which no one thought was possible. That is Donald Trump's dream. He is going to bring peace to the Middle East and he's going to wipe out all these little tentacles of Iran," she said.
"Before October 7, everybody thought that the Palestinians really wanted peace and you saw what happened. It's impossible to have peace with the Palestinians because, from the age of three, they are taught that Jews are like dogs and they must die. We do not have a right to exist in their eyes. We must secure Israel and its borders, and it starts now with Donald Trump as president," Flicker asserts.
Lost thousands of followers and a 30-year friendship
Zuckerbrot emphasized the importance of embracing Jewish identity as a powerful response to growing antisemitism. "Trump said it best: it's the dawn of a new day. Standing proudly in our Jewish identity is the greatest act of defiance that Jews can make right now. It shows that we are not afraid, we are not backing down, we are here to stay forever," she said.
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"The losses are painful but Israel's facing an existential crisis and as Jews, we have a moral obligation to do whatever is needed to support Israel." Tanya Zuckerbrot with president Herzog
She praised the Jewish commitment to tikkun olam, or repairing the world, and lauded the contributions of Jews to global progress and innovation. "I think that this administration is ushering in a decade of Jewish people feeling safe again to stand proudly in their Jewish identity and to fight the good fight,” she added.
Zuckerbrot also shared the personal cost of her activism, revealing she had lost thousands of followers and a 30-year friendship due to her outspoken support for Trump. "The losses are painful but Israel's facing an existential crisis and as Jews, we have a moral obligation to do whatever is needed to support Israel," she said.
Zuckerbrot: "I think that the threat to withhold arms from Israel was a turning point for many people, especially myself, where I could never go back"
"I believe the work we are doing as Jewish people by supporting Donald Trump is God's work and therefore any friendships that have been lost, God has chosen to take those people out of my life and I'm very lucky to say that by being true to myself and my values," Zuckerbrot added. She credited her alignment with like-minded advocates, such as Nazarian and Flicker, for giving her renewed strength in what she described as “the fight of our life.”
The panelists urged the Jewish community to stand together in solidarity, using their platforms to combat antisemitism and support Israel. “Every voice matters right now,” Zuckerbrot concluded. “Our brothers and sisters in Israel must know they have our unwavering support. You are not alone.”
First published: 17:08, 01.26.25