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The Combat Antisemitism Movement today released a groundbreaking video, featuring social media star Montana Tucker and former neo-Nazi skinhead Arno Michaelis engaging in powerful street conversations about antisemitism and Holocaust history at Santa Monica Pier in Southern California.
The initiative came after a recent CAM study found 61% of American Jews had personally experienced antisemitism since October 7, 2023, highlighting a concerning rise in global antisemitism and making Holocaust education more crucial than ever before.
As the grandchild of Holocaust survivors, Tucker joined forces with Michaelis, a reformed skinhead, to create this impactful lesson on confronting antisemitism and promoting understanding through personal transformation.
“As the granddaughter of Holocaust survivors, I feel a deep responsibility to share their stories and ensure the lessons of the Holocaust are never forgotten,” Tucker said. “Standing alongside someone like Arno, who represents the power of transformation and redemption, shows that even in the darkest places, there’s hope for change. Together, we’re proving that education and honest conversations can break down barriers and create a path toward understanding and unity.”
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The video captures candid dialogue between Tucker, Michaelis, and everyday passersby, revealing how authentic conversation can dismantle prejudice and reshape even the most deeply-held biases. Their work shows that change is possible when space is created for honest dialogue.
Published on International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the eightieth anniversary of the liberation of the Auschwitz death camp, the collaboration between Tucker and Michaeli bridges a seemingly impossible gap to demonstrate how education and empathy can overcome hate. Having renounced his neo-Nazi ideology three decades ago, Michaelis now dedicates his life to combating extremism and sharing his story of change as a public speaker, filmmaker, and author, as well as interventionist at Parents 4 Peace.
