You’re Right, It Didn’t Start on October 7.
The Israeli–Palestinian conflict is currently one of the most debated and emotional topics on social media. But beyond the headlines, protests, and
political slogans lies a far more complex story — one rooted in history, identity, religion, displacement, trauma, nationalism, and competing narratives that stretch back generations.
In Holy Moly Land, Ashley Waxman Bakshi takes readers on a deeply researched and highly accessible journey through the origins and evolution of the conflict, examining the events, ideologies, and historical turning points that continue to shape the Middle East today.
From ancient connections to the land and the rise of Zionism and Palestinian nationalism, to wars, terrorism, peace negotiations, media narratives, and the global polarization surrounding Israel and Palestine, the book untangles difficult topics in a way that is clear, engaging, and easy to follow.
Blending history with personal experience, Ashley explores how identity, culture, and political narratives influence the way people understand the conflict — and why so many conversations around it become emotionally charged and deeply divisive.
Rather than offering simplistic answers, Holy Moly Land invites readers to think critically, question assumptions, and better understand the human realities behind one of the world’s
most enduring conflicts.
Whether you are approaching this subject for the first time or have followed it for years, this book offers an informative, thought-provoking, and deeply personal perspective on a conflict that continues to shape global politics and public discourse
Ashley Waxman Bakshi is a Canadian-born Israeli content creator, entrepreneur, media personality, and activist who has spent over a decade shaping Israel's digital and cultural landscape. She moved to Israel as a young woman to serve in the Israel Defense Forces and holds a master's degree in counter-terrorism. She was one of Israel's first digital creators to build a brand and business online, paving the way for content creators and brand partnerships as early as 2012 — first through her YouTube beauty tutorials and lifestyle vlogs, then Behind the Bakshis, a vlog documenting her life as a mother and wife, and her own cosmetics line, AWBMakeup. She has partnered with major global beauty and wellness companies, hosted several television shows, and built a dedicated bilingual community across Instagram and TikTok in both English and Hebrew.
October 7, 2023 turned that platform into something else. Her cousin, IDF soldier Agam Berger, was abducted from the Nahal Oz base and held in Gaza for 482 days; her husband's cousin was murdered at the Nova music festival, and other relatives were killed defending the country. Ashley pivoted her account from beauty to advocacy, losing followers, brand partnerships, and friendships, and gaining a steady stream of threats. She has campaigned for the hostages and their families at home and abroad, and now uses her platform to explain Israel's history, confront antisemitism, and counter disinformation — for an audience that never signed up for a geopolitics lesson.
October 7, 2023 turned that platform into something else. Her cousin, IDF soldier Agam Berger, was abducted from the Nahal Oz base and held in Gaza for 482 days; her husband's cousin was murdered at the Nova music festival, and other relatives were killed defending the country. Ashley pivoted her account from beauty to advocacy, losing followers, brand partnerships, and friendships, and gaining a steady stream of threats. She has campaigned for the hostages and their families at home and abroad, and now uses her platform to explain Israel's history, confront antisemitism, and counter disinformation — for an audience that never signed up for a geopolitics lesson.
BindingPaperback
Pages317
Published2026
ISBN-139789657864319