The whole idea is disgusting auto-idolatry, and counterproductive besides. Indeed, Jews ought to be held to a higher standard than our counterparts, and, as frail, somatic humans, sometimes fall short of that standard! (See more on this here.) Shouldn’t we change our actions to merit different impressions (מעשיך יקרבוך), instead of messing with “Image Management”?!
Wait, why can’t we do both? Let’s change, and let’s also do publicity.
Because we aren’t doing both! That’s why! Besides, when successful, this facilitates continuing specific policies (pick one). And those policies are, in fact, evil!
Antisemitism, not unlike large anti-Charedi parties, is bad as a symptom and bad as an illness, but Hasbarah is the wrong solution. The right solution is to do what Kiruv activists tell their targets (or used to, anyway): Do Teshuvah!
As for Charedim, doing Kiruv feels like awkward “missionizing”, right? So, the newest goal is, instead — per the name of “Hidabroot” (“Dialogue”) — showing the seculars we are humans, too; we are rational (…); we love them (inaccurate!). Before we can stop sin, the claim goes, we must first ease alienation, break stigmas.
(And, well, if we can ensure anti-Charedi parties don’t garner huge masses of voters, that doesn’t hurt, either, right…?)
No! This is the wrong goal (and just plain wrong, besides). Is hatred for Charedim\Dati’im all a result of Sin’as Chinam, of ignorance, of impurity? Are not some of their opponents’ claims correct? Is not some Charedi behavior a true Chillul Hashem? Do the rebukers observe the whole Torah themselves?!
In short, doing “Hasbarah” is equivalent to killing Zechariah, akin to firing a rehabilitation physiotherapist!
P.S. We do not mean to address here whether or how to respond to actual attacks (physical\verbal) on groups or individuals but to reject the direct but misguided proactive approach in general.