Yoav Davis
New York digital-media entrepreneur, founder of the Instagram account Jews of NY, registered under FARA in 2025 for Israeli government "hostage awareness" work paid through Havas and the Tel Aviv agency L.D.R.S Group
| Yoav Davis
| |
|---|---|
| Born | 1983 |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Digital media; chief executive of Davis Media NY |
| Known for | Jews of NY; FARA registration for the Government of Israel (2025) |
Yoav Davis (born 1983) is a New York digital-media entrepreneur and the chief executive and sole owner of Davis Media NY LLC.[1][2] The Quincy Institute describes him as the founder of the Instagram account Jews of NY, which it says "boasts nearly 200,000 followers".[3] (Critical; single source.) In October 2025 Davis and his company registered under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) for work for the "Government of Israel" that had begun in January 2024. The work was commissioned through Havas Media Germany and through the Tel Aviv influencer agency L.D.R.S Group (Leaders).[1]
FARA registration
Davis Media NY LLC, organised in New York on 6 December 2017, registered on 12 October 2025 (registration number 7662). It gave its ownership as "Sole owner and CEO" and named two foreign principals: the "Government of Israel through Havas Media Group Germany" and the "Government of Israel through L.D.R.S Group LTD". Davis is listed as the only person providing services, described as an "online hostage awareness campaign" and "Hostage and humanitarian awareness".[1]
Davis filed two short-form registrations the same day, both as "CEO" with the occupation "Digital Media":[2][4]
| Foreign principal (as filed) | Services | Fee | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Government of Israel through L.D.R.S Group LTD | "Hostage and humanitarian awareness" | $123,500.00 | [2] |
| Government of Israel through Havas Media Group Germany | "online hostage awareness campaign" | $38,000.00 | [4] |
| Total | $161,500.00 |
On both forms he answered "No" to the question of whether his services included political activity as defined by the Act.[2][4]
Contracts
Havas and the Government Advertising Agency
A Havas Media Germany order dated 29 February 2024, filed with the registration, names the client as "LAPAM - Israel Government Advertising Agency" and the campaign as "Swords of Iron". It covers 16–31 January 2024: "Partial calculation YOAV consulting; Social Media Promotion: 8.000 USD". The exhibit describes the work as a "Hostage awareness campaign".[5] LaPam is the Israeli government's advertising bureau.
L.D.R.S Group and Moovers
A services agreement of 25 February 2024 with "L.D.R.S Group LTD., an Israeli corporation" with its principal place of business at Habarzel 38, Tel Aviv, required Davis Media NY to "Participate in weekly status calls with the Moovers influencer management team". It was to manage up to ten "contracted talents", each delivering five pieces of content a week, for $10,000 a month plus "a fee of 15% on all talent contract costs".[6] L.D.R.S Group trades as Leaders.[7] In January 2024 The Washington Post reported that a Leaders representative had offered to pay US creators to promote the Moovers app, describing its content as "endorsed by Israel's Government Advertising Agency".[8] (Journalistic.)
Reporting
The Quincy Institute reported that Davis "was paid $161,500 by Israel as part of a social media campaign nicknamed Swords of Iron". That matches the total of his two short-form fees, although his company had not filed a statement of actual receipts as of October 2026.[3][2][4] Quincy also reported that during the period covered by the $8,000 Havas order, Jews of NY posted videos calling for the release of the hostages held by Hamas. One, posted on 27 January 2024, featured the influencer Daniel Ryan Spaulding at the United Nations.[3] (Critical.)
Davis registered about 21 months after the work began. His company's registration reported no receipts for the period from 60 days before its obligation to register up to the date of registration.[1][5]
See also
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Davis Media NY LLC, Registration Statement (FARA no. 7662) FARA eFile, US Department of Justice, 12 October 2025. FARA filing (primary).
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Yoav Davis, Short Form Registration Statement (FARA no. 7662), Government of Israel through L.D.R.S Group LTD FARA eFile, 12 October 2025. FARA filing (primary).
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Nick Cleveland-Stout, The Eighth Front: Inside Israel's $1 Billion Influence Campaign Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, Quincy Paper No. 19, 24 July 2026. Critical.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Yoav Davis, Short Form Registration Statement (FARA no. 7662), Government of Israel through Havas Media Group Germany FARA eFile, 12 October 2025. FARA filing (primary).
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Davis Media NY LLC, Exhibits A and B (Government of Israel through Havas Media Group Germany), with Havas order no. 82646/0 FARA eFile, 12 October 2025. FARA filing (primary).
- ↑ Davis Media NY LLC, Exhibits A and B (Government of Israel through L.D.R.S Group LTD), with services agreement of 25 February 2024 FARA eFile, 12 October 2025. FARA filing (primary).
- ↑ Leaders, About ldrsgroup.com, accessed 20 October 2026. LDRS-side.
- ↑ Taylor Lorenz, Growing number of apps help automate pro-Israel activism online The Washington Post, 25 January 2024. Journalistic.