Alon Penzel is an Israeli author, journalist, television anchor, and spokesperson. At twenty-five, he has published two books, served as an IDF spokesperson for the foreign press within the Unit for Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), and traveled extensively to address campus audiences, diplomats, and decision-makers on Israel’s security posture and the rise of antisemitism. He holds the paid appointment of Israeli delegate to the European Students’ Union, representing 390,000 Israeli students in higher education, and is frequently called upon to represent the State of Israel at global conferences.
Penzel published his first book at sixteen. He received the Ramon Award for excellence and leadership, completed a negotiation course at Harvard University, and is currently reading political science at the University of Haifa.
His second book, Testimonies Without Boundaries: Israel — October 7th, 2023, is the first comprehensive, verified documentary record of firsthand accounts from the October 7 massacre. It draws on exclusive interviews and field documentation from survivors, recovery and rescue forces, and medical and forensic teams. The book is a bestseller in nine countries, is available in seven languages, and reached #1 on Amazon in multiple categories. Mitzpe Press publishes a new edition as the fourth title in its launch catalog.
Since October 7, Penzel has spoken at universities, parliaments, synagogues, and private forums across North America, Europe, and Israel. His work addresses the documentary record of the massacre, the rise of campus antisemitism, and the strategic case for Israel in Western public discourse.
Penzel’s work at Mitzpe anchors the institute’s commitment to firsthand sourcing. The analytical floor of every Mitzpe publication rests on verified evidence over secondhand narrative — and Penzel’s fieldwork is one of the institute’s primary demonstrations of that standard.