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The Line from Jonathan Glazer to the Columbia and National Encampments
Director Jonathan Glazer, of the United Kingdom, poses with the Oscar for Best International Feature Film for “The Zone of Interest” in the Oscars photo room at the 96th Academy Awards in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, US, March 10, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Carlos Barria
A week after Jonathan Glazer’s now infamous Oscar speech, a letter appeared in the Hollywood trade publication Variety that refuted his statement. That letter was signed by approximately 450 Hollywood professionals at the time of its initial publication. The number of signers would climb to more than 1,330 in the following days. I was among the 1,330 who signed the letter.
It was bad enough that Glazer drew, in the words of the letter, “a moral equivalence between a Nazi regime that sought to exterminate a race of people, and an Israeli nation that seeks to avert its own extermination.” But he also blamed the war on Israel’s occupation — “an occupation which has led to conflict,” as he put it.
An occupation of what, I wondered.
Israel hasn’t occupied Gaza since 2005, so that can’t be the cause of the current conflict. Many, even many Jews and Israelis, find Israel’s settlements on the West Bank problematic, but I’ve yet to see anyone make the case that this West Bank “occupation” was what led Hamas to attack on October 7.
That only leaves “occupation” in the sense that Israel’s enemies use the term — to describe the very existence of the state of Israel. That is precisely the meaning of “From the River to the Sea,” a geographic area that encompasses all of Israel.
So if Glazer is suggesting that Israel’s very existence is the cause of the conflict, what, I wondered, would he suggest as the solution?
Of course, an anti-Israel polemic like Glazer’s speech is hardly unusual or surprising — not before October 7, and even less so since. What upset me more than the speech itself was the applause it received from the audience that night, and the absence of any dissenting voices during the Oscar broadcast.
I can’t speak for everyone who signed the letter, but I thought it was important, essential even, that Glazer’s claims not go unchallenged in the general culture.
My father spent his working life as a professor of cultural anthropology. As such, he had a very specific lens through which he viewed various laws and policies in terms of how they impacted the culture beyond the more narrow realms to which they applied.
For example, he spoke about capital punishment not just in terms of its function in the criminal justice system, but also in terms of the message it sent throughout the larger culture regarding the value (or lack of value) our society places upon human life. And before the liberals who are reading this begin nodding too vigorously in agreement, he made the same point about abortion. Not that he opposed either abortion or capital punishment. But he saw the costs in terms of messages sent through culture and the impact those messages have upon the society at large.
And so, when Glazer stood upon one of the most prominent stages of our culture and sent his message, seeming to suggest that Israel caused the war by its very existence and is comparable to Nazi Germany, it had — and has — an impact.
I am not going to argue that Glazer’s speech directly led to the student encampments at Columbia and NYU and many other colleges. Nor will I argue that his speech resulted in the intensification of the rhetoric of those protestors, who have continued to praise Hamas, support the October 7 massacre, and oppose any Jewish state in the Middle East. I think it’s unlikely, given the demographics of the Oscars’ audience, that many of the student protestors saw the Oscars. But messages permeate culture like a cup of dye diffusing throughout a gallon of water.
The message Glazer sent has been doing just that.
Glazer’s not the only one, of course. In Hollywood, he’s in the company of Susan Sarandon, Cynthia Nixon, and Mark Ruffalo, among many others. Hundreds of Jewish professionals signed a competing letter endorsing Glazer’s views.
When President Biden erroneously states that Israel has been “indiscriminately bombing civilians,” when our UN delegation refuses to veto a resolution calling for a ceasefire without conditioning it on the release of the hostages, when various US officials call on Israel to “be more careful” not to kill civilians (as though they are not already being more careful than any other military force in history, including ours), it all sends a clear message — that Israel is the villain in the current conflict.
I’ve heard from some pro-Israel Democrats who excuse this rhetoric: so what if Biden has to criticize Israel to appease his left flank politically, they say, as long as he keeps sending arms and aid? And yes, the arms and aid are important. But so is the rhetoric. According to a recent Pew Research poll, only 36% of Americans currently favor sending military aid to Israel. Is this shockingly low number due to all the anti-Israel rhetoric? How long before the negative rhetoric drives public opinion to the point where the continuation of aid is politically untenable? The rhetoric moves the culture, and our culture is definitely moving against Israel, and against all Jews.
When Hitler came to power in 1933, he did not immediately begin sending Jews to concentration camps. It would be seven years until Auschwitz would open in 1940. A lot would happen in those seven years to lay the groundwork for Auschwitz, to prepare the culture with policies that demonized and dehumanized. In 1933, Jews were barred from the Civil Service and university positions. In 1935, the Nuremberg Laws denied Jews German citizenship. In 1936, Jewish doctors were barred from practicing medicine. 1938 brought Kristallnacht, the expulsion of all Jewish pupils from German schools, and the forced transfer of all Jewish retail businesses to Aryans. And through all of this, there were mass anti-Jewish protests at German universities that might feel eerily familiar in light of recent news. This is a well known story to those who have studied the history of the period.
I don’t mean to suggest that governmental laws of discrimination and persecution in Nazi Germany are the equivalent of antisemitic chants and harassment on American campuses, but our culture is moving in a very disturbing direction. The rabid vitriol of the “mostly peaceful” campus protests certainly seems like an escalation — as we hear of students calling for “a final solution,” the destruction of Tel Aviv, 10,000 more October 7ths, and so on. This escalation has not come about because the death and destruction in Gaza has recently escalated. Quite the contrary, the fighting has largely paused. I would guess that the warming weather and approaching end of the school year partly explains the students’ timing. But so do the cumulative effects of the messages permeating the culture.
So are we now seven years away from our own Auschwitz? I’m not nearly pessimistic enough to believe that’s where we are headed. But groundwork is being laid and the culture is being changed. The preconditions for the Holocaust included the German national humiliation of World War I and an economic collapse the likes of which none of us have ever known. What would happen in this country if we suffered a humiliating defeat to, say, China, coupled with a Weimar-level economic catastrophe? Would it be possible for a demagogue to rise in need of scapegoats? Would the groundwork that is being laid now in our culture, demonizing the Jews, come into play?
So what do we do? We push back against the negative messages going out in the culture. We refute Jonathan Glazer’s Oscar speech. We let President Biden know, as the Muslims in Michigan have done, that no, he cannot just count on our votes regardless of what he and his underlings say. We let our alma maters know, as Robert Kraft has done, that they no longer have our support or our money if they can’t protect their Jewish students. And we make sure that Israel thrives and remains secure, so that, just in case the worst should happen some day, we have a place to go this time.
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New Pope Calls for Continued ‘Precious Dialogue’ Between Jews and Catholics
Pope Leo XIV holds an audience with representatives of the media in Paul VI hall at the Vatican, May 12, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane
On Monday, Pope Leo XIV met with Jewish leaders and other representatives from the world’s religious traditions to nourish continued interfaith bridge-building.
Echoing a letter he sent to the American Jewish Committee on May 8 pledging to strengthen Catholic-Jewish relations in the tradition of the church’s Second Vatican Council’s Nostra Aetate statement, the Pope emphasized that “because of the Jewish roots of Christianity, all Christians have a special relationship with Judaism.” He called the theological exchange between the two groups “ever important and close to my heart,” stating that “even in these difficult times, marked by conflicts and misunderstandings, it is necessary to continue the momentum of this precious dialogue of ours.”
Leo praised all the faith leaders in attendance at the meeting, saying that “in a world wounded by violence and conflict, each of the communities represented here brings its own contribution of wisdom, compassion, and commitment to the good of humanity and the preservation of our common home.”
Jewish groups in attendance at the Pope’s meeting included the American Jewish Committee (represented by Rabbi Noam Marans, director of Inter-religious Affairs), B’nai B’rith International, the Conference of European Rabbis, and the Jewish Community of Rome as represented by the city’s chief rabbi, Riccardo Di Segni. Marans gave Leo a Chicago White Sox hat, which inspired a big smile from the Chicago-born pontiff. “We’re starting off on the right foot,” Marans said.
“As an exponent of religious values and ethnical monotheism, it is hoped that Pope Leo will find common cause with Jewish organisations,” Zaki Cooper, vice-president of the Council of Christians and Jews, wrote in a Friday column in the United Kingdom’s Jewish News. “This could cover a range of moral issues such as the environment, the family, technology or anti-slavery. One of Pope Francis’ memorable interventions, in 2018, was to praise the value of Shabbat, saying ‘what the Jews followed, and still observe, was to consider the Sabbath as holy.’”
Yaron Sideman, Israel’s ambassador to the Vatican, said that he and Leo “both stand for something much bigger than geopolitical entities.” He said “you can’t separate dialogue with Jewish people and the state where half of Jewish people live. This is where it needs to be fundamentally restructured.”
In a Wednesday article for EJewishPhilanthropy.com, historian Stessa Peers summarized the efforts of recent Popes to nourish Jewish-Catholic brotherhood following the issuing of Nostra Aetate.
“Popes have taken meaningful steps toward repair. Pope John Paul II visited synagogues, met with Holocaust survivors and called Jews ‘our elder brothers,’” Peers wrote. “Pope Benedict XVI, born in Nazi Germany, continued that work. Pope Francis, who led the Church beginning in 2013, met regularly with Jewish leaders, condemned antisemitism unequivocally and prioritized healing. His comments on Jewish law were not always perfect, but he engaged sincerely with criticism and reaffirmed his respect. His presence at Jewish sites like the Western Wall and Yad Vashem shifted the tone of Catholic–Jewish relations.”
Rabbi Joshua Stanton, who leads the Jewish Federations of North America’s interfaith efforts, said that Leo “is known for working well with people quietly” and that he hoped for a “return to the direct, frank dialogue between friends that can take place behind closed doors.”
Adam Gregerman, co-director of St. Joseph’s Institute for Jewish-Catholic Relations, told OSV News that “the locus of many of the major improvements in Jewish-Christian relations since the Second Vatican Council have taken place in the U.S., owing above all to the size of these communities and the regular, fruitful interactions between them. It is thus encouraging to see the elevation of an American as pope.” He said that “given his roots in a diverse American society, I know many Jews are excited about his selection.”
Leo also emphasized the importance of Muslim-Catholic relations, calling the cross-cultural conversation “marked by a growing commitment to dialogue and fraternity, fostered by esteem for these our brothers and sisters who ‘worship God, who is one, living and subsistent, merciful and almighty, the Creator of heaven and earth, who has also spoken to humanity.”
Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, wrote on X that “we look forward to continuing our collaboration with His Holiness in strengthening interfaith dialogue and promoting the values of human fraternity, in pursuit of global peace, coexistence, and a better future for all humanity.”
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New York City and Israel Sign Declaration of Intent for New Council to Foster Economic, Business Partnerships
A New York City Police officer monitors the “Israel Day on Fifth” parade in New York City, U.S., May 18, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Angelina Katsanis
New York City Mayor Eric Adams and Israeli Minister of Economy and Industry Nir Barkat signed a Declaration of Intent on Monday to establish a joint initiative that will further economic and business ties as well as innovation between the two governments.
The New York City–Israel Economic Council will focus on fostering business partnerships between the city of New York and Israel in economic development, emergency management, education, and technology. It will help Israeli businesses and startups that want to establish a presence in New York City; support collaboration in sectors including environmental innovation, life sciences, and artificial intelligence; and coordinate participation in major business and technology conferences.
The council will meet regularly and will be comprised of representatives from the New York City Mayor’s Office and Israel’s Economic Mission to the United States. Adams’ Office for International Affairs is leading the initiative. The Declaration of Intent signed by Adams and Barkat on Monday is non-binding but highlights a commitment between the two governments to collaborate and build partnerships.
Mayor Adams said on Monday that the council will “serve as a gateway to the US market for Israeli businesses.”
“Today’s announcement of a Declaration of Intent reflects a proud tradition of New York City mayors collaborating with Israel, and will drive innovation, create jobs, and strengthen the unbreakable bond between our two governments,” the mayor added.
“The NYC–Israel Economic Council represents both strategic partnership and moral clarity,” said Moshe Davis, the executive director of the Mayor’s Office to Combat Antisemitism, which was announced earlier this month. “As antisemitism rises globally, New York City is responding with substantive collaboration in key sectors like environmental innovation and artificial intelligence. This council will not only drive opportunity and growth, it will demonstrate that the world’s greatest city stands firmly with Israel and the Jewish people.”
New York City is home to the largest Jewish population outside of Israel.
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Jewish Simpsons Mural Defaced by Antisemitic, Pro-Palestinian Vandals at Shoah Memorial in Milan
The mural “The Jewish Simpsons Deported to Auschwitz” before and after it was vandalized. Photo: Provided
A mural on the external wall of the Shoah Memorial in Milan, Italy, that depicts the Simpsons family as Jews being deported to the Auschwitz concentration camp was recently defaced by pro-Palestinian vandals.
The pop art mural “The Jewish Simpsons Deported to Auschwitz” was created by contemporary Italian pop artist and activist AleXsandro Palombo and debuted on Jan. 27, 2023, in honor of Holocaust Remembrance Day. It features Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie Simpson as Jews wearing outfits that feature a yellow Star of David badge with the word “Jude” in the center. Nazis forced Jews to wear a similar badge on their clothing during the Holocaust. Palombo’s team said the artist used contemporary figures such as the Simpsons to educate the public, especially younger generations, about the importance of remembrance and the duty to never forget the horrors of the Holocaust.
Pro-Palestinian vandals almost completely ripped off the images of Marge, Lisa and Maggie Simpson from the mural and replaced them with a message written in red paint that said “Free Pal,” which is short for “Free Palestine.” The Star of David badge on Homer’s overcoat was also torn off and the Star of David badge worn by Bart was covered in red paint.
“Little remains of the iconic work: only a grave antisemitic defacement, which has transformed a tribute to memory into an expression of hatred,” Palombo’s media relations team said on Sunday in response to the vandalism. “Today, [the] work has been brutally erased and turned into a disturbing political manifesto, steeped in antisemitism. This act is yet another stark reminder that antisemitic hatred is on the rise, even in places devoted to memory and reflection … At a time when antisemitism is surging globally, acts like this take on even greater gravity. This is not merely vandalism, but a deliberate attack on memory, culture, and the core values of human rights.”
Palombo has dedicated several murals over the years to Holocaust remembrance and antisemitism. They include depictions of Holocaust teenage diarist and victim Anne Frank wearing a concentration camp uniform and holding an Israeli flag while standing beside a Palestinian girl who burns the Hamas flag. Palombo also created a mural that depicted a boy from the Warsaw Ghetto reimagined as a hostage of Hamas terrorists.
After the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attack in southern Israel, Palombo unveiled a mural in Milan dedicated to Vlada Patapov, a young survivor of the Hamas attack at the Nova music festival. Shortly after its unveiling, the artwork was vandalized and Patapov’s head was erased.
A number of Palombo’s murals that feature Italian Holocaust survivors Liliana Segre, Sami Modiano and Edith Bruck have been repeatedly vandalized. In January, the Museum of the Shoah in Rome acquired several of Palombo’s murals that were vandalized and then restored. The artworks are part of the museum’s permanent collection and displayed in Rome’s ancient Jewish Ghetto, facing the Portico of Octavia.
The post Jewish Simpsons Mural Defaced by Antisemitic, Pro-Palestinian Vandals at Shoah Memorial in Milan first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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