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A Jewish producer of ‘All Quiet On The Western Front’ sees his family history in the Oscar-nominated Netflix film
(JTA) — The film producer Daniel Dreifuss has only one surviving photo of a distant relative: his grandfather’s cousin, who fought for Germany in World War I and died in combat two days before the war’s end.
He has a few more photos of his grandfather, who also wore the German uniform in WWI — only to be rounded up by the Nazis two decades later during Kristallnacht and thrown into a concentration camp, as even the Jews who had fought for their country were not safe from its campaign of race extermination.
Dreifuss, who was raised in Brazil after his surviving ancestors fled the war to Uruguay, held up these weathered black-and-white photos to his Zoom camera as he spoke to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency from his home in Los Angeles. One shows his grandfather’s cousin in his military uniform, the other shows his grandparents posing together, between the wars.
“Twenty years later, your country, that you just gave your health for and your cousin for and your family for, sends you to a camp,” he said. “It’s a lot of trauma to have to go through in one lifetime.”
These family stories echoed through Dreifuss’ mind when he first read the script for a proposed modern take on “All Quiet on the Western Front,” the classic 1928 novel about the German army’s hellish experiences during World War I. Nearly a century later, author Erich Maria Remarque’s descriptions of trench warfare and of the utter lack of heroism, valor or patriotism felt by its soldier protagonists resonated with Dreifuss.
“I said, ‘I know these people,’” he recalled. “Not because they are some distant relatives that I’ve heard of, but because I am the grandson of one of those kids who were in the film.”
Dreifuss’ parents met at a Jewish youth group in Rio de Janeiro in the 1960s. “My father was my mother’s madrich,” he recalled, using the Hebrew word for a youth group counselor. After they were later married, they moved to Israel partially to avoid Brazil’s military dictatorship and became left-wing political activists. They left Israel just before the Yom Kippur War and relocated to Scotland, where Dreifuss was born, before returning to Brazil to raise him.
Dreifuss had his bar mitzvah in the city of Belo Horizonte before later moving to Rio, which has a much larger Jewish community. “My family was never at all religious, but culturally Jewish,” he said, recalling Passover celebrations and gefilte fish recipes. He did not have many Jewish friends growing up, but his Brazilian friends were interested in Judaism and would attend his family’s Jewish events.
Daniel Dreifuss, a producer of Netflix’s “All Quiet on the Western Front,” holds up a photo of his grandfather Max Dreifuss from 1919, recovering from his German military service in WWI. Max was sent to a concentration camp once the Nazis took power. (Courtesy of Daniel Dreifuss)
This global upbringing is reflected in Dreifuss’ interest in international film. It took a decade for him to mount his remake of “All Quiet,” which was eventually set up with a German production company and released by Netflix this past fall amid another endless military conflict in Europe. No one, he said, wanted to fund a resolutely anti-war film that refused to glorify its combatants, a film that was “never a hero’s journey, not the story of someone who came, you know, beat 1,000 people with their bare hands, triumphs and looks down on top of a hill at the end with some sweeping score.”
But that journey has been validated by the film’s impressive Oscar total, which surprised industry observers. At the nomination ceremony last month, “All Quiet” received nine total nods, the second most of any film this year, including for best picture — which the novel’s original 1930 Hollywood adaptation, directed by Jewish filmmaker Lewis Milestone, won. (This year’s Academy Awards will be held March 12.)
Considering the Nazis had once led a campaign of book burning against the source material and terrorized German movie theaters that showed the original movie adaptation, accusing it of being a “Judenfilm,” Dreifuss sees the new film’s success as a historical victory, too. “I love that my name will be associated with a story that was deemed degenerate by that regime,” he said.
When he was first presented with an early draft of the new “All Quiet” script, in 2013, Dreifuss was coming off of the success of another international historical film he had produced. “No,” a 1980s-set Chilean political drama, starred Gael Garcia Bernal as an ad executive tasked with convincing his country to vote the dictator Augusto Pinochet out of office. The film netted Chile’s first-ever Oscar nomination for international feature film, although Dreifuss himself is not Chilean.
In researching “No,” Dreifuss said, the film’s team had trouble finding Chileans who would admit to having cast their real-life vote in Pinochet’s favor — even though 40% of the population did so. “We couldn’t find one single person who supported him,” he recalled. “At some point, years later, no one wanted to say, ‘I supported it, I voted, I was on that side.’” He saw a parallel to the history of geopolitics in the run-up to WWII, when many Western countries — including his family’s adopted homeland of Brazil — were initially sympathetic to the Nazis.
When Hollywood studios turned down the proposed remake of “All Quiet,” forcing Dreifuss to turn to European financing, he saw an opportunity to mount the first-ever German adaptation of the property, which would allow the film to open up a “historical perspective” on how the aftermath of WWI led to the rise of the Nazis and the Holocaust.
German filmmaker Edward Berger, who also helmed several episodes of the espionage miniseries “Deutschland 83,” stepped into the director’s chair, and he also has a co-writing credit. German star Daniel Brühl, who has played many historical villains to the Jewish people in films ranging from “7 Days in Entebbe” to “The Zookeeper’s Wife,” took a key supporting role as the lead negotiator for the armistice agreements — the sole figure in the movie trying to find a peaceful resolution for his country. (The historical figure Brühl portrays, Matthias Erzberger, was vilified as a traitor by the German right and assassinated in 1921 by antisemitic nationalist radicals who were precursors to the Nazis.)
Though there are no explicitly Jewish characters in the film, Dreifuss believes it still speaks to the fate that would soon await Europe’s Jews.
“We know what followed in the decade in Germany,” he said. “So we could bring that to the film in subtle ways.”
He pointed to the armistice plotline that foreshadows how the Treaty of Versailles left Germany in a deeply disadvantaged position, creating an opportunity for Hitler’s brand of national populism. There are also scenes in which thoughtless German generals, driven by nationalistic fervor and wounded pride, send entire squadrons to their deaths mere minutes before the armistice is set to take effect. In one sequence, the film’s lead, the soldier Paul (Felix Kammerer), steals a goose from a French farming family of non-combatants and says: “It’s a hatred of the other, of not understanding, of being raised to have an enemy.”
Dreifuss is dipping into a different chapter of world Jewish history with his next project: a Showtime miniseries produced with the co-creators of the Israeli Netflix series “Fauda” that explores CIA operations in the Middle East and is partially set during the Lebanon War in which Israel had a heavy, and oft-criticized, military presence. The series will air this summer.
He has also been pitched a host of WWI and WWII-related projects in the wake of the success of “All Quiet.” But, he joked, “I would love for people to not only think of me as the war guy, or as the dictator guy.”
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The post A Jewish producer of ‘All Quiet On The Western Front’ sees his family history in the Oscar-nominated Netflix film appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
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Mamdani Taps Anti-Israel Voices Ms. Rachel, Cynthia Nixon, Jewish Voice for Peace Director for Inaugural Committee
New York City mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani attends a press conference at the Unisphere in the Queens borough of New York City, US, Nov. 5, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Kylie Cooper
New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani on Wednesday unveiled the members of his inaugural committee, and the list includes a slate of anti-Israel appointments, sparking renewed concerns over the incoming administration’s commitment to protecting the Jewish community.
Among the most controversial appointees are high-profile activists and cultural figures who have taken public anti-Israel positions or are affiliated with organizations sharply critical of the Jewish state, such as children’s entertainer Rachel “Ms. Rachel” Accurso and actress Cynthia Nixon. Another controversial name on the list is Beth Miller, political director at Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP), an organization that rejects Zionism and has defended protests targeting Israeli institutions.
In the two years following the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, assault on Israel, Accurso has used her sizeable platform to launch an unremitting barrage of condemnation toward Israel, accusing the Jewish state of committing so-called “genocide” and starving children. She sparked backlash after posting about a three-year-old Gazan girl named Rahaf, who lost her legs in an Israeli airstrike. Accurso did not contextualize the situation by acknowledging that the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas often uses children as human shields during their operations, instead framing Rahaf’s injuries as a result of Israeli military malfeasance. She has also falsely accused Israel of purposefully triggering starvation in Gaza against the civilian population.
“We must not let one more baby or child die of starvation. This isn’t about politics, it’s about basic humanity,” she posted on Instagram.
Nixon has repeatedly lambasted Israel and signed a petition supporting South Africa’s genocide case against the Jewish state at the International Court of Justice.
Miller helps lead one of the most vocal anti-Israel organizations in the country. She recently shared a post on X which read that Israel has “starved, abducted, and displaced Palestinian children every day in 2025.” She also shared another post which characterized Israel’s military operations as “unfathomably evil” and wrote that Israel is “actively carrying out a genocide,” citing allegations from “Palestinian, Israeli, and international human rights organizations.” She even condemned outgoing New York City Mayor Eric Adams for visiting Israel, saying he “continues to demonstrate what it looks like to truly not give one single flying f–k about New Yorkers.”
Despite JVP’s name, a poll released earlier this year found that the vast majority of American Jews believe that anti-Zionist movements and anti-Israel university protests are antisemitic. The findings also showed that Jews across the US overwhelmingly oppose the views and tactics of JVP.
Meanwhile, StandWithUs (SWU), an organization which promotes a mission of “supporting Israel and fighting antisemitism,” released a report in January examining how the far-left JVP organization “promotes antisemitic conspiracy theories” and even partners with terrorist organizations to achieve its “primary goal” of “dismantling the State of Israel.”
According to the report, JVP weaponizes the plight of Palestinians to advance an “extremist” agenda which promotes the destruction of Israel and whitewashes terrorism, receiving money from organizations that have ties to Middle Eastern countries such as Iran.
JVP, which has repeatedly defended the Hamas-led Oct. 7 massacre, argued in a recently resurfaced 2021 booklet that Jews should not write Hebrew liturgy because hearing the language would be “deeply traumatizing” to Palestinians.
Critics of the organization often point out that many JVP chapters do not have a single person of Jewish faith. The organization does not require a Jewish person to found a chapter and has even helped orchestrate anti-Israel demonstrations in front of synagogues.
The new appointments cast doubt over whether the Mamdani administration will protect the city’s Jewish population amid a record wave of antisemitic attacks in the city. The mayor-elect has vowed to defend Jewish New Yorkers and attempted to mend relations with outreach to Jewish leaders. He has also expressed public grief over the recent Bondi Beach massacre targeting a Hanukkah celebration in Sydney, Australia.
Mamdani, a far-left democratic socialist and anti-Zionist, is an avid supporter of boycotting all Israeli-tied entities who has been widely accused of promoting antisemitic rhetoric. He has repeatedly accused Israel of “apartheid” and “genocide”; refused to recognize the country’s right to exist as a Jewish state; and refused to explicitly condemn the phrase “globalize the intifada,” which has been associated with calls for violence against Jews and Israelis worldwide.
Leading members of the Jewish community in New York have expressed alarm about Mamdani’s victory, fearing what may come in a city already experiencing a surge in antisemitic hate crimes.
A Sienna Research Institute poll released in early November revealed that a whopping 72 percent of Jewish New Yorkers believe that Mamdani will be “bad” for the city. A mere 18 percent hold a favorable view of Mamdani, according to the results, while 67 percent view him unfavorably.
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Melbourne Firebombing Suspect Identified as Jewish Community Calls for Federal Royal Commission
People walk at the scene of a shooting incident at Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia, Dec. 14, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Kirsty Needham
Australian police have identified a person of interest in a Christmas morning arson attack on a vehicle with Hanukkah decorations, marking the latest antisemitic incident in Australia as the local Jewish community continues to face a growing climate of hostility.
On Thursday, a local rabbi’s car in Melbourne, decorated with a “Happy Chanukah” sign, was firebombed by an unknown individual, forcing his family to flee their home.
Shortly after the incident, Melbourne police launched an investigation into the firebombing, treating it as an antisemitic and targeted attack.
Authorities have now identified a 47-year-old man as their main suspect, who also has an outstanding arrest warrant for allegedly using a stolen credit card, but he has not yet been charged in connection with the firebombing.
Speaking at a press conference, Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Chris Gilbert said, “The most important thing” was to understand the motive behind the attack and to “make sure the community doesn’t live in fear as a result of this incident.”
This latest attack has sparked outrage within the local Jewish community, drawing condemnation from both Jewish leaders and government officials, as the country continues to mourn the deadly Hanukkah attack at Sydney’s Bondi Beach, which killed 15 people and injured at least 40 others.
According to Israel’s Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism Ministry, antisemitic incidents in Australia surged by 600 percent following the Bondi Beach massacre, with data showing a sharp spike in verbal and physical attacks against Jews in public in the two days after the attack.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the latest incident, calling it a disturbing act of hatred and emphasizing the need for stronger measures to protect the Jewish community.
“The firebombing of a car in Melbourne is another terrible act of suspected antisemitism,” Albanese wrote in a post on X. “There is no place in Australia for this kind of hatred, and it has to stop.”
Australia’s Jewish community is in mourning after the Bondi terrorist attack.
The firebombing of a car in Melbourne is another terrible act of suspected antisemitism. Federal authorities stand ready to assist.
There is no place in Australia for this kind of hatred and it has to…
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) December 25, 2025
As the local Jewish community continues to grapple with a shocking surge in violence and targeted attacks, Australia’s rabbis urged Albanese in a letter to establish a federal Royal Commission into antisemitism — a formal public inquiry empowered to investigate, make recommendations, and propose legislative measures to address the issue.
“We have sat with grieving families. We have visited the injured. We have stood with children who no longer feel safe walking to school. We have watched members of our communities withdraw from public spaces, universities, and civic life out of fear,” the letter reads.
“We are demanding nothing less than the banning of [anti-Israel] marches and demonstrations, and the criminalization of the phrases ‘death to the IDF,’ ‘globalize the intifada,’ and ‘from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free.’ This is not an abstract concern. It is a lived reality,” it continues, referencing three popular chants among anti-Israel activists that have been widely interpreted as a call for violence against both Jews and Israelis.
BREAKING – Australia’s Rabbis have written to the Prime Minister calling for a Royal Commission pic.twitter.com/gCpuhdszZS
— Australian Jewish Association (@AustralianJA) December 25, 2025
Amid this increasingly hostile climate, the Australian government has been pursuing a series of firearm reforms, including a national gun buyback and limits on the number of firearms an individual can own.
On Wednesday, New South Wales passed its own legislation further restricting firearm ownership. Police will also be granted more powers to impose restrictions on protests for up to three months after a declared terrorist, and public display of flags and symbols of designated terrorist organizations has been outlawed.
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Israel Becomes First Country to Recognize Somaliland, Establishing Diplomatic Ties Amid Regional Security Concerns
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signs the joint declaration of mutual recognition with Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi, officially establishing full diplomatic relations between the two nations. Photo: Screenshot
Israel on Friday became the first country to officially recognize the Republic of Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state, in a move expected to reshape regional power dynamics as the two governments expand political, security, and economic cooperation.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, alongside Foreign Minister Gideon Saar and Somaliland President Muse Bihi Abdi, signed a joint declaration of mutual recognition, formally establishing full diplomatic relations between the two sides.
Somaliland is an unrecognized state in the Horn of Africa, situated on the southern coast of the Gulf of Aden and bordered by Djibouti to the northwest, Ethiopia to the south and west, and Somalia to the east.
In a statement on the newly signed agreement, Netanyahu praised Abdi for “his leadership and commitment to promoting stability and peace” in the region, while also inviting him to make an official visit to Israel.
“The State of Israel plans to immediately expand its relations with the Republic of Somaliland through extensive cooperation in the fields of agriculture, health, technology, and economy,” the Israeli leader wrote in a post on X.
I announced today the official recognition of the Republic of Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state.
Together with Foreign Minister Sa’ar and the President of the Republic of Somaliland, we signed a joint and mutual declaration.
This declaration is in the spirit of… pic.twitter.com/WlZuN1HB5z
— Benjamin Netanyahu – בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) December 26, 2025
With the newly signed agreement, Saar said plans would also move forward for the appointment of ambassadors and the opening of embassies.
“We will work together to promote the relations between our countries and nations, regional stability, and economic prosperity,” the top Israeli diplomat said.
For his part, Abdi announced that Somaliland would also join the Abraham Accords, calling it a “step toward regional and global peace” and affirming his government’s commitment to building partnerships, boosting mutual prosperity, and promoting stability across the Middle East and Africa.
Although no other country has formally recognized Somaliland, several — including the United Kingdom, Ethiopia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Denmark, Kenya, and Taiwan — have maintained liaison offices, allowing them to engage diplomatically and conduct trade and consular activities without full formal recognition.
Israel’s move has provoked outrage among several regional powers, with the foreign ministers of Somalia, Egypt, Turkey, and Djibouti condemning its recognition of Somaliland as undermining Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
According to experts, the growing Israel-Somaliland partnership could be a “game changer” for Israel, boosting the Jewish state’s ability to counter the Yemen-based Houthi terrorist group while offering strategic and geographic advantages amid shifting regional power dynamics.
Unlike most other states in the region, Somaliland has relative security, regular elections, and a degree of political stability — qualities that make it a valuable partner for international allies and a key player in regional cooperation.
Last month, the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), a prominent Israeli think tank, released a new report arguing that Somaliland’s strategic position along the Red Sea, its closeness to Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen, and its willingness to work with pro-Western states make it a key ally for Israel, benefiting both sides amid rising regional volatility.
“Somaliland’s significance lies in its geostrategic location and in its willingness — as a stable, moderate, and reliable state in a volatile region — to work closely with Western countries,” the INSS report said.
“Somaliland’s territory could serve as a forward base for multiple missions: intelligence monitoring of the Houthis and their armament efforts; logistical support for Yemen’s legitimate government in its war against them; and a platform for direct operations against the Houthis,” it continued.
This strategic partnership comes at a critical moment, as Israeli and US officials have warned of rising Islamist terrorist threats across Sub-Saharan Africa, placing the region at the forefront of global concern over jihadist activity.