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Academy Museum of Motion Pictures ‘Immediately’ Revises Controversial Exhibit on Jewish Founders of Hollywood

The first Oscars. Photo: Courtesy Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences

The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles announced on Monday that it will make changes to its new exhibit about the Jewish roots of the Hollywood film industry after it was criticized by Jewish activists and members of the entertainment industry.

The museum said in a statement to the The Hollywood Reporter that it “heard the concerns from members of the Jewish community,” takes the concerns “seriously,” and is ”committed to making changes to the exhibition to address them.”

“We will be implementing the first set of changes immediately — they will allow us to tell these important stories without using phrasing that may unintentionally reinforce stereotypes. This will also help to eliminate any ambiguities,” the museum added, before stating that it is “convening an advisory group of experts from leading museums focused on the Jewish community, civil rights, and the history of other marginalized groups to advise us on complex questions about context and any necessary additions to the exhibition’s narrative.”

“We are deeply committed to telling these important stories in an honest, respectful, and impactful way,” the museum said in conclusion.

The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures opened on May 19 its first permanent exhibition, titled “Hollywoodland: Jewish Founders and the Making of a Movie Capital.” The exhibit highlights the “Jewish founders of the Hollywood studio system” and “tells the origin story of filmmaking in early 20th-century Los Angeles, spotlighting the impact of the predominately Jewish filmmakers whose establishment of the American film studio system transformed Los Angeles into a global epicenter of cinema.”

Jewish activists and members of the film and television industry criticized the exhibit for its negative portrayal of Jewish studio founders and filmmakers, claiming that the exhibit focused more on their flaws than their achievements. The critics accused the exhibit of promoting “antisemitic tropes” and attacked the museum for describing the Jewish filmmakers with words like “oppressive,” “harmful,” “predator,” and “tyrant.”

The museum announced changes to “Hollywoodland” on Monday before an open letter published by a group called United Jewish Writers further condemned the exhibit.

“While we acknowledge the value in confronting Hollywood’s problematic past, the despicable double standard of the ‘Jewish Founders’ exhibit, blaming only the Jews for that problematic past, is unacceptable and, whether intentional or not, antisemitic,” read the open letter. “We call on the Academy Museum to thoroughly redo this exhibit so that it celebrates the Jewish founders of Hollywood with the same respect and enthusiasm granted to those celebrated throughout the rest of the museum.”

United Jewish Writers also claimed that the exhibit is “the only section of the museum that vilifies those it purports to celebrate.” The open letter was signed by more than 300 Jewish members of the entertainment industry, including actor David Schwimmer and showrunner Amy Sherman-Palladino.

The post Academy Museum of Motion Pictures ‘Immediately’ Revises Controversial Exhibit on Jewish Founders of Hollywood first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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Dozens of Terrorists Eliminated in Central Gaza, Weapons Seized from UN School in Raid

Some rises after an Israeli strike as Israeli forces launch a ground and air operation in the eastern part of Rafah, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, May 7, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Hatem Khaled

i24 NewsIsrael Defense Forces continue to operate in the Shejaiya area at the same time as fighting in the Rafah area and in the center of the Gaza Strip, the army said.

In the Shejaiya area, forces of the 98th Division attacked dozens of terrorist sites with the help of airstrikes from the Israel Air Force.

Over the weekend, Israeli soldiers raided a UN school in Shejaiya, where terrorists hid and stored weapons, grenades and valuable intelligence documents

This is yet another example of how Gazan terrorists use civilian structures to carry out attacks against Israeli forces pic.twitter.com/9oA9KLJehC

— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) June 30, 2024

A UN school was raided where terrorists hid and stored weapons, grenades, and sensitive documents. In addition, a Hamas command center was discovered in a clinic.

Since Saturday, division forces located weapons, raided and captured terrorist compounds, and eliminated a number of terrorists.

IDF strikes Hamas target in Gaza

Israeli forces continue to operate in the Shejaiya area while continuing to push in Rafah and in central Gaza

The IDF attacked and destroyed a mortar launch position located within a tunnel shaft in Rafah pic.twitter.com/JqTACvuMys

— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) June 30, 2024

The 162nd Division meanwhile continues in the Rafah area, eliminating a number of terrorists in various encounters and destroying tunnel shafts in the area.

The 99th Division 99 the center of the Gaza Strip carried out raids and destroyed terrorist infrastructure in the area.

Also on Saturday, an airstrikes destroyed a mortar launch position located inside a tunnel shaft in Rafah.

The post Dozens of Terrorists Eliminated in Central Gaza, Weapons Seized from UN School in Raid first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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Israeli Government Approves Danny Danon as UN Ambassador

Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations Danny Danon at a briefing on Iranian aggression on May 6, 2020. Photo: Screenshot.

i24 NewsThe Israeli government unanimously agreed on Sunday to appoint Likud lawmaker Danny Danon as Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, succeeding the current ambassador, Gilad Erdan.

Danon, who previously held this position, will soon serve a second term. Danon’s appointment to this important position comes at a particularly crucial time, as he is expected to represent Israel on the international stage as the country faces challenges at home and abroad.

“I am proud to return to serve the State of Israel as Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations during this critical period,” he said on Twitter.

“As Israel faces battles on numerous fronts, each and every one of us must do his utmost within his skills and experiences,” he said in an earlier statement. “This is how I have behaved in the past, and this is how I will continue to behave in the future.”

I am proud to return to serve the State of Israel as Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations during this critical period.

With Israel confronting challenges on multiple fronts, it is imperative for each of us to contribute to the best of our abilities and experiences. This…

— Danny Danon דני דנון (@dannydanon) June 30, 2024

“In the face of the diplomatic terrorism that is rearing its head these days, I am forced to present the truth and hold my head high for the people of Israel and our common future here,” he concluded.

It is expected that Avihai Boaron, a former member of the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, will enter in place of Danon.

The post Israeli Government Approves Danny Danon as UN Ambassador first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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‘Los Angeles Is Becoming Unsafe for Its Jewish Residents” Says Israeli Minister

Governor Newsom speaking at the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles. Photo Credit: Office of Governor Gavin Newsom.

i24 NewsAmichai Shikli, Israel’s Minister of Diaspora and Antisemitism, has urgently called upon California’s governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles’s mayor Karen Bass to address a concerning escalation of antisemitic incidents in the city.

In a strongly worded letter sent following a surge in antisemitic activities since October 7, 2023, Shikli expressed deep apprehension about the safety of Jewish residents in Los Angeles.

“Los Angeles is becoming more and more unsafe for its Jewish residents,” Shikli stated, emphasizing the urgent need for proactive measures to combat the rising tide of antisemitism.

He highlighted recent violent demonstrations on campuses that endangered Jewish students, alongside two serious incidents that he believes were mishandled by authorities.

One incident he pointed to was the tragic murder of Paul Kessler in November 2023 during a pro-Israel demonstration. Shikli criticized the court’s failure to classify the attack as a hate crime, stating, “It is shocking to see that the court did not recognize this as a hate crime. Paul was attacked for the sole reason that he was a Jew and a Zionist.”

Additionally, Shikli referenced an incident earlier in the week where an anti-Israel group disrupted an event at Adat Torah synagogue, resulting in an attack on Jewish attendees. Despite prior knowledge of the demonstration, law enforcement allegedly failed to take preventive actions to ensure the safety of Jewish residents.

Concerned about the city’s largest Jewish community in North America, Shikli urged immediate steps to enhance security around Jewish institutions and to ensure law enforcement is adequately trained to handle antisemitic crimes effectively. “At a time when antisemitism is at an all-time high, I urge you to implement measures to combat it,” he asserted.

The minister concluded his letter by proposing collaboration with local authorities and inviting the Los Angeles Police Department to participate in an international training program aimed at equipping security forces worldwide to combat antisemitism effectively.

The post ‘Los Angeles Is Becoming Unsafe for Its Jewish Residents” Says Israeli Minister first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

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