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‘Swastika boards’ and ‘surf Nazis’: New documentary explores surfing’s history of antisemitism
(JTA) — When he was 13 years old, Josh Greene moved with his family to San Clemente, California, a city known as one of the best spots for surfing on the West Coast. Greene quickly fell in love with the sport, even holding his bar mitzvah party at a local museum dedicated to it.
As a “skinny, very unathletic” teen, Greene said he endured a significant amount of bullying, including some that “extended itself into antisemitism.” Students at his school would compare his physique to that of a Holocaust survivor.
Surfing provided refuge.
“Surfing was my way to really carve my own niche and find the confidence, courage and physical strength I needed,” he told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
But years after his bar mitzvah, Greene learned that his parents had arranged for the Surfing Heritage and Culture Center to remove swastika-engraved boards that were on display, to avoid disturbing the partygoers. Wanting to learn more, he discovered that the sport’s history is full of Nazi imagery: Particularly in the 1960s, seeing surfboards with swastikas or surfers giving “Sieg heil” salutes was commonplace. Serious surfers called themselves “surf Nazis” as a way to signal their intense dedication to the sport.
An aspiring filmmaker — he received his first “real camera” as his bar mitzvah present — Greene decided to combine his two passions and delve into the dark history.
The result, completed before he graduated from the University of Southern California in May 2022, is a documentary called “Waves Apart,” which chronicles the history of antisemitism in surfing. Directed by Greene, the student-produced film was a finalist in the fall for a Student Academy Award, given by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
“Waves Apart” made its global debut at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival on Thursday, before heading to other Jewish and documentary film festivals in California, Denver, Toronto and Maryland.
After chronicling his own journey with surfing and the bar mitzvah incident in the film, Greene interviews surf writer Dan Duane and Jewish history professor Steven Ross, who provide a fuller picture of Southern California’s history of both surfing and Nazism, and their unfortunate overlap. As Duane wrote in a 2019 New York Times article, that overlap runs deep — The first commercially made surfboards made in California are thought to be the “Swastika model,” sold in the 1930s by the Pacific Systems Homes company, which also made prefab houses. The 1960s surfer icon Miki Dora was known to have painted a swastika on at least one of his boards.
Duane cites arguments that claim early surfers, who wanted to be seen as a rebellious subculture, used the swastika only to irk members of mainstream society. But Duane argues back that their antisemitism was part of a clear culture of racism in the largely white surfer community.
“I’ve heard all the predictable excuses for this stuff, like that the swastika was an ancient Sanskrit symbol,” he wrote in The Times. “Putting a swastika on something to anger people means you know that it angers them and very likely why.”
In his movie, Greene also speaks with Jewish surfers, both his classmates at USC and Jewish surfing legends like Shaun Tomson and Israel “Izzy” Paskowitz. Paskowitz shares a story of encountering a surfer with a swastika spray-painted on his surfboard — which his father, the famous surfer Dorian “Doc” Paskowitz, destroyed out of anger.
“Right as I was about to graduate, we had the first screening of our film, in our school’s theater,” Greene said. “We drew a packed crowd, and it was so rewarding and such a great sign of confirmation about the film’s message and connectivity with our audience. We saw people crying, people smiling at the end, with the way our film ends with a hopeful tone and message for the future.”
That hopeful message is where Tomson comes in. A former pro surfer and now a motivational speaker, Tomson reached the pinnacle of the sport by winning the 1977 World Surf League championship. He won 19 major professional surfing events in total and is a member of both the Southern California and International Jewish Sports Halls of Fame.
Shaun Tomson is a former world champion surfer. (Courtesy of Tomson)
Tomson, born in Durban, South Africa, also had a surfing experience tied to his bar mitzvah that would prove foundational. Tomson’s father took him on a surfing trip to Hawaii, which Tomson called “the Mount Everest of surfing.”
“For me, it was a total representation of what a bar mitzvah is — it’s coming into manhood,” Tomson told JTA. “And here I was, a young boy paddling out in a 25-foot surf in Hawaii, which was a moment for me that changed my life. I came back to South Africa, and my career and my role in surfing changed after that bar mitzvah present.”
Tomson said he has faced antisemitism before outside of the sport — he was called a “Jew boy” by a fellow member of South Africa’s army as a teenager — but never as a member of the surfing community in the 1970s onward.
“While it’s not an excuse, I think there’s just a lot of ignorance,” Tomson said. “When I say ignorance, perhaps it wasn’t actually directed at Jews, it was more just blatant stupidity, and a lack of awareness of what actually happened in the Holocaust.”
There weren’t many Jewish surfers in South Africa when Tomson grew up, but he said he feels a direct link between his identities as a Jew and as a surfer.
“When you’re out in the ocean, there’s certainly a spiritual and a religious connectivity there, which is totally aligned with Jewish values,” he said.
No experience exemplifies this connection more powerfully than the tragic death of Tomson’s son, Matthew, who died in 2006 at the age of 15 as a result of a schoolyard “choking game” gone wrong. Tomson tells the story in the documentary.
Tomson explained that his particular expertise is tube riding — the picturesque but challenging technique of riding inside a tunnel-like wave. Two hours before Tomson’s son died, he called his father to share an essay he had written about how in tube riding, “the light shines ahead.” Just hours later, Tomson received the devastating news.
“So when I was trying to make sense of the world and my life, and why God had done this to me, I went back to my old shul,” Tomson said. “The old shul where I’d had my bar mitzvah. And I look at that lamp of everlasting light that represents the hope and faith of Judaism. And I thought of the words that my son wrote, ‘the light shines ahead.’ And I realized that Judaism’s about hope.”
The film ends on that hopeful tone: The last scene features a group of Jewish surfers at a beach in Malibu, reciting the Shema prayer in the water, before hitting the waves as the sun begins to set. In the last shot, the group sits down to a Shabbat meal on the beach.
“Surfing can be seen as a microcosm for issues like that and I think we would be doing our sport a great disservice if we ignored our own signs of darkness,” Greene said. “I think that by making a film like this, we can dispel ignorance and divisiveness, and instead promote inclusivity, community and equality for all surfers and all people.”
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The post ‘Swastika boards’ and ‘surf Nazis’: New documentary explores surfing’s history of antisemitism appeared first on Jewish Telegraphic Agency.
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NYPD commissioner Jessica Tisch apologizes for allowing ‘turmoil’ outside synagogue
(JTA) — Days after pro-Palestinian protesters shouted chants including “Globalize the Intifada” and “Death to the IDF” outside an Upper East Side synagogue, NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, who is Jewish, apologized to the congregation during Shabbat services.
Tisch told congregants it was the police department’s duty “to ensure that people could easily enter and leave shul.”
“That is where we fell short,” Tisch said, according to reports from the service. “And for that, I apologize to this congregation.”
The apology from Tisch, who said police allowed “turmoil” to take place outside a synagogue on Wednesday night, was far apart in its tone from the statement issued by Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s team, which “discouraged” the language at the protest, while suggesting that the event was a misuse of a “sacred space.”
The protest occurred outside Park East Synagogue, a prominent Orthodox congregation, while it hosted an event promoting migration to Israel. The protest drew allegations of antisemitism from Jewish leaders and major Jewish organizations, as well as elected officials like Gov. Kathy Hochul and Mayor Eric Adams.
But some also criticized the police response, saying they allowed the confrontation to unfold.
“What I find most disturbing is that the police, who knew about this protest a day in advance, did not arrange for the protesters to be moved to either Third or Lexington Avenues,” said Rabbi Marc Schneier, whose father is the longtime senior rabbi at Park East Synagogue, the day after the protest. “Instead, they allowed the protesters to be right in front of the synagogue, which put members of the community at risk.”
Tisch acknowledged on Saturday that police should have set up a “frozen zone” at the synagogue’s entrance; because one was not set up, she said, “the space right outside your steps was chaotic.” Pens with barricades were set up for both the pro-Palestinian protesters and pro-Israel counter-protesters, though the former group “headed for the building entrance before ultimately pulling back to their pen,” a police source told the New York Daily News.
Tisch said that the protesters were protected by a First Amendment right to protest, even near a house of worship, and said “the NYPD must uphold that right.”
“They have the right to say things that are incredibly painful to hear. I understand that pain, deeply and personally,” Tisch said.
But, Tisch continued, police could have done more to shield attendees of the event.
“You deserved an NYPD posture that recognized the sensitivity of this location, the climate we’re living in, and the heightened fear within our community,” she said. “Instead, you had turmoil.”
At the conclusion of her remarks, Tisch was reportedly met with a standing ovation, as well as kudos from New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, who was in attendance. Kraft is the founder of the Blue Square Alliance against Hate, formerly called the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism.
While Tisch conceded the police could have done more, the congregation’s senior rabbi, Arthur Schneier, who is a Holocaust survivor, told the New York Post that he was grateful for the presence of the NYPD.
“Thank God in the United States, the police are protecting us against the hate-mongers,” Schneier said, contrasting their presence to the police’s cooperation during Kristallnacht.
Tisch’s appearance at Park East came less than a week after she accepted the offer from Mamdani to stay on as police commissioner, which some Jewish leaders viewed as a reassuring sign at a time when anti-Jewish hate crimes are rising. The move to keep Tisch also drew praise from Donald Trump when he met Mamdani at the White House on Friday.
But while Tisch drew the congregation’s applause with her apology, her future boss’ response to the protest was criticized by a number of Jewish leaders and organizations.
“The Mayor-elect has discouraged the language used at last night’s protest and will continue to do so,” Mamdani’s press secretary said in a statement.
She went on, “He believes every New Yorker should be free to enter a house of worship without intimidation, and that these sacred spaces should not be used to promote activities in violation of international law.”
Following the response from Mamdani’s team, UJA-Federation of New York sent a statement reading that “Every leader must denounce this heinous language,” while Mark Treyger, CEO of the Jewish Community Relations Council, said that it is “not a violation of any law, international or otherwise, for Jews to gather in a synagogue or immigrate to Israel.”
The event at Park East was organized by Nefesh B’Nefesh, a nonprofit that facilitates immigration to Israel for North American Jews. It does not assign immigrants to particular communities, but has showcased West Bank settlements — which most of the world, though not Israel or the United States, considers illegal under international law — in events and on its website as possible destinations for new immigrants.
Tisch’s current boss, Adams, visited Park East Synagogue Monday morning where he met with Arthur Schneier.
“We don’t back down in the face of hate — we show up,” wrote Adams, who returned on Sunday from a trip to Israel and Uzbekistan.
The post NYPD commissioner Jessica Tisch apologizes for allowing ‘turmoil’ outside synagogue appeared first on The Forward.
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Eurovision announces new voting measures following allegations of Israeli interference
(JTA) — The organizers of the Eurovision Song Contest have revised this year’s voting rules after broadcasters from several countries accused Israel of interfering in last year’s audience poll.
The new guidelines, which were announced Friday, reduce the number of votes allotted to each fan from 20 to 10, split fan votes with input from a professional jury and discourage promotional campaigns by third parties, according to Eurovision.
“No broadcaster or artist may now directly engage with or support campaigns by third parties — including governments or their agencies — that could distort the vote,” Eurovision director Martin Green wrote in a statement.
The European Broadcasting Union, which runs Eurovision, also pledged to “expand the contest’s advanced security systems” and monitor fraudulent activity.
While the announcement of the new voting guidelines did not mention Israel, it appeared to have been spurred by outcry following last year’s competition, where Israel’s Yuval Raphael took second place after winning a notable lead from the audience vote. Social media posts had exhorted supporters of Israel around the world to vote as many times as possible.
Following her win, the public broadcasters from Spain, Ireland, Belgium, Iceland and Finland called on the European Broadcasting Union to conduct an audit of its audience voting system, with some alluding to Israel manipulating the vote. (Green rejected the allegations of Israeli influence at the time.)
Several European countries, including the Netherlands, Slovenia, Iceland, Ireland and Spain, also announced in September that they would or may boycott the competition if Israel is allowed to participate.
Following the announcements, the European Broadcast Union announced it would allow member countries to vote on Israel’s participation, but changed its plans following the U.S.-brokered ceasefire in Gaza last month. The broadcasting union plans to discuss Israel’s participation at its December meeting.
The chancellor of Austria, which is set to host this year’s competition, has also reportedly pressured its public broadcaster not to host the competition if Israel is barred.
“I truly hope that this robust package of measures provides assurance for artists, broadcasters and fans alike,” said Green of the new voting guidelines. “Above all I hope it allows for the Contest to acknowledge the sometimes-difficult world in which we live but resist attempts to turn our stage into a place of geopolitical division.”
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With stories from Jews across the globe, this graphic anthology wants to expand how we see Jewishness
When photographer Julian Voloj heard about the first Jewish Comic Con in Brooklyn, he knew he had to meet its creator, Fabrice Sapolsky. Voloj, who was born in Germany to Colombian parents, had previously authored a number of graphic novels, including Ghetto Brother, the story of former gang leader Benji Melendez, a Puerto-Rican Jew. Voloj and Sapolsky connected at the 2016 convention and realized they shared a vision: a comic that would depict diverse Jewish stories.
Sapolsky, who is French-American with Ashkenazi and Sephardic roots, had been a comic creator for many years, including for Marvel and DC.
“He had this network of illustrators,” Voloj said. “I had the network of ethnically, racially diverse Jews.”
Voloj serves as the executive director for Be’Chol Lashon, an organization dedicated to highlighting Jewish diversity through community events and art. In November 2023, with the organization’s support, Voloj and Sapolsky created a sampler of their imagined anthology Hyphen: Jewish Stories in Our Own Words featuring three stories about Jews who did not fit the archetypal image of what a Jew should be, whether that be because of their racial identity, ethnic identity, or LGBTQ+ identity.
After sharing the Hyphen preview at synagogues and Jewish community centers, Voloj and Sapolsky secured funding to create the official anthology which contains 12 stories — including their own.
Some of the subjects wrote their stories, but others worked with Voloj to figure out what they wanted their section to be.
Haftam’s story of escaping war in Ethiopia starts with an explanation of the holiday of Sigd, which takes place 50 days after the end of Yom Kippur and marks another day of repentance for Ethiopian Jews. Natan’s chapter about battling his unibrow includes a crash course on the Bukharian Jewish language. The section on Eddna, a Jewish woman from Mumbai who eventually immigrates to Israel, provides history on Jews in India.
“You not only get a personal narrative, but also a broader story,” Voloj said.
Although some don’t accept the validity of all the ways Hyphen presents Jewishness, Voloj sees the wide variety of Jewish practice on display in Hyphen as part of what makes Judaism special.
“The terminology for me is always [to] say it’s Jewish communities,” Voloj said. “There’s not something like the Jewish community. So even if you have two Hasids, they might not agree on anything. If you’re a Satmar or if you’re Chabad, I mean, there’s very different philosophies.”
Voloj said that there has also been a lot of excitement and emotional responses to Hyphen.
“I feel like what people can relate to, it’s personal stories. So one story is about a woman that grew up in India, but she’s also like a single mom,” Voloj said. “Her son moves to Israel, and she decided to just follow him. So it’s like basically a story about motherhood,”
The fact that Hyphen is a comic has also helped to broaden its appeal.
“It’s such an American thing and such an intergenerational thing,” Voloj said. “We had the JCC events, there were some people who were over 60. And there the youngest persons were under 10.”
Because they had limited space and wanted each chapter to represent a different identity, a lot of stories didn’t make it into the anthology. Voloj hopes that in the future, they can continue the series.
“At the end of the book, we have photos of the main storytellers. So you can actually see these are all real people,” said Voloj. “And that gives it a nice note like, ‘Oh, yeah, these are like all the different faces of Judaism, and they all look different.’”
“I think that’s a beautiful thing to show. And I feel like it’s a great way to build bridges.”
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