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In the face of rampant anti-Semitism and hate crime statistics soaring in the U.S. and abroad — Jews are the most targeted ethno-religious group in the U.S., according to the FBI — ADL (Anti-Defamation League) announced the formation of the ADL Entertainment Leadership Council, comprised of top executives and creatives in film, television, music and media. The organization’s collection mission: to combat social hatred, including anti-Semitism.
“ADL is the oldest anti-hate organization in the United States. For 110 years, we have been fighting anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry,” said ADL CEO and National Director Jonathan Greenblatt. “One of the things that is obvious to us, and I think it’s obvious to everyone, is that pop culture shapes the public conversation. In a world of cynicism and mistrust, today more than ever, entertainers and influencers can shape public opinion and have a direct impact.”
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“We also know the power of story,” Greenblatt continued. “We know that storytelling is a really important part of understanding the world around us. We also know that seeing anti-Semitism rise in recent years has been a real source of tension. We’ve seen that in politics. We’ve seen it in college We’ve seen it manifested on campuses. In ways that I think are disturbing, we’ve seen it pop up in what I call the influencer culture and entertainment space.”
to this end, UtaOn behalf of the ADL, a core group of 21 initial members was formed, with plans to expand with the establishment of the Entertainment Leadership Council. These flagship members are: Aaron Rosenberg, partner, Myman Greenspan; Ben Silverman, co-CEO and chairman, Propagate; Blair Kohan, board member, UTA; Brian Dobbins, talent manager and producer, Artists First; President; Gail Berman, Chairman and CEO, The Jackal Group; Jessica Yellin, Moderator, “News Not Noise”; Juliana Margulies, Actor; Karen Hermelin, Executive Vice President, Global Research and Strategy, paramount Image; Kira Goldberg, Vice President, Original Studio Film, Netflix; Leslie Belzberg, film and television producer; Melissa Zukerman, partner, Principal Communications; Michael Sugar, founder and CEO, Sugar23; Modi Wiczyk, co-founder and CEO, MRC; Nick Meyer, CEO, Sierra Affinity/eOne Nina Tassler, Founder, PatMa; Paul Neinstein, Co-CEO, Project X Entertainment; Seth Oster, Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, The Wonderful Company; Stephanie Simon, Co-Founder and Partner, Untitled Entertainment; Susan Rovner, NBC Chair, Entertainment Content, Universal Television; Valeisha Butterfield Jones, Vice President, Partnerships and Engagement, Google Inc. and Chair Emeritus, Recording Academy/Grammy Black Music Group.
The ADL formed the Sports Leadership Council in 2017 to inspire leading voices from professional and amateur sports to use their platforms to fight back against bigotry and hate, building on the same model as the creation of the Sports Leadership Council, the Entertainment Leadership Council “Will allow us to engage industry leadership strategically around our mission to combat anti-Semitism in all its forms,” Greenblatt said.
“It could mean bringing people together for face-to-face meetings on a regular basis, and it could mean having individuals, organizations or companies help us tell the stories of people standing up against hate,” Greenblatt added. That could mean helping us tell our own stories at ADL. This is probably the most important part: establishing an open dialogue in a formative way to actively negotiate before issues of hate arise. We can help studios, production houses, and artists think about how to address these issues more effectively. When things go wrong, there is an open line of communication to identify a forward plan to correct things as they occur. “
Sugar noted, “The impact of entertainment and storytelling on our society has never been more prevalent and pervasive than it is today. When we tell stories, we must tell them in a way that is accessible, impactful and honest. I look forward to working with ADL Working with my fellow ELC members to not only tell the story of fighting anti-Semitism, but challenging Hollywood to take a firm and final stand against hate in all its forms”
“Because our culture is rooted in remembrance, both tragic and miraculous, our community knows that storytelling and sharing truth are very powerful ammunition against prejudice,” Zuckerman added. “At our most critical time, I am touched to be part of a team that is united and ready to take on this challenge.”
Greenblatt categorized what he said as “two variants of anti-Semitism.”
“Today, we have what I call gross anti-Semitism — anti-Semitism like Kanye West or National Hate Day. It’s right in your face, aggressive, often violent,” Greenblatt said . “And then you get what I would describe as obliterative anti-Semitism — when the Jewish story isn’t told, or when the Jewish person isn’t included.”
The goal of the Entertainment Leadership Council is to eliminate both, Greenblatt said.
But given the media onslaught on anti-Semitism, do members of the ADL Entertainment Leadership Council have legitimate and effective leverage in convincing networks and streaming services to create content that projects Jews in a subtle, positive, accurate and truthful way? ? After all, members of the ELC work for studios and streamers that, at various times, put out content that many members of the Jewish community found containing harmful anti-Semitic tropes. For example, Netflix came under fire for “You People,” a romantic comedy co-written by Jonah Hill and Kenya Barris that contained a plethora of anti-Semitic stereotypes. Greenblatt himself noted that the film was potentially dangerous to the Jewish community.
“In a film that strives to challenge prejudice, even a flawed film, it’s shocking to hear that the anti-Semitic conspiracy theory that Jews were responsible for the transatlantic slave trade has been so little challenged,” “You People ’ said Goldblatt. “We need to have uncomfortable conversations, and satire helps drive those conversations, but this movie doesn’t accurately reflect the black-Jewish relationship, which is vital and shouldn’t be downplayed for the sake of a few laughs. “
But that’s why the Entertainment Leadership Council is needed, Goldblatt said.
“Sometimes, even well-meaning people make mistakes,” he said. “I don’t believe in cancel culture – I believe in parliamentary culture. My job is to help them do it right and help provide the tools to deal with the crisis and help people hopefully fight hate on the front end.”
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