


Actor David Schwimmer condemned “inaction” by Hollywood when it comes to antisemitism and called on his fellow Jewish celebrities to speak out against it.
Schwimmer spoke to the Anti-Defamation League on Tuesday after President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January to combat antisemitism. Tuesday was the ADL’s annual Never Is Now antisemitism conference in New York. Schwimmer worried that too much of Hollywood is indifferent to antisemitism.
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“What is indifference? It’s inaction. It’s silence. Sometimes in moments of danger, it could feel like our only option is to stay quiet, to avoid drawing attention to ourselves, to hide,” Schwimmer said. “But here’s the truth: Now is not the time to disappear. Now is the time to show up, to reach out, to connect with one another, to find strength in our community, and to raise up our voices together. Why don’t we do that?”
The actor acknowledged the backlash he’s received for standing up against antisemitic comments online. Schwimmer called on X owner Elon Musk to ban Kanye West for his hateful comments regarding Jewish people. As a result, Schwimmer said he’d been “attacked and threatened” and also “abandoned” by friends and organizations.
“Plenty of people I respect, even some of my heroes in entertainment, music, and sports, have chosen to keep a low profile and sit this one out,” Schwimmer said. “So many have chosen not to say anything publicly at all. And if I can say something directly to them: I really wish you would. I wish you would stand up. I wish you would speak out because your voice would be so meaningful to your fans who love you, to your community members who need you, to folks who can use just a little solidarity right now.”
Actress Gal Gadot followed Schwimmer and admitted that expressing her Jewish heritage “feels like a controversial statement.” Gadot is a former Miss Israel and served two years in the Israel Defense Forces.
MULTIAGENCY TASK FORCE REVIEWS COLUMBIA FUNDING OVER ‘INACTION’ ON ANTISEMITISM
Meanwhile, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Education, and the General Services Administration have combined to form the Task Force to Combat Anti-Semitism. They are in the middle of determining whether Columbia University violated Title VI of the Civil Rights Act by allowing the protests to escalate to antisemitism. This will be the multiagency task force’s first act.
Harvard University preempted any backlash from the Trump administration by settling two antisemitism lawsuits in the days before Trump took office. As a result of the settlements, the university agreed to update its policies to protect its Jewish students better.