Liberal Jewish organizations sever ties with Elon Musk's X, alleging 'hate and antisemitism'

Jewish organizations halt advertising on X, accusing Elon Musk of promoting antisemitism and hate; Amid growing criticism, Musk faces backlash for controversial statements and actions, while some leaders, including Netanyahu, defend his stance on supporting Israel and hostage release efforts

rklrDjmQh_0_0_200_200_0_medium
Daniel Edelson, New York|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
The Union for Reform Judaism (URJ), the umbrella organization representing Reform Jewish communities in North America, along with 13 other liberal Jewish organizations, announced that they are halting advertising on the X platform. This decision comes in response to allegations that its owner, Elon Musk, is promoting "hate, antisemitism, and social division."
1 View gallery
אילון מאסק בביקור באושוויץ
אילון מאסק בביקור באושוויץ
Elon Musk during Auschwitz visit
(Photo: Yoav Dudkevitch / European Jewish Association )
The organizations, including T'ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human Rights, Keshet, and Mazon, stated that their move aims to express "firm opposition to the toxic and antisemitic discourse promoted on the platform" under Musk’s ownership.
In an official statement released on Monday, the organizations claimed the platform has become a "toxic environment," alleging that "under Musk's ownership, content moderation has been weakened, white supremacist supporters have been elevated, and accounts spreading conspiracy theories have been reinstated." They further accused Musk himself of sharing antisemitic and racist content with his millions of followers.
The organizations highlighted that since October 7 X has become "the number one platform for disseminating antisemitic content among all social media networks." They cited studies and examples showing how, after major events in the U.S. – such as the wildfires in Los Angeles and recurring hurricanes – antisemitic attacks were directed at Jewish public officials and professionals. These posts, they argued, not only eroded public trust but also disrupted efforts to assist affected populations.
The organizations announced that they plan to redirect their advertising budgets to other platforms that foster more constructive and respectful discourse. "Words have the power to elevate and heal. They must always be chosen carefully. We are committed to healing divisions in the world," they wrote in their statement. "We must do so in ways that promote repair, not division." At the same time, some organizations noted that they would maintain accounts on X "solely to prevent others from exploiting their names or values on the platform for opposing purposes."
This decision is part of a growing wave of criticism against X and Musk himself, who has been accused of reshaping the platform in ways that fuel hate and antisemitism. Recently, Musk has faced backlash for his comments and actions, which have drawn widespread condemnation.
Just recently, Musk made a surprise appearance in a pre-recorded speech at an election event for the far-right German party Alternative for Germany (AfD). A few days before International Holocaust Remembrance Day and the 80th anniversary of Auschwitz’s liberation, Musk stated, "I think there is too much focus on guilt in Germany, and we need to move past it. Children shouldn’t feel guilty for the sins of their parents or even their grandparents."
This was not Musk’s first controversy. During Donald Trump’s inauguration, Musk sparked outrage when he was seen making a gesture at the end of his speech that resembled a Nazi salute. Many were shocked by the "gesture" and accused Musk of fascism and antisemitism, with some claiming, "The real Elon Musk is starting to reveal himself." Musk dismissed the criticism, responding, "Honestly, they [progressives] just need to come up with better dirty tricks. This 'everyone is Hitler' attack is getting old."
Surprisingly, the Anti-Defamation League came to Musk’s defense, stating, "While the gesture was unusual, it was not Nazi-related." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also defended Musk, posting on X: "Elon Musk is unfairly maligned."
Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play: https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store: https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv
"Elon is a great friend of Israel. He visited Israel after the October 7 massacre, when Hamas terrorists committed the worst atrocities against the Jewish people since the Holocaust. He has repeatedly expressed support for Israel’s right to defend itself against terrorists and regimes seeking to destroy the one and only Jewish state. I thank him for that," Netanyahu wrote.
A few days later, Musk reportedly met at the White House with the parents of Itay Chen, an Israeli soldier killed on October 7, whose body was kidnapped and is still being held by Hamas. Itay’s father, Ruby, shared that the family had met with representatives of the new National Security Council when Musk unexpectedly entered the room.
Ruby recounted urging Musk to continue advocating for and personally supporting the release of all hostages. "Elon was very sympathetic and attentive and expressed his unwavering support for advancing the next phase of the deal to secure the release of all hostages, including seven American citizens."
<< Follow Ynetnews on Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Telegram >>
Comments
The commenter agrees to the privacy policy of Ynet News and agrees not to submit comments that violate the terms of use, including incitement, libel and expressions that exceed the accepted norms of freedom of speech.
""