Despite being the director who brought us Schindler's List, Steven Spielberg, perhaps the most renowned Jewish figure in Hollywood, remained silent for two whole months following the events of October 7th, failing to address the horrific massacre that occurred.
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Meanwhile, other Jewish stars such as Deborah Messing, currently in Israel, along with Juliana Margulies, Deborah Messing, and Amy Schumer, have actively volunteered for the benefit of Israel and embarked on a global mission to provide explanations. Spielberg's noticeable silence has sparked significant criticism, including an open letter from the president of the Holocaust Survivors Foundation in the United States expressing disappointment in his actions.
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Streisand and Kudrow silent on war
(Photo: GettyImages IL/ Jason Merritt, Amy Sussman)
In a statement released through the Holocaust Foundation of the University of California, which he founded in 1994, Spielberg broke his silence at the beginning of the month. Expressing his disbelief, he wrote, "I never imagined I would witness such barbarism against Jews in my lifetime."
Furthermore, the director revealed his plan to utilize the foundation by creating a film that would gather numerous interviews with survivors of the massacre. The purpose of this film, he stated, is to "serve as a powerful tool against anti-Semitism or any form of hatred."
Contrary to other Jewish stars who were once known for proudly embracing their Jewish identity and supporting Israel, Spielberg's belated condemnation received significant attention. However, it seems that these other stars now choose to avoid expressing their views in a clear and decisive manner, or even remain silent altogether, out of fear of alienating or losing their followers.
Consider Barbra Streisand as an example. The renowned actress and singer, who has made multiple visits to Israel, initially shared a post on Instagram following the massacre expressing her shock and distress, stating that she was "grieving with all the mothers and fathers who lost their children."
However, she subsequently deleted the post, seemingly overwhelmed by the backlash from pro-Palestinian individuals. Speculation suggests that Streisand may have been concerned about the potential impact on the sales of her recently published autobiography.
On December 10, after more than two months, the star finally posted again, addressing the issue in a contrasting manner. In this new post, she shared a conversation she had with former Prime Minister Shimon Peres, recalling her question: "How can you help the Palestinians?"
His response, as she wrote, was: "By making their lives better." Streisand emphasized the relevance of his advice then and now, stating her belief in the necessity of a two-state solution for peace and prosperity in the region. Thanks, Barbra. We would never have thought of that without you.
Adam Sandler, a Jewish actor and staunch supporter of Israel, serves as another example. He frequently embodies Jewish characters in his movies and recently both produced and starred in the film You're So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah, which achieved great success on Netflix.
Just a year ago, in an interview with News 13, he expressed his profound affection, stating, "I love Israel, and I take immense pride in my Jewish heritage." However, it took Sandler a week to address the conflict in Israel, and even then, his post was cautious, aiming to avoid causing excessive offense.
He conveyed, "My heart is shattered by the brutal attacks on Israel, and I extend my love and concern to the affected families and victims. I pray for the peace and security of Israelis and Palestinians alike." Anticipating potential backlash, Sandler disabled comments on the post.
Since then, he has remained silent on the matter until December 7, the first night of Hanukkah, when he shared a shockingly oblivious message: "Happy Hanukkah, sending all my love. May your nights be filled with eight crazy and wonderful nights."
After Sandler's post, he received an overwhelming influx of responses from numerous followers. One of them expressed, "Many Hollywood Jews conveniently embrace their Jewish identity only when it suits them. Where have you been for the past two months?"
Another follower remarked, "Oh, now you remember you're Jewish. It's a Hanukkah miracle! But could we also hope for another miracle and hear your thoughts on the situation in Israel for the past two months?" Rather than engaging with these comments, Sandler chose to block further comments on this post as well.
While the aforementioned celebrities expressed their views on the events in Israel, there are still notable stars who have remained silent regarding the massacre. One such individual is Goldie Hawn, who, despite her association with Buddhism, has consistently emphasized her pride in being Jewish.
In an interview with People magazine in 2017, she declared, "My tribe," underscoring her strong connection to her Jewish identity. Hawn's commitment to Israel is evident through her visit in 1986 for the inauguration of an auditorium at the Tel Aviv Cinematheque, which was made possible by her generous donation.
Additionally, in 2008, she led a fundraising ceremony in Hollywood to support Israel. However, since October 7, neither Hawn nor her daughter, actress Kate Hudson, have publicly commented on the tragic events.
Ben Stiller, the son of the Jewish actor Jerry Stiller and actress Ann Meara, who converted to Judaism, serves as another example. Growing up in a Jewish household, he identifies himself as Jewish and frequently portrays Jewish characters. In 2008, Stiller had the opportunity to visit Israel, and he fondly recalls his father taking him to the Holy Land when he was 16 years old.
Despite these connections, since October 7, apart from signing a letter alongside 350 Hollywood stars and executives addressed to President Joe Biden, expressing support for the Jewish people and advocating for the return of abductees, Stiller has chosen not to publicly express his thoughts or opinions.
Contrary to her Jewish friends from "Seinfeld," Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who openly acknowledges her half-Jewish heritage and proudly shares her family connection to Alfred Dreyfus through her French Jewish grandfather Pierre Louis-Dreyfus, has chosen to exercise her right to remain silent on the matter.
As far as her Seinfeld co-stars are concerned, Jerry Seinfeld swiftly expressed unwavering support for Israel by sharing a determined post on October 10, and Jason Alexander, also known as George Costanza, promptly aligned himself with Israel and even participated in a video advocating for the return of the abductees.
Another prime example is Lisa Kudrow, who also shares Jewish heritage on both sides, similar to David Schwimmer.
However, while Schwimmer consistently voices his support for Israel and condemns the actions of Hamas (he recently criticized university presidents in the United States for not acknowledging that calls for the genocide of Jewish people constitute harassment during a congressional hearing, stating on Instagram, "They simply watch and smile in light of anti-Semitic calls for murder in their institutions"), Kudrow has chosen to remain silent and keep her frustrations undisclosed thus far.