On a recent El Al flight, an Israeli passenger discovered an unexpected twist in the movie subtitles: the phrase "of the antisemites" was inserted whenever Columbia University was mentioned, even though such words were not spoken in the film.
The passenger, who noticed this anomaly while flying from Tel Aviv to New York, was taken aback. "I've never seen anything like this in my life," he said. He typically listens to the English dialogue while reading the subtitles and initially thought he was distracted, but the phrase appeared three different times. After notifying the flight crew, they assured him that the issue would be addressed, attributing it to an external supplier.
The film in question, "Problemista," is a 2023 comedy-drama about a toy designer from El Salvador struggling to bring his unique ideas to life in New York, with his work visa nearing expiration.
El Al responded, stating their movies come pre-translated from an external supplier and that they are investigating the matter. The airline reassured they will continue to offer a diverse entertainment system tailored to all customer preferences.
This incident comes as large-scale anti-Israel protests at Columbia University persist all throughout, which have spread to other prestigious institutions across the U.S., fueled by a lack of enforcement from university leaders. Demonstrations have featured verbal and sometimes physical violence against Jewish and Israeli students, frequent antisemitic expressions and support for terrorism. Protesters also have demanded divestment from Israel, as per the BDS playbook.
A recent official report from Columbia University criticized the institution for not addressing antisemitism against Israeli and Jewish students on campus. The 91-page report by a special task force of 14 faculty members detailed instances of hundreds of students facing threats, harassment, and even being spat on. The report highlighted how some faculty members dismissed the complaints, sending students to psychological counseling instead of taking action, and attempting to downplay their concerns.