Strategies for Cultural, Entertainment, and Public Figures: Understanding, Responding to, and Preventing Antisemitism
Artists, athletes, actors, musicians, executives, content creators, studio leaders, league officials, agents, producers, and industry executives shape culture every day. Their influence extends beyond individual platforms and performances; they also help shape the norms, policies, and institutional cultures of the industries they lead.
Nearly 1 in 5 Americans say they would share a message against antisemitism from a public figure, according to AJC’s State of Antisemitism in America 2024 Report. That influence is powerful. It doesn’t just reflect culture; it helps define what is accepted, challenged, and changed.
AJC’s Priority Recommendation for Cultural, Entertainment, and Public Figures:
The priority recommendation from American Jewish Committee (AJC) is to use your influence to name and challenge antisemitism so it is never normalized in culture, media, or public discourse.
Today, many Jewish public figures face harassment online—including coordinated attacks, threats, and pressure to remain silent about their identity or beliefs. Social media has become the number one place where Jews experience antisemitism, and those with visible platforms often receive the most intense backlash, including death threats and organized campaigns designed to intimidate or isolate them. This environment can discourage participation, silence voices, and distort public conversation.
Antisemitism is never just a Jewish issue. History shows that when hate is normalized against one group, it spreads. When public figures speak responsibly, support Jewish voices, and challenge antisemitism directly, they shift cultural norms and make it safer for everyone to participate openly. Speaking out is not only an act of solidarity—it is an act of leadership that builds trust and protects communities.
This guide offers practical starting points for using your platform responsibly and effectively—helping ensure that influence is used to build safer, more respectful spaces both online and offline.
Understanding Antisemitism
Antisemitism today appears through conspiracy theories, coded language, Holocaust distortion, or dehumanizing imagery. Awareness across creative teams, wri ters’ rooms, locker rooms, marketing departments, and digital channels helps prevent harm before it spreads.
- Fully understand the scope of antisemitism: Most antisemitism has very little to do with Jews as a religion, ethnicity, culture, or people, rather it is largely based on conspiracies, stereotypes, and myths projected onto Jews. Main sources include:
- Political antisemitism
- State-sponsored antisemitism
- Religious extremism and fundamentalism
- Online and digital antisemitism
- Understand the difference between criticism of Israel and antisemitism: Criticism of Israeli policy is legitimate; saying that Israel should not exist or that the Jewish people do not deserve a state crosses from political criticism into antisemitism. Similarly, holding Jews collectively responsible for the actions of the Israeli government is antisemitism. Applying standards to Israel that are not expected of other democratic nations in comparable circumstances often reflects antisemitic bias or discriminatory treatment.
- Rely on trusted sources: Local AJC offices, Jewish Federations, synagogue leaders, and other mainstream community organizations can provide insight into how antisemitism is experienced. Public figures should seek information from credible, well-sourced experts and be cautious of highly partisan, conspiratorial, or misleading voices online.
- Understand the Jewish experience online: Digital antisemitism reaches Jewish users directly through harassment, conspiracy theories, and coordinated attacks. Online platforms and social media are the primary places where Jews encounter antisemitism today. Common examples include:
- “Globalists,” “ZOG,” “Cabal”
- Naming figures like “Soros” or “Rothschilds” as symbols of Jewish control
- Slurs like “Zio”
- Triple parentheses: (((name)))
- Money bags, rats, blood drops, or globe emojis used to invoke stereotypes
- Phrases such as “From the River to the Sea” or “Globalize the Intifada,” which many Jewish communities understand as calls for violence or elimination
- Know how quickly content can escalate harm: Content shared by public figures can reach millions within minutes and may unintentionally fuel harassment, misinformation, or threats. Public figures should understand how antisemitism appears on the platforms they use and the scale of its reach.
Responding to Antisemitism
Responding effectively to antisemitism requires timely, responsible communication and visible leadership. How public figures respond—what they say, share, and amplify—shapes public behavior, reduces harm, and strengthens trust across communities.
A Best Practice in Response: Athletes Take a Stand After Bondi Beach Tragedy
Over 60 high-profile Australian athletes signed an open letter calling for a federal royal commission after the 2025 Bondi Beach terrorist attack, in which gunmen opened fire on a public Hanukkah celebration attended by about 1,000 people, killing 15 people and injuring around 40 others. The signatories included tennis champion Lleyton Hewitt, Olympic gold medallists Jessica Fox and Ian Thorpe, and former Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke, who joined dozens of other prominent sports figures urging stronger national action against antisemitism and to examine the circumstances surrounding the attack. The Royal Commission on Antisemitism and Social Cohesion was established on January 9, 2026.
- Be clear: When antisemitism appears, name it directly. Reaffirm that antisemitism affects everyone, not just Jews, and speaking out against it helps protect broader society and democratic values.
- Communicate with intention: During fast-moving events, verify information before posting or sharing content. Responsible communication reduces misinformation, protects public trust, and prevents escalation. Encourage dialogue, avoid amplifying inflammatory content, and plan for backlash before it happens. Public figures may consider media and communications training to enhance the skills needed to address sensitive issues responsibly and communicate across differences.
- Stand with Jewish colleagues and creators: Amplify their voices, offer public or private support, and foster inclusive professional spaces. Like, comment, share, and save posts from Jewish accounts so algorithms boost them—helping counter harassment and the feeling of being outnumbered online. These actions matter.
- Report antisemitism: If you encounter antisemitic content, report it through the proper channels and use your public platform responsibly to raise awareness. Reporting helps remove harmful content, identify patterns, and prevent escalation. Public figures should take reporting seriously and encourage their audiences to do the same.
- Use reach and access to drive change: Use access to platforms, studios, leagues, agencies, and sponsors to advocate for stronger policies, accountability, and safety standards. Raising concerns publicly and through professional channels can lead to meaningful institutional change.
A Best Practice in Visible Leadership and Action: The NBA’s Response to Hate
One of the strongest examples of professional sports combating antisemitism is the NBA’s response to Kyrie Irving in 2022. After he shared antisemitic content, the league acted swiftly with a public condemnation, suspended him, and had him meet with Jewish leaders and complete an educational program before reinstatement. AJC played a key role by publicly calling out Irving’s statements, emphasizing the need for genuine accountability, and urging corporate platforms, like Amazon, to remove antisemitic material he promoted. By combining clear accountability, structured education, community advocacy, and visible leadership involvement, this episode demonstrated that addressing antisemitism requires not just statements, but coordinated institutional action and partnerships with affected communities to reinforce shared values.
Preventing Antisemitism
Preventing antisemitism requires sustained leadership, responsible storytelling, and consistent engagement that strengthens trust and resilience over time. Public figures shape culture not only through what they say in moments of crisis, but through the norms they model every day.
A Best Practice in Comprehensive Action: the UK football sector’s ‘Tackling Antisemitism in Sport’ initiative and related Premier League anti-antisemitism measures
In the United Kingdom, several football clubs have partnered with government advisers, league bodies, and civil society organizations to counter antisemitism through a coordinated, multi-stakeholder approach. This initiative leverages clubs as platforms for education, reporting, and enforcement, adopting common standards, providing mandatory training for players, staff, and stewards, and implementing sanctions for antisemitic behavior. High-visibility campaigns and public messaging reinforce social norms and accountability, using the cultural reach of sport to scale awareness nationally. Lord Mann, as a government adviser, played a key role in convening stakeholders, promoting standardization across clubs, and facilitating replication of these practices throughout the Premier League. This approach demonstrates how sports institutions can serve as mass platforms for prevention, combining education with enforcement in a replicable framework that could extend to other sectors.
- Educate and inform: Many audiences are unfamiliar with antisemitism or Judaism. Public figures can help by sharing accurate information.
- Protect your brand and partnerships: Associations with antisemitic content or messaging can damage reputation, sponsorships, and audience trust. Be cautious when sharing emotionally charged or unverified visual content, including AI-generated or manipulated media. Responsible communication protects both communities and professional credibility.
- Highlight Jewish culture beyond moments of crisis: Show solidarity by highlighting Jewish creativity, diversity, holidays, and contributions to arts, sports, and public life. Representing Jewish life in everyday contexts helps normalize inclusion and reduces the tendency to frame Jewish identity only through conflict or trauma.
- Embed awareness into creative decisions: Review scripts, lyrics, campaigns, and online content with an eye toward avoiding harmful tropes. Early awareness in creative and editorial processes prevents problems before they reach audiences.
Storytelling with Purpose: The Creative Community Combating Antisemitism
AJC has partnered with Creative Community for Peace (CCFP) to educate and mobilize the entertainment industry against antisemitism and the cultural boycott of Israel. The collaboration includes educational delegations to Israel, where industry leaders meet with diverse voices, survivors, and cultural professionals to gain firsthand understanding of antisemitism and related issues, and summits for executives, agents, and talent which combine strategy sessions, expert briefings, and public advocacy. Through these efforts, AJC and CCFP work together to raise awareness, strengthen networks between Jewish organizations and cultural leaders, and empower the creative community to challenge antisemitism through storytelling and media platforms.
A Special Note on Institutional Leadership: Embedding Efforts to Counter Antisemitism into Structures
Public figures often operate within larger institutions—including studios, leagues, agencies, production companies, media organizations, and entertainment brands. Lasting progress depends not only on individual leadership, but also on embedding these values into the structures and systems that shape culture at scale.
Key Actions:
- Set Clear Standards: Integrate antisemitism into codes of conduct, contracts, and community guidelines. Apply consistently across all levels.
- Ensure Accountability: Define consequences for antisemitic behavior, paired with education, and document decisions to maintain fairness and credibility.
- Build Response Infrastructure: Establish protocols, designate responsible leaders, and prepare for rapid, transparent responses to incidents.
- Invest in Ongoing Education: Provide recurring training for talent, staff, and leadership to address contemporary and digital forms of antisemitism.
- Partner with Experts: Collaborate with credible Jewish organizations for guidance and proactive consultation.
- Allocate Resources: Dedicate staff, time, and budget to monitoring, education, and anti-hate initiatives to make commitments sustainable.
Key Resources
Educational Resources
- AJC’s Translate Hate, a visual glossary of words and symbols that are antisemitic or can become antisemitic in context
- AJC’s State of Antisemitism in America Reports
- AJC’s Guide to Recognizing When Anti-Israel Actions Become Antisemitic
- AJC’s 10 Tough Questions on Antisemitism Explained
- AJC video: “What is Antisemitism?”
- AJC’s A Short Guide to Jewish Religion, Culture, Holiday Observances and 5-Year Calendar
- Antisemitism Policy Trust’s Find Your Meme: How Antisemitic Memes Go Mainstream
- For additional information, reach out to [email protected]
Practical Resources
- AJC’s Reporting Antisemitism to Federal Agencies, Law Enforcement, and Social Media and AI Companies: Guidance by American Jewish Committee
- ISD, B’nai B’rith International, and UNESCO’s Online Antisemitism: A Toolkit for Civil Society
