The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) is launching a new initiative in Hollywood called the Media & Entertainment Institute. This institute aims to combat stereotypes of Jews in movies and television that may contribute to the rise of antisemitism. The ADL plans to collaborate with industry leaders to enhance societal perceptions of Jewish people and promote a better understanding of antisemitism.
ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt emphasized the importance of examining how Jews are portrayed in media, as many Americans form their perceptions of Jews and Judaism through entertainment. The launch of this initiative coincided with a dinner event at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles.
Modi Wiczyk, co-founder & CEO of MRC and a member of ADL’s Entertainment Leadership Council, expressed concern about the growing antisemitism within the entertainment industry and emphasized the need for ADL’s Media & Entertainment Institute to address these issues.
This institute, based in Los Angeles and within the ADL, will engage directly with industry leaders, advocate for more accurate portrayals of Jewish life, religion, and history, and establish best practices in content creation. It also plans to collaborate with advocacy organizations, starting with Common Sense Media.
The ADL recently faced a potential lawsuit from Elon Musk, who accused the organization of negatively impacting advertising revenue on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter. The ADL had noted attacks against it on X by antisemitic and hate groups following its participation in the 60th Anniversary of the March on Washington and a meeting with X’s leadership.
In response, X published a blog post pledging its commitment to combating antisemitism on its platform. The ADL welcomed these words but stressed the importance of actions and its continued monitoring of hate groups on X.
