Hollywood Progressives Face Crisis Over Left-Wing Support for Gaza: ‘You Didn’t Show Up on Oct. 7’

In parlor meetings and industry restaurants, Hollywood progressive Jews are struggling with a lack of visible support from longtime fellow travelers

Sharon Waxman
JERUSALEM - NOVEMBER 06: Family members of hostages and missing persons, and their supporters, call for government action and to bring the hostages home at a protest outside The Knesset on November 6, 2023 in Jerusalem. As the Israeli government vows to eliminate Hamas, whose Oct 7 attacks left an estimated 1,400 dead and over 230 kidnapped, the fate of those hostages has complicated the country's military response. Families of the victims worry that the military offensive may result in hostages being killed during Israeli bombing or from Hamas's reprisals. Some families and friends of hostages, who remain in Gaza, are calling on the government to trade for Palestinian prisoners. (Photo by Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images)
Photo by Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images

The other day Oscar-nominated producer Lawrence Bender called a longtime friend, an activist, and wanted to know: Where has he been? Like many Jews in America, Bender has been suffering sleepless nights, anxiety over the massacre of Jews in southern Israel, fear over a sudden spike in antisemitism in this country. Combined with an anger at the feeling of abandonment by friends in the progressive political sphere. 

“I’ve called some of my friends directly and said exactly this: I marched with you. I made movies about Black Lives Matter. I feel like I do everything I can — not as a Jew but as a person.

Sharon Waxman

Sharon Waxman

Sharon Waxman, is the founder, CEO and Editor in Chief of TheWrap. She is an award-winning journalist and best-selling author, and was a Hollywood correspondent for The New York Times. Twitter: @sharonwaxman

Comments

2 responses to “Hollywood Progressives Face Crisis Over Left-Wing Support for Gaza: ‘You Didn’t Show Up on Oct. 7’”

  1. Eyal Avatar
    Eyal

    Nice, informative, interesting piece. Interesting questions and observations.

    Reply
  2. Pathma Avatar
    Pathma

    Oct 7th Jewish reality is what Palestinians have been facing day in and day out, while the Zionist diaspora in USA along with the Christian Zionist cult have been providing cover for the Israeli daily/nightly brutalization of the natives of the land, ie. Palestinians. It mirrors what we did to native Americans. Why are the rich and famous only concerned when a Jewish life is threatened? Especially since 1948, Jewish terrorist groups like the Stern gang and Irgun had murdered Palestinian families so they could steal their land and homes. These are all facts, that you can verify for yourself easily, as they are documented by Israeli journalists and authors. SO I ask you, where were you? Why were you silent all this time? Your silence percipitated the events of Oct 7th, because your silence and efforts to silence others, created the only option for 3 generations of Palestinians who have witnessed the suffering of their grand parents on down. When you are ready to be a voice for Peace, then only will peace be possible. Not just when you are “Progressive except for Palestine”.

    Reply

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