New report reveals the extent of antisemitism in the US cultural world

A new report by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reveals systematic exclusion of Jewish and Israeli artists in museums, the publishing industry, and the art world in the US. The report describes canceled performances, blacklists, suppression of books with Jewish or Zionist content, and institutional silencing. ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said the situation is worse than expected.

A new report by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) reveals systematic exclusion of Jewish and Israeli artists in the cultural world of the United States. The report focuses on three main areas: museums, the publishing industry, and the art world. In museums, significant Jewish and Israeli collections are found to be downplayed and integrated into broader narratives that blur their identity. In the publishing industry, ADL interviewed dozens of writers and professionals and found discrimination including suppression of books with Jewish, Israeli, or Zionist characters or content, blacklists, boycotts, and exclusion from literary events. In the art world, 65 cases were documented across 41 locations in the US of canceled performances, harassment, and silencing of Jewish and Israeli artists. ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said, "Performances by Jewish artists are being canceled, they are being blacklisted and pushed out of American cultural life," and that the situation is worse than expected. Writer and photographer Alissa Rosenheck described literary antisemitism as "hiding behind excuses, shifting standards, institutional silence, community exclusion, and decisions that are hard to separate from the climate created around Jewish voices after October 7."