H eadlines
NEWSBRIEFS Dozens of Celebrities Sign Letter Denouncing
Cultural Boycott of Israel
MORE THAN 200 celebrities signed an open letter
opposing efforts to boycott an LGBTQ film festival
in Tel Aviv, JTA reported.

The letter published Oct. 27 is a response to
calls from activists with the boycott, divestment
and sanctions movement to boycott the Tel Aviv
International LGBTQ+ Film Festival, also called
TLVFest. The letter was organized by Creative Community
for Peace, an organization of entertainment industry
professionals that works to counter cultural boycotts
against Israel.

“In Israel, movies have the unique power to bring
together Jews, Arabs, and people of all races, ethnic-
ities, and backgrounds in collaboration under a
shared love of the arts, working together towards the
common goal of telling their stories, and building
bridges of compassion and understanding,” the letter
reads. Celebrities signing the letter included actors
Mila Kunis, Billy Porter, Neil Patrick Harris, Helen
Mirren, Jeremy Piven and Emmanuelle Chriqui,
former NSYNC singer Lance Bass and KISS frontman
Gene Simmons.

Comedian Mort Sahl Dies at 94
Jewish satirist Mort Sahl, who often was credited with
making caustic political and social satire popular in
stand-up comedy, died On Oct. 26, JTA reported. He
was 94.

Sahl often walked onstage holding just a rolled-up
newspaper, riffing on the headlines of the day in
extended improvised monologues. He took aim at
politicians at a time when comedians didn’t often do
so and was known to end his sets with the line: “Are
there any groups I haven’t offended?”
“The Tonight Show” host Steve Allen once intro-
duced Sahl as “probably the only real political
philosopher we have in modern comedy.”
Though Sahl didn’t discuss his Jewishness in
routines or often in public, he inspired fellow Jewish
stand-ups including Woody Allen and Lenny Bruce.

Florida Prohibits New Investments in
Ben & Jerry’s Parent Company
Florida state entities may no longer invest in Unilever,
Ben & Jerry’s parent company because the ice cream
maker plans to stop selling its product in the West
Bank, JTA reported.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis triggered in July a
90-day review mandated by Florida law that requires
divestment from companies boycotting Israel. Ben &
Jerry’s says it is ending its sales only in the West Bank,
but Florida law doesn’t distinguish between Israel and
the West Bank.

Unilever has disavowed the boycott, divestment
and sanctions movement, but has said it can’t control
Ben & Jerry’s business decisions because of an internal
agreement between the conglomerate and the ice
cream manufacturer’s independent board.

The ruling doesn’t impact the $39 million Florida
already has invested in Unilever, the Florida Politics
website reported.

Chilean Newspaper Draws Outrage with
Tribute to Nazi Leader Hermann Göring
One of Chile’s largest newspapers published a tribute
feature to Nazi Hermann Göring on Oct. 24, sparking
an outcry from politicians and the nation’s Jewish
community, JTA reported.

The article in El Mercurio was timed to the
75th anniversary of Göring’s death and resembled
a eulogy. It included details about Göring’s youth,
military career and close relationship to Adolf Hitler,
accompanied by photos.

In a statement posted to Twitter, the Jewish
Community of Chile organization called the article
“an apology for Nazism.” l
— Compiled by Andy Gotlieb
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