H EADLINES
Young people are more in the mode of
worshipping celebrities.”
KEN JACOBSON
Ben & Jerry’s no longer sells ice cream in contested Israeli territories.

Around the same time,
U.S. supermodels Gigi and
Bella Hadid called Israel
“oppressors.” English “Game
of Th rones” star Lena Headey
referred to Israel’s actions as
“ethnic cleansing.” U.S. actor
Mark Ruff alo said “it’s time
for sanctions on Israel to free
Palestinians.” English pop star Dua Lipa,
U.S. pop star Halsey and U.S.

actress Viola Davis also made
similar comments.

Th ese famous people have
no real infl uence over the
Linda Gradstein via JTA.org
Israel-Palestine confl ict and the
global approach to handling it.

But they do have millions of
social media followers, and the
cultural infl uence that comes
with that.

“Young people are more
in the mode of worshipping
celebrities,” said Ken Jacobson,
the deputy national director of
the Anti-Defamation League.

“We see it in our young Jewish
community,” he added. “Polls
show a soft ening of support for
Israel among young Jews.”
Such softening support
could lead to more collegiate
student bodies passing resolu-
tions to support BDS, according
to Jacobson. It also could infl u-
ence the Democratic Party to
drift further in the direction of
extremist representatives, like
Minnesota’s Ilhan Omar, who
support the same movement.

But so far, according to
Jacobson, we aren’t that far
down that road. Most univer-
sities don’t support BDS,
even after their students
pass resolutions. And Omar
remains in the minority of her
party on Israel policy.

“But there are a whole host
of worries that could manifest,”
he said.

If they do, Jacobson added,
they could erode the postwar
U.S. consensus of support
for Israel.

To prevent that from
happening, Jacobson thinks
it’s important for young Jews
to stop listening to celebrities
on this issue.

“BDS is not about making
Israel better,” he said. “It’s
about making Israel disap-
pear.” ●
jsaff ren@jewishexponent.com;
215-832-0740 To live here is to live in harmony.

The Mansion at Rosemont is a boutique senior living community in the heart of the
Main Line, where residents cherish all of the small things that add up to a fervent embrace
of life after 62.

To schedule a tour, please call 610-553-6891 or see us online
at TheMansionAtRosemont.org
GET TO KNOW THE
CHESWICK SERIES.

These newly renovated,
spacious apartment homes
are now available to tour.

Please call 610-553-6891
to schedule a visit.

THANK YOU FOR VOTING US
THE BEST OF THE MAIN LINE .

INDEPENDENT LIVING/PERSONAL CARE
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM JEWISH EXPONENT
OCTOBER 28, 2021
7