Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, offers the promise of a new beginning. Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, asks us to examine our actions, acknowledge where we have fallen short and consider what we must do differently.
That reflection is urgently needed—not only in our individual lives, but in the way Jewish organizations communicate with and advertise to the world.
For the past several years, much of Jewish communication has centered on antisemitism. We document it, count it, condemn it and create campaigns demanding that others stand against it.
The urgency is real. Jews have been threatened, harassed, excluded and attacked. Antisemitism has entered spaces in which many believed that it would no longer be tolerated. Silence in the face of that hatred is unacceptable.
But is the way we communicate about antisemitism actually changing how people feel about Jews?
Too many Jewish advertising campaigns follow the same formula. They repeat an antisemitic statement in enormous type. They lead with fear, outrage or accusation. They present another alarming statistic, publish a celebrity denunciation or instruct good people to stand with Jews.
These messages may be true. But truth alone does not create transformation.
Even some of the most visible Jewish advertising remains trapped inside the language and emotional architecture of hate.
A recent JewBelong advertisement aimed at Anna Wintour is but one example. It confronts her through anger, accusation and shame.
“Isn’t it ironic that Anna Wintour’s gonna be remembered not for her bangs and sunglasses, but for being an antisemite?”
It may attract attention and energize those who already agree. But does it invite anyone else to reconsider what has become culturally acceptable, or create curiosity, self-reflection or participation? Or does it merely generate another round of outrage and counter-outrage?
Here is how we might begin to reframe that same conversation:
Hate has never been fashionable. So why has antisemitism become so in Vogue?
The difference is not cosmetic. The rewrite uses the cultural authority of Vogue to pose a question about culture itself. It does not abandon the challenge. But it turns a declaration into an invitation to think—and creates a space, however uncomfortable, in which Vogue, its readers, fashion leaders and the public can participate.
Then we have the Times Square billboard “JUST JEW IT” with a shofar as the iconic Nike swoosh. Does it get attention? Sure. And do many proud Jews love it? Yes, it’s cute, but what is the point to the rest of the world? Is it just a way to get the word “Jew” in Times Square to generate inspiration for our community, or could it provoke controversy and possibly more hate? Did anyone even copy-test the potential impact?
As we enter a new year, Jewish advertisers and the marketers who work with the community have the opportunity to choose a different story.
People encounter Jews through Jewish humor, values, rituals, ideas, disagreements, creativity and contribution—not just persecution. Our advertising should remind them that Jews are people they know and appreciate rather than as symbols in a geopolitical argument.
At Civil Media, the home of “Don’t Hate Debate TV,” we have learned that people don’t change simply because they are instructed to agree. They change when they feel heard, recognize something of themselves in another person and acquire a personal stake in what happens next.
That requires a fundamentally different communications model—one that invites conversation, common ground and understanding. This is not softer communication. It is more ambitious communication.
The sound of the shofar is a call to awaken. Perhaps it should also awaken us to the limitations of our own approach.
We have produced more statements, statistics, billboards and condemnations. Yet many Jews feel increasingly isolated as the public conversation has become more polarized, performative and cruel.
We cannot repair that conversation by shouting the same facts more loudly. We can begin to repair the conversation by inviting people to talk, discuss and share how they feel. And we can then find our common humanity.
The journey from Rosh Hashanah to Yom Kippur rests upon the belief that we are capable of reflection, accountability and change. Our communications should embody that same belief.
