Rabbi Leder criticizes actor Brody over genocide remarks in Gaza — Jerusalem Post
In the United States, Rabbi Steve Leder criticized actor Adam Brody over his remarks about Israel's actions in Gaza. Brody told GQ magazine that he considers Israel's actions to be genocide and supports a free Palestine, The Jerusalem Post reports.
The rabbi's reaction
Leder, the former senior rabbi of Wilshire Boulevard Temple in Los Angeles, was a consultant on the portrayal of Judaism in the first season of the Netflix series “Nobody Wants This.” In the series, Brody plays Rabbi Noah Roklov, who falls in love with an agnostic podcaster who is not Jewish.
In an Instagram video, Leder called Brody's remarks shocking, frivolous and disgusting. He also stated that there is no genocide in Gaza. The rabbi said that the actor, by his own admission, has limited knowledge of Judaism, and added that before using the word “genocide,” one should understand its meaning.
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The actor's position and legal assessment
Brody previously said that he is an atheist who barely made it through his bar mitzvah and remembers almost nothing from it. While preparing for his role in “Nobody Wants This,” he attended Shabbat services, read books, listened to podcasts and watched documentaries about Judaism.
The series' creator, Erin Foster, who converted to Judaism at Leder's synagogue, previously explained that the writers deliberately do not mention Israel or Palestine in the show so as not to distract from the main story. Brody also told GQ that the war in Gaza, the COVID-19 pandemic and Donald Trump's second presidential term revealed differences between him and some of his colleagues in Hollywood.
Accusations that Israel is committing genocide are disputed. According to the publication, the UN Commission of Inquiry, as well as international and Israeli human rights groups, concluded that Israel's actions in Gaza meet this definition. At the same time, the International Court of Justice has not yet made a final ruling in the case brought by South Africa, and Israel rejects such accusations.
