Press Release

15 Organizations send letter to the Chairman and CEO of Bertelsmann highlighting Waters’ history of antisemitism and bigotry.

LOS ANGELES (July 19, 2023) — Creative Community For Peace (CCFP) released a letter calling on Bertelssman Music Group (BMG) to reconsider its business relationship with Roger Waters. The non-profit entertainment industry organization was joined by 14 of the world’s leading Jewish organizations.

CCFP is a non-profit entertainment industry organization comprised of prominent members of the entertainment community who’ve come together to promote the arts as a means to peace and to educate about rising antisemitism.

The letter comes in response to Roger Waters’ recent concerts in Germany where he performed in a Nazi-like uniform and compared a Palestinian-American journalist to Anne Frank.

“We believe that artists, given their massive influence in the world today, have a unique and important responsibility to speak out against bigotry. Mr. Waters has repeatedly shown that he’s determined to do the opposite – and would instead use his voice, his platform, and his public microphone to fan the flames of hatred,” the letter reads.

The following organizations signed onto the letter:

• Creative Community For Peace
• American Jewish Committee
• Anti-Defamation League
• Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council
• B’nai B’rith International
• Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, Canada
• Community Security Trust
• Conference of European Rabbis
• Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations
• Conseil Représentatif des Institutions juives de France
• European Jewish Congress
• Simon Wiesenthal Center
• South African Jewish Board of Deputies
• World Jewish Congress
• Zentralrat der Juden in Deutschland (Central Council of Jews in Germany)

The letter also highlights the growing consensus about Waters’ dangerous behavior among governmental institutions, noting: “the US State Department also stated that Waters’ recent concert “contained imagery deeply offensive to Jewish people and minimized the Holocaust.” The State Department added that, “The artist in question has a long track record of using antisemitic tropes to denigrate Jewish people.”

“For over a decade, Roger Waters has peddled and promoted antisemitism and leveraged his immense platform to spread his hateful views to millions worldwide. As we witness the continued rise of antisemitism, his words and actions are unacceptable. Our letter demonstrates the Jewish community’s concern that corporations cannot sit idly by while their business partners promote hate. We hope BMG reflects on their historical role with antisemitism and reexamines their relationship with Mr. Waters,” stated Ari Ingel, Director of Creative Community for Peace.

Creative Community for Peace aims to promote the arts and culture as a means to peace and to counter and educate the entertainment industry about rising antisemitism. To learn more about their work, visit www.creativecommunityforpeace.com.

 

OPEN LETTER

Dear Mr. Rabe,

As you may have seen, BMG’s client Roger Waters recently caused an uproar in Germany when he donned a Nazi-like uniform and compared Shireen Abu Akleh — a Palestinian-American journalist who tragically lost her life while working in a war zone — to Anne Frank, a young girl whom Nazis murdered for simply for being a Jew.

In response to this most recent incident, the EU Commission Coordinator on Combating Antisemitism and Fostering Jewish Life and the United States Special Envoy for Monitoring and Combating Antisemitism, both loudly condemned Mr. Waters.

The US State Department also stated that Waters’ recent concert “contained imagery deeply offensive to Jewish people and minimized the Holocaust.” The State Department added that, “The artist in question has a long track record of using antisemitic tropes to denigrate Jewish people.”

Unfortunately, the State Department is 100% correct, as this is just the latest in a long list of troubling antisemitic incidents by Mr. Waters.

In the past, he’s described UK Labour leader Keir Starmer as being controlled by Jewish organizations, he’s flown pig-shaped balloons emblazoned with the Star of David at his concerts, he’s falsely blamed Israel for the death of George Floyd, and he’s openly called for the destruction of the State of Israel.

All of this has happened at a time when antisemitic incidents are rising at alarming rates around the world.

We believe that artists, given their massive influence in the world today, have a unique and important responsibility to speak out against bigotry. Mr. Waters has repeatedly shown that he’s determined to do the opposite – and would instead use his voice, his platform, and his public microphone to fan the flames of hatred.

Given Bertelsmann’s unique history – specifically its actions during WWII– we find it troubling that the company would continue to profit from this relationship, especially when you just recently demonstrated that antisemitism should have no home on your roster.

We respectfully urge you to reconsider BMG’s professional ties with Roger Waters and look forward to your reply.

# # #

Cover photo: Stock Photo ID: 2285154609 4 April 2023. Ziggo Dome Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Concert of Roger Waters

Mila Kunis, Debra Messing, Mayim Bialik, Tracy-Ann Oberman, Aaron Bay-Schuck, Sherry Lansing, Emmanuelle Chriqui, and Haim Saban among 200+ celebrities and entertainment executives sign open letter calling for the removal of the antisemitic documentary and book recently promoted by Kyrie Irving

LOS ANGELES (November 10 2022) — More than 200 leaders from the entertainment industry have signed an open letter released by the non-profit entertainment industry organization Creative Community For Peace calling on Jeff Bezos, James Daunt, and other leaders at Amazon and Barnes & Noble to remove the antisemitic documentary and book, “Hebrews to N**roes” from their respective platforms. Since Kyrie Irving posted a Tweet with a link to the documentary and book, it has become a bestseller. Both Amazon and Barnes & Noble have refused to remove the title and continue to profit from its bigotry.

Mila Kunis (Actress), Debra Messing (Actress), Mayim Bialik (Actress), Sherry Lansing (Former CEO of Paramount Pictures), Tracy-Ann Oberman (Actress), Emmanuelle Chriqui (Actress), Haim Saban (Chairman & CEO, Saban Capital Group), Orly Marley (President, Tuff Gong Worldwide), Rick Rosen (Co-Founder, Endeavor), David Draiman (Frontman, Disturbed), Nina Tassler (Producer and Partner/Co-Founder, PatMa Productions); Diane Warren (Songwriter, Producer), Iliza Shlesinger (Comedian), and Ben Silverman (Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer of Propagate Content) are among 200+ signers of the open letter, which was made public today.

Addressed to leaders at Amazon and Barnes and Noble, the letter reads, “After more than a week of private messages and public calls to take the fallacious book and movie “Hebrews to N**roes” from your sites, you have so far refused to act.”

The statement’s signers are among the first in the entertainment industry to publicly and collectively call for the removal of the film, hoping to eliminate future radicalization and indoctrination.

“At a time in America where there are more per capita hate crimes against Jews than any other minority, overwhelmingly more religious-based hate crimes against the Jewish people than any other religion, and more hate crimes against the Jewish people in New York than any other minority, where a majority of American Jews live, it is unacceptable to allow this type of hate to foment on your platforms,” the letter continues.

“Respected platforms and companies like Amazon and Barnes & Noble have a choice,” said Ari Ingel, Director of Creative Community for Peace. “They can either continue to profit off of hatred and antisemitism, while turning a blind eye to the fears of the Jewish community, or they can choose to be an ally, and stand on the right side of history. While free speech is vital, corporations don’t need to help facilitate the spread of dangerous conspiracy theories that threaten the Jewish community. We implore them to take the prudent, responsible steps needed to remove this content.”

If you would like to add your name to this letter please click here.

Creative Community for Peace aims to promote the arts as a means for peace while fighting antisemitism in the entertainment industry and on prominent media platforms. To learn more about their cause, visit www.creativecommunityforpeace.com.

 

OPEN LETTER

To Jeff Bezos, James Daunt, and the leaders at Amazon and Barnes & Noble:

After more than a week of private messages and public calls to take the fallacious book and movie “Hebrews to N**roes” from your sites, you have so far refused to act.

The book and movie, and its contents, have been shared by several high-profile individuals causing tremendous harm to the Jewish community while spreading dangerous misinformation to an impressionable public that may be susceptible to its propaganda.

These works promote numerous antisemitic tropes and conspiracy theories that have no basis in fact, including manufactured Hitler quotes, false claims of Jewish power and control, that the Jewish people fabricated the Holocaust, and that the Jewish people are fake Jews.

The claims made in these works have led to the persecution and murder of millions of Jews throughout the centuries.

Over the past week, the book has become a bestseller on both sites. There has also undoubtedly been a spike in viewership of the movie on Amazon. Your companies are profiting from hate.

At a time in America where there are more per capita hate crimes against Jews than any other minority, overwhelmingly more religious-based hate crimes against the Jewish people than any other religion, and more hate crimes against the Jewish people in New York than any other minority, where a majority of American Jews live, it is unacceptable to allow this type of hate to foment on your platforms.

We, the undersigned, demand that you immediately remove these works from your sites.

 

SIGNATORIES

Jason Adelman: Vice President, Brand Innovators

Orly Adelson: President, Orly Adelson Productions

Marty Adelstein: CEO, Tomorrow Studios

Ben Adler: Musician

Michael Adler: Partner at Lichter, Grossman, Nichols, Adler, Feldman & Clark

Michael Auerbach: Partner, Jackoway Austen

Nate Auerbach: Partner, Versus Creative

Jeremy Barber: Partner, United Talent Agency

Eve Barlow: Music Journalist

David Baron: Rabbi, Temple of the Arts

Richard Baskind: Partner & Head of Music, Simons Muirhead & Burton

Aaron Bay-Schuck: CEO/Co-Chairman Warner Records

Hannah Bay-Schuck: Music Publisher, Prescription Songs

Miles Beard: Executive VP of A&R, Republic Records

Aton Ben-Horin: Executive VP of Global A&R, Atlantic Records Group

Pablo Bendersky: Producer/Artist

Hilary Bendon: Peace Partner, HXB LLC

Sandra Bendon: Attorney

Steven Bensusan: President, Blue Note Entertainment Group

Adam Berkowitz: Founder and President, Lenore Entertainment Group

Luc Bernard: Director, Voices of the Forgotten

Mayim Bialik: Actress

Josh Binder: Partner, Rotherberg, Mohr, and Binder LLP

Neil Blair: Partner, The Blair Partnership

Allison Bloom

Evan Bogart: Songwriter & CEO, Seeker Music

David Byrnes: Partner at Ziffren Brittenham, LLP

Markell Casey: Senior Director of A&R, Sony Music Australia

Brian Celler: Bravo Charlie Management

Pamela Charbit: A&R Manager, Atlantic Records

Emmanuelle Chriqui: Actress

Adam Cooper: Partner, Jackoway Austen

Leanne Coronel: President, The Coronel Group

Andy Corren: Author

Raye Cosbert: Managing Director at Metropolis Music

Ben Cosgrove: CEO, Leviathan Productions

Paul Craig: Chair, Nostromo Management

Avi Dahan: Attorney, Boyarski Fritz LLP

Ian Daly: Head of Brand Strategy, Live Nation

Greg Daniels: Writer and Producer

Howard Davine: Head of Business & Operations, Wiip

Josh Deutsch: Chairman/CEO – Premier Music Group

Avi Diamond: Director, Film & TV Licensing, Warner Music Canada

Kosha Dillz: Artist

Craig Dorfman: President and Owner, Frontline MGMT

Helen Dosik: Professor of Sociology, California State University, Northridge

David Draiman: Frontman, Disturbed

Beth Elitzer: B. Elitzer Consulting

Talya Elitzer: Co-Founder & President, Godmode Music

Craig Emanuel: Partner, Paul Hastings LLC

Daniel Erlig: Partner, United Talent Agency

Ron Fair: Record Producer & CEO, Faircraft Inc.

Sharon Farber: Composer

Paul Farberman: President, Paul Faberman Entertainment

Daniel Federman: Owner, Maccabi Tel Aviv

Eric Feig: Founder, Eric Feig Entertainment & Media Law, Inc.

Yossi Feinberg: Professor of Economics

Patti Felker: Partner, Felker, Toczek, Suddleson, & Abramson LLP

Jacob Fenton: Partner, United Talent Agency

Ken Fermaglich: Partner, United Talent Agency

David Fishof: Producer and Music Executive

Josh Fluxgold: President, Oneway MGMT

Erica Forster: Entertainment Attorney

Gary Foster: Principal in Krasnoff/Foster Entertainment

Jordan Frazes: Founder, Frazes Creative

Francine Freid

Adina Friedman: Friends at Work

Dara Frimmer: Rabbi, Temple Isaiah Los Angeles

Siri Garber: CEO & Founder, Platform Public Relations

David Gardner: President, Artists First

Nancy Gates: Partner, United Talent Agency

Andrew Genger: Manager, Red Light Management

Lorna Gerry

Gary Gersh: President, Global Touring, AEG

Gary Ginsberg: Senior VP, SoftBank Group Corp.

Karen Glauber: President, HITS Magazine

David Glick: Founder & CEO, Edge Group & Chairman, Tap Music

Elon Gold: Actor, Comedian

Nicole Goldman: EVP, Branding, The Jim Henson Company

Alex Goldstone: Partner, Anonymous Content

Michael Goldwasser: Record Producer & President/Co-Founder of Easy Star Records

Robert Golenberg: Partner at Silver Lining Entertainment Productions

Jonathan Golfman: Co-President, MRC Film

Michael Gordon: Partner, Creative Artists Agency

Andrew Gould: Music Executive

Cary Granat: Co-Founder & Partner, Destiny Media, EMH Media

Trudy Green: Trudy Green Management/HK

Scott Greenberg: Manager and Partner at LBI Entertainment

Steve Greenberg: Founder & President of S-Curve Records

Renee Haas

Ronnie Harris: Partner, Harris & Trotter LLP

Jo Hart: Founder, Hart Media

Avi Hirshbein: A&R, Electric Feel Entertainment and Ventures

Linda Edell Howard: Attorney, Novick Law

Ari Ingel: Director, Creative Community For Peace

Richard “BournRich” Ingram: Artist/Creative Director

Neil Jacobson: Founder & CEO of Hallwood Media

Jordana Jaffe: Writer & Producer

Brandt Joel: Agent, William Morris Endeavor

Zach Katz: President & COO, FaZe Clan

Jonathan Kellerman: Novelist

David Kendall

Ilan Kidron: Artist & Musician

Scott Kluge: President, Tremendous Entertainment

Amanda Kogan: Agent, The Gersh Agency

Rick Krim: CEO, Krim Music & Media

Mila Kunis: Actress

Seth Kurland; Television Writer/Producer

Matt Labov: Manager/Publicist

Gabz Landman: VP A&R, Warner Chappell Music

Sherry Lansing: Former CEO of Paramount Pictures

Colin Lester OBE: Founder/Chairman JEM Music Group

Jonathan Levav: Marketing Professor, Stanford University

Stephen Levinson: Filmmaker/Producer

David Levy: Former President of Turner/WarnerMedia, Founder of Back Nine Ventures

David Levy: Partner, William Morris Endeavor Entertainment

Cory Litwin: EVP, Hallwood Media

David Lonner: CEO, The David Lonner Co.

Ben Maddahi: SVP A&R, Columbia Records

Imran Majid: Co-CEO, Island Records

Gabriel Mann: Composer/Producer

Susan Markheim: Full Stop Management, The Azoff Company

Orly Marley: President, Tuff Gong Worldwide

John Mass: President at Content Partners, LLC

Nancy Matalon: VP of A&R, Spirit Music Group

Debra Messing: Actress

Art Mollen: Physician

Sadaf Muncy: SVP, Development & Production, HappyNest

Spencer Neumann: CFO at Netflix

Joel Nickerson: Rabbi, Wilshire Boulevard Temple

Julia Nickerson

Leetal Nissenbaum: SVP of Synchronization and Licensing, Giant Music & Iconic Artists Group

Lisa Nupoff: Manager at IMIN Music

Tracy-Ann Oberman: Actress

Scott Packman: Founder and Managing Member, SSP Partners LLC

Mandi Perkins: Artist, Composer, Author

Jonah Platt: Actor, Writer

Mike Praw: Music Executive

David Renzer: Former Chairman/CEO of Universal Music Publishing

Sydnee Rimes: Vice President of Current Programming at ABC Studios

Hanna Rochelle: Founder, Purple Productions, LLC

Alex Rockwell: Writer/Producer

Zoe Rogovin: SVP, Non-Fiction Programming, Showtime Networks Inc.

Dan Rosen: President of Warner Music Australasia

Rick Rosen: Co-Founder, Endeavor

Erez Rosenberg: Attorney, Jackoway Austen

Shani Rosenzweig: Partner, United Talent Agency

Michael Rotenberg: Partner, 3 Arts Entertainment

Autumn Rowe: Songwriter, Artist

Piper Rutman

Haim Saban: Chairman and CEO, Saban Capital Group

Asif Satchu: Co-CEO, MRC and Producer

Jacqueline Saturn: President, Virgin Music

Ayalet Schiffman: SVP, Head of Promotions, Island Records

Paul Schindler: Senior Chair of the New York Entertainment and Media Practice, Greenberg Traurig LLP

Steve Schnur: Worldwide Executive & Music President, Electronic Arts

Jordan Schur: CEO & Chariman, Mimran Schur Pictures and Suretone Entertainment

Sam Schwartz: Partner, Gorfaine/Schwartz Agency

Michael Seitzman: Producer, Maniac Productions

Camila Seta: Executive, Brand Consulting

Stefi Shabashev: Songwriter

DJ White Shadow: Producer/Artist

Iliza Shlesinger: Comedian

Noah “Westside Gravy” Shufutinsky: Artist

Jeremy Silver

Ben Silverman: Chairman and Co-CEO, Propagate Content

Ralph Simon: Chairman & CEO, Mobilium Global Limited

Marty Singer: Attorney, Lavely and Singer

Danielle Solzman: Film Critic, Solzy at the Movies

Jeff Sosnow: EVP A&R, Warner and Reprise Records

Nancy Spielberg: President, Playmount Productions

Donna Spievak: VP of Strategic Marketing, Interscope Records

Halle Stanford: President of Television & Executive Producer, The Jim Henson Company

Nancy Steingard: Producer & Partner/Co-Founder, PatMa Productions

Jonathan Steinsapir: Partner, Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump & Aldisert LLP

Justin Sternberg

Gary Stiffelman: Founder, GSS Law

Rachel Strassberger: Manager, Grassroots Music

Aaron Symonds: Film Composer

Traci Szymanski: President, Co-Star Entertainment

Nina Tassler: Producer & Partner/Co-Founder, Patma Productions

Adam Taylor: President, APM Music

Scott Tenley: Chief Business Officer, MRC

Geffen Sonnenfeld Toar

Niv Toar: Composer

Fred Toczek: Partner, Felker Toczek Suddleson Abramson LLP

Eric Tuchman: Writer, Producer

Oded Turgeman: President, The Operating Room

Alex Voihanski: President, Paramount Business Group

Jeremy Vuernick: President of A&R, Capitol Music Group

Diane Warren: Songwriter, Producer

Joshua Washington: Artist/Producer

Jon Weinbach: President, Skydance Sports

Nola Weinstein: Global Head of Brand Experiences & Engagement, Twitter

Modi Wiczyk: Co-CEO, MRC & Producer

Evan Winiker: Managing Partner, Range Media

Jeffrey Winter: Executive Director, The Film Collaborative

Yale Wolman: Agent, CAA

Sharon Tal Yguado: Founder & CEO, Astrid Entertainment

David Zedeck: Global Head of Music, United Talent Agency

Bradley Zweig: Executive Producer/Writer

Additional Signatores:

Jamie Denbo: Co-Executive Producer, Grey’s Anatomy

Eric Kranzler: Founding Partner, Entertainment 360

Rosalie Swedlin: Partner/Managing Producer: Anonymous Content

Elizabeth Ziff: Singer/Guitarist, BETTY the band

Tiffany Shlain: Film Director, Author, Artist

Orlando Jones: Producer, Writer, Actor, Comedian

Tanya Lopez: EVP Scripted Content at Lifetime, A+E Networks

Mollie Fermaglich: Writer, WGA

Jill Zarin: Actor

John Andriani: Singer/Songwriter, The Dwellers

Tomer Capone: Actor

** Note – The signers of this statement do so as individuals on their own behalf and not on behalf of their companies or organizations. All organizations and companies listed are for affiliation purposes only.

Mila Kunis, Neil Patrick Harris, Mayim Bialik, Billy Porter, Dame Helen Mirren, Debra Messing, Sia, Phil Rosenthal, Zachary Quinto, Sherry Lansing, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Dana Goldberg, Iliza Shlesinger, Gene Simmons, Greg Berlanti, Michael Ian Black, Tracy Ann Oberman, and Diane Warren among 300+ celebrities and entertainment industry professionals sign open letter against boycott of Israel’s largest LGBTQ+ film festival.

LOS ANGELES (Oct 19 2022) — More than 300 leaders from the entertainment industry have signed an open letter released by the non-profit entertainment industry organization Creative Community For Peace in support of the Tel Aviv International LGBTQ+ Film Festival (TLVFest) and the participating filmmakers.

The entertainment leaders stand united in rejecting the cultural boycott of Israel as yet another roadblock to peace and its subversion of art for nefarious political purposes. As the LGBTQ+ Community around the world continues to face immense discrimination, it is particularly shameful to boycott an event that gives a voice to their stories and struggles.

The open letter comes in response to repeated attempts by anti-Israel activists to boycott a film festival that celebrates international voices from the LGBTQ+ community, including the Middle East. TLVFest represents the epitome of coexistence, and regularly features Palestinian films.

“In Israel, movies have the unique power to bring together Jews, Arabs, and people of all races, ethnicities, 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.

Signatories to the open letter include: Neil Patrick Harris (Actor); Dame Helen Mirren (Actress); Mila Kunis (Actress); Zach Quinto (Actor); Mayim Bialik (Actress); Sia (Artist and Songwriter); Debra Messing (Actress); Emmanuelle Chriqui (Actress); Aaron Bay-Schuck (CEO/Co-Chairman Warner Record); Jeremy Piven (Actor, Comedian); Marty Adelstein (CEO Tomorrow Studios); Jonathan Tucker (Actor); Billy Porter (Actor); Gene Simmons (Artist, KISS); Greg Berlanti (Producer, Director); Haim Saban (Chairman & CEO, Saban Capital Group); Iliza Shlesinger (Comedian); Robbie Rogers (Athlete); Dana Goldberg (Chief Creative Officer of Skydance); Simon Callow (Actor); Tracy Ann Oberman (Actress); Lance Bass (Artist); David Burtka (Actor); John Benjamin Hickey (Actor); Rick Rosen (Co-Founder of Endeavor); Ben Silverman (Chairman & Co-CEO, Propagate Content); Melissa Rivers (Actress, TV Host); Paul Feig (Actor/Director); Michael Rotenberg (Partner, 3 Arts Entertainment); Eric Balfour (Actor); Rachel Riley (TV Host); Richard Benjamin (Actor/Director); Diane Warren (Songwriter); and Sherry Lansing (Former CEO of Paramount Pictures) amongst many others.

See full list of signees below, and to add your name click here.

The letter’s signatories believe strongly in the power of film to bring people together, transcend boundaries, broaden awareness, and affect positive societal change. They also call on their friends and colleagues to join in expressing support for a successful TLVFest 2022.

“We stand united with all the participating filmmakers against the divisive rhetoric espoused by boycott activists who seek to misinform, bully and intimidate artists into removing their films from the festival or shame them for participating in the festival,” the letter continues.

“Anti-Israel boycott activists continually use incendiary language and misrepresent the facts to try and bully filmmakers into backing out. Their reckless use of misinformation only furthers hostility and decreases the chance for peace, which all of us so urgently desire,” stated Ari Ingel, Director of Creative Community for Peace.

Ingel added that “instead of amplifying the voices of coexistence and peace trying to effect real change on the ground, those who support the calls for a boycott are only creating more division and fear.”

Creative Community for Peace aims to promote the arts and culture as a means to peace and to counter and educate the entertainment industry about rising antisemitism. To learn more about their work, visit www.creativecommunityforpeace.com.

 

OPEN LETTER

We, the undersigned, believe that artistic freedom and creative expression are critical to a healthy, diverse, and inclusive society.

Films have the power to bring people together, transcend boundaries, broaden awareness, and affect positive societal change.

In Israel, movies have the unique power to bring together Jews, Arabs, and people of all races, ethnicities, 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 annual Tel Aviv International LGBTQ Film Festival (TLVFest) embodies this spirit of unity and truth, featuring films from filmmakers of all backgrounds, including Palestinians.

For this reason, we reject any attempt to boycott TLVFest – Israel’s largest LGBTQ Film Festival — which works to showcase the stories of LGBTQ people globally and create a brighter future for LGBTQ people both inside Israel and around the world.

We stand united with all the participating filmmakers against the divisive rhetoric espoused by boycott activists who seek to misinform, bully and intimidate artists into removing their films from the festival or shame them for participating in the festival.

We believe that anyone who works to subvert TLVFest merely adds yet another roadblock to freedom, justice, equality, and peace that we all desperately desire, especially for the LGBTQ community that is persecuted throughout the Middle East and around the world.

Artists should never be silenced, and art should not be subverted for political goals.

We call on our friends and colleagues worldwide to join us in expressing their support for a successful and exciting TLVFest 2022.

 

SIGNATORIES

Aaron Bay-Schuck: CEO/Co-Chairman Warner Records

Jason Adelman: Vice President, Brand Innovators

Orly Adelson: Producer, Orly Adelson Productions

Marty Adelstein: CEO, Tomorrow Studios

Michael Adler: Partner of Lichter, Grossman, Nichols, Adler, Feldman & Clark Inc.

Javier Adrados: Music Journalist

Dan Aloni: Partner, Motion Pictures, William Morris Endeavor

Buck Angel: Trans Activist and Filmmaker, Actor

Nate Auerbach: Partner, Versus Creative

Michael Auerbach: Partner at Jackoway Tyerman Wertheimer Austen Mandelbaum Morris & Klein

Eric Balfour: Actor

Craig Balsam: Co-Founder, Razor & Tie Entertainment

Eve Barlow: Music/Culture Journalist

Jonathan Baruch: Partner, Rain Management Group

Richard Baskind: Partner & Head of Music, Simons Muirhead & Burton

Lance Bass: Artist, Entrepreneur

Miles Beard: Executive VP of A&R, Republic Records

Jonathan Beckerman: Agent, United Talent Agency

Pablo Bendersky: Producer/Artist

Aton Ben-Horin: Executive VP of Global A&R, Atlantic Records Group

Richard Benjamin: Actor/Director

Steven Bensusan: President, Blue Note Entertainment Group

Shelly Berger: Music Manager

Adam Berkowitz: Founder and President, Lenore Entertainment Group

Greg Berlanti: Producer, Director

Sara Berman: Artist

Luc Bernard: Director, Voices of the Forgotten

Mayim Bialik: Actress

Sharon Bialy: Casting Director

Josh Binder: Partner, Rotherberg, Mohr, and Binder LLP

Michael Ian Black: Actor

Neil Blair: Partner, The Blair Partnership

Evan Bogart: Songwriter & CEO, Seeker Music

Howard Bragman: Publicist

Josh Brill: Writer, Producer

Jurgen Bruning: Producer

A.J. Buckley: Actor

David Burtka: Actor/Chef

David Byrnes: Partner, Ziffren, Brittenham, LLP

Sir Colin Callender CBE: Producer and CEO, Playground Entertainment

Simon Callow: Actor, Director

Nick Carter: Artist

Markell Casey: Senior Director A&R, Sony Music Australia

Brian Celler: Bravo Charlie Management 

Pamela Charbit: A&R Manager, Atlantic Records

Emmanuelle Chriqui: Actress, Activist

Erran Baron Cohen: Composer

Paul Colichman: Chief Executive Officer at Here Media, Inc.

Victoria S. Cook: Partner, Frankfurt Kurmit Klein & Selz

Leanne Coronel: President, The Coronel Group

Raye Cosbert: Managing Director, Metropolis Music

Ben Cosgrove: CEO, Leviathan Productions

Ian Daly: Head of Brand Strategy, Live Nation

Greg Daniels: Writer and Producer

Yuval David: Actor, Host, Filmmaker, and Advocate

Josh Deutsch: Chairman/CEO, Premier Music Group

Jenna Dewan: Actress

Avi Diamond: Director, Film & Licensing Warner Chappell Music

Kosha Dillz: Artist

Craig Dorfman: President and Owner, Frontline MGMT 

David Draiman: Artist, Frontman of Disturbed

Doug Ellin: Screenwriter, Director

Stephan Elliott: Director

Craig Emanuel: Partner, Paul Hastings LLC

Ron Fair: Record Producer & CEO, Faircraft Inc.

Sharon Farber: Composer

Daniel Federman: Owner, Maccabi Tel Aviv

Eric Feig: Founder, Eric Feig Entertainment & Media Law Inc.

Paul Feig: Actor, Director, Producer

Ryan Feldman: Agent, William Morris Endeavor

Patti Felker: Partner, Felker Toczek Gelman Suddleson

Jacob Fenton: Partner, United Talent Agency

Ken Fermaglich: Partner, United Talent Agency

Rodney Ferrell: EVP, Head of Scripted, Propagate

Greg Fleishman: Co-Founder & CEO, Foodstirs

Josh Fluxgold: President, One Way MGMT

Erica Forster: VP of Music Partnerships, DanceOn

Gary Foster: Principal at Krasnoff Foster Productions

Eytan Fox: Director

Jordan Frazes: Founder, Frazes Creative

Ben Freeman: Educator and Writer

Sonia Friedman OBE: Theatre Producer

Stephen Fry: Actor

Siri Garber: President, Platform Public Relations

David Gardner: President, Artists First

Nancy Gates: Partner, United Talent Agency

Andrew Genger: Manager, Red Light Management

Gary Gersh: President of Global Talent, AEG

Gary Ginsberg: Former Senior VP, SoftBank Group Corp.

Daniel Glass: President and Founder, Glassnote Records

Karen Glauber: President, HITS Magazine

David Glick: Founder & CEO, Edge Group

Elon Gold: Comedian

Dana Goldberg: Chief Creative Officer, Skydance

Iddo Goldberg: Actor

Michael Goldwasser: Producer & President/Co-Founder, Easy Star Records

Michael Gordon: Partner, CAA

Andrew Gould: EVP Music Publishing, Roc Nation

Trudy Green: Trudy Green Management/HK

Steve Greenberg: President, S-Curve Records

Scott Greenberg: Manager and Partner at LBI Entertainment

Joao Rui Guerra da Mata: Director, Production Designer

Paul Haas: Agent, Partner William Morris Endeavor

Sarah Halioua: Producer and Partner, Abracadabra Audiovisual

Neil Patrick Harris: Actor

Ronnie Harris: Partner, Harris & Trotter LLP

John Benjamin Hickey: Actor

Antony Hickling: Director

Tom Holland: Author/Historian

Erik Hyman: Partner, Paul Hastings

Richard “BournRich” Ingram: Artist, Creative Director

Neil Jacobson: Founder, Hallwood Media

Jonathan Jakubowicz: Writer and Director

Aharon Keshales: Filmmaker

Zach Katz: President and COO, FaZe Clan

Lee Kern: Screenwriter

Scott Kluge: President, Tremendous Entertainment

Amanda Kogan: Agent, The Gersh Agency

Rick Krim: Co-Founder, Worldwired Music

Mila Kunis: Actress

Gabz Landman

Sherry Lansing: Former CEO of Paramount Pictures

Joanie Leeds: Singer/Songwriter

Sam Leifer: Writer/Director

Teddy Leifer: Producer

Martin Lesak: Partner, United Talent Agency

Colin Lester OBE: Founder/Chairman, JEM Music Group

David Levy: Partner, William Morris Endeavor Entertainment

David Levy: Former President of Turner/WarnerMedia, Founder of Back Nine Ventures

Jonathan Lipnicki: Actor

David Lonner: CEO, The David Lonner Co. 

Ben Maddahi: SVP A&R, Columbia Records

Imran Majid: Co-CEO, Island Records

Gabriel Mann: Composer/Producer 

Susan Markheim: Manager, Full Stop Mgt., The Azoff Company

Orly Marley: President, Tuff Gong Worldwide

Rachel Mason: Director

Nancy Matalon: VP of A&R, Spirit Music Group

Biran Maya: Actor, Producer

David Mazouz: Actor

AJ McLean: Artist

Doron Medalie: Composer

Debra Messing: Actress

Helen Mirren DRE: Actress

Matthew Mishory: Actor

Max Mutchnick: Executive Producer

Guy Nattiv: Director

Leetal Nissenbaum: VP of Synchronization and Licensing, Ultra Records

Lisa Nupoff: Manager, IMINMUSIC Management 

Tracy Ann Oberman: Actress

Sharon Osbourne: Television Personality, Manager

Navot Papushado: Director

Mandi Perkins: Artist, Songwriter

Trevor Phillips OBE: Journalist and Commentator

Henry Platt: Musician

Jonah Platt: Actor/Writer

Jeremy Piven: Actor, Comedian

Billy Porter: Actor

Mike Praw: Entertainment Industry Executive

Paula Prentiss: Actress

Zachary Quinto: Actor

Itay Reiss: Talent Manager

David Renzer: Former Chairman/CEO of Universal Music Publishing

Zak Resnick: Actor

Rachel Riley: TV Host

Melissa Rivers: Actress, TV Host

Lindy Robbins: Artist

Jaimison M. Roberts: Attorney

Hanna Rochelle: Founder & President, Lyric Culture

Poao Pedro Rodrigues: Filmmaker

Robbie Rogers: Professional Soccer Player

Dan Rosen: President of Warner Music Australasia

Rick Rosen: Co-Founder, Endeavor

Howard Rosenman: Producer, Actor, Writer

Shep Rosenman: Partner, Katz Golden Roseman LLP

Phil Rosenthal: Writer, Producer          

Michael Rotenberg:  Partner, 3 Arts Entertainment

Autumn Rowe: Songwriter, Producer, DJ

David Russell: Manager, Crush Music

Haim Saban: Chairman & CEO, Saban Capital Group

Asif Satchu: Co-CEO, MRC and Producer

Jacqueline Saturn: President, Virgin Music

Danielle Savre: Actress

Ayelet Schiffman: SVP Head of Promotions, Island Records

Paul Schindler: Senior Chair of the New York Entertainment and Media Practice

Steve Schnur: President of Music, Electronic Arts

Jordan Schur: CEO & Chairman, Mimran Schur Pictures & Suretone Entertainment

Sam Schwartz: Partner, Gorfaine/Schwartz Agency

Camila Seta: Marketing & Content Strategy, Rogers & Cowan

DJ White Shadow: Producer/Artist

Iliza Shlesinger: Comedian, Actress

Emile Sherman: Director, Producer

Noah “Westside Gravy” Shufutinsky: Artist

Sia: Artist and Songwriter

Ben Silverman: Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer, Propagate Content

Gene Simmons: Artist, KISS

Ralph Simon: Chairman & CEO, Mobilium Global Limited

Marty Singer: Attorney, Lavely and Singer

Robert Singer: President, Dec. 3^rd Productions

Jeff Sosnow: EVP A&R, Warner Music

Nancy Spielberg: Filmmaker

Donna Spievak: Director of Strategic Marketing, Interscope Records

Justin Sternberg: Writer

Gary Stiffelman: Founder, GSS Law

Aaron Symonds: Composer    

Traci Szymanski: President, Co-Star Entertainment

Alona Tal: Actress

Adam Taylor: President, APM Music

Fred Toczek: Partner, Felker Toczek Gelman Suddleson

Eric Tuchman: Writer, Producer

Jonathan Tucker: Actor

Ronli Tzour: VP Marketing & Manager, First Access Entertainment

Gal Uchovsky: Director

Ian Van der Putten: Cinemien

Tehran Von Ghasri: Entertainer

Ariel Vroman: Director

Jeremy Vuernick: Executive VP of A&R, Capitol Records

Diane Warren: Songwriter, Producer

Joshua Washington: Artist, Producer

Tom Watson: Former Shadow Secretary of State for Culture

Jon Weinbach: President, Skydance Sports

Nola Weinstein: Global Head of Culture & Experiential, Twitter

Ron West: Co-founder and Partner, Thruline Entertainment

Evan Winiker: Managing Partner, Range Media

Modi Wiczyk: Co-CEO, MRC and Producer

Jeffrey Winter: Executive Director, The Film Collaborative 

Shirin Yadegar: Journalist

Sharon Tal Yguado: Founder & CEO, Astrid Entertainment

Sebastian Zar Esq.: Sedlmayr & Associates

David Zedeck: Global Head of Music, United Talent Agency

Additional Signers:

Phillip Guttmann: Writer, Producer

Orly Ravid: Founder & Co-Executive Director, The Film Collaborative

Amnon Lourie: Writer, Producer

Predrag Azdejkovix: Director, Merlinka Queer Film Festival – Belgrade

Nate Dushku: Director, Producer, Birder, Maplethorpe

Andrei Zinca: Director, Writer, Producer

Elana Podolskaya: Antipode Sales International LLC

Henrika Kull: Director

Thunska Pansittivorakul: Director, Sleep of Reasons Films

Marc Putman: CEO, PRIDEtv

Bjorn Koll: Salzgeber

Kai Tillman: Filmmaker

Jason Laurits: Filmmmaker

Adrian Hume Robinson: Actor, Filmmaker

Wiktor Morka: CEO, LGBT+ Film Festival Poland

Abe Gurko: Writer, Producer, Won’t Be Silent LLC

Stefan Manthey: Photographer

Kai Stanicke: Director

Laurent Burst: Photographer, Media Founder

Pauline Jabes: Filmmaker

Joshua Rosenzweig: Creative Executive

Andrea Krauss: Programming Director, Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival

Andy Vallentine: Director

Bohdan Zhuk: Director SUNNY BUNNY LGBTQIA+ Film Festival, Kyib

Allison Tate: Lead Producer, Big Boys Feature Film

Martin Rodriguez Redondo: Filmmaker

Olivier Ducastel: Director

Jacques Matineau: Director

Monika Treut: Hyena Films

Alante Kavaite: Film Director

Keith Levy: Sher Vine Inc.

Stefan Westerwelle: Director

Jakub Mroz: CEO, Tongariro Releasing

Romas Zabarauskas: Director

Michael Stock: Filmmaker

Marc Smolowitz: 13th Gen, Director, Producer, Executive Producer

Prederico Evaristo: Filmmaker, Brazil

Maria Katsikadakoy Cyber: Artist, Greece

Michelle Ehlen: Director, Producer

Rona Lee Shimon: Actor, Artist

Pepe Ruiloba: Film Critic, Festival Programmer

Amit Rahav: Actor

Ursula Raberger:  Psychotherapist and Film Scientist

Jeffrey Schwarz: Documentary Filmmaker

Johanna Jackie Baier: Director

Malgorzata Kubiak: The Ego Trip Label

Ron Leshem: Writer, Producer

Moran Resenblatt: Actor

Eli Roth: Director

Kristina Maca: Director, Writer, Actor

Sonia Jean-Baptiste: Co-Founder & Head Programmer, Chelsea Film Festival NYC

Ingrid Jean-Baptiste: Founder & Artistic Director, Chelsea Film Festival NYC

Jen Cohn: Voiceover, On Camera, Gaming and Fashion

Wieland Speck: Filmmaker, ex Berlinale Panorama Director

FranckFiance-Madureira: President, Founder Queer Palm

Till Kleinert: Writer, Director

Stephane Riethauser: Director Lambda Prod

Fabian Stumm: Actor, Director

Rosa von Praunheim: Director

Daniela Aguinsky: Filmmaker, Artist Audiovisual

Julius Fedlmeier: Actor, Director

Clemens Schick: Actor

Elizabeth Ziff: Singer, Songwriter, Producer BETTY

Ofir Raul Grazier: Director

Matthew Nouriel: Director of Community Engagement, JIMENA

Tomer Heymman: Director

Yariv Mozer: Film Director

Dave Kim: Programmer, Seoul International PRIDE Film Festival

Shanni Suissa: CEO, Jews Talk Justice

Menina Putri Wismurti: Film Progammer

Dana Morag: Artistic Director, Tel Aviv Cinematheque

Michael Franco: Film Director

Eline Gehring: Director

Richard Resch: Singer

Mariana Cecilia Russo: Director, Producer, Sombracine SRL

Shawn Harris: Cultural Programs Specialist Tuscan Jewish Community Center

Amy Lord Posey: Eris Talent Agency Owner

Melissa Center: Actor, Filmmaker

Justin Arnold: Actor

Rachel Eddy: Actor, Writer

Paula Eiselt: Director and Producer

Rachel Turner Seed: Director

Jeremy Podgursky: Composer

Shara Ashley Zeiger: Actor, Filmmaker

Danny Manus: Script Consultant, Wrtier

Keetgi Kogan Steinberg: Writer, Producer, Screenwriter

Jamie Denbo: CO-EP, Grey’s Anatomy, Writer, Actor

Stephanie Liss: Founder, Artistic Director, The American Jewish Theatre

Wendy Engelberg: WGA East

Leslie Belzberg: Canucklehead Productions

Clifford Green: Screenwriter

Amy Engelberg: Writer

Patrick Moss: WGA Writer

Stafanie Leder: Writer, Producer, WGA

Alison Stover: Actor, Filmmmaker

Frederic Richter: Archival Producer & Researcher, Luminous Pictures

Avital Levy: Producer

Lisa Ullmann: Independent

Seth Nesenholtz: Screenwriter

** Note – The signers of this statement do so as individuals on their own behalf and not on behalf of their companies or organizations. All organizations and companies listed are for affiliation purposes only.

120+ celebrities and entertainment industry professionals to sign open letter in support of artistic freedom and against boycott of Sydney Festival.

 

More than 120 leaders from the entertainment industry have signed an open letter released by the non-profit entertainment industry organisation Creative Community For Peace in support of the Sydney Festival and participating artists.

After suffering through two years of border closures, extended COVID lockdowns, the most catastrophic bushfires on record and devastating floods, this iconic Festival, celebrating its 45th year, is supposed to celebrate Sydney’s diverse history and rich culture, reuniting Sydney as a community.

The open letter comes in response to attempts by anti-Israel activists to boycott the Sydney Festival because the Israeli Embassy in Australia is sponsoring the performance of a world-renowned Israeli dance ensemble.

The entertainment leaders stand united in rejecting the cultural boycott of Israel as yet another roadblock to peace and its subversion of art for nefarious political purposes.

“While art can reflect politics, and artists can choose to reflect their politics in their own art, art should never become subservient to politics and artists and cultural events should never be forced to be politicised,” the letter reads.

Signatories to the open letter include: Gene Simmons: Artist, KISS; Aaron Bay-Schuck: CEO/Co-Chairman Warner Record;  Diane Warren: Songwriter/Producer; Craig Emanuel: Partner, Paul Hastings LLC; Emile Sherman: Co-Founder, See-Saw Films; Rick Rosen: Co-Founder, Endeavor; Ben Silverman: Chairman & Co-CEO, Propagate Content; Orly Marley: President, Tuff Gong Worldwide; Jacqueline Saturn: President, Virgin Music; Stephan Elliot: Director; Emmanuelle Chriqui: Actress; Dan Rosen: Music Executive; Michael Rotenberg: Partner, 3 Arts Entertainment; David Zedeck: Global Head of Music at UTA; Gary Gersh: President, Global Touring, A.E.G.; David Draiman: Artist, Frontman of Disturbed; Haim Saban: Chairman & CEO, Saban Capital Group; and Sherry Lansing: Former CEO of Paramount Pictures. A full list of all the signatories can be seen below.

The letter’s signatories believe strongly in the power of art to bring people together, transcend boundaries, broaden awareness, and affect positive societal change. They also call on their friends and colleagues to join in expressing support for the artists of the Sydney Festival and against this counterproductive boycott call.

“We, the undersigned, believe the cultural boycott movement of the Sydney Festival is an affront to both Palestinians and Israelis who are working to advance peace through compromise, exchange, and mutual recognition. While we all may have differing opinions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the best path to peace, we all agree that a cultural boycott is not the answer.” the letter continues.

“The organisers of the Sydney Festival boycott intentionally misrepresent the truth about Israel and make provocative statements, to try and bully artists into backing out of the festival. Their messages deceptively involve an element of dishonesty and deny the truth of Jewish indigeneity to the land of Israel. Their actions only further hostility and dampen hope for peace, which all of us so urgently desire,” stated Ari Ingel, Director of Creative Community for Peace.

Mr. Ingel added that “the Sydney Festival is a beautiful event celebrating Sydney’s diverse and rich culture – bringing the entire community together. Unfortunately, it’s now being used for political purposes to divide, rather than unite. The boycott movement is also counterproductive and instead of amplifying the voices of coexistence trying to effect real change on the ground, those who support the calls for a boycott are only creating more hostility, division, and mistrust.”

Creative Community for Peace aims to promote the arts and culture as a means to peace and to counter and educate the entertainment industry about rising antisemitism. To learn more about their work, visit www.creativecommunityforpeace.com.

 

OPEN LETTER

We, the undersigned, believe that cultural events are vitally important vehicles to bring people together of different backgrounds under a shared love of the arts.

The annual Sydney Festival embodies this unifying power. Every year, thousands of Australians make common cause in a massive display of cultural exchange and celebration of our diverse cultures and histories.

Unfortunately, this year, the spirit of the Festival is under attack by those calling for a boycott because the Israeli Embassy is sponsoring a world renowned Israeli dance ensemble. This call for a boycott turns the festival from an opportunity for unity into a weapon of division.

We also reject the boycott activist claims that Jews are not indigenous to the land of Israel. The Jewish people have over a 3,000 year connection to the land of Israel, and many Jewish families have lived in the land for hundreds of generations. This fact does not deny any other groups claims of indigeneity.

While art can reflect politics, and artists can choose to reflect their politics in their own art, art should never become subservient to politics and artists and cultural events should never be forced to be politicized.

We believe the cultural boycott movement is an affront to both Palestinians and Israelis who are working to advance peace through compromise, exchange, and mutual recognition.

While we all may have differing opinions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the best path to peace, we all agree that a cultural boycott is not the answer.

As Nick Cave stated: “The cultural boycott of Israel is cowardly and shameful. Israel is a real, vibrant, functioning democracy – yes, with Arab members of parliament – and so engaging with Israelis, who vote, may be more helpful than scaring off artists or shutting down means of engagement.”

We call on all our friends and colleagues in the entertainment community to express their support for an exciting and successful Sydney Festival 2022 and to purchase a ticket and attend the festival itself to understand the power of arts to bring people together first hand.

 

SIGNATORIES

Gene Simmons: Artist/ co-lead singer KISS

Aaron Bay-Schuck: CEO/Co-Chairman Warner Records

Jason Adelman: Vice President, Brand Innovators

Orly Adelson: Producer, Orly Adelson Productions

Marty Adelstein: CEO, Tomorrow Studios

Benjamin Adler: Violinist (CHUTNEY)

Michael Adler: Partner of Lichter, Grossman, Nichols, Adler, Feldman & Clark Inc.

Nate Auerbach: Partner, Versus Creative

Eric Balfour: Actor

Eve Barlow: Music/Culture Journalist

Richard Baskind: Partner & Head of Music, Simons Muirhead & Burton

Miles Beard: Senior Vice President, A&R at Artist Partner Group, Inc.

Aton Ben-Horin: Global Vice President of A&R for Warner Music Group

Pablo Bendersky: Producer/Artist

Steven Bensusan: President, Blue Note Entertainment Group

Adam Berkowitz: Founder and President, Lenore Entertainment Group

Luc Bernard: Director, Voices of the Forgotten

Josh Binder: Partner, Rotherberg, Mohr, and Binder LLP

Neil Blair: Partner, The Blair Partnership

Evan Bogart: Songwriter & Co-Founder of Boardwalk Entertainment Group

Josh Brill: Writer, Producer

David Byrnes: Partner, Ziffren, Brittenham, LLP

Markell Casey: Music Executive

Brian Celler: Bravo Charlie Management

Pamela Charbit: A&R Manager, Atlantic Records

Garry Charny: CEO/Producer, Spotted Turquoise

Deborah Conway: Artist

Leanne Coronel: President, The Coronel Group

Emmanuelle Chriqui: Actress

Raye Cosbert: Managing Director, Metropolis Music

Ian Daly: Head of Brand Strategy, Live Nation

Greg Daniels: Writer and Producer

Josh Deutsch: Chairman/CEO, Premier Music Group

Avi Diamond: Director, Film & Licensing Warner Chappell Music

Kosha Dillz: Artist

Craig Dorfman: President and Owner, Frontline MGMT

David Draiman: Artist, Frontman of Disturbed

Stephan Elliot: Director

Craig Emanuel: Partner, Paul Hastings LLC

Ron Fair: Record Producer & CEO, Faircraft Inc.

Sharon Farber: Composer

Daniel Federman: Owner, Maccabi Tel Aviv

Ken Fermaglich: Partner, United Talent Agency

Josh Fluxgold: President, One Way MGMT

Erica Forster: VP of Music Partnerships, DanceOn

Gary Foster: Principal at Krasnoff Foster Productions

Jordan Frazes: Founder, Frazes Creative

Daryl Friedman: Former Chief Advocacy & Industry Relations Officer for The Recording Academy

Siri Garber: President, Platform Public Relations

David Gardner: President, Artists First

Andrew Genger: Manager, Red Light Management

Gary Gersh: President of Global Talent, AEG

Gary Ginsberg: Former Senior VP, SoftBank Group Corp.

Daniel Glass: President and Founder, Glassnote Records

Karen Glauber: President, HITS Magazine

David Glick: Founder & CEO, Edge Group

Elon Gold: Comedian

Michael Goldwasser: Producer & President/Co-Founder, Easy Star Records

Lara Goodridge: Musician, (FourPlay/Baby et Lulu)

Andrew Gould: Senior Music Executive

Cary Granat: CEO, Immersive Artistry

Trudy Green: Trudy Green Management/HK

Steve Greenberg: President, S-Curve Records

Scott Greenberg: Manager and Partner at LBI Entertainment

Ronnie Harris: Partner, Harris & Trotter LLP

Jo Hart: Founder, Hart Media

Avi Hirshbein: Associate, Sony Production Music

Richard “BournRich” Ingram: Artist, Creative Director

Ilya Isakovich: Australian Chamber Orchestra

Neil Jacobson: Founder, Hallwood Media

Jonathan Jakubowicz: Writer and Director

Rick Kalowski: Screenwriter/Producer

Zach Katz: President, Raised In Space

Ilan Kidron: Songwriter/Musician

Scott Kluge: President, Tremendous Entertainment

Amanda Kogan: Agent, The Gersh Agency

Rick Krim: Co-Founder, Worldwired Music

Romi Kupfer: Artistic Director (RK Collaborations)

Gabz Landman: VP of A&R, Warner Records

Sherry Lansing: Former CEO of Paramount Pictures

Colin Lester OBE: Founder/Chairman, JEM Music Group

David Levy: Partner, William Morris Endeavor Entertainment

David Levy: Former President of Turner/WarnerMedia, Founder of Back Nine Ventures

David Lonner: CEO, The David Lonner Co.

Ben Maddahi: SVP A&R, Columbia Records

Gabriel Mann: Composer/Producer

Susan Markheim: Manager, Full Stop Mgt., The Azoff Company

Orly Marley: President, Tuff Gong Worldwide

Nancy Matalon: VP of A&R, Spirit Music Group

David Mazouz: Actor

Julia McCrossin: Broadcaster/Comedian

Leetal Nissenbaum: VP of Synchronization and Licensing, Ultra Records

Lisa Nupoff: Manager, IMINMUSIC Management

Scott Packman: SSP Partners

Mike Praw: Music Executive

David Renzer: Former Chairman/CEO of Universal Music Publishing

Jaimison M. Roberts: Attorney

Hanna Rochelle: Founder & President, Lyric Culture

Dan Rosen: Music Executive

Rick Rosen: Co-Founder, Endeavor

Michael Rotenberg:  Partner, 3 Arts Entertainment

Autumn Rowe: Songwriter, Producer, DJ

Haim Saban: Chairman & CEO, Saban Capital Group

Jacqueline Saturn: President, Virgin Music

Ayelet Schiffman: SVP Head of Promotions, Island Records

Paul Schindler: Senior Chair of the New York Entertainment and Media Practice

Steve Schnur: President of Music, Electronic Arts

Jordan Schur: CEO & Chairman, Mimran Schur Pictures & Suretone Entertainment

Sam Schwartz: Partner, Gorfaine/Schwartz Agency

Camila Seta: Marketing & Content Strategy, Rogers & Cowan

Emile Sherman: Producer, See-Saw Films

Noah “Westside Gravy” Shufutinsky: Artist

Ben Silverman: Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer, Propagate Content

Ralph Simon: Chairman & CEO, Mobilium Global Limited

Marty Singer: Attorney, Lavely and Singer

Jeff Sosnow: EVP A&R, Warner Music

Donna Spievak: Director of Strategic Marketing, Interscope Records

Nancy Spielberg: Filmmaker

Jonathan Steinsapir: Partner, Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump & Aldisert LLP

Gary Stiffelman: Founder, GSS Law

Aaron Symonds: Composer

Traci Szymanski: President, Co-Star Entertainment

Adam Taylor: President, APM Music

Noa Tishby: Actress, Producer

Fred Toczek: Partner, Felker Toczek Gelman Suddleson

Eric Tuchman: Writer, Producer

Jeremy Vuernick: Executive VP of A&R, Capitol Records

Diane Warren: Songwriter, Producer

Joshua Washington: Artist, Producer

Jon Weinbach: President, Skydance Sports

Nola Weinstein: Global Head of Culture & Experiential, Twitter

Evan Winiker: Managing Partner, Range Media

Jeffrey Winter: Executive Director, The Film Collaborative

Sharon Tal Yguado: Founder & CEO, Astrid Entertainment

David Zedeck: Global Head of Music, United Talent Agency

Willy Zygier: Artist

Signatories as of January 9, 2021:

Alex Voihanski: President Unity Through Sport

Anthony Bregman: Producer, Likely Story

Avi Goldstein: Rockaway Nissan

Deborah Harris: The Deborah Harris Agency, Founder and Director

Dr. Evgeny Sorkin: Performer

Dror Shaul: Filmmaker 

Efrat Lev: Foreign Rights Director, the Deborah Harris Literary Agency

Fay Sussman: The Klezmer Fivas Band

Geoff Sirmai: Arts Publicist, Actor

George Eltman: The Deborah Harris Agency

Immanuel Suttner: Poet

Isser Feiglin: Performer

Jennifer Hillman: H S Consulting, Waterhole Art

Lloyd Morris: Lloyd Morris Promotions

Nick Shay Deutsch: Former Artistic Director Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM)

Ole Bohn: A/Professor Sydney Conservatorium of Music

Roger Velik: Director, Leopard View Pty Ltd

Sam Weiss: Composer for Film & Television/Saxophonist

Sean Marks: Partner, Marks Law Group

Sheldon Sroloff: VP Creative Artist Agency

Sondra Gordon: Quest/CCNY, New York City, N.Y. U.S.A.

Tamar Simon: Mean Streets Management

Victoria S Cook: Partner, Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz

Vladimir Fanshil: Conductor, Producer

Jack Eppington: Artist, Epmusic

David Bernard: Senior BP, CHEAR CENTER 

Jackie & Steven Worth: The Mighty Music Machine & Mighty Mixes

Mohammad Baqlawa: Composer, Film & Television/UAEspoort

Hilda Feinstein: Quest Lifelong Learning

Michael Nebenzahl: Managing Director, Playbill Group

Dr Gene Sherman AM: Founder and Director, Sherman Centre for Culture and Ideas

Tony Weinstein:        DePauw University

Ilana Wernick:           Writer/Producer

Susan Fisher:            Actress

Valerie Nissim:          Writer

Talia Harris Ram:      TV and Film Manager at the Deborah Harris Agency

Jennifer Herzog:       Theatre Practitioner/Arts Educator

Nicola Furst: Producer Furst Class Productions 

Roderic Wachovsky: Playwright/Director, Happy Guy Theater

Michael Zweig: Attorney

Sonya Lifschitz:  Head of Music Performance and Creative Practice, University of NSW

Alyson Fishbein: Singer/Songwriter and Biological Anthropologist 

Jeanne Pepper Bernstein: Founder #BlazeitForward

Josh Roehl: Singer/Songwriter

Daniel Scharf: Producer/Talent Agent

Austen Tayshus: Comedian

Jonathan Shteinman: Bluewater Pictures

 

ABOUT CREATIVE COMMUNITY FOR PEACE:** Note – The signers of this statement do so as individuals on their own behalf and not on behalf of their companies or organizations. All organizations and companies listed are for affiliation purposes only.

Founded by entertainment industry executives, Creative Community for Peace (CCFP) is a non-profit organization comprised of prominent members of the entertainment industry who have come together to promote the arts as a means to peace, to counter antisemitism within the entertainment industry, and to galvanize support against the cultural boycott of Israel. CCFP is apolitical and does not stand for any government official or party. Instead, CCFP believes in artists and their ability to affect lives and effect positive change in the world. For more information please visit: creativecommunityforpeace.com

 

Add your name to our letter by visiting http://ccfpeace.org/?SydneyFestival

For more information please contact us directly at info@creativecommunityforpeace.com.

Mila Kunis, Neil Patrick Harris, Mayim Bialik, Billy Porter, Dame Helen Mirren, Phil Rosenthal, Zachary Quinto, Sherry Lansing, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Dana Goldberg, Gene Simmons, Greg Berlanti, Edgar Ramirez, Tracy Ann Oberman, and Diane Warren among 200+ celebrities and entertainment industry professionals to sign open letter against boycott of Israel’s largest LGBTQ+ film festival.

LOS ANGELES (Oct 27 2021) — More than 200 leaders from the entertainment industry have signed an open letter released by the non-profit entertainment industry organization Creative Community For Peace in support of the Tel Aviv International LGBTQ+ Film Festival (TLVFest) and the participating filmmakers.

The entertainment leaders stand united in rejecting the cultural boycott of Israel as yet another roadblock to peace and its subversion of art for nefarious political purposes. At a time when the LGBTQ+ Community around the world continues to face immense discrimination, it is especially abhorrent to call for a boycott of an event that gives a voice to their stories and struggles.

The open letter comes in response to attempts by anti-Israel activists to boycott a film festival that celebrates international voices from the LGBTQ+ community, including the Middle East. TLVFest represents the epitome of coexistence, and regularly features Palestinian films, including two this year.

“In Israel, movies have the unique power to bring together Jews, Arabs, and people of all races, ethnicities, 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.

Signatories to the open letter include: Neil Patrick Harris (Actor); Dame Helen Mirren (Actress); Mila Kunis (Actress); Zach Quinto (Actor); Mayim Bialik (Actress); Emmanuelle Chriqui (Actress); Aaron Bay-Schuck (CEO/Co-Chairman Warner Record); Jeremy Piven (Actor, Comedian); Marty Adelstein (CEO Tomorrow Studios); Jonathan Tucker (Actor); Billy Porter (Actor); Gene Simmons (Artist, KISS); Edgar Ramirez (Actor); Greg Berlanti (Producer, Director); Haim Saban (Chairman & CEO, Saban Capital Group); Robbie Rogers (Athlete); Dana Goldberg (Chief Creative Officer of Skydance); Simon Callow (Actor); Tracy Ann Oberman (Actress); Lance Bass (Artist); David Burtka (Actor); John Benjamin Hickey (Actor); Rick Rosen (Co-Founder of Endeavor); Ben Silverman (Chairman & Co-CEO, Propagate Content); Melissa Rivers (Actress, TV Host); Paul Feig (Actor/Director); Michael Rotenberg (Partner, 3 Arts Entertainment); Eric Balfour (Actor); Rachel Riley (TV Host); Richard Benjamin (Actor/Director); Diane Warren (Songwriter); and Sherry Lansing (Former CEO of Paramount Pictures) amongst many others. 

The letter’s signatories believe strongly in the power of film to bring people together, transcend boundaries, broaden awareness, and affect positive societal change. They also call on their friends and colleagues to join in expressing support for a successful TLVFest 2021.

“We stand united with all the participating filmmakers against the divisive rhetoric espoused by boycott activists who seek to misinform, bully and intimidate artists into removing their films from the festival or shame them for participating in the festival,” the letter continues.

“Anti-Israel boycott activists intentionally use inflammatory language and make provocative statements, to try and bully filmmakers into backing out. Their messages intentionally involve an element of dishonesty and misinformation that only furthers hostility and dampens hope for peace, which all of us so urgently desire,” stated Ari Ingel, Director of Creative Community for Peace. 

Ingel added that “support of the boycott movement is also counterproductive and instead of amplifying the voices of coexistence trying to effect real change on the ground, those who support the calls for a boycott are only creating more hostility and division.”

Creative Community for Peace aims to promote the arts and culture as a means to peace and to counter and educate the entertainment industry about rising antisemitism. To learn more about their work, visit www.creativecommunityforpeace.com.

OPEN LETTER

We, the undersigned, believe that artistic freedom and creative expression are critical to a healthy, diverse, and inclusive society.
 
Films have the power to bring people together, transcend boundaries, broaden awareness, and affect positive societal change. 
 
In Israel, movies have the unique power to bring together Jews, Arabs, and people of all races, ethnicities, 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 annual Tel Aviv International LGBTQ Film Festival (TLVFest) embodies this spirit of unity and truth, featuring films from filmmakers of all backgrounds, including Palestinians.
 
For this reason, we reject any attempt to boycott TLVFest – Israel’s largest LGBTQ Film Festival — which works to showcase the stories of LGBTQ people globally and create a brighter future for LGBTQ people both inside Israel and around the world.  
 
We stand united with all the participating filmmakers against the divisive rhetoric espoused by boycott activists who seek to misinform, bully and intimidate artists into removing their films from the festival or shame them for participating in the festival.
 
We believe that anyone who works to subvert TLVFest merely adds yet another roadblock to freedom, justice, equality, and peace that we all desperately desire, especially for the LGBTQ community that is persecuted throughout the Middle East and around the world. 
 
Artists should never be silenced, and art should not be subverted for political goals.
 
We call on our friends and colleagues worldwide to join us in expressing their support for a successful and exciting TLVFest 2021.

SIGNATORIES 

Aaron Bay-Schuck: CEO/Co-Chairman Warner Records

Jason Adelman: Vice President, Brand Innovators

Orly Adelson: Producer, Orly Adelson Productions

Marty Adelstein: CEO, Tomorrow Studios

Michael Adler: Partner of Lichter, Grossman, Nichols, Adler, Feldman & Clark Inc.

Javier Adrados: Music Journalist

Dan Aloni: Partner, Motion Pictures, William Morris Endeavor

Nate Auerbach: Partner, Versus Creative

Michael Auerbach: Partner at Jackoway Tyerman Wertheimer Austen Mandelbaum Morris & Klein

Eric Balfour: Actor

Craig Balsam: Co-Founder, Razor & Tie Entertainment

Eve Barlow: Music/Culture Journalist

Jonathan Baruch: Partner, Rain Management Group

Richard Baskind: Partner & Head of Music, Simons Muirhead & Burton

Lance Bass: Artist, Entrepreneur

Miles Beard: Senior Vice President, A&R at Artist Partner Group, Inc.

Jonathan Beckerman: Agent, United Talent Agency

Pablo Bendersky: Producer/Artist

Jacob Benbunan: CEO, Saffon Brand Consultants

Aton Ben-Horin: Global Vice President of A&R for Warner Music Group

Richard Benjamin: Actor/Director

Steven Bensusan: President, Blue Note Entertainment Group

Shelly Berger: Music Manager

Adam Berkowitz: Founder and President, Lenore Entertainment Group

Greg Berlanti: Producer, Director

Sara Berman: Artist

Luc Bernard: Director, Voices of the Forgotten

Mayim Bialik: Actress

Sharon Bialy: Casting Director

Josh Binder: Partner, Rotherberg, Mohr, and Binder LLP

Neil Blair: Partner, The Blair Partnership

Evan Bogart: Songwriter & Co-Founder of Boardwalk Entertainment Group

Howard Bragman: Publicist

Josh Brill: Writer, Producer

A.J. Buckley: Actor

David Burtka: Actor/Chef

David Byrnes: Partner, Ziffren, Brittenham, LLP

Sir Colin Callender CBE: Producer and CEO, Playground Entertainment

Simon Callow: Actor, Director

Nick Carter: Artist

Markell Casey: Senior Director A&R, Sony Music Australia

Brian Celler: Bravo Charlie Management 

Pamela Charbit: A&R Manager, Atlantic Records

Emmanuelle Chriqui: Actress, Activist

Erran Baron Cohen: Composer

Paul Colichman: Chief Executive Officer at Here Media, Inc.

Victoria S. Cook: Partner, Frankfurt Kurmit Klein & Selz

Leanne Coronel: President, The Coronel Group

Raye Cosbert: Managing Director, Metropolis Music

Ian Daly: Head of Brand Strategy, Live Nation

Greg Daniels: Writer and Producer

Yuval David: Actor, Host, Filmmaker, and Advocate

Josh Deutsch: Chairman/CEO, Premier Music Group

Jenna Dewan: Actress

Avi Diamond: Director, Film & Licensing Warner Chappell Music

Kosha Dillz: Artist

Craig Dorfman: President and Owner, Frontline MGMT 

David Draiman: Artist, Frontman of Disturbed

Doug Ellin: Screenwriter, Director

Stephan Elliott: Director

Craig Emanuel: Partner, Paul Hastings LLC

Ron Fair: Record Producer & CEO, Faircraft Inc.

Sharon Farber: Composer

Daniel Federman: Owner, Maccabi Tel Aviv

Eric Feig: Founder, Eric Feig Entertainment & Media Law Inc.

Paul Feig: Actor, Director, Producer

Ryan Feldman: Agent, William Morris Endeavor

Patti Felker: Partner, Felker Toczek Gelman Suddleson

Jacob Fenton: Partner, United Talent Agency

Ken Fermaglich: Partner, United Talent Agency

Rodney Ferrell: EVP, Head of Scripted, Propagate

Greg Fleishman: Co-Founder & CEO, Foodstirs

Josh Fluxgold: President, One Way MGMT

Erica Forster: VP of Music Partnerships, DanceOn

Gary Foster: Principal at Krasnoff Foster Productions

Jordan Frazes: Founder, Frazes Creative

Ben Freeman: Educator and Writer

Sonia Friedman OBE: Theatre Producer

Stephen Fry: Actor

Siri Garber: President, Platform Public Relations

David Gardner: President, Artists First

Nancy Gates: Partner, United Talent Agency

Andrew Genger: Manager, Red Light Management

Gary Gersh: President of Global Talent, AEG

Gary Ginsberg: Former Senior VP, SoftBank Group Corp.

Daniel Glass: President and Founder, Glassnote Records

Karen Glauber: President, HITS Magazine

David Glick: Founder & CEO, Edge Group

Elon Gold: Comedian

Dana Goldberg: Chief Creative Officer, Skydance

Iddo Goldberg: Actor

Michael Goldwasser: Producer & President/Co-Founder, Easy Star Records

Andrew Gould: EVP Music Publishing, Roc Nation

Trudy Green: Trudy Green Management/HK

Steve Greenberg: President, S-Curve Records

Scott Greenberg: Manager and Partner at LBI Entertainment

Paul Haas: Agent, Partner William Morris Endeavor

Sarah Halioua: Producer and Partner, Abracadabra Audiovisual

Alex Hai: Writer, Director

Neil Patrick Harris: Actor

Ronnie Harris: Partner, Harris & Trotter LLP

John Benjamin Hickey: Actor

Tom Holland: Author/Historian

Wes Hurley: Filmmaker/Writer

Erik Hyman: Partner, Paul Hastings

Richard “BournRich” Ingram: Artist, Creative Director

Neil Jacobson: Founder, Hallwood Media

Jonathan Jakubowicz: Writer and Director

Zach Katz: President, Raised In Space

Lee Kern: Screenwriter

Scott Kluge: President, Tremendous Entertainment

Amanda Kogan: Agent, The Gersh Agency

Rick Krim: Co-Founder, Worldwired Music

Mila Kunis: Actress

Gabz Landman

Sherry Lansing: Former CEO of Paramount Pictures

Joanie Leeds: Singer/Songwriter

Sam Leifer: Writer/Director

Teddy Leifer: Producer

Martin Lesak: Partner, United Talent Agency

Colin Lester OBE: Founder/Chairman, JEM Music Group

Alberto Levy: Artist, Technologist

David Levy: Partner, William Morris Endeavor Entertainment

David Levy: Former President of Turner/WarnerMedia, Founder of Back Nine Ventures

Jonathan Lipnicki: Actor

David Lonner: CEO, The David Lonner Co. 

Ben Maddahi: SVP A&R, Columbia Records

Imran Majid: Co-CEO, Island Records

Gabriel Mann: Composer/Producer 

Susan Markheim: Manager, Full Stop Mgt., The Azoff Company

Orly Marley: President, Tuff Gong Worldwide

Nancy Matalon: VP of A&R, Spirit Music Group

David Mazouz: Actor

AJ McLean: Artist

Doron Medalie: Composer

Helen Mirren DRE: Actress

Sebastian Moguilevsky: Managing Director, Warner Bros. Spain and Portugal

Max Mutchnick: Executive Producer

Guy Nattiv: Director

Leetal Nissenbaum: VP of Synchronization and Licensing, Ultra Records 

Lisa Nupoff: Manager, IMINMUSIC Management 

Tracy Ann Oberman: Actress

Sharon Osbourne: Television Personality, Manager

Mandi Perkins: Artist, Songwriter

Trevor Phillips OBE: Journalist and Commentator

Jonah Platt: Actor/Writer

Jeremy Piven: Actor, Comedian

Billy Porter: Actor

Mike Praw

Paula Prentiss: Actress

Zachary Quinto: Actor

Edgar Ramirez: Actor

Itay Reiss: Talent Manager

David Renzer: Former Chairman/CEO of Universal Music Publishing

Zak Resnick: Actor

Rachel Riley: TV Host

Melissa Rivers: Actress, TV Host

Lindy Robbins: Artist

Jaimison M. Roberts: Attorney

Hanna Rochelle: Founder & President, Lyric Culture

Robbie Rogers: Professional Soccer Player

Dan Rosen: President of Warner Music Australasia

Rick Rosen: Co-Founder, Endeavor

Howard Rosenman: Producer, Actor, Writer

Shep Rosenman: Partner, Katz Golden Roseman LLP

Phil Rosenthal: Writer, Producer          

Michael Rotenberg:  Partner, 3 Arts Entertainment

Autumn Rowe: Songwriter, Producer, DJ

Haim Saban: Chairman & CEO, Saban Capital Group

Jacqueline Saturn: President, Virgin Music

Ayelet Schiffman: SVP Head of Promotions, Island Records

Paul Schindler: Senior Chair of the New York Entertainment and Media Practice

Steve Schnur: President of Music, Electronic Arts

Jordan Schur: CEO & Chairman, Mimran Schur Pictures & Suretone Entertainment

Sam Schwartz: Partner, Gorfaine/Schwartz Agency

Camila Seta: Marketing & Content Strategy, Rogers & Cowan 

DJ White Shadow: Producer/Artist

Noah “Westside Gravy” Shufutinsky: Artist

Ben Silverman: Chairman and Co-Chief Executive Officer, Propagate Content

Gene Simmons: Artist, KISS

Ralph Simon: Chairman & CEO, Mobilium Global Limited

Marty Singer: Attorney, Lavely and Singer

Robert Singer: President, Dec. 3^rd Productions

Danielle Solzman: Film Critic, Solzy at the Movies

Jeff Sosnow: EVP A&R, Warner Music

Nancy Spielberg: Producer, Playmount Productions 

Donna Spievak: Director of Strategic Marketing, Interscope Records 

Justin Sternberg: Writer

Jonathan Steinsapir: Partner, Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump & Aldisert LLP

Gary Stiffelman: Founder, GSS Law

Lior Suchard: Master Mentalist

Aaron Symonds: Composer    

Traci Szymanski: President, Co-Star Entertainment

Alona Tal: Actress

Adam Taylor: President, APM Music

Noa Tishby: Actress, Producer

Fred Toczek: Partner, Felker Toczek Gelman Suddleson

Eric Tuchman: Writer, Producer

Jonathan Tucker: Actor

Ronli Tzour: VP Marketing & Manager, First Access Entertainment

Tehran Von Ghasri: Entertainer

Jeremy Vuernick: Executive VP of A&R, Capitol Records

Diane Warren: Songwriter, Producer

Joshua Washington: Artist, Producer

Tom Watson: Former Shadow Secretary of State for Culture

Jon Weinbach: President, Skydance Sports

Nola Weinstein: Global Head of Culture & Experiential, Twitter

Ron West: Co-founder and Partner, Thruline Entertainment

Evan Winiker: Managing Partner, Range Media

Jeffrey Winter: Executive Director, The Film Collaborative 

Shirin Yadegar: Journalist

Sharon Tal Yguado: Founder & CEO, Astrid Entertainment

Sebastian Zar Esq.: Sedlmayr & Associates

David Zedeck: Global Head of Music, United Talent Agency

 

** Note – The signers of this statement do so as individuals on their own behalf and not on behalf of their companies or organizations. All organizations and companies listed are for affiliation purposes only.

For Immediate Release – May 29, 2020

Creative Community for Peace’s statement regarding the incident in Minneapolis and this crisis facing the black community in America, which affects us all:

CREATIVE COMMUNITY FOR PEACE CONDEMNS THE BULLYING OF DEMI LOVATO

Los Angeles, CA (October 4, 2019) – Creative Community for Peace (CCFP) condemns the recent attack by boycott movement activists on Demi Lovato’s Instagram photos from her recent trip to Israel.

Along with members of her family, Ms. Lovato took a spiritual trip to Israel, like millions of people from all faiths and backgrounds do every year. Unfortunately, boycott activists hijacked her social media page after she posted photos from the trip for their own political gain.

She posted movingly about the time she spent at the holocaust museum, a disabled children’s center, and about being baptized in the Jordan River. There was nothing political about her trip, but rather this was a trip of learning, compassion, and self-discovery.

Yet in a calculated attack, boycott activists, trolls and bots immediately targeted her and her fans, in an attempt to turn her influential social media feed into their own bully pulpit.

Attacks like this against artists must end, and we echo Nick Cave’s words from last year when he stated: “The cultural boycott of Israel is cowardly and shameful. Israel is a real, vibrant, functioning democracy – yes, with Arab members of parliament – and so engaging with Israelis, who vote, may be more helpful than scaring off artists or shutting down means of engagement.”

Ms. Lovato is certainly not alone in being a celebrity who has recently traveled to Israel. Others, including Jennifer Lopez, Daddy Yankee, Deshaun Watson, Neil Patrick Harris, and Alex Rodriguez, have all spoken about the positive experience they have had on their recent trips to the country – whether to perform or visit.

We at CCFP encourage artists to travel to Israel and the region and experience it for themselves. Ms. Lovato has no reason to apologize for her visit to Israel, but rather should be embraced for her love of humanity.

About Creative Community for Peace:

Founded by entertainment industry executives, Creative Community for Peace (CCFP) is a non-profit organization comprised of prominent members of the entertainment industry who have come together to promote the arts as a means to peace, support artistic freedom, and counter the cultural boycott of Israel. CCFP is apolitical, and does not stand for any government official or party. Instead, CCFP believes in artists and their ability to affect lives and effect positive change.