ADL report finds systemic exclusion of Jewish, Israeli artists across US cultural institutions
Over 80% of respondents somewhat or strongly agreed that excluding Jews or their work from cultural spaces contributes to anti-Jewish hate, while 72% said the same about excluding Israelis.
A new report by the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) has revealed the pervasive exclusion and marginalization of Jewish and Israeli artists within the United States' cultural institutions. Titled "State of the Arts: Advancing Jewish Inclusion in Arts, Entertainment and Culture," the study investigates the practices of art museums, publishing sectors, and live performance venues, along with a companion examination of activist networks.
The research uncovered numerous instances of Jewish artists being canceled, blacklisted, and pushed out of American cultural life. ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt noted that while the situation was already known to be problematic, the extent of the issue had not been documented previously. According to the report, none of the 40 leading US art museums included Jewish identity in their Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) commitments.
Publishers have also been found to suppress Jewish and Israeli voices. The ADL's publishing sector report, "Missing Chapter: Suppression of Jewish Voices in Publishing," identified seven anti-Jewish trends that have emerged since October 7, 2023. These include the suppression of books with Jewish, Israeli, or Zionist characters, editorial pressure to remove Hebrew words, Israeli settings, and Jewish-sounding character names, and the targeting of authors through boycotts and review-bombing on platforms like Goodreads.
In the entertainment sector, Jewish, Israeli, and openly Zionist artists have faced harassment and cancellation. The "Dark Stage: Jewish and Israeli Performers Are Being Canceled, Harassed and Silenced" report cataloged 65 incidents across 41 US locations, detailing the hurdles faced by these performers. The findings reveal that venues often use safety rationales to exclude artists, leading to a culture of informal boycotts and quiet professional distancing.
Additionally, performers have faced mid-performance harassment and audience heckling, with comedian Judy Gold and singer-songwriter Regina Spektor being targeted during separate shows in 2026.
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