Most people don’t learn about Jews from history books or Jewish friends, they learn from culture.
The stories we tell, the characters we celebrate, the identities we elevate or erase, and the narratives that dominate film, television, sports, comedy, music, publishing, and social media all shape how people understand the world—and the Jewish place within it.
This section explores the cultural forces influencing public perceptions of Jews, Israel, and Jewish identity. Some examples are obvious, others are subtle, but together, they reveal how culture can humanize, distort, include, exclude, educate, or mislead.
Culture is often dismissed as entertainment. In reality, it is one of the most powerful forces shaping what people believe, who they empathize with, and whose experiences they consider worthy of attention. In this section we include stories that reveal the current reality in the arts, publishing, sports, cultural events and festivals, and anything within the realm of cultural experience in Western societies.
To understand the current moment, it’s not enough to follow the news. You also have to understand the culture surrounding it.
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