Rights10/1/2026

Anti-Defamation League Study Claimed Jews and Israelis Were Being Excluded From U.S. Culture

The Anti-Defamation League presented a research initiative examining the situation of Jewish and Israeli cultural figures in the United States. The study’s authors report the suppression of Jewish identity in museums, pressure in the publishing industry, blacklists and canceled performances, even though a survey shows that most Americans support their participation.

Key facts

•Publication: October 1, 2026
•40 art museums in the United States were examined
•12 museums received the lowest rating
•More than 30 interviews were conducted in the publishing industry
•65 incidents were documented at 41 locations
•951 adult residents of the United States participated in the survey

What the Anti-Defamation League Studied

The initiative, “The State of the Arts: Advancing Jewish Inclusion in Arts, Entertainment, and Culture,” examines museums, publishing and the live performance industry. This is a study of public and institutional practices, not a court ruling or a new law. The material presented did not specify legal proceedings, parties to proceedings or legally binding provisions.

Findings on Museums and Publishing

In the museum portion of the study, 15 external experts evaluated 40 leading art museums in the United States. Twelve institutions received the lowest rating, and only the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive received the highest rating; according to the Anti-Defamation League, none of the 40 museums included Jewish identity in its diversity, equity and inclusion commitments. The report on the publishing industry, based on more than 30 in-depth interviews, describes pressure to remove Jewish motifs and Hebrew words, calls for boycotts, refusals of representation and the publication of negative reviews even before the books were released.

Cancellations and Protests

The report on live performances documented 65 incidents at 41 locations in the United States. Among the cases mentioned were protests against performances by Matisyahu, the Batsheva Ensemble and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as the cancellation of events featuring Micah Power and Raviv Kaner due to general concerns about protests. Singer Noga Erez reported losing performances abroad because she is Israeli; disruptions to performances by Judy Gold and Regina Spektor were also described.

Public Opinion and the Anti-Defamation League’s Call

An accompanying survey covered 951 adult residents of the United States and, according to the Anti-Defamation League, showed that most respondents support the participation of Jewish and Israeli creators and artists in galleries, literature and on stage. The organization believes that the exclusion is not related to audience demand, but rather to pressure from activists and institutions’ unwillingness to take risks. The Anti-Defamation League called on cultural and publishing organizations to address antisemitism explicitly in their diversity, equity and inclusion policies and to oppose exclusion campaigns.

What this means for you

The material draws attention to possible discrimination based on Jewish or Israeli identity in the U.S. cultural sector and to the gap between institutional decisions and public opinion. It does not determine that the law was violated in specific cases and does not report court rulings; therefore, by itself, it does not change the rights of Israeli residents or the applicable legal norms.

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