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Ads make Jews of Beyonce and Leo Front Page Beyonce
Knowles is Jewish. So is Leonardo DiCaprio. Or
at least they're ready to go on-air and say they are, to help fight
anti-Semitism. Several
stars of the pop charts and the silver screen have agreed in principle
to film public service announcements denouncing worldwide anti-Semitism
and identifying with the Jewish people. MTV is donating studio time
for filming the ads, which are to appear in Europe, the US and even
Israel. The
"I am a Jew" ads are the latest idea from the New York-based
Foundation for Ethnic Understanding, which
works to promote cross-cultural dialogue. Rabbi Marc Schneier and Russell Simmons are the driving force behind the campaign, and the
president and chairman of the FFEU, respectively. Schneier, the author
of Shared Dreams: Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Jewish Community,
holds senior positions in national Jewish organizations, and has led
the foundation's efforts to improve ties between Jews and other minority
groups in America. Simmons,
the cofounder of the Def Jam record label, is widely regarded as the
man who, more than any other, pushed hip-hop music and culture into
the American mainstream. He runs booming entertainment and fashion enterprises
and uses his influence to promote numerous initiatives against poverty,
inner-city violence and racism. "The
man has such an abiding passion for black-Jewish relations," Schneier
said of Simmons. As
an entertainment mogul, he also has plenty of pull. Rumors
that Denzel Washington and Ricky Martin, Knowles, DiCaprio and other
big-name stars had expressed interest in the project have Entertainment
Tonight and VH-1 eager to cover the story, Simmons told The Jerusalem
Post on Thursday. And that was before he had a chance to talk to
Eminem. "The
impact that these personalities make, not only on the masses but specifically
on younger people, is huge," said Schneier. Simmons
is taking the campaign very seriously. "Anti-Semitism
is growing so quickly around the world... I want to do everything I
can to fight it," he said. "People
forget how quickly the world can change. I mean, it was only yesterday
that [Jewish] people were being put in ovens." Just
which celebs the ads feature will determine how effective the anti-Semitism
message is. So, while Simmons could call on Jewish rap legends the Beastie
Boys – "they're like my children, I raised them," he said
– he won't. This project is for gentiles only. "I
was talking with Russell about European anti-Semitism over a year ago,"
Schneier told the Post, "saying that we [Jews] can't fight
it alone. He got excited and told me, 'You're excused on this one.'
There are to be no Jews in this campaign – and believe me, some very,
very famous Jews have called to take part. They were turned down."
The
foundation is specifically seeking famous black, Latino and Asian artists
to drive home the message to those minority groups. The way it looks
now, the foundation will have to turn some stars away. "All
the people that I'm reaching out to recognize the need for this,"
Simmons said. And while not every celebrity will be able to make the
taping, six to eight weeks from now, "I don't think anyone is going
to say no," he said.
Copyright © 2005 The Foundation For Ethnic Understanding |
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