David Schwimmer Urges Jewish Celebrities to End Their Silence on Antisemitism: “Stand Up”

David Schwimmer on Tuesday called on his fellow Jewish members of Hollywood to stand up against antisemitism.

“Plenty of people I respect, even some of my heroes in entertainment, music and sports, have chosen to keep a low profile and sit this one out,” the Friends alum told the audience at the Anti-Defamation League’s annual Never Is Now antisemitism conference in New York. “So many have chosen not to say anything publicly at all. And if I can say something directly to them: I really wish you would.”

Schwimmer’s call to action was met with cheers from the crowd, and he continued over the noise: “I wish you would stand up. I wish you would speak out, because your voice would be so meaningful to your fans who love you, to your community members who need you, to folks who can use just a little solidarity right now.” (You can watch the full address below.)

The remarks come as many Hollywood celebrities have chosen to stay silent in the face of rising antisemitism. Schwimmer, though, has been vocal on the subject, previously asking Elon Musk to ban Kanye West from X (formerly Twitter) over his antisemitic tirades and actions.

“My career has given me an incredible platform, a chance to talk about the issues that matter to me, and on a good day, a chance to be heard over the noise that drowns too many people out,” Schwimmer said. “I believe with that privilege comes a responsibility to use my voice in moments like this, at a time of danger, bigotry and violence.”

Schwimmer went on to acknowledge that “speaking out often comes at a cost” and that “like so many others, I’ve been attacked and threatened by people I’ve never met. I’ve been abandoned by people I thought were friends and by organizations I thought were allies, but I’ve also found amazing moments of meaning and solidarity.”

His comments were followed several minutes later from a speech by Gal Gadot, who gave an impassioned plea to vocalize Jewish identity and push aside any fears she says have become far too common.

“Isn’t it crazy that just saying that [I’m Jewish], just expressing such a simple fact about who I am, feels like a controversial statement?” she told the audience of several thousand upon receiving the ADL’s International Leadership Award. (Never Is Now was hosted this year by the activists and influencers Hen Mazzig and Montana Tucker and ran March 3 and 4; at the conference Mazzig announced the new Web series And They’re Jewish, focused on the lives of Jewish personalities. )

Some of Schwimmer’s most powerful comments came when he referenced Elie Wiesel’s quote that “the opposite of love is not hate, it’s indifference.” Said the actor: “What is indifference? It’s inaction. It’s silence. Sometimes in moments of danger, it could feel like our only option is to stay quiet, to avoid drawing attention to ourselves, to hide. But here’s the truth: Now is not the time to disappear. Now is the time to show up, to reach out, to connect with one another, to find strength in our community and to raise up our voices together. Why don’t we do that?”