Actress Gal Gadot, undoubtedly the biggest star Israeli star in Hollywood, addressed attendees at the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) “Never Is Now” conference on March 4, delivering a powerful message about confronting antisemitism and standing strong in Jewish identity.
“My name is Gal, and I am Jewish, and we have had enough of Jew hatred,” Gadot declared to the audience. “We will confront antisemitism. We will call it out, but we will never let it not only defeat us but define us because our love is stronger than their hate.”
A wake-up call
Gadot spoke candidly about how the Oct. 7 terrorist attacks by Hamas and the world’s reaction deeply shocked her, calling it a “wake-up call” for Jews everywhere.
“Never did I imagine that we would witness such a day of such death and destruction of Jews in our lifetime,” she said. “And never did I imagine that on the streets of the United States and different cities around the world, we would see people not condemning Hamas, but celebrating, justifying, and cheering on a massacre of Jews.”
The actress, who has long been vocal about her Israeli and Jewish identity, stressed that ignoring the rise in global antisemitism is no longer an option. “None of us can ignore the explosion of Jew hatred around the world anymore.”
Gal Gadot’s personal connection to Jewish resilience
Gadot shared a deeply personal connection to Jewish history, recounting her grandfather, Abraham Weiss, a survivor of the Holocaust. While he endured the horrors of Nazi persecution, his mother and brother were murdered in the gas chambers of Auschwitz.
Despite his suffering, Gadot said her grandfather always instilled a belief in hope and resilience. “You don’t win anything with anger and hate,” he told her.
The “Wonder Woman” actress emphasized the interconnectedness of Jews worldwide, stating that what happens to Jews in Israel affects those in New York, and vice versa. She also made a heartfelt plea for the release of all hostages still held by Hamas, stressing their ongoing suffering.
“Every minute for them is Hell,” she said. “…We need them home.”
Breaking her silence
For years, many who are anti-Israel have boycotted the actress’ projects because she previously served in the Israeli Defence Forces as a yoga instructor; “Wonder Woman” was not shown in multiple Middle Eastern countries over her Israeli background. However, despite the backlash, she had not been vocal over the anti-Israel hate that follow her projects.
Gadot acknowledged that, throughout her career, she avoided speaking on political matters, believing many people don’t want to hear actors’ opinions. However, in light of the attacks and subsequent reactions, she could no longer remain silent.
She also subtly criticized the lack of response from women’s rights organizations regarding the documented sexual violence against Jewish women on Oct. 7.
“We were all listening, hoping to hear support from our sisters around the world, and too often, we heard silence,” Gadot said. “We can’t wait any longer. We can’t hold our breath and pray or beg for support from people, groups, and communities that don’t want to be there for us. We need to be there for ourselves.”
Gal Gadot’s call to action for the Jewish community
Gadot urged every Jew to take action — whether through advocacy, learning Jewish history, joining a synagogue, or simply speaking out. She acknowledged that many professions, including Hollywood, have seen people feeling pressured to remain silent on antisemitism.
“I am proud to be Israeli and I am proud to be Jewish,” she stated. “But this is a time when many of us in the Jewish community have had to find our voice and confront the hatred against us — even if it’s extremely uncomfortable. That’s been the case for all of us in every walk of life, in every profession, including my own.”
Though not religious, Gadot said she found solace in attending a Los Angeles synagogue after the attacks, describing it as a source of comfort.
A Career Under Scrutiny for Her Jewish and Israeli Identity
Gadot’s international breakthrough came with her role in 2017’s “Wonder Woman,” where she played the iconic superhero. She later reprised the role in several DC films and starred alongside Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Ryan Reynolds in “Red Notice”.
She will next be seen as the Evil Queen in Disney’s live-action “Snow White,” set to premiere on March 21.
Despite her success, Gadot has faced intense criticism for her outspoken support of Israel, particularly after organizing a private screening in Los Angeles of raw footage from the Oct. 7 Hamas attack — a film shown to journalists worldwide but not released to the public. At the event, Jewish attendees were physically attacked outside the venue.
Gadot has long been a target of backlash for her Israeli identity, even before Oct. 7. After previously making statements about Israel-Palestinian violence, she was met with significant online harassment. However, the criticism intensified after she spoke out against Hamas following the attacks.
It was recently alleged that Gadot was told it was too controversial for her to wear a yellow pin for the hostages to January’s Golden Globe Awards; the Red Hand pin reportedly was still permitted.
Standing up when others remain silent
Gadot referenced the famous quote from Rabbi Hillel: “If I am not for myself, then who will be for me? And if I’m only for myself, what am I?”
Several speakers at the two-day ADL conference noted that only a small number of Jewish celebrities have publicly defended Israel or spoken out against rising antisemitism.
Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO and national director of the ADL, presented Gadot with the organization’s International Leadership Award, praising her for using her platform to speak out at a time when many others have chosen to remain silent.
“I can say from firsthand experience with so many celebrities that what sets Gal apart from so many of her peers is the way that she uses her global platform to educate, advocate, and lead with moral clarity and unabashed resolve,” Greenblatt said.
He emphasized that, in the wake of Oct. 7, “when so many took to the sidelines, she fearlessly and unapologetically stepped right onto the field.”
