Rabbi Steve Leder, who served as a technical advisor on Netflix’s “Nobody Wants This,” openly criticized Adam Brody on Tuesday. Brody, known for his role in the series, recently described Israel’s actions in Gaza as “genocide.”
In a video posted on Instagram, Rabbi Leder addressed Brody directly, saying, “Hi Adam, you might not remember me. My name is Rabbi Steve Leder, and I was the technical advisor for Season 1 of ‘Nobody Wants This.'” He emphasized his role in ensuring the depiction of Judaism in the series was authentic.
Leder condemned Brody’s statements, calling them “ignorant” and saying the actor had trivialized the situation in Gaza. “Your pronouncement the other day about a ‘genocide in Gaza’ was truly shocking,” Leder stated. He argued that Brody misused the term “genocide” and criticized the lack of acknowledgment of actual genocides occurring elsewhere.
“You, by your own admission, are a relatively ignorant Jew, and your ignorance really showed the other day,” Leder commented. He advised Brody to understand the meaning of “genocide” before using such a serious term. “Being so flippant about a word like ‘genocide’ — is disgusting,” Leder added.
Brody, who plays a rabbi in the series, had expressed in a GQ magazine interview, “Put me down as thinking it’s a genocide. Put me down as wanting a free Palestine.” He voiced hope for policy changes to improve the situation.
When contacted, Brody’s representatives did not immediately comment. Rabbi Yaakov Menken from the Coalition for Jewish Values also criticized Brody’s comments. “One of the hallmarks of antisemitism is to irrationally regard Jews as a threat,” Menken explained, highlighting the danger of calling efforts to free hostages “genocide.”
Additionally, the Israeli-American Council expressed their “revulsion.” They remarked on the potential violence incited by such false statements. They referenced a recent attempted terrorist attack on a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, pointing out the constant threats faced by Israelis and Jews.
Lindsay Kornick, an associate editor at Fox News Digital, contributed to this report. For more information, she can be contacted at [email protected] or on Twitter @lmkornick.