What Do You Think a Jew Looks Like

A new digital billboard went up last week in Times Square with faces of all kinds of Jews with the tagline, “What do you think a Jew looks like? See beyond the stereotypes.”

The rotating images on two panels include kids and adults of different backgrounds, colors and ages, from athletes to doctors to working moms.

It’s all part of a new campaign by the Orthodox Union to combat antisemitism. As Executive Vice President Rabbi Moshe Hauer explains, “Times Square billboards are a unique messaging medium. We will not be successful by sitting back. We have to come forward with our narrative, our story.”

He believes that in today’s climate, it’s essential to put a human face to the other, including Jews and non-Jews, religious and secular, and people on the left, right and center.

“Today’s divides are on every axis: racial, religious, political, social. There’s a demonization of the other rather than the humanization of the other,” says Hauer.

That’s where the OU’s #stopantisemitism campaign comes in. It comprises the digital billboard and social media platforms. Together, they challenge stereotypes as well as celebrate identity.

Opening Hearts and Minds

Hauer acknowledges that by itself, the flashy billboard in the middle of Manhattan will not win hearts and minds. Rather, he says, it will open hearts and minds. “It can just get people to stop and say, ‘One second, maybe there’s a different story here.’ That’s the role of a 30-second ad.”

The sister social media push reinforces the messaging. The OU encourages Jews from all backgrounds to share pictures of themselves, using the hashtag #IAmAJew. The intent is to showcase a variety of stories across the globe to weave a beautiful tapestry of individuals and the community at large.

Hauer notes the stories are as much to remind ourselves of that beauty as to remind others, in the face of the world’s harsh, unkind narratives about Jews.

The stakes are real. Since the Hamas massacre of Israeli civilians on Oct. 7, the Anti-Defamation League has recorded a dramatic increase in antisemitic incidents—by as much as 400 percent in the U.S. just in the first two weeks after the attacks.

Antisemitism largely springs from conspiracy theories, according to recent studies. Therefore, the OU has taken up the charge to debunk misconceptions. As Hauer declares, “It’s our responsibility to get our truth out, to tell our story.”

A Georgia Peach

Thousands of Times Square visitors can look up daily and see the view of everyday proud Jews from the rest of the world. They include Jodi Wittenberg, a colorful mother of three who co-owns The Spicy Peach kosher specialty grocer in Atlanta. She delights in making “good ole Southern food” kosher.

Jodi Wittenberg (Photo: Rachel Linkwald, Shayna Image, Interview: Alex Fleksher, Faces of Orthodoxy)

“Almost all of our products are trucked down from New York. The companies we work with get a kick out of us three women in the South who own a kosher store called The Spicy Peach. I like to think that our shop has Southern charm and personality – along with our signature hot pink grocery bags,” says Wittenberg, a dedicated community volunteer who helped her synagogue host more than 1,000 South Floridians for a week when Hurricane Irma struck in 2017.

“Of all the hosting I’ve done and meals I’ve served, 1000 people, three times a day definitely tops the list.”