The 10 Fiercest Celebrity Responses To Family Separation
There’s a Torah quote for every occasion.
These days we’re taking a look at Leviticus 19. The Book of Leviticus is notorious for its humorless list of instructions from God, but every so often it says something wonderfully radical. Jewish celebrities have been taking the instructions of Leviticus 19: 33-34 to heart. Here are their biblical commentaries on Torah, the zero-tolerance family separation policy, and Twitter.
Henry Winkler, the Jewish conscience here on earth, got right to business:
ON this FATHER’S DAY i just cant stop thinking about the children we have locked up , who cant get a hug , who wonder where is my mom , my dad
AND ALL IN THE NAME OF THE BIBLE ..GOD bless us all— Henry Winkler (@hwinkler4real) June 17, 2018
Sarah Silverman loves America and she loves to tell us the truth:
This is us https://t.co/bYUEx3x3zQ
— Sarah Silverman (@SarahKSilverman) June 15, 2018
Josh Groban pleads for reason in unreasonable times:
Anyone tweeting me “but their parents…” shhh. Stop. Nope. We don’t do this to children and families. I don’t care the circumstances I really don’t and neither should you. We figure it out. But we don’t do this. 10,000. This is a disgrace. https://t.co/yVHdXeTquJ
— josh groban (@joshgroban) June 17, 2018
Jewish comedy-Twitter used Ivanka Trump as a comedy foil:
Who wore it better: Children detained in McAllen, Texas or Ivanka Trump pic.twitter.com/atifVrteeY
— Orli Matlow (@HireMeImFunny) June 18, 2018
Debra Messing went straight to the top (she invoked Mr. Rogers):
The preciousness of children is on my mind. It is the 50th Anniversary of Mister Roger’s Neighbor hood, a jewel in the history of television. Watch Fred Rogers testify before the Senate Subcommittee on Com… https://t.co/QTrL4lwjO4 via @YouTube
— Debra Messing (@DebraMessing) June 17, 2018
Rob Reiner didn’t mince words:
Ripping children away from their parents is fascism. Embracing white nationalism throughout the world is fascism. Trying to destroy the free press and the rule of law is fascism. America, keep your eyes wide open. Donald Trump is wearing his racist fascist badge with pride.
— Rob Reiner (@robreiner) June 17, 2018
A Jewish Twitter-Queen noticed some hypocrisy:
The people who lost their shit when Michelle Obama said that kids should eat vegetables are totally cool with Trump putting kids in concentration camps.
— OhNoSheTwitnt ? (@OhNoSheTwitnt) June 14, 2018
Andi Zeisler of Bitch Magazine reminded us of our roots:
Reminder that Stephen Miller’s mother’s family immigrated to the United States to seek asylum from the pogroms in Russia https://t.co/WCH2ye5CRR
— andi zeisler (@andizeisler) June 17, 2018
Michael Ian Black sympathized:
I honestly can’t imagine the rage and helplessness and terror I would feel if somebody took my kids.
— Michael Ian Black (@michaelianblack) June 16, 2018
And Esther Povitsky of “Crazy Ex Girlfriend” found lessons in history:
holocaust museum relevant as hell pic.twitter.com/eoXc0UBNau
— Esther Povitsky (@littleesther) June 15, 2018
Jenny Singer is the deputy Lifestyle editor for the Forward. You can reach her at [email protected] or on Twitter @jeanvaljenny
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning journalism this Passover.
In this age of misinformation, our work is needed like never before. We report on the news that matters most to American Jews, driven by truth, not ideology.
At a time when newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall. That means for the first time in our 126-year history, Forward journalism is free to everyone, everywhere. With an ongoing war, rising antisemitism, and a flood of disinformation that may affect the upcoming election, we believe that free and open access to Jewish journalism is imperative.
Readers like you make it all possible. Right now, we’re in the middle of our Passover Pledge Drive and we still need 300 people to step up and make a gift to sustain our trustworthy, independent journalism.
Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
Join our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
Only 300 more gifts needed by April 30