‘Footballing While Jewish’ and Other Crimes

By Seth Mandel

Monday, January 15, 2024

 

The aftermath of Oct. 7 has cured the Jewish community of any expectation of “solidarity,” but even by our new and extremely low standards, the fact that the world is retaliating against all things Jewish or Israeli ought to elicit a bit more outrage. It calls into question whether there really is such a concept as “the least someone can do” if we just expect everyone to do nothing.

 

Last week the International Ice Hockey Federation announced that Israel’s under-20 men’s team would be barred from its upcoming tournament in Bulgaria over “security concerns.” Meaning: The IIHF knows that Jews are targets and it does not have the desire to protect them or other players from potential attacks. All that cost, paperwork, you know how it is.

 

The NHL, North America’s pro league, had some concerns:  “As we understand it, the decision is intended to be temporary in nature and rests solely on the IIHF’s overriding concern for the safety and security of all of its stakeholders, including both the Israeli National Team and other participating teams. Importantly, we also have been assured that the decision is not intended to be a sanction against the Israeli Federation and will not affect the Israeli Federation’s status as a full member in good standing with the IIHF.”

 

Ah, well, in that case, gee, how wonderful. I mean, if it’s not intended to be a sanction, and banning the Jews is only temporary, we can all rest easy. Come March and April, Israel’s teams may very well be permitted to again play international hockey. We’ll see how it goes.

 

On Monday, Israeli-born soccer star Sagiv Jehezkel returned home to Israel to great fanfare. He had been playing for a Turkish professional team before he suddenly had to flee the country after scoring a goal. Usually that’s a good thing in soccer. But Jehezkel showed the camera that he’d written “100 days” with a Star of David on his wrist, to let the hostages know he hasn’t forgotten them. He was immediately arrested. Perhaps the Hamas-backing Turkish government might have arrested and deported him for his own safety? Surely Recep Erdogan deserves the same benefit of the doubt we clearly reserve for the International Ice Hockey Federation.

 

David Teeger wasn’t arrested or deported. But the under-19 captain of South Africa’s cricket team is no longer the captain. Cricket South Africa “has decided that David should be relieved of the captaincy for the tournament.” Why? Because he’s Jewish, and you know how people can be about the Jews: “We have been advised that protests related to the war in Gaza can be anticipated at the venues for the tournament. We have also been advised that they are likely to focus on … David Teeger.”

 

South Africa, you’ll note, is the country currently prosecuting Israel for genocide. Perhaps the country hasn’t come as far as some thought.

 

You’d be surprised how sensitive people can be about the possibility they or their family will accidentally see or hear a Jewish person. Last month the Telegraph reported that British Airways had decided to “pause” a plan to include the Jewish sitcom Hapless in its in-flight entertainment offerings just after Oct. 7. The airline didn’t want to “take sides.” The Telegraph had seen the internal messages confirming the airline’s decision.

 

The series they chose not to show is about a Jewish newspaper in London. I don’t know how to pretend this decision isn’t completely insane.

 

“Pause” is a word that comes up a lot these days in the post-Oct. 7 entertainment industry. Haaretz reports that “Netflix has hit the pause button on broadcasting several Israeli series. One of them is the action drama ‘Border Patrol,’ which it acquired in September following its premiere on the Hot cable TV channel. Another is the original Israeli comedy drama ‘Through Fire and Water,’ created by Hanan Savion and Guy Amir, which was scheduled to premiere on Netflix in early November but was postponed.” A third series was put on ice by Netflix shortly after.

 

Producers told Haaretz that European companies were more easily spooked by their association with Israel than American ones were. Some told Israeli producers, “we have to stop and wait for better days.”

 

Perhaps after some time has gone by, everyone will be more comfortable watching actors portray Jewish characters, or playing hockey or soccer or cricket with Jewish athletes. I don’t think we have much to worry about, though: No one seems particularly bothered by it all, at all.