ARTS AND CULTURE

Debra Messing

Actor

American Jewish actress Debra Messing – star of the hit NBC show “Will and Grace” -- struck a blow against antisemitism in 2021 when she rose to the defense of April Powers, a Black Jewish woman who lost her job after speaking out against antisemitism. “This cannot go unchallenged,” Messing wrote. “Condemning hate against Jews is NOT Islamophobic NOR Anti-Palestinian. If you think it is, you have a prejudice against Jews.” During the conflict between Israel and the Hamas terrorist organization in May, Powers -- chief equity and inclusion officer at the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) – had issued a statement condemning antisemitic violence towards Jews. A few days later, under pressure from the Palestinian lobby, the SCBWI issued an apology for the statement and Powers resigned from her job. (Photo: Wikimedia / Creative Commons License)