Jessica Seinfeld, wife of comedian Jerry Seinfeld, ignited social media discussions after donating $5,000 to a pro-Israel rally held at UCLA last Sunday. The rally served as a counterpoint to a Palestinian protest on campus.
Seinfeld encouraged her Instagram followers to donate to Charity for Israel, a group that aims to “celebrate Israel in the faces of those that call for our demise,” according to their fundraising page.
She stated her support for “more rallies like yesterday’s at UCLA” and called for donations “as proud American Jews.”
The donation, listed under Seinfeld’s name on the Charity for Israel’s GoFundMe page, reflects the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict’s reach into American social spheres.
The Palestinian protest stemmed from a movement across several major universities – including Columbia, Yale, NYU and Brown University – calling for an end to the Israeli military actions in Gaza, humanitarian aid access, and university divestment from Israel.
At Brown University, protesters and administrators have agreed to hold a vote on the matter.
Israel’s ongoing onslaught of Gaza has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, that killed more than 1,200 Israelis.
Jessica’s donation caused a social media storm. While some users were grateful, many criticised the couple’s stance on Palestinian rights.
One user called Jerry Seinfeld a “Zionist p****,” writing, “He was over in Israel high-fiving the IDF for their genocide of tens of thousands of innocent people.”
Courtesy: @Astraea_1974 on X
Others also highlighted allegations of rape against the comedian, alongside calling him a “Zionist.”
Courtesy: @cladius_jr on X
Referencing Jerry Seinfeld’s hit show, another user took a satirical approach, suggesting a new show title: “Zionists in Cars Getting Free Houses on Land Stolen from Palestinians.”
Courtesy: @kittykinishski on X
