American Jewish comedian Jerry Seinfeld in Israel to promote new movie

i guess this means he's against occupation, i mean he's wealthy and famous and if he was a zionist, he'd go there like more often for publicity reasons, right?

Forget politics, in Syria there was a lot of Jews and till now we remember our jew neighbours and wish they come back to stay or just visit someday. They were loved in Damascus from the people of Damascus coz they're part of it. We hold respect to them whenever we remember our neighbour Mosheh or his father yousef or his bro tawfik or the nice store owner Zaki and his son, not only us but lot of people who knew them and screw politics and media and extremists. we have nothing against Jews. I'm so proud today to know that Jerry Seinfeld's mom has Syrian Origin. Not arab not syrian but we love him and just knowing even one person of his family has Syrian Jew origin is a great honor to us. Hate war, hate politics, hate violence in name of religions, we want peace with you.

His mother or father's family are Syrian Jews. Just because the inhabitants of Mexico adopted the Spanish language when the colonizers came, that doesn't render them "Spaniards" necessarily. The Jews of the Arab world may speak Arabic today, but they also hold a Jewish Aramaic and Hebrew identity that supercedes the new "Arab" one which they were only linguistically a part of.

Jerry's a typical low life. He comes to Israel only to promote his b movie.( well named) I recall Billy Rose, who gave beyond measure to Israel. That was a real mensch, this is a cheap movie promoter. Good grief, he has enogh $$ way not spread some around? I haven't heard of any 'contributions' to any one from him. Not an American charity, not an Israeli charity. What a putz! I hope the $$ gives him hives. He is an embarassment to Jews everywhere. Hey! Jerry, give a few bux to the poorer Jews who need it for crying out loud. Become a real man and give. p.s. he's as funny as a dead baby.

a comic is judged by the laughs he gets. Jerry is a self serving man with self interest only. That's cool but, he aint no Jack Benny, and as a comic, he aint no Robin Williams. BTW, Robin does the best yiddish accent I've heard in ages. I'm glad others like him as for me, he's a huge bore, a show about nothing is right on.

See, for example, the party scene in "Manhattan" and the discussion of Skokie. Or his "Anything Else." Certainly his character wrestles with conversion in "Hannah and Her Sisters"--and balks at the white bread and the mayo. Not only is he proudly Jewish, for a while he was even an icon, sort of Steve Guttenberg w/ glasses. Married Jewish first time, regrettably married out second time, but many are able to compartmentalize. Nor have I heard of him saying anything about Israel. Some of his comedy pokes fun at Jewish culture--as does Jackie Mason's, whom #8 sees as pro-Jewish. He's a badchan. Might as well call Upton Sinclair anti-American. Recalls that rumor about Danny Kaye's marriage. The innuendo that Allen's anti-Jewish itself is anti-Jewish.

are the best comedy team in years. "Curb your enthousiasm" is a great follow on to the Jerry Seinfeld show. Their Bon Mot have come into daily speech, the soup Nazi. not that there is a nyhing wrong with it, etc. etc.

Nice to see that someone at his level of fame is not "scared" to promote in Israel. He could have easily avoided coming here.

I read something online that says Jerry's family was originally from Syria. I had always presumed his name meant his family was from Europe. Does this make Jerry Arab?

Seinfeld originated from Brooklyn from a Syrian Jewish MAMA,and Ashkenazi Father. Syrian Jews are known to be big supporters of Israel. I know, I live amonf them.

Not only did Jerry Marry a Jewish woman. On the tonight show with Jay Leno.. he stated how thankful he was that his first born would be Jewish. This was when Jay asked if he wanted a boy or girl. He said as long as it is healthy and Jewish. Give Jerry a little credit.

Your previous post did not mention institutionalized anti-semitism, and in that respect you are correct. But anti-semitic attitudes are rampant. When you mention France (where I was born, grewup and all of my family lives) there were more thanthe 2 deaths you mention. And if you consider beatings in the streets or schools and fire bombings of synagogues and schools non violent, you are still deluding yourself.(and I am not even mentioning the desecration of cemeteries)

Re: Why doesn't he contribute? BECAUSE HE'S NOT ISRAELI!!!

I don't think he really cares what any of you think. He is successful in everything he does and I think he is brilliant.....I think his forte is standup comedy, he is very funny doing standup! He is a real natural.

He's worth $400 million. You'd think he'd open up his wallet and contribute or set up a foundation in the country or something!!! Come on, Seinfeld!!!

Obviously antisemitism exists throughout the world. Discriminatory attitudes towards race, religion, etc. are real, but they are not institutionalized. To gauge antisemitism in the West, it's always good to look at statistics provided by governments that are presumed to be accurate. Consider France, which has the worlds 3rd largest Jewish population (600,000) and a sizable Arab/Muslim population. According to the US State Dept's annual International Religious Freedom Report (link below), there have been two antisemitic related deaths in the last 12 years. The most recent incident was the murder of Ilan Halimi, a Jew from Paris. His memorial was attended by leaders from the Catholic, Muslim, and Jewish communities, and the French President and Interior Minister at the time, M. Sarkozy. Sarkozy called his death "a stain on the French flag." Between 1979-1992, France experienced an average of 121 incidents a year, mostly nonviolent. http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2006/71380.htm

As a comedian myself, I have to beg to differ with you #5. Comedy is subjective and Jerry Seinfeld is, in fact, quite brilliant in his craft. You can look at comedy as a science, and as a scientist of comedy, Jerry Seinfeld has picked the untold secrets that one thinks, but would never voice, as they are usually fleeting thoughts, which the human brain forgets quite easily. That is why his show was considered a show about nothing. I don't always find him funny either, but as an artist, I respect his work. He is brilliant, which is why he makes the big bucks...I think the proof is in the pudding so to speak.

He and the other characters in his show can be identified with by the whole world population, regardless of religion and ethnicity. It's bad though if you have to identify with George.

Apropos of chasing phantoms, it is interesting that for all the years that Seinfeld has been high in the public attention here in America, I have NEVER heard of read anyone refer to him as a Jewish comedian. To us he is just a comedian. I think some people are so fixated on antisemitism that they generate it themselves when it doesn't exist in reality.

In the US I do not disagree with you. But the US are not the entire western world, and Europe is a totally different story. Note that the post I responded to was from Great Britain where antisemitism is latent at best.

I am with you. Clap, clap jerry. Good choce in the jewelry. Not my favorite comedian. Not my favorite spokesman. Definitely cartoonish in character, but still, loveably a jew with a jewish wife and he quite deftly appropriated a full jewish lineage. Clap, clap jerry. I still wish you sent more money to lift those jews of russia from their abysmal state.

I'm not such a fan but at least Jerry married within the tribe and has Jewish children. This is admirable especially in an industry where over 90% of Jewish men marry shiksas. Good for Jerry!

While some level of antisemitism exists everywhere, at least in the US it's rare. I wouldn't have a clue if my friends at work and the neighborhood are Jewish, Catholic, or whatever. In the sixties, I attended a Catholic high school which was considered the best school around. It was c. thirty percent Jewish. There was no antisemitism at all. The enemies which united all of us students were the teachers.

I agree with you. This is typical of haaretz to pump up non-events.

RE:anti-Semites are extremely rare in the western world, you should know this. If you believe that, you are truly deluding yourself. Though I do not disagree with the rest of your reply on Seinfeld.

Anti-Semites are extremely rare in the western world? In what alternate universe do you reside?

As a Jew, I am offended by the fact that my people all seem to love this most unfunny of comedians. All the real laughs in "his" series came from Larry David.

What is the big deal. He is just a comedian....

Shimon your job as President is to meet with international celebrities. It is a ceremonial post, so be quiet about your own ideas about peace, considering no one ever elected you as PM, which should tell you some things, yes? Think about it anyhow, would you rather chat with Abbas or Sharon Stone?

when you look at the long list of Holywood Jews. I can't think of one who has enough guts to stick their head above the paprapet and come out and openly support Israel. They probably have a moment of madness and think they must show some support but their agents quickly knock the idea on the head. " Think of the consequences". Is the first response from the agent. They always do. The most avid Zaionist that I have ever heard in a TV interview was Burt Lancaster and he was not Jewish .

Seinfeld is an excellent showman, but a comedian he is not. His supporting cast--Elaine, George, Kramer, and others--are what made his show. Seinfeld was an excellent straight man for that bunch of kooks, but those nuts were far funnier than Jerry.

he is a reasonably identified jew (actually visited israel previously unlike most in the U.S.). He has a positive attitude towards israel and being a jew though i don't think its what he worries about most of the time. in constrast woody allan is a self hating jew and only opens his mouth to say bad things about israel and jews. of course, seinfeld is not on the level of jackie mason who is very pro-israel and pro-jewish.

Anyone know of jerry's monetary contributions to Israel and the causes of Israel? I seem to remember him pretty tightfisted.

seinfeld,i give you a subject for your first funny movie:Israel and the Annapolis peace conference with olmert,Livni,Barak,Lieberman,Sharansky etc directed by george bush.

Larry David is funny, he wrote everything that was good about that show, despite how unfunny Seinfeld was and is...his movie is a flop...bees are not funny.

Politics is the last thing on his mind.

The axis of evil (the US sit-"com" mafia) at work again.

So Mr. Seinfeld goes to Israel on a promotion tour, and this has to do with "left wing anti semite loonies" how? The chances of boycotts over Mr. Seinfeld visiting Israel are absolutely non-existent. Stop chasing phantoms Don, anti-Semites are extremely rare in the western world, you should know this.

come out with a strong support of israel and don't be worried about boycotts and and the left wing anti-semite loonies.