Jews Don't Count

I've been harbouring this 'unconscious bias' even as a jew myself.

This has really struck a nerve. Matthew Waksman’s recent Campaign article "When it comes to social justice and inclusive marketing, Jews don’t count" impacted me like no other and has forced me to confront an uncomfortable reality.

I’m a business owner, a CEO and a mom. For me, the most important thing I can have achieved with my business, both personally and professionally, is to have created a safe, inclusive place for all of us to work in and to use the reach we have in the advertising industry to encourage this same sense of belonging in the world. We prioritise educating ourselves about bias, covering, microaggressions, allyship, the list goes on. We are constantly welcoming in speakers, embarking on training courses, issuing regular Culture Surveys to staff and deriving actions from their results. I often repeat the pledge that “ I will stop at nothing… (to ensure the above.)’ to our team.

Yet Matthew’s article, which explores why Jewishness is invisible in advertising and media, made me realize I have been actively ignoring this group, too. As I read it, I have to admit, I tried to justify not engaging with it, saving that for more deserving groups; groups that are bigger and have it harder. I now realize I am harboring the ‘unconscious bias’ he refers to as “the age-old racist stereotype of ‘powerful Jews’” - even as a Jew myself. A Cohen, no less, which literally means ‘priest’. It’s the highest, holiest name in the Jewish faith. All Cohen’s are meant to uphold specific, additional traditions and represent the model Jew.

In breaking down my own bias, I can see that I carry shame around the stereotype of Jewish families enjoying large amounts of power and wealth. “The Jews own the world” is something we hear that I don’t like being associated with. Also, some Jewish communities can seem quite exclusive. It’s hard, even impossible, to break in. I see that this can present an unfavourable and elitist view of the Jewish people that I don’t feel akin to. So I lay low, I blend in comfortably, and relatively easily, with the non-jewish world. When the odd person recognises that I must be Jewish by my surname, my automatic response is: “It’s funny, because we’re not even religious”; “I’m the worst Cohen there is!”; “I’m a bad Jew.”  

So much covering. Maybe that’s understandable when you consider that covering is, in large part, responsible for the survival of the Jewish population in the first place. I grew up in America and I know for certain that without some pretty expert covering and brave allyship throughout WWII, where my grandfather fought, I definitely wouldn’t be here. 

This same bias I have contributed to is part of the reason there is so little, if any, representation of Jews in advertising and marketing. My kids will not grow up seeing dinner scenes in TV ads showing a meal that looks like ours on a Friday night. They think of it as something people generally don’t know much about and that’s just the way it is. You can’t even buy Hanukkah candles or wrapping paper in Tesco. Thirteen and fourteen year olds traditionally have Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, the Jewish coming of age ritual. These include elaborate ceremonies followed by often big celebrations which are a focal point for a Jewish family for a whole year. Of all the montages we create for brands who want to depict diverse communities big and small, these are missing.

Meanwhile, with police recorded hate crimes of all kinds on the rise all around us, those involving anti- Semitism are, indeed, present. These have reached their highest recorded level ever in London last summer. Just two weeks ago, Jewish teens were spat at by a group of men on Oxford Street in an anti-Semitic hate crime. But if you haven’t heard about this, it’s no surprise. Matthew explains: ‘It wasn't a trending hashtag, and it certainly wasn't responded to with an anti-hate or anti-racism campaign by any of the brands or influencers that usually take a stand when it comes to social issues. In the realm of inclusive marketing and social justice marketing, to use David Baddiel's words, Jews don't count.’’.

So, now I have to hold myself to account. What am I doing to represent Jewish people like me? 

I guess I thought I was making a sacrificial, good choice by never putting attention on this issue. I was succumbing to what some would call unconscious bias. But even that idea sits uncomfortably with me.

John Amaechi, Psychologist, former NBA basketball player and best selling author of The Promises of Giants, has an interesting view of unconscious bias. He says it has become “a get out of jail free’ card for too many.” Bias is real, he says, but there is nothing unconscious about it.  

We even have a “Packed Lunch Speaker Series'' in the agency where we invite speakers to talk about all kinds of underrepresented groups. This year we’ve had excellent talks and discussions around transgender, neurodiversity, and representation of muslims in modern media. Why not representations of jews?

I have no choice but to consciously re-examine my approach to advocating for under-represented groups. Thanks to Matthew’s searing, thought provoking article, I will no longer be staying silent.