(Courtesy of JewBelong) JewBelong.com, known for their witty humor and thought-provoking advertising campaigns, was created to welcome and inspire Jewish people (and those who love them) who find themselves disengaged from Judaism, whether they drifted away from the religion, or simply never got much of a Jewish education. Especially now, in a time when diversity and inclusion are on the tip of everyone’s tongue, JewBelong is proud that its name has included the word belong since their inception. New Jersey native Archie Gottesman and the team at JewBelong balance tradition with inclusion by highlighting the love and values at the core of the religion.
However, with antisemitism on the rise throughout the U.S. and around the world, and the overwhelming amount of hate and misinformation, particularly on social media, JewBelong is now working to combat antisemitism, too. With this in mind, JewBelong has launched a new campaign: JewBelong or Jew BeGone. This awareness campaign starts with 750 somewhat tongue-in-cheek digital ads running across Manhattan that say, “Here’s an idea: Let’s ask everyone who’s wondering if antisemitism is real to wear a yarmulke for a week and then report back.”
The campaign, which just had a soft launch, broke officially June 2 and 3, and will run through at least July, beginning with LINK digital ads, and then adding billboards and print posters in high-traffic locations, such as PATH Trains and Times Square. The objective of JewBelong or JewBeGone is to elevate awareness about the rampant recent antisemitism and to encourage dialogue, support, and community awareness. Here is the first ad:
As part of the battle against antisemitism, JewBelong also announced the Jewish Partisan Prize to recognize influencers who are standing up against antisemitism on Instagram and other social media platforms. The prize name honors the original Partisans, a relatively small group of brave warriors that fought the Nazis during World War II. The prizes promote and reward defenders of the Jewish community and those who speak out against prejudice with courage and resilience. So far, JewBelong has awarded the $360 prize to the 23 young peace warriors and will announce more winners in the coming weeks.
JewBelong.com is a nonprofit online resource that offers easy explanations and meaningful DIY rituals for Jews, for people who are not Jewish and for anyone who has felt like a Jewish outsider or feels disengaged from the religion.
JewBelong’s co-founders, Archie Gottesman and Stacy Stuart, are the marketing duo that was the voice behind Manhattan Mini Storage’s iconic branding (“NYC: Tolerant of Your Beliefs. Judgmental About Your Shoes,” “Why leave a city that has six professional sports teams, and also the Mets?”)
