Rabbi Steve Leder Rebukes Adam Brody Over Gaza “Genocide” Claim

The Jerusalem Post reports that Rabbi Leder publicly criticized Brody’s GQ interview, saying the actor misused the term “genocide” and oversimplified a deadly conflict.

Actor Adam Brody sparked controversy after telling GQ he supports a “free Palestine” and believes Israel is committing “genocide” in Gaza. According to reporting from the Jerusalem Post, Brody’s comments prompted a sharp public response from Rabbi Steve Leder, who coached the actor for his role in the Netflix series Nobody Wants This.

In an Instagram video, Rabbi Leder called Brody’s remarks “truly shocking” and “flippant,” arguing that the actor demonstrated a shallow understanding of the conflict. Leder said Brody is a “relatively ignorant Jew” who misused the term “genocide,” adding that people who “know nothing should say nothing.”

The Jerusalem Post highlighted Brody’s limited Jewish education, noting that he has described himself as an atheist who “barely got bar mitzvahed.” Brody prepared for his role as Rabbi Noah Roklov by attending Shabbat services and studying Judaism, but Leder suggested this preparation did not equip him to make sweeping political claims about Gaza.

The article also noted that Nobody Wants This intentionally avoids discussing Israel or Palestine. Show creator Erin Foster told the Post that the series focuses on relationships and personal identity, not geopolitical conflict.

Rabbi Leder’s rebuke adds to a growing debate over celebrity commentary on the Israel–Gaza war, with religious leaders and analysts warning that simplified narratives can distort public understanding of a complex and deadly situation.