Veteran actress Tovah Feldshuh has strongly criticized accusations that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza, calling such claims "wild" and "disgusting." Her remarks come in response to comments made by her "Nobody Wants This" co-star Adam Brody, who plays a progressive rabbi on the Netflix series.
Brody stated in a September interview with GQ that he believes Israel's actions constitute genocide and expressed a desire for a free Palestine. These statements have drawn significant backlash, including from Steve Leder, senior rabbi emeritus of Wilshire Boulevard Temple in Los Angeles, who served as a rabbinical consultant for the show.
Feldshuh, who portrays the fiercely devoted Jewish mother Bina in "Nobody Wants This," told The Post that accusing the Jewish people of genocide is "right out of Hitler’s playbook." While Brody's remarks specifically addressed Israel's conduct in the war following the October 7 Hamas-led attack, Feldshuh framed such accusations more broadly.
She suggested that when prominent individuals make such claims, it causes significant damage, particularly within the Jewish community. Feldshuh emphasized the crucial role of Israel's existence for the democratic and free world, stating that the United States needs Israel as much as Israel needs the U.S.
Feldshuh also commented on the perceived convergence of political extremes, referencing what she called the "horseshoe effect" where socialism and antisemitism meet. She believes that speaking the truth is the only way to counter what she describes as cleverly publicized falsehoods by Israel's detractors.
Despite the political controversy, Feldshuh noted that disagreements rarely surface on set. Her approach, she explained, is to "switch channels and do my job" and to "love the people on set at my place of work, to be kind."
The series, which follows Rabbi Noah Roklov (Brody) as he pursues a relationship with a non-Jewish podcaster, has previously faced criticism for its portrayal of Jewish women as uptight or controlling. Feldshuh attributes these character traits to historical context and collective trauma, citing the "fear of extinction" as a contributing factor to higher anxiety levels in Jewish women. She views her character, Bina, as a mother trying to preserve and protect her son.
Feldshuh expressed pride in being cast as a Jewish matriarch, especially given the current backdrop of global antisemitism. She previously portrayed Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir in the one-woman Broadway show "Golda’s Balcony" and has played other maternal roles in "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" and "Scenes from a Marriage."