Sarah Silverman feels ‘heartbroken’ and ‘politically homeless’ as war rages between Israelis and Palestinians
The comedian lamented ‘All this death and rage between cousins’
Sarah Silverman released a special episode of her podcast specifically about the war between Hamas and Israel. Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images
By PJ Grisar October 19, 2023
Sarah Silverman returned to her podcast Thursday on a new network and with harsh words for Israel’s critics, including the Democratic Socialists of America, of which she is a member.
The comedian, who has been vocal about the violence in Israel and Gaza on social media, recorded the special episode of The Sarah Silverman Podcast on Tuesday, and was audibly emotional.
Silverman, who confessed to being “godless,” said she was nonetheless praying for Israelis and her family in Israel and Gazans who are “f—ing sitting ducks” in Israel’s retaliation.
“All this death and rage between cousins,” said Silverman, whose sister is a prominent Israeli rabbi. “I can’t stand it. I can’t stand any of it. I wish I could protect everyone or anyone.”
In the 18-minute “mini episode,” Silverman expressed her fears of rising Islamophobia and antisemitism, grief over civilian deaths and disgust with the DSA.
“I will tell you what I will never forget or forgive: the Democratic Socialist’s statement,” Silverman said, appearing to reference an Oct. 7 post to X.
The DSA post read “today’s events are a direct result of Israel’s apartheid regime—a regime that receives billions in funding from the United States” and added that “we unequivocally condemn the killing of all civilians,” but claimed the attack was “not unprovoked.”
Silverman blasted the organization for a lack of empathy and for blaming Israel for the massacre, in which 1,400 were killed and more than 200 taken hostage.
“These Israelis were murdered so brutally, and tortured and ripped from their homes: children, babies, elderly people, survivors,” Silverman said. “No sympathy, just… ‘But Palestine! Free Palestine!’ Really? For people who like to use the term tone deaf a lot, like, no,” she said. “You stand by that?”
“It makes me want to punch,” she added.
Quoting Rabbi Silverman
Silverman, who responded to the DSA statement on Instagram Oct. 9, said she it made her feel a sense of “political homelessness.” She likened the situation to that of Jewish members of the UK’s Labour Party.
“Jews who have had the backs of so many minorities stand f—ing alone because of this country in the Middle East that, you know, almost none of us have anything to do with them,” Silverman said. “I’m from f—g New England. I don’t want to be talking about this s-! But I do because I see antisemitism rising up everywhere, and the scary part is when it’s on the left — this is a new thing.”
The comedian, who riffed uninterrupted during the episode, went on to spell out how Hamas’ government is not the “underdogs,” how Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was “just like Trump, a criminal thug,” and how neither represented the hearts and minds of Gazans or Israelis. She also offered a definition of Zionism that simply means a belief in a safe haven for Jews — and suggested that, after Oct. 7, New Jersey or Rhode Island might serve that purpose.
She also quoted her sister, Rabbi Susan Silverman, from a group thread,, in which the rabbi lamented a double standard about how the world reacts to conflicts involving Israel.
When it comes to civilian deaths, Israel is held to account much more than other countries that go to war after an attack, Rabbi Silverman argued, saying “In a defensive war, which this simply is, the external criticism is generally much lower — just not for us.’”
The comedian read more from the thread, in which her sister wrote of a widespread lack of understanding over the existential threat Hamas poses to Israel. “I am seeing all over the media a focus on missiles in Gaza and the forced movement of Gazans with zero empathy for the fact that only by destroying Hamas will we survive,” the message continued. And unlike other people, Israelis “are expected to die for the sake of protecting others.’”
Silverman, who directed listeners to donate to the Red Cross and World Central Kitchen in the show notes of the episode, was trending on X Thursday for a reposted message from another account that appeared on her Instagram story. The post took issue with those who called Israel’s decision to cut off water and electricity to Gaza “inhumane.” The message also stated that if Hamas “didn’t spend billions of dollars on terrorism they would be able to build the infrastructure to support themselves.” A popular criticism of the post read “we’ve officially reached the ‘they actually don’t deserve water and electricity’ moment in mainstream discourse.”
Silverman responded to fellow comedian Marcia Belsky’s critique of the post by saying, in somewhat unclear phrasing, that she posted it in error.
“I took that down I put it in stories from someone,” Silverman wrote, “it was a mistake to post in the stoned fury of wondering where the hostages are in all this madness.”
A message from our CEO & publisher Rachel Fishman Feddersen
I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.
At a time when other newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall and invested additional resources to report on the ground from Israel and around the U.S. on the impact of the war, rising antisemitism and polarized discourse..
Readers like you make it all possible. Support our work by becoming a Forward Member and connect with our journalism and your community.
— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO
