That Ad Wasn't for Me - CHRONICLE Online/The WORD 02/12/26

Weekly On-line Rabbi's D'var-Torah

February 12, 2026

25 Shevet 5786

Parashat Mishpatim

Shabbat Shekalim

Last Sunday, there was a football game on television — and, as happens every year, a few commercials in between the action on the field. You may have watched some of it. 

Robert Kraft — owner of the New England Patriots and a prominent Jewish philanthropist — reportedly spent $15 million on a Super Bowl ad combating antisemitism (click here to see this year’s ad). In a not-so-shocking development, there has been disagreement within the Jewish community about the ad’s message and tone. 

Some critics argued that the commercial did not reflect the kind of antisemitism many Jewish students face today. In the ad, the Jewish student who is targeted does not stand up for himself; instead, someone else steps in to validate and defend him. For some viewers, that portrayal felt troubling. They wanted to see a Jewish character who responded with confidence and strength. It is a fair critique. 

In response, an anonymous social media user created an alternative version of the commercial with a very different ending (click here to see it). In that version, the Jewish student answers assertively. He does not seek validation or assistance; instead, he calmly affirms his own worth and continues forward as a respected member of the community. 

Many people in my social media sphere preferred the unofficial version to the one that aired during the Super Bowl. And I understand why. Most of those who favored the revised ending are Jewish. It is painful to see a young Jewish person portrayed as vulnerable and dependent on others to step in. If the commercial had been created solely for a Jewish audience, I would share that critique wholeheartedly. 

But the intended audience was far broader — more than 120 million viewers tuned in to the Super Bowl. The message was not only for Jews; it was for the 117 million non-Jewish viewers who might have seen that ad (assuming they weren’t refilling their plates or standing in line for the bathroom). The commercial seemed to be saying: we need allies. Even when we are strong, even when we have facts at our fingertips or clever words on our tongues, we cannot confront antisemitism alone. 

Yes, I would have loved a portrayal of a stronger, more self-assured Jewish student. But the unofficial version imagined a world in which no one stood beside him — and that is equally unsettling. 

In this week’s Torah portion, God reminds us of our responsibility toward those who feel different or vulnerable: “You shall not wrong or oppress a stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt (Exodus 22:20).” The Super Bowl ad, at its core, was a plea to our neighbors to live by that same principle — to stand up, not only for themselves, but for others (like us Jews!).

Shalom,

RAF.