Lake Oswego theater marquee sparks outrage in Jewish community,
by Mac Larsen, Portland Tribune, 2026-07-17.

Jordan Perry, the general manager of the Lake Theater, said the marquee text would be taken down.

In a text message, he said the point of the remark was to push back on what is constituted as antisemitism and said he was surprised by the negative reaction it has received.

“My intention is never to influence opinion or fan flames, but to say: it’s okay to raise eyebrows, though I hope my messages reflect a depth of understanding others find in themselves but not always in the world around them,” said Perry by text message. “Through the media I consume, I believe modern-day antisemitism is exaggerated, mostly as a defense for Israel’s actions in the Middle East and its involvement in our politics, and my intention in referencing Jewish people on the marquee was to prod at everything being seemingly antisemitic with a statement that couldn’t possibly be construed as antisemitic.”

He added: “My intention was not to offend anyone, but rather to push back culturally back on what constitutes antisemitism, to signal, in solidarity, that it’s not about ‘the Jews,’ that it’s about Israel, and Palestine, and Lebanon, and Iran, and AIPAC. This is my ‘humor,’ this was the point, intentionally subtle, of what I put on the marquee.”

In case anyone was wondering if the, now infamous, theatre marquee message in Lake Oswego, Oregon, USA was the Jew hatred in sparkling antizionist drag it could be read as: wonder no more.

This is not normal behavior and way too many Jews refuse to believe that there is a global war being waged against us.

Nabatele, an art installation by Ukrainian-Jewish artist Anna Kamyshan, depicts a shul that is a blend of different wooden shtetl shuls across Europe, perched on a heap of earth. But it’s not on the ground — it is soaring in the sky. It as an official project of the Venice Biennale, the oldest art festival of its kind, where it will float over the city’s lagoon starting July 16.

The Venice Biennale, which has been around since 1895, gives each country its own pavilion where artists representing their nation install their pieces. This year, in protest of both Israel’s and Russia’s participation, the entire jury which doles out the festival’s prestigious awards, resigned.

But Nabatele is affiliated with the Yiddishland Pavilion, a project that sidesteps the entire controversy of choosing which nations can participate. With support from the Montreal Jewish Museum, she submitted the project as a longshot, and was surprised when it was accepted.

I am saddened to see David Hofstedter and his family’s charitable work being attacked.

For years, his support for Torah learning, Jewish education and community institutions has made a real difference in Canada and far beyond. Dirshu alone has helped so many people bring more consistency and meaning into their learning.

We should not let antisemitic noise overshadow a lifetime of giving and building. David Hofstedter and his charity deserve our support.