Sarah Silverman to Ilhan Omar: ‘Add a Jewess to the Squad!’

“Love this group!! You give me hope!” Silverman replied to a photo of the Squad.

By Lauren Marcus, World Israel News

Jewish American comedian Sarah Silverman, who has been outspoken about her liberal views, took to Twitter last week to praise the so-called “Squad” of progressive U.S. lawmakers.

“Love this group!! You give me hope!” she replied to a photo of Reps. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez (D-NY), Rashida Tlaib (D-MI), Ilhan Omar (D-MN), Cori Bush (D-MI) and Ayanna Pressley (D-MA) that was posted by Omar.

“Wish there was a progressive Jewess in there … someday,” Silverman added, using a fingers-crossed emoji.

Omar replied to Silverman, writing, “You could run and join us,” alongside a smiley face emoji.

While Silverman dismissed the idea, writing that her “skeletons [in the closet] have skeletons,” it appeared that she had no qualms engaging with Omar.

Silverman recently complained on her podcast about what she felt is a lack of response among public figures in the face of rising anti-Semitism, who she said are reluctant to speak out on the issue.

Omar has come under fire for multiple anti-Semitic remarks, including her infamous 2014 tweets that “Israel [had] hypnotized the world” and calling on “Allah to awaken the people” to see Israel’s “crimes.”

Squad members Bush, Omar, and Tlaib are the only U.S. lawmakers who publicly endorse the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement.

In a January 2021 episode of her podcast, Silverman said, “I’m fine with BDS, as long as it’s clear that you are boycotting a government and not a people. When that line gets muddy, that’s when it’s a little scary as a Jew.”

Later in the episode, she added that “Israel and the Palestinian Authority, and Hamas, also have to want an end to the occupation…

“It ain’t just Israel that benefits from the occupation in various ways. And that seems to be a well kept secret.”

In February 2018, Silverman reposted an Amnesty International tweet calling for the release of Ahed Tamimi, who was arrested for slapping an IDF soldier.

“Jews have to stand up EVEN when — especially when — the wrongdoing is BY Jews/the Israeli government,” Silverman tweeted.

“My grandparents did not survive the atrocities of the Holocaust for me to be silent about injustice.”

A month earlier, in January 2018, Silverman received a barrage of hate for an Instagram post that depicted her nephew, Adar, in his IDF uniform.

Silverman’s sister, Susan, is a Reform rabbi based in Israel. She adopted Adar from Ethiopia as a baby.

“This baby is now a 19 year old soldier,” she wrote, alongside side-by-side photos of her nephew as an infant and as a young soldier. “ OY. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, adar_abramowitz_silverman I LOVE YOU A ZILLION!!”

The post resulted in a flurry of hateful comments. Silverman replied to one commenter who said they were unfollowing her account, responding “go for it but he can’t help being Israeli and having to serve.

“He isn’t the govt. Let’s hope he’s part of the solution.”