A national Jewish group that’s dedicated to fighting antisemitism is placing a billboard near Hard Rock Stadium to reach thousands of FIFA Club World Cup soccer fans with a clear message: “Kick the (blank) out of antisemitism.”
JewBelong, in a statement on Tuesday, said it hopes to use its pink and white billboard to raise awareness about the dangers of antisemitism. The billboard will go up this week and remain posted through the end of July.
The billboard is timed for FIFA’s newly expanded Club World Cup, which kicks off this Saturday in Miami, featuring some of soccer’s biggest stars like Lionel Messi and greatest teams like Real Madrid. Inter Miami plays Al Ahly at the Hard Rock Stadium in Saturday’s opening game.
JewBelong, citing antisemitic incidents tracked by Anti-Defamation League, said Florida had seen a 31% increase in antisemitism from 2022 to 2024, with 84 more reported incidents last year than in 2022.
In 2024, the Anti-Defamation League tabulated 9,354 antisemitic incidents across the United States, representing a 5% increase from the previous all-time record in 2023. Over the past 5 years, antisemitism has increased 344% and 893% over the past 10 years.
“The Jewish community is only 2% of the entire country, so we need to work extra hard to break through to the wider American public,” says JewBelong co-founder Archie Gottesman. “It is outrageous that Jewish people are scared because of growing antisemitism.”
READ MORE: 'So much at stake': Club World Cup will bring some of the best in soccer to South Florida
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