JewBelong, a nonprofit group dedicated to combating antisemitism, launched an out-of-home ad campaign in New York today with the provocative message, “Totally willing to hide my Jewish star for a free bus ride.” 

The message will appear atop 4,000 taxis travelling in Manhattan and on a large-scale billboard near a bridge straddling Manhattan and the Bronx. 

The group said the message uses “sharp, satirical language to underscore a far more serious reality, the growing pressure many Jews feel to make compromises around visibility, safety, and identity amid rising antisemitism.” 

The goals are straightforward, per the group: “grabbing attention, sparking conversation, and confronting uncomfortable truths in public spaces where daily life unfolds.” 

“This campaign isn’t about being provocative for its own sake,” said Archie Gottesman, founder of JewBelong. “It’s about naming what too many Jews are feeling right now, that antisemitism has crept so deeply into everyday life that even simply existing openly can feel like a negotiation.” 

Earlier campaigns from the organization have rolled out in 42 states and have used messages like “Let’s be clear: Hamas is your problem too” and “You don’t have to be a Jew to protect Jews.”