TEL AVIV, Israel — CyberWell, a nonprofit organization that monitors and combats online antisemitism, is warning that a rapidly spreading social media trend disguised as “gym humor” is helping normalize antisemitic stereotypes and contributing to a climate that makes Jews feel less safe both online and in public spaces.
The organization, which works with major technology platforms including Meta, TikTok, and YouTube, says the trend uses gym equipment and fitness-related videos to mock Jewish religious practices and recycle longstanding antisemitic tropes under the guise of satire.
According to CyberWell, the trend has spread across multiple social media platforms and is increasingly being amplified through algorithm-driven content recommendations, creating broad exposure to antisemitic messaging among younger audiences.
Fitness Content Used To Spread Antisemitic Tropes
At the center of the controversy is a recurring social media format in which individuals place gym triceps ropes on their heads to imitate the payot, or sidelocks, worn by some Orthodox Jewish men and boys.
Videos frequently include claims that gym equipment was “promised to them 3,000 years ago,” a reference that CyberWell says draws on antisemitic stereotypes portraying Jews as entitled, greedy, or excessively focused on ownership and money.
Some videos incorporate Jewish cultural references, including the song “Hava Nagila,” making the intended target of the ridicule unmistakable.
CyberWell researchers argue that while many of the videos are framed as jokes and promoted under hashtags such as #gymhumor, the content serves to normalize harmful stereotypes by presenting them as entertainment.
“The gym has become another public setting where Jews may feel less safe and less welcome due to an online climate that rewards open hostility toward Jews,” said CyberWell Founder and CEO Tal-Or Cohen Montemayor.
“Platforms must address antisemitism that is disguised as humor and coded cultural references that turn longstanding prejudice into widely shared content.”
From AI Content To Viral Trend
CyberWell reports that the current trend evolved from an earlier wave of AI-generated antisemitic content commonly referred to as the “Promised 3,000 Years Ago” meme.
According to the organization, social media companies were initially reluctant to enforce their own policies because the content was presented as satire or humor.
CyberWell says that hesitation allowed the trope to spread widely and become embedded within broader online culture.
The organization argues that this pattern demonstrates the challenges platforms face in moderating hate content that avoids explicit slurs while relying on coded language and cultural references.
“When harmful content is dismissed as comedy, that is precisely when intervention matters most,” Cohen Montemayor said.
She added that generative artificial intelligence enables creators to rapidly produce variations of the same harmful themes, making detection and enforcement increasingly difficult.
Online Hate Moving Into Real Life
CyberWell says one of its primary concerns is the migration of online antisemitic narratives into offline environments.
The organization points to recent footage showing a Jewish woman being harassed on a New York street by an individual using the same “3,000 years” trope popularized online.
Researchers say the incident illustrates how digital hate campaigns can quickly influence real-world behavior.
CyberWell also reports that comment sections attached to the viral videos often contain more explicit forms of antisemitism.
According to the organization, moderators have identified Holocaust distortion, antisemitic conspiracy theories, and praise for acts of violence among user responses.
In some cases, commenters referenced violent attacks against Jews and other extremist content.
The findings have heightened concerns among Jewish organizations already monitoring a rise in antisemitic incidents across North America and Europe since the October 7, 2023, Hamas terrorist attacks against Israel.
Calls For Stronger Platform Enforcement
CyberWell says that sustained reporting by the organization has contributed to improved enforcement by major technology companies, including the removal or labeling of some offending content.
However, researchers argue that delays in moderation often allow harmful narratives to become entrenched before corrective action is taken.
The organization is calling on social media companies to invest more heavily in proactive moderation systems, expert-informed content policies, and early intervention mechanisms capable of identifying emerging antisemitic trends before they achieve widespread reach.
“The normalization phase is when harmful content does the most damage,” Cohen Montemayor said. “Once a stereotype becomes part of popular culture, reversing that process becomes significantly more difficult.”
Growing Challenge For Jewish Communities
CyberWell’s findings highlight a broader evolution in antisemitic content online.
Rather than relying exclusively on explicit hate speech, modern antisemitic content increasingly uses humor, irony, memes, visual symbolism, and coded references to evade moderation while reaching large audiences.
Experts say this approach can make hateful content appear socially acceptable and reduce public sensitivity to antisemitic messaging.
CyberWell argues that enforcing existing policies against dehumanizing stereotypes and religious harassment remains one of the most effective tools available to technology companies seeking to limit the spread of online hate.
As social media platforms continue grappling with rapidly evolving forms of digital extremism, CyberWell warns that failing to address antisemitism disguised as humor risks allowing prejudice to become further embedded in both online culture and everyday public life.
