LOS ANGELES, United States | Israeli actress Gal Gadot brought Rosh Hashanah traditions to American late-night television this week, discussing apples and honey, gefilte fish and the shofar before joining Jimmy Kimmel in sounding the traditional ram’s horn.
But what began as a lighthearted celebration of Jewish identity quickly took on a political dimension after a member of the episode’s musical guest said the band had not known Gadot would be appearing and followed that statement with a prominent “Free Palestine” message.
Gadot appeared on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Sept. 10 to promote her new Amazon thriller, The Runner. During the interview, she explained several traditions associated with the Jewish New Year and told Kimmel that hearing the shofar is intended to “awaken the soul.”
The pair then produced shofars and attempted to sound them together, closing the segment by wishing viewers a happy new year.
The episode offered a rare mainstream American television moment in which one of Israel’s most internationally recognizable entertainers openly presented Jewish ritual and Israeli identity in a celebratory rather than defensive context.
That moment, however, was followed almost immediately by a reaction from the indie-pop band MUNA.
MUNA Member Says Band Did Not Know Gadot Would Appear
Naomi McPherson, a member of MUNA, posted on Instagram that the band’s performance had been prerecorded and that its members had not been told who the other guests on the episode would be.
“This was taped a few days ago & we weren’t told who any of the guests were gonna be,” McPherson wrote, according to a screenshot reported by The Times of Israel.
McPherson then added a “Free Palestine” message.
The timing made the political implication difficult to miss.
The post did not accuse Gadot of a specific act during the episode. The band issued it after learning its performance had aired on the same program as the Israeli actress.
The reaction therefore appeared to stem from Gadot’s presence on the episode itself.
MUNA has not been reported to have said the band would have refused to appear had it known in advance that Gadot was scheduled.
There is also no evidence that the band interacted with Gadot during the taping.
Gadot Used Appearance to Celebrate Jewish Tradition
Gadot’s segment did not focus on the Gaza war or Israeli politics.
She spoke primarily about Rosh Hashanah.
Gadot explained the custom of eating apples dipped in honey for a sweet new year and discussed gefilte fish, saying she particularly enjoys it with horseradish.
She also introduced the meaning of the shofar and then attempted to sound one on camera.
After successfully producing a blast, Gadot joked about the sound quality before Kimmel tried a much larger horn.
The two eventually sounded their shofars together.
The exchange gave millions of American viewers a straightforward introduction to Jewish New Year customs from an Israeli celebrity who has become increasingly public about both her Jewish identity and her connection to Israel.
Gadot Has Become a Prominent Pro-Israel Voice
Gadot has long been one of Israel’s most recognizable cultural exports, but her public role changed considerably following the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023 terrorist attack.
Before the massacre, she generally avoided sustained political advocacy.
Since Oct. 7, she has spoken frequently about Israel, the hostages, and antisemitism, and has used her international platform to highlight Israeli victims and the sexual violence committed during the attack.
The Times of Israel noted that Gadot was named the 2026 Genesis Prize laureate, with the foundation citing her advocacy for Israel and the hostages. She said she would direct the $1 million award toward organizations helping Israelis recover and rebuild after Oct. 7.
She has described herself publicly as both “a proud Jew” and “a proud Israeli.”
That visibility has also made her a focal point for anti-Israel activism.
Israeli Identity Continues to Carry Political Weight in Entertainment
The MUNA response illustrates how difficult it has become for prominent Israelis to appear in international cultural spaces without their nationality becoming politically charged.
The band’s statement did not object to anything Gadot said during the interview.
Instead, McPherson emphasized that the performance had been prerecorded before the group knew who else would appear on the episode, then followed that clarification with a pro-Palestinian slogan.
That sequence effectively distanced MUNA from the Israeli actress.
It also transformed what had been a cultural segment about Rosh Hashanah into another example of the political tension surrounding Israeli personalities in entertainment.
The reaction should not automatically be characterized as antisemitic.
“Free Palestine” is a political slogan used across a wide range of contexts, and criticism of Israel or support for Palestinians is not inherently antisemitic.
At the same time, the circumstances are notable because the response followed Gadot’s appearance on a program where she discussed Jewish ritual and celebrated the Jewish New Year.
A Positive Jewish Moment Becomes Politicized
That contrast is what makes the episode significant.
Gadot was not defending Israeli military policy.
She was not debating Gaza.
She was explaining apples and honey, gefilte fish and the sound of the shofar.
Her appearance presented Jewish life as something ordinary, celebratory, and visible on one of American television’s best-known late-night programs.
The subsequent reaction demonstrated how quickly the presence of an Israeli public figure can be reframed through the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
For Gadot, that is increasingly part of the reality of appearing publicly abroad.
Her international celebrity gives her an unusually large platform to present Israeli and Jewish identity to audiences that might otherwise encounter Israel primarily through conflict coverage.
It also ensures that her appearances attract scrutiny from activists who view prominent Israelis as political symbols whether or not the event itself concerns politics.
This time, the sequence was particularly stark.
An Israeli actress sounded the shofar on American television and wished viewers a happy Jewish New Year.
A musical guest on the same episode then publicly clarified that the band had not known she would be there and responded with “Free Palestine.”
In the current entertainment climate, even a Rosh Hashanah celebration could not remain outside the political argument surrounding Israel.
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