Editing Jerry Seinfeld (section)

=== Religion and politics ===
[[File:Jerry Seinfeld on a support visit of Israel in December 2023, a visit to Kibbutz Be'eri following the Be'eri massacre on October 7, 2023 (1).jpg|thumb|Seinfeld with members of Kibbutz [[Be'eri]] in the kibbutz dining room, December 19, 2023]]

Seinfeld is Jewish and has incorporated elements of his [[Jewish identity]] in his work.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Seinfeld and Company|url=https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/seinfeld-and-company/|access-date=September 18, 2021|website=My Jewish Learning|language=en-US|archive-date=July 24, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210724042616/https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/seinfeld-and-company/|url-status=live}}</ref> Although he shared that his mother was born into a large family of Syrian Orthodox Jews, he admitted to being non-religious himself.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Miller |first=Andrew |date=2023-10-17 |title=Jerry Seinfeld Admitted to Taking Scientology Courses: "It Was Very Helpful" |url=https://bestlifeonline.com/jerry-seinfeld-scientology/ |access-date=2024-03-09 |website=Best Life |language=en |archive-date=March 9, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240309143125/https://bestlifeonline.com/jerry-seinfeld-scientology/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Seinfeld stated that he took a [[Scientology]] course when he was in his 20s; he said that he found it interesting but that he did not pursue it any further.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Day|first=Nate|date=June 10, 2020|title=Jerry Seinfeld addresses rumors that he once practiced Scientology: 'I found it very interesting'|url=https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/jerry-seinfeld-rumors-once-practiced-scientology|access-date=September 18, 2021|website=Fox News|language=en-US|archive-date=September 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210918041747/https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/jerry-seinfeld-rumors-once-practiced-scientology|url-status=live}}</ref>

Seinfeld expressed support for [[Israel]] during the [[Gaza war]], saying "I will always stand with Israel and the Jewish people."<ref>{{cite news |title=Jerry Seinfeld Meets With Families of Israeli Hostages Amid Ongoing Conflict |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/jerry-seinfeld-meets-israeli-hostage-families-1235765834/ |work=The Hollywood Reporter |date=December 19, 2023 |access-date=March 17, 2024 |archive-date=March 17, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240317164238/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/jerry-seinfeld-meets-israeli-hostage-families-1235765834/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Seinfeld and his family previously drew criticism, travelling to the occupied [[West Bank]] in 2018 to participate in an anti-terrorism simulation camp.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Schwartz|first1=Yaakov|date=2018-01-11|location=[[Jerusalem]]|title=Seinfeld under fire over visit to West Bank 'military camp'|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/seinfeld-under-fire-over-visit-to-west-bank-military-camp|work=[[The Times of Israel]]|language=en|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241207190731/https://www.timesofisrael.com/seinfeld-under-fire-over-visit-to-west-bank-military-camp|archive-date=2024-12-07|access-date=2024-04-07}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/not-funny-jerry-seinfeld-slammed-visit-israeli-run-anti-terror-camp |title='Not funny': Jerry Seinfeld slammed for visit to Israeli-run 'anti-terror' camp |access-date=April 7, 2024 |archive-date=April 7, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240407135028/https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/not-funny-jerry-seinfeld-slammed-visit-israeli-run-anti-terror-camp |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2023, Seinfeld visited the headquarters of [[Abducted and Missing Families Forum]] where he met with representatives of the families and with abductees who returned from Hamas captivity, and listened to their stories.<ref>{{cite web |last1=The Times of Israel |title=Visiting Israel, Jerry Seinfeld meets with freed hostages, families |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/visiting-israel-jerry-seinfeld-meets-with-freed-hostages-families-of-abductees/ |website=The Times of Israel |access-date=24 December 2023 |archive-date=December 24, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231224062028/https://www.timesofisrael.com/visiting-israel-jerry-seinfeld-meets-with-freed-hostages-families-of-abductees/ |url-status=live }}</ref> On May 12, 2024, Seinfeld gave a [[Commencement speech|commencement address]] and received an honorary degree at [[Duke University]]. During his speech, a number of students booed, waved [[Palestinian Flag|Palestinian flags]] and walked out in protest.<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Madani |first1=Doha |last2=Cohen |first2=Rebecca |date=2024-05-13 |title=Duke students walk out of Jerry Seinfeld's commencement speech amid wave of graduation antiwar protests |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/duke-students-walkout-jerry-seinfeld-commencement-wave-graduation-anti-rcna151876 |access-date=2024-05-18 |website=www.nbcnews.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Truth or Fake - Did Duke University students walk out of graduation because speaker Jerry Seinfeld is Jewish? |url=https://www.france24.com/en/tv-shows/truth-or-fake/20240515-did-duke-university-students-walk-out-of-graduation-because-lecturer-jerry-seinfeld-is-jewish |work=France 24 |date=15 May 2024 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Free Palestine chants, walk out by US students during Jerry Seinfeld's speech |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/world/story/duke-university-students-walkout-jerry-seinfelds-speech-israel-support-gaza-war-2538351-2024-05-13 |work=India Today |date=13 May 2024 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Jerry Seinfeld's commencement speech spurs student walkout at Duke University - National {{!}} Globalnews.ca |url=https://globalnews.ca/news/10491911/jerry-seinfeld-speech-duke-university-student-walkout/ |work=Global News}}</ref> In June 2024, Seinfeld was heckled by protesters during a comedy show in [[Sydney]], Australia. Seinfeld responded joking, "You're really influencing everyone here. We're all on your side now, because you've made your point so well, and in the right venue, you’ve come to the right place for a political conversation".<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/jerry-seinfeld-roasts-pro-palestinian-heckler-australia-comedy-show-1235926585/|title= Jerry Seinfeld Roasts Pro-Palestine Heckler Who Disrupts Comedy Show: "Get Out of Here"|website= [[The Hollywood Reporter]]|date= June 19, 2024|accessdate= June 19, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/jerry-seinfeld-pro-palestine-heckler-comedy-show-1236039887/|title= Jerry Seinfeld Roasts Pro-Palestine Heckler Who Interrupted His Set and Got Ejected: 'It's a Comedy Show, You Moron! Get Out of Here'|website= Variety|date= June 17, 2024|accessdate= June 25, 2024}}</ref> In 2025, responding to a social media influencer and ambush activist who said "Free Palestine", he shook his head and replied “I don't care about Palestine."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Irwin |first=Lauren |date=2025-02-16 |title=Jerry Seinfeld responds to ambush activist: 'I don't care about Palestine' |url=https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/5148665-jerry-seinfeld-responds-to-ambush-activist-i-dont-care-about-palestine |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250217042439/https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/5148665-jerry-seinfeld-responds-to-ambush-activist-i-dont-care-about-palestine/ |archive-date=February 17, 2025 |access-date=2025-02-19 |work=The Hill |language=en-US |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Seinfeld to 'ambushing' activist: 'I don't care about Palestine' |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/seinfeld-to-ambushing-activist-i-dont-care-about-palestine/ |access-date=2025-02-17 |website=www.timesofisrael.com |language=en-US}}</ref>

Seinfeld has made several political contributions, including to [[George W. Bush]]'s and [[Al Gore]]'s presidential campaigns in [[2000 United States presidential election|2000]], and subsequently to four [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]] primary candidates in 2000 and [[2004 United States presidential election|2004]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=NEWSMEAT ▷ Jerry Seinfeld's Federal Campaign Contribution Report |url=http://www.newsmeat.com/celebrity_political_donations/Jerry_Seinfeld.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131010151510/http://www.newsmeat.com/celebrity_political_donations/Jerry_Seinfeld.php |archive-date=October 10, 2013 |access-date=2025-01-16 |website=www.newsmeat.com |url-status=live }}</ref>

Seinfeld has expressed his distaste for what he calls [[political correctness]]. In 2015, Seinfeld stated that he avoids performing on college campuses because students have become too easily offended by his comedic routines.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Klee |first=Miles |date=2024-04-29 |title=Far-Right Influencers Celebrate Jerry Seinfeld Once Again Claiming 'PC Crap' Killed Comedy |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/jerry-seeinfeld-pc-culture-far-right-1235012038/ |access-date=2024-05-18 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}</ref> In a 2024 interview with ''[[The New Yorker]]'', Seinfeld claimed political correctness was destroying comedy, saying, "This is the result of the [[Far-left politics|extreme left]] and PC crap, and people worrying so much about offending other people. When you write a script and it goes into four or five different hands, committees, groups{{snd}}'Here's our thought about this joke'{{snd}}well, that's the end of your comedy."<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Yorker |first=The New |date=2024-04-26 |title=Jerry Seinfeld on Making a Life in Comedy (and Also, Pop-Tarts) |url=https://www.newyorker.com/podcast/the-new-yorker-radio-hour/jerry-seinfeld-on-making-a-life-in-comedy-and-also-pop-tarts |access-date=2024-05-18 |magazine=The New Yorker |language=en-US |issn=0028-792X}}</ref> Months later, he walked back those comments on the "Breaking Bread" podcast, stating "I don't think, as I said, 'the extreme left' has done anything to inhibit the art of comedy. I'm taking that back officially." Seinfeld said he regrets his previous comments because changing cultural attitudes are "not [his] business."<ref>{{Cite web |last= Tolentino |first=Daysia |date=2024-10-16 |title= Jerry Seinfeld said he regrets comments blaming 'extreme left' for ruining comedy |website=[[NBC News]] |url= https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/celebrity/jerry-seinfeld-said-regrets-comments-blaming-extreme-left-ruining-come-rcna175678 |access-date = 2024-10-16}}</ref>