A private letter sent by musician Dave Matthews to Jewish fans condemning the Hamas-led terrorist attacks of Oct. 7 amid his public support for Gaza and the “free Palestine” movement will be the focus of public discussion at the Jewish Federation of Northern New Jersey on Jan. 8.
The conversation will be led by Rami Feinstein, the Federation’s newly appointed Center for Israel Engagement manager, as part of his talk, “Dave Matthews Broke My Jewish Heart – And Now What?” The event will explore how Jewish fans have struggled with the actions and statements of artists they once admired in the aftermath of Oct. 7.
The letter was sent privately through Matthews’s management company on Dec. 4, 2023, after organized outreach from Jewish fans in the “DMB Jew Crew” Facebook group.
“I’ve received the notes some of you have sent me, and I see the pain you’re feeling in the wake of the terrorist attack of Oct. 7 and the ongoing reality that so many hostages who were cruelly ripped from their families have still not been returned,” Matthews wrote in a letter shared by members of the DMB Jew Crew.
“I want to assure you that I strongly and unequivocally condemn the horrific events of Oct. 7. The murder, rape and abduction of innocent civilians was an abominable, unconscionable act, and I want to see the safe, immediate return of every hostage.”
Matthews also described his views on the war, writing that he is a pacifist and highlighting the suffering of those in Gaza.
“I believe we have a better nature and that we are capable of resolving our differences peacefully,” he wrote. “It must also be said that the suffering is immense in the ongoing siege of Gaza, where the numbers of civilians killed since Oct. 7 is many, many thousands, more than a third of whom are children. The destruction of hope and dignity is unimaginable. More suffering is promised.”
“Is this the solution? Will this bring peace? I am sick to my bones about the suffering of my brothers and sisters, both Israeli and Palestinian,” Matthews stated. “If this is how we solve our problems, I don’t hold much hope for our shared future.”
Feinstein told JNS that sending the letter privately while publicly expressing only pro-Gaza sentiments deepened feelings of alienation among Jewish fans.
“The letter was sent privately to his Jewish fans acknowledging their pain and suffering on the most human level,” Feinstein told JNS. “But at the time, publicly, he was only showing compassion to one side of the story.”
“I don’t have a problem with an artist sympathizing with pain on the Palestinian side,” Feinstein added. “War is tragic and terrible. But you said nothing after Oct. 7, and you only sympathize with one side.”
Feinstein, an Israeli singer-songwriter who has opened for artists such as Five for Fighting and Matisyahu, was a devoted Dave Matthews Band fan for years. He and his wife were married to the band’s song “You and Me,” and have taken their children to concerts.
“All those moments were stolen from me when he decided to make his art and his shows about publicly expressing propaganda against my people,” Feinstein told JNS.
He also noted Matthews’s shift from speaking about the bombing of children in Gaza to appearing on stage wearing a keffiyeh and holding signs calling Israel’s war against Hamas a “genocide.”
Asked how long it’s been since he last listened to Dave Matthews Band, Feinstein recalled hearing the song “Crash” playing in a Dunkin’ Donuts, describing it as “that feeling of an encounter with an ex-girlfriend you don’t want to meet.”
“We had some good times together,” he said, “but now I just don’t want to see her face anymore.”
After Oct. 7, Feinstein released a music video titled “Gravedigger: For The Hostages,” a revised cover of Dave Matthews Band’s song featuring photos of DMB Jew Crew members and their children, some wearing official band merchandise, and holding posters of hostages taken by Hamas.
Feinstein told JNS that his Jan. 8 talk will also address a broader phenomenon affecting Jews.
“It’s not only in the arts and pop culture,” he said. “People are dealing with anti-Israel sentiment in many groups that they feel connected to. It could be even a professional group that they are part of, and then suddenly there’s anti-Israel, antisemitic rhetoric.”
Feinstein has focused his musical efforts on Jewish empowerment in Israel and the United States and recently led the “Akron for Israel” tour, bringing American artists to perform for Israelis impacted by the war.
“For me, every encounter the Jews get together and share their experiences, we feel less alone,” he said.
