The Blue Square Alliance Against Hate announced on Tuesday the formation of its inaugural advisory board to help guide the organization. 

The five board members of the organization, founded by New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, includes former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice; Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan; Dentons CEO Kate Barton; Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff; and Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav. 

The organization said the board will advise on strategy to combat antisemitism and help deepen institutional relationships.  

“Their engagement sends a powerful message: combating antisemitism and hate is a shared responsibility, and one that needs leadership,” Kraft said in a statement. “This group embodies the values of the Blue Square Alliance, and we are deeply grateful that they are bringing their experience, perspective, and influence to our mission as we continue to build bridges.”

“Bank of America supports the Blue Square Alliance Against Hate because antisemitism and other forms of hate must be called out and addressed,” said Moynihan. “I look forward to working with the other members of the advisory group.”

For New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, Sunday’s Super Bowl is about more than his team’s 12th chance at the title. It’s also a national platform for his latest 30-second ad aimed at tackling antisemitism, with more than 100 millions viewers set to tune in. 

Titled “Sticky Note,” the commercial features a Jewish student who is bullied in the halls of his school. As he takes off his backpack, he sees a sticky note reading “dirty Jew” was placed on it. In a show of allyship, a classmate approaches the student and puts a blue square piece of paper over the note. “Do not listen to that,” he says.  

“I know how it feels,” the student, who is Black, tells his Jewish classmate. As the ad concludes, a statistic reads: “2 in 3 Jewish teens have experienced antisemitism.” 

The commercial is the third annual Super Bowl ad produced by The Blue Square Alliance against Hate — the nonprofit founded by Kraft, which rebranded in October from the Foundation to Combat Antisemitism. Since its launch in 2023, the group has popularized blue square pins as a symbol in the fight against antisemitism. 

Last year’s ad sparked criticism from some Jewish activists for not focusing on — or even mentioning — antisemitism, as rapper Snoop Dogg and iconic quarterback Tom Brady exchanged deliberately vague insults. Kraft defended the ad in an interview with Jewish Insider at the time, saying, “The challenge is that we just can’t explain the complexity of Judaism or antisemitism in a 30-second ad. But what we can do is invite Americans into a conversation about something they do have experience with: hate.”  

This year’s ad takes a more direct approach. 

“For the third straight year, the Blue Square Alliance Against Hate is proud to show up on sports’ biggest stage and speak directly to more than 120 million Americans with an urgent message: stand up for each other and stand up to hate wherever you see it,” Kraft said in a statement. 

The commercial will also air during the Winter Olympics and is part of a $15 million campaign that additionally includes digital advertisements and billboards.  

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft’s organization focused on combating antisemitism condemned Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua for performing an antisemitic dance on social media. 

After Kraft’s foundation and other leading figures spoke out, Nacua offered an apology Thursday afternoon.

“We must all reject the antisemitic tropes, dances and stereotypes shared between wide receiver Puka Nacua and [online streamer] Adin Ross,” Adam Katz, president of the Blue Square Alliance Against Hate, told Jewish Insider. 

During Ross’ livestream on Tuesday, he taught the wide receiver an antisemitic touchdown celebration, which ended with Nacua looking into the camera and rubbing his hands together — a stereotypical movement indicating greed that Ross’ fans refer to as his “iconic Jewish dance.”

Ross then asked Nacua to perform the celebratory dance during the Rams’ game against the Seattle Seahawks on Thursday night, to which Nacua agreed. 

After facing significant backlash, Nacua issued an apology on Thursday, stating that at the time of the livestream, he had “no idea this act was antisemitic in nature and perpetrated harmful stereotypes against Jewish people.” 

“I deeply apologize to anyone who was offended by my actions as I do not stand for any form of racism, bigotry or hate of another group of people.”  

The incident came as Jewish communities are still reeling after a mass shooting killed 15 at a Hanukkah celebration at Australia’s Bondi Beach.

“The Blue Square Alliance Against Hate recognizes the power of sports to bring people together across divides and around the world,” Katz told JI. “It’s imperative that we continue to use these moments to spotlight the best of humanity, and inspire, educate and create allyship within sports.”