A movie theater in the Portland area, in Lake Oswego, Oregon, is facing public backlash after its marquee promoted the theater’s production or screening of “The Odyssey” with the statement, “Before there were the Jews, there was The Odyssey.” Critics argue the message is historically inaccurate and that it is needlessly provocative given ongoing public sensitivity around antisemitism. The reporting from multiple outlets says the dispute centers on whether the marquee implies a controversial connection between Jewish history and the ancient Greek epic, and whether the wording suggests a degrading or targeting of Jewish people. Both sources describe the controversy as sparking outrage in the local community, with opponents calling for clarification or removal of the sign. The outlets do not indicate that the theater has been charged with any wrongdoing, but they characterize the incident as an antisemitism controversy triggered by the marquee advertising. The situation is still framed as an ongoing dispute about the meaning of the text and its historical context.