Masorti Judaism under fire after newsletter urges ‘respect’ for ‘different views’ over ‘death to IDF’ chant

The wording, which has caused an outcry among Masorti members, was followed by an apology several hours later from movement leaders, who said: “In this week’s [newsletter], a bit of copy was published which can be misunderstood. We attempted to describe the reality of our current moment – where we are often debating what the limits of free speech are. When a musical act chants for the death of our soldiers from the stage of Glastonbury, however, our opinions on that should not be up for debate.”

They wrote that they did not intend to suggest “that Bob Vylan’s disgusting chorus is a legitimate act of free speech” or that it was “somehow… open to debate”.

The letter continued: “We sought to use an example of the free speech debates we face, and chose poorly. The wording of this particular post was ambiguous, and allowed it to be read differently to its intention.
“We want to be clear: calling for the death of Israeli soldiers is not free speech, it is hate speech. It is incitement and it is dangerous – to the IDF and to Jews here in the UK.”

However, one member of Masorti, who asked not to be identified, told the JC: “Within the first hour, I had received WhatsApp messages from dozens [of other Masorti members] who were shocked and outraged by the comments in the newsletter about Bob Vylan. About half of them are now talking about leaving. This was the straw that broke the camel’s back.” Another Masorti member told the JC that while they welcomed the letter of apology, they felt that disciplinary steps should be taken against the person who wrote the original letter.

Asking not to be named, they added: “The apology that went out was heartening, given that it expressed unequivocal commitment to Israel and its soldiers. But, irrespective of what Masorti leaders are saying, someone who wrote [the newsletter] appears to think that what was said at Glastonbury falls within the category of debatable free speech. It’s never appropriate free speech to call for the murder of people.

“As the apology email acknowledged, words are important and this email should never have been sent… There is a real concern about what the [Masorti] movement believes.”

Responding to the letter, another member who also asked to remain anonymous, said: “There needs to be an inquiry into what happened. It feels like the [Masorti] movement has an identity crisis and is being partly usurped by an activist agenda being peddled by a minority. It holds itself to being an inclusive tent, but it has become too broad. It needs to undergo deep reflection in an open and honest way.”

They called the letter of apology “untenable”, adding: “The newsletter expressly said it was possible to accommodate a hate chant. How can you say one thing and then a few hours later completely revoke it?”

Asked what they felt the Masorti movement should stand for when it came to Israel, they said: “It should distance itself from the current Israeli government, but take pride in the existence of Israel, while celebrating its history and its connection to the land… There should be an openness to the academic study of Israel, while distancing itself from anti-Zionist tendencies.”

Rabbi Adam Zagoria-Moffet, director of strategy at Masorti Judaism, told the JC: “Every week, Masorti Judaism sends a weekly newsletter to its members and subscribers. Once in a while, a mistake is made in wording or in details of upcoming events. This past week, there was a poorly worded paragraph, which could have been read as implying that, within the valid debate over free speech, extreme and hateful views were up for discussion.

“Our communities, our people – the Jewish people – are riven by mostly well-meaning but often acrimonious debates about the policies of the Israeli government and the actions of the IDF. There is no division, however, on the safety or security of Israel, its people, or its legitimacy.”

While Rabbi Zagoria-Moffet said that while “the value of a debate for heaven’s sake cannot be overrated”, what was included in the newsletter “wasn’t an argument. It wasn’t a position or a view. It was a mistake.”

Alluding to the letter of apology that was sent out later, he added: “Our tradition holds that one who seeks forgiveness should be offered it. We made a mistake. It was corrected within hours. No component of that accidental error has anything to do with the views of Masorti Judaism on Israel.”

Explaining the organisation’s position on Israel, the rabbi said it was “proud to be heavily invested in Israel and Israel education. Noam, our youth movement is explicitly Zionist. Noam is, has always been, and will remain a Zionist youth movement.”

This week nearly 60 teenagers from the youth movement left the UK on an Israel tour, and, next year, an Israeli shaliach (emissary) will be joining the movement worker team, focusing on Israel education. Zagoria-Moffet added that, this winter, Masorti Judaism would be organising an Israel solidarity trip for its leaders and that, “best of all perhaps”, a new community had joined Masorti - Kehillat Or Tzion in Manchester – “explicitly because of our commitment as a movement to Zionism and the solidarity of the Jewish people”. The newsletter was not the first time that Masorti Judaism’s positioning on Israel has been questioned by its members.

In April 2024, more than 100 members of its flagship synagogue, New North London, called for the resignation of Rabbi Lara Haft Yom-Tov, who described Israeli politicians as “war criminals” in a non-Masorti “justice oriented” Haggadah supplement. Following a disciplinary process, which led to a finding of “serious misconduct”, the NNLS council voted “unanimously” not to dismiss the rabbi. Rabbi Haft Yom-Tov issued an apology to members, saying pain had been caused “to many members of our community”. At the time, the shul’s other rabbis and lay-leaders sent an email stating that Haft Yom-Tov’s article “does not reflect our views, those of the community or of Masorti Judaism”.