If the past is a foreign country, 2010 feels like another planet. Other than Benjamin Netanyahu being at the top of Israeli politics, much has changed since then, including for British Jews and the wider Jewish world. Back then, there was no JSwipe or JW3, Jeremy Corbyn was safely confined to the backbenches and, while cranks were holding the Jews responsible for global financial woes, there weren’t quite so many doing so online.
A new decade offers a reset; time to make resolutions for the future. As a community, it’s an opportunity to reflect on what we want from the coming decade.
Top of my list is showing to other beleaguered groups the compassion so many have shown to us. Solidarity is not a one-way street and there are some within our community who can fail to recognise prejudice towards others but are the first to spot it directed at us. Frankly, that’s not good enough.
One of the best things about the last few months was seeing people emphatically disavow Corbyn’s Labour because they felt a slur on the Jews was a slur on us all. As needed, we must repay that, rather than use the whatabouttery employed by the most zealous Corbynistas.
Equally, a plea for us not to cry wolf. Of course, let’s call out bigots for what they are, but occasionally we Jewish snowflakes need thicker skins. Not every offensive comment is intended; not every slip of the tongue is a return to the 1930s. And let’s use our outrage for good; focus on communicating why something is unacceptable, rather than writing the perpetrator off. Remember Naz Shah, whose Facebook posts caused consternation in 2016? Credit goes to those who worked with her to explain why she had caused offence; let’s take that tack again where we can.
Speaking of Labour, while the party reflects (or doesn’t) on what will almost certainly be a wilderness period, plenty of Jews will return to its fold. You may think they are wrong, or that the party of Blair and Brown is irrevocably rotten, but can we maintain civility regardless? One of the most unedifying episodes of the election was the abuse directed at Luciana Berger for having the temerity to stand against Mike Freer, given his pro-Jewish views. We need to learn to agree to disagree better, to be two Jews, many opinions once again.
Indeed, we’re a community of many colours, especially when it comes to Israel. The spat over then-UJIA chairman Sir Mick Davis’ public criticism of Israel seems centuries ago (it was actually 2010) but he was right then to speak out. Being a diaspora Jew doesn’t automatically mean supporting Israel, and more, as we remind our critics, it doesn’t automatically mean supporting the version of Israel advanced by the government of the day (assuming, as Israel enters its third election cycle in a year, there ever is one). Perhaps it does hand ammunition to the haters when we point out behaviour “unbecoming” to Zionist principles, but that’s no reason to keep shtum. In the next decade let’s have discussions about Israel that aren’t just about blind loyalty.
We also need to lean less heavily on our history; stop dining out on contributions made a century ago. Yes, Jews were an immigrant success story. But what are we doing now? What’s our role in 21st century British life? How are we helping those beyond the community who are less privileged? It’s been a point of pride to see Jewish groups leading the charge on causes like refugee children; let this be just the start. Initiatives like Mitzvah Day or Challah for Hunger London point to who we can and should be. In the roaring twenties, tikkun olam should be the cornerstone of communal life.
Another thing; let’s protect our youth movements; keep sending our kids to them and valuing their role. The teens have been a boom decade for our Jewish schools, but this should not be at the cost of our fantastic, dynamic youth movement network, which has produced leaders of both community and country, and built and strengthened the Jewish identities of many. There must be room in Anglo-Jewish life for both.
There’s plenty more to fill the to-do list, from continuing the march towards a more egalitarian Orthodox Judaism to ensuring tolerance is something we practice not just preach, or recognising there’s more that unites our different streams of Judaism than divides them, or simply maintaining our contribution to British public life, arts, business and charity (perhaps we’ll even find a way to contribute to this country’s sporting success?).
Who knows where we’ll be in 2029? I hope when we look back it will be with a feeling that we’ve gone forwards, not backwards. Ten years is ample time to make positive change — provided we start now.
