Damned statistics

Jonathan Boyd (JC, August 17), refers to work that Jewish Policy Research published in September 2017 suggesting that those who voiced non-Israel-based hate against Jews are also more likely to voice Israel-based hate (a statement of the blindingly obvious).

Unfortunately, this research represented a massive own goal. It incorrectly concluded that antisemitism was no more prevalent on the left than in the general population. Predictably, this false result has been quoted countless times by followers of Jeremy Corbyn.

The reason for this crass error was that the analysis used the wrong definition of antisemitism. It failed to recognise that some Israel-related hate is antisemitic (eg to claim that Israel is a racist endeavour) and failed, in 82 pages, even to mention the IHRA definition.

This paper did immense damage to the community and was a kick in the teeth for those in the front line fighting antisemitism. Sir Eric Pickles did us a huge service by getting the government to adopt IHRA. The JPR should be supporting him rather than shooting him in the foot. Research on antisemitism is too important to be left to statisticians. It is essential that practitioners work alongside them and that their work is fully discussed and refined before publication.

Jonathan Hoffman

Enfield

I was somewhat disturbed by the tenor of the first two paragraphs of Jonathan Boyd’s article. He seems to suggest scant regard for the well-being of his colleagues and staff, finding “human resources” a “kind of pain”.

Perhaps, too often, he sees people merely as statistics. But we all have “hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions.”

People are the essential resource of any enterprise. We have had too much of those who have disregarded this at their, and especially their staff’s, ultimate peril.

Godfrey R Gould

Honorary Life Chartered Companion, Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development

Hebrew University

David Aberbach wrote, in his article on the Hebrew University (JC, August 17), that the 19th-century Wissenschaft des Judentum movement sought to bury Judaism. Other historians say that it was very much a religious movement, pursued in rabbinical seminaries.

Thus the Hochschule fur die Wissenschaft des Judentums, Berlin, was founded in 1872 by Abraham Geiger, a leader of Reform Judaism, to apply modem methods to the study of Jews and Judaism; the college had the standpoint of Conservative Judaism.

One of its teachers was Solomon Schechter who taught Claude Montefiore there in 1882-3 and came to England as Claude’s tutor in rabbinics. Neither of these sought to bury Judaism, nor did many others of the outstanding teachers.

Professor Aberbach’s article celebrated the founding of the University in 1918; this had long been a Zionist ideal. It was reported in 1911 that a millionaire proposed to fund the project, and that an international committee was formed to select scholars and supervise research; Montefiore and his friend Israel Abrahams were among these, and a  studentship was awarded, but I have found no more about this body.

Indeed, in December 1913, in a letter to Abrahams, Chaim Weizmann wrote that he had tried to interest Montefiore in the university project but “ he does not seem very sympathetic”, so I doubt that the anti-Zionist Montefiore helped — in 1936, he wrote that the idea of a Jewish university was horrible. This is an example of the difficulty encountered in the foundation of the University.

Bryan Diamond

London NW3

SOAS student  passions

With reference to the remarks made by David Davidi-Brown (JC, August 17) about the School of Oriental and African Studies University of London (SOAS), I strongly contest his generalised allegation of antisemitism levelled at it in the phrase, “a lot of nasty stuff takes place there”.

When I was recently a SOAS student, I never once encountered antisemitism, neither in discussion with other students, nor in seminars with top international visiting scholars on all aspects of Israel-Palestine from poetry to law to Jewish and Palestinian identity.

To be a SOAS student is to be immersed in a highly invigorating environment focused on challenging entrenched views. With a passion for justice, students campaign against the abuse of human rights, be it of the Kurds, the Uyghurs, refugees, or the Palestinians. In this vein, I remember the 2012 student occupation of the Brunei Gallery Suite in support of a peaceful solution to the Gaza conflict. It should be noted that SOAS has a Centre for Jewish Studies and that the Jewish Music Institute is located there.

I am uncertain of Mr Davidi-Brown’s definition of antisemitism but I am clear that it is wholly unjustified to taint SOAS with it.

Dr Jennifer Langer

SOAS research associate,

London NW11

Birmingham Hillel

If there are freshers coming to any of the Birmingham Universities this September/October without accommodation, Birmingham Hillel House has rooms available at a very reasonable charge.

Hillel offers a home for Jewish students of all religious affiliation. Each room has its own cooking facilities and Hillel provides free laundry facilities, Sky TV, wifi, car-parking and freezer space as well as  Friday-night dinners cooked by JSoc, a library to work in and a  shul for Friday-night services.

It is a short walking distance to the University of Birmingham campus and Birmingham City University Edgbaston campus with nearby travel links to Aston, BCU main campus and BMU either via train or bus.

Information and application forms about Hillel can be found at www.birminghamhillel.com or via email birminghamhillel@hotmail.co.uk.

Brian Cooper

Chair, Birmingham Hillel House

26 Somerset Rd Birmingham

B15 2QD

Stainless Staines

Following the article headed, Progressive shuls offer the young free Yomtov places (Community, August 17) I would like to report that a United synagogue shul — Staines and District Synagogue — is more than happy to offer free seats over Yomtov to the young and not so young.

We have an inspirational rabbi taking our Yomtov services and a new Premier Inn opens in Staines this week within a five-minute walk of the shul.

Beautiful riverside walks hand-in-hand with a spiritually uplifting experience — what could be better?

Marilyn Brenner

Staines-Upon-Thames

Nursing fears

In the eyes of many, Jeremy Corbyn has shown himself to be unfit to lead a serious political party. His tenure, in this position, must surely now be of limited duration.

I fear, however, that his departure could bring a serious threat to our community.

The accusations of “a Jewish conspiracy” to get rid of him have already begun to be voiced and the venom with which his supporters have verbally attacked his critics is quite alarming

Hilaire Belloc, perhaps not the ideal friend of our community to quote, did come up with “always keep a-hold of Nurse For fear of finding something worse”.

Neville Landau

London SW19 

You Jews in the UK have completely missed the point regarding whether or not Jeremy Corbyn is antisemitic.

In fact, he is in cahoots with the Zionists. Make the Jews feel as uncomfortable as possible in the UK and some will emigrate to Israel. He hasn’t gone mad yet, however, and hopefully he won’t.

Doron Zieve

Netanya, Israel

Yahrzeit book

We have come into possession of a yahrzeit book, printed in Berlin, in memory of a woman called Yetti Schmeidler, who died on November 10 1936/25 Cheshvan 5697.

Her alternative name was Jachet and her maiden name was Mandelbaum. She was born on December 30 1877. Clearly, the book belonged to one of her children (no names given) and runs from 1937 to 1985 in the printed copy and to 1992 in the handwritten version.

If anyone recognises this name and/or knows of this family, please get in touch so we can return this item of family history to its appropriate owners.

J Marin and R Selby

c/o 5 Butterstile Lane

Prestwich,

Manchester

M25 9PW