Mixing politics and religious doctrine almost always produces a toxic brew, whatever the faith involved. As if to demonstrate the truth of this maxim beyond any reasonable doubt, the South African Zionist Federation has effectively banned Judge Richard Goldstone from attending the barmitzvah of his grandson. The campaign of vilification Goldstone experienced over his investigation into Operation Cast Lead was revolting, but now his critics seek to plumb new depths. There were plans for a demonstration outside the synagogue during the service. Richard Silverstein puts it well when he says of these people “let them call themselves something other than Jews”. Magnes Zionist Jerry Haber – showing magnanimity – feels sorry for the “heresy hunters and the pusillanimous cowards who caved in to them.”

Indeed, it is hard not to feel sad when someone asserts that they “think (the agreement) was quite a sensible thing to avert all this unpleasantness.” That was the opinion of the head of the SA Rosh Beth Bin Rabbi Moshe Kurstag. Just as sickening are the words of the SAZF chair, Avrom Krengel who made the breath taking claim: “We understand that there’s a barmitzvah boy involved — we’re very sensitive to the issues.”

“Sensitive to the issues?” What was the SAZF doing getting involved in the first place, in a celebration where they had precisely NO relevance? “Sensible?” That’s a euphemism for “we collapsed in the face of inexcusable political extremism.”

There’s coverage all over the web on this. You might like to contact the South African Zionist Federation to let them know just how low they have sunk. Former president of South Africa’s Constitutional Court Arthur Chaskalson offers a pithy suggestion: ““If … this has the blessing of the leadership of the Jewish community in South Africa, it reflects on them rather than on Justice Goldstone. They should hang their heads in shame.”