The JC Leaders: Unwanted news...Happy Birthday - The Jewish Chronicle

Unwanted news Another year, another record increase in antisemitic incidents. As CST’s chief executive David Delew points out, there is no escaping the impact of “antisemitic politics” and the “deliberate excluding of Jews from non-racist norms” as key factors leading to a climate in which Jew hate is on the rise. These figures shame those who refuse tackle antisemitism and those who ally with and give succour to antisemites. When the general secretary of the Labour Party treats Labour MPs with open contempt for daring to ask for evidence that their party is acting, it should be clear to anyone how warped our politics has become. But for all the gloom, there are chinks of light — signs that the message is beginning to get through to some groups. The decision by Askew Road Church to cancel a booking by Labour Against the Witchunt, a group set up to defend Labour members accused of antisemitism, is welcome. And whatever his motives, the clear statement by John McDonnell that Labour antisemitism is real and has to be tackled is also important. The overall picture is bleak and getting worse. But we must never let up, and never give up, in standing up to bigotry. Happy Birthday Mitzvah Day is now so entrenched in the community that it is scarcely credible that it is only 10 years old. It is a simple idea but also a thing of profound wonder and joy — with tens of thousands of people every year giving their time and energy to do something for others. This week’s awards showed the variety of projects, from one child’s birthday party to an entire village. The JC wishes everyone involved a hearty Mazel Tov!