Israel and the diaspora
Having read the letters from Daniel Baum and Barry Hyman (JC April 3 and 10), although I am staying here for the present, I would like to remind Mr Hyman that the death penalty (if the bill actually passes through the Knesset and the Supreme Court) is indeed for “only a section of society”, ie terrorist murderers. And may I also remind him that our own parliament has approved a bill legalising the death penalty for any infant who has committed the crime of being conceived at an inconvenient time or found to be less than perfect during gestation, and that a similar bill, for those whose crime is to suffer from a mental or physical disability or simply to have lived for too long, was narrowly averted.
Ruth Hart,
Edgware
I read the letter from Stan Labovitch published in your April 17 edition headed “Israeli politics“ with some dismay. As my late father would say “if you haven’t got any thing good to say, don’t say it“. The same goes for criticism of Israel. These do the UK Jewish Community and Israel no favours at all.
Israel is a sovereign state under the constant daily threat of terrorism. So it introduces the death penalty, which is its decision and that of its government, that will hopefully act as a deterrent. That is Israel’s decision, which it is entitled to make.
It is not for Mr Labovitch to criticise Israel or the behaviour of the West Bank settlers. Equally odious was the letter sent to President Herzog on the same issue signed by a number of so-called Jewish leaders and public figures co-ordinated by The London Initiative. They have no standing whatsoever.
If Mr Labovitch is really serious, I suggest that he gets on to the next El Al plane to Tel Aviv, applies to become an Israeli citizen and complains and protests from there. In the meantime, I recommend that he keeps his views to himself
Jonathan Metliss
Chairman, Action Against Discrimination
London W1
On Sunday I attended in Cardiff city centre a march for Jewish life and supporting Israel, which was well policed with CST also in attendance. The march was organised by a Christian group and Friends of Israel.
The turnout was 80 people, mainly Christian and several Persians, two of whom were sporting the Star of David and the flag of Iran. The march finished with the singing of Hatikva and the Welsh national anthem. I estimate only ten people turned out from the Jewish community and a few Jewish students. I do understand that people do have commitments and a number of people are concerned at attending these events during this climate. However, I felt our representation was shameful. What will it take for some people to wake up – a knock on the door, get your suitcase and off to the camps?
Llewellyn Gaba
Cardiff
Immanuel’s closure
As the first director of Jewish studies at Immanuel, the sad announcement of the school’s closure prompts me to look back to the historical context of its original vision.
Immanuel College was part of the plan of Chief Rabbi Jakobovits z’l, supported by the mercurial director of his office, the late Moshe Davis z”l, to bring American standards and models of Jewish education to the UK – via the vision encompassed in the Jewish Educational Development Trust (JEDT).
In founding a high school that combined a high level of Jewish studies with an outstanding level of general studies, he wanted to replicate the great American yeshiva high schools. But the Chief Rabbi was imagining a constituency of parents that didn’t exist in the UK. The American “Modern Orthodox” – many of them yeshiva-educated, successful professionals and businessmen – had no parallel in Anglo-Jewry. Unlike their American counterparts, the Orthodox to the “right” of the United Synagogue would never send their children to a mixed-sex high school.
None of this should detract from the distinguished leadership and efforts of those – lay and professional – who led the school for over 35 years. Although it did not attract the intensively Orthodox majority Rabbi Jakobovits hoped for, Immanuel developed its own distinctive identity and dynamic, to the immense benefit of its students. Its closure marks the end of an auspicious experiment in Anglo-Jewish education.
Paul J. Shaviv
Florida/Jerusalem
Hands off our cholent
The constituent United Synagogues have elections upcoming next month. Having seen that an American rabbi is offering synagogues £7,000 if they take up his Vegan Challenge (Vegan rabbi announces £7k grant for UK shuls willing to talk about ditching the chicken soup, April 17) I for one think it is important that shul members know where the various candidates for office stand on this issue, so they can make informed choices at the ballot box. At Norrice Lea, our weekly cholent, yapchik and kugel kiddush must not fall to the vegans.
Shimon Cohen,
London N2
Student support
It was heartening to note that Rabbi Dr Birnbaum had recently gone on a campus tour to meet Jewish students. (I visited Jewish students on a UK road trip. What they told me was shocking. JC April 17)
He referred to a number of organisations that support Jewish students but omitted one of the key organisations to whom Jewish students turn, to assist them deal with this unbridled hatred. I refer to Stand With Us, which works across campuses (as well as schools) to provide the students with the tools they require to confront the ignorance they regularly find. May a time come when such an organisation is no longer needed!
Ashley Rogoff
London NW8
Quizzed in Quito
When I visited Quito in Ecuador some years ago, I went to the local synagogue on Friday evening, but they would not admit me as I had left my passport at the hotel.
However, they accepted that I was Jewish and let me in after I gave the security team a small rendition of Naso, my barmitzvah sedrah.
John Barnett
Whetstone
To get more from opinion, click here to sign up for our free Editor's Picks newsletter.