The JC Letters Page, 8th March 2019 - The Jewish Chronicle

Bodies with spines

We are members of the Board of Deputies, the body which you describe as spineless (JC, March 1). If, for nearly 260 years, it was weak, lacked purpose and courage, it could not have survived as an institution nor have achieved its constitutional purpose of protecting, supporting and defending the interests, religious rights and customs of Jews and the Jewish community in Britain.

The Board of Deputies is not a political organisation. The Board continues to strive to meet its constitutional objectives. It does not engage in UK party politics — nor should it. Equally, the Board of Deputies is not the vehicle to make pronouncements on the internal political affairs of Israel, which is a sovereign, democratic state. It is for Israeli citizens alone to determine these matters.

Further, the Board is a charity and, by law, no charity may engage in political activity, save to further its charitable objects. To comment in any way could put at risk our charitable status. In the context of your criticism of the Board of Deputies for remaining silent on the issue of the coalition between Bayit Yehudi, the National Union and Otzma Yehudit, your comments are exceptionally naive at best and insulting at worst.

Garry Abrams and 27 other signatories

I read with dismay (JC, March 1) of yet another antisemitism-related report where the Campaign Against Antisemitism’s pivotal role in the proscription of Hezbollah has again been ignored by your editors.

Week after week, you publish features on this most important issue yet rarely do you mention the painstakingly detailed and forensic work undertaken by this outstanding group of committed volunteers. Work that has brought about not only the awareness of antisemitic abuse to a central position in the news, and single-handedly has been responsible for recent successes in bringing the Crown Prosecution Service to book and successfully prosecuting antisemites, but has also been a major contributor to the adoption by the British Government of the IHRA definition of antisemitism among so many other unique achievements.

It is remarkable that some of the finest legal minds are willing to assist CAA pro bono for a cause that they at least recognise is of vital interest to our well-being. It is deeply regrettable that others in the community are doing their best to undermine CAA.

I believe that we as a community owe it to CAA to publicly recognise across the entire spectrum of Jewish life the significant service they have rendered and continue to render.

Alan Grahame
London NW4

Right and left harms

The blatant antisemitism in Hungary, manifested particularly through the ubiquitous 1940s-like depictions of George Soros, is shocking. Troubling at home, however, is the way in which Conservative Party MEPs have been issued with a whip to support Hungary’s emergent dictator, Viktor Orban. The Labour Party’s attempts to airbrush awkward acts of antisemitism from their public image have been shown for what they are. It is time to draw similar prominence to the Conservative Party, which was the only governing party to not only refuse to speak out against Orban but went the other way and made deliberate efforts to provide him with political support.

Since the Prime Minister’s Conference speech: “a citizen of the world is a citizen of nowhere…” which echoed, (presumably accidentally) longstanding slurs against the “stateless” Jew, there has been a need for definitive public leadership against antisemitism and other forms of hatred.

While attention is rightly drawn to the failures of Labour, the Conservatives also don’t have their house in order and, as the present party of government, that is perhaps a more serious matter.

Joseph Kemp
Cambridge

Melanie Phillips rarely disappoints me but to write about the mind-set which leads to antisemitism in the hard-left but also describe antisemitism as “ultimately unfathomable” because it involves a derangement of reason (JC, March 1) was disappointing. The article was strong on detail but weak on fundamentals.

Antisemitism has a theological aspect, recognised in Howard Jacobson’s expression “embedded in theology” (JC, Sept 14, 2018). I acknowledge there is an unfathomable element here, for God’s ways are not our ways, but what is fathomable is the observable ability of humans to use our reasoning powers in a warped or totally unreasonable manner when saying no to our Creator. Here is where Phillips is insufficiently pessimistic about human nature, and hence she uses the word unfathomable. The Jewish people are, like it or not, connected to humanity’s creator, which means they will be on the receiving end of the hostility of those who are especially filled with antagonism towards that creator. The hard left, people who in so many ways view themselves as eminent humanitarians, dreaming of human perfectibility in a world without religion, often surprise themselves with their hostility towards the Jewish people, and they can’t conquer it because it grows out of their whole philosophy, which is against the Jewish God.

Most people are happy to live and let live among all the differences between humans on religion, culture etc. But atheistic ideologues are not. They create such things as “Year Zero” and aim to destroy anything that prevents the realisation of their dreams

Paul F Morris
Newbury

Unoccupied speakers

On Tuesday evening, I attended an event at JW3 on the relationship between diaspora Jewry and Israel. The speakers were Isaac Herzog, Sir Mick Davis, and Joan Ryan.

In one-and-a-quarter hours, the word “occupation” was not mentioned once. In an event dedicated to discussing the growing rift between diaspora Jewry and Israel, no one mentioned one of its major causes.

Sir Mick listed some of the reasons for the rift: the Nation State Law, the treatment of refugees, Israel’s approach to religious pluralism, and how Israel’s Arab citizens are treated.

These are all important issues. But he did not mention the occupation, which allowed Herzog to respond that all countries have their problems, like the UK does with antisemitism.

The topic was danced around. There was much talk about “values”. Joan Ryan mentioned that diaspora Jews would like to see “peace”. Sir Mick acknowledged that the Palestinian people have a legitimate claim to self-determination, and recognised that, were Israel to cease nominally supporting a two-state solution, it would deeply harm the relationship between Israel and diaspora Jewry.

This is all important but occupation is not simply a lack of Palestinian self-determination. It is the active and ongoing oppression and violation of basic rights inherent in 50-plus years of existence. This is what is alienating many young (and not so young) Jews. It is not addressed by abstract support for a future Palestinian state.

If we cannot even mention the word “occupation” in polite Jewish society, why should young Jews feel that they have a place in the mainstream Jewish community?

Anna Roiser
London N10

Bright Shabbat seeds

I applaud our Chief Rabbi’s idea to teach our children a new communal tune for Lecha Dodi uniting us in song for Friday night’s Shabbat UK.

Prior to this, I watched the video: 27 participating primary schools sang and danced happily and excitedly, meaningfully waving the Israeli flag.

The pride in their heritage was evident in their shining, young faces. One could not but be moved to witness the abundant joy, love and excitement in the various rooms with the Chief Rabbi taking centre place, encouraging such exuberance.

To actually see the children in action singing this catchy tune in our shul, Edgware United on Friday night, touched our hearts and enhanced the evening service.

These may be little children, but we all know that seeds which are lovingly planted take root. Small beginnings can lead to great things. Who knows what music — “food for the soul” — can achieve!

Flora Frank
Edgware

Fighting females

I am gathering stories for our AJEX archives of Jewish women who served in munitions factories/aircraft/tank factories , and in the Land Army in the Second World War.

Please email me as below with any information or stories and photos to discuss.

Martin Sugarman
AJEX Archivist
martin.sugarman@yahoo.co.uk