2 min read
Have you heard the one about the Rabbi 'for Human Rights' who aggressively pushed another Jew in church?
It may sound like the opening line from a stand-up routine, but this is what happened as Rabbi Idit Lev came to join the modern church choir singing the age-old hymn, 'oh Lord, let us all demonise Israel' at St James Church in Piccadilly, a church with a long history of demonising Israel. The vicar, Lucy Winkett, is someone who has obviously acquired the label 'friend', recognised by all those who don't like the Jewish state of Israel.
I hadn't expected to be there. Just up the road, Israeli academic Daniel Schueftan was talking at Kings College and trouble had been expected. With security worthy of El-Al, I decided that Kings had indeed created a fortress for the Jews to safely hide behind. I left campus and headed off to the church.
I was accompanied by Jonathan Hoffman. We were late and so missed much of the talk by Rabbi Lev from 'Rabbis for Human Rights'.
There were only around 20 people inside as arrived. Someone was making a comment that indicated that the talk had been as biased as one would have expected: "I had to say something because you are giving people the wrong impression about Israel".
It was a sad performance by a sad little group
These were the first words I heard directed towards Rabbi Lev.
We sat, we listened and then we asked questions. Mine was the last. I spoke only to correct some of the bile that I had heard come from the Idit Lev's mouth. I had missed much of the talk, but it doesn't take long before you recognise the poison.
The moment the UK representative of Rabbis for Human Rights suggested their movement be considered non-political was a particular highlight. There were several distortions in quick succession. The general picture was that Israel is a nasty, brutal place.
Following the event, Jonathan Hoffman went to approach the vicar about why this church constantly ends up with the 'choir of the blessed demonisation of Israel' singing loudly inside its walls.
Standing alongside the vicar was Sylvia Rothschild, another 'Rabbi for Human Rights'.
Rabbi Rothschild became aggressive very quickly and had no trouble physically pushing those she disagreed with. Yes, a human rights Rabbi became aggressive and pushed someone who had a different opinion to her.
Rabbis for Human rights protest at the way Israel defends its citizens, but turn aggressive when faced with opinions they do not like. As we so often see today, the real face of the 'hard left' is anger and intolerance.
Rabbi Rothschild went on to accuse me of saying things I hadn't. She dismissed any counter opinion and displayed another characteristic of the left, mishearing, which allows for all manner of baseless accusations. I had only spoken once, with a microphone, but had clearly become an 'enemy'. She pointed me out and said she was 'embarrassed by me'.
It was a sad performance by a sad little group. When Rabbi Idit Lev talks, those inside the room fall for the false narrative. The audience willingly laps up any decontextualised information or misrepresentation of Israel that can be used in the fight against the Jewish State.
Some that listen are pushed over the edge and they join mobs such as that outside the room at the UCL.
This isn't Israel; this is 2016 Europe and anti-Israel rhetoric delivered to a crowd of people singing this hymn has consequences.
Why would a Jewish Rabbi, why would any Jewish Rabbi, want to do that?
Extracted from Beyond The Great Divide at david-collier.com
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