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Jeremy Corbyn criticised for attending radical Jewish event Jeremy Corbyn criticised for attending radical Jewish event
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Jeremy Corbyn has been criticised for attending a Passover event with a leftwing Jewish group highly critical of mainstream Jewish communal bodies, including describing the protests against the Labour leader as “faux-outrage greased with hypocrisy and opportunism”.Corbyn attended an event to mark the ritual feast of Seder in his Islington constituency run by Jewdas, which last week accused the Jewish Board of Deputies, Jewish Leadership Council and Jewish Labour Movement of “playing a dangerous game with people’s lives”.The group, which runs alternative Jewish parties and events and a satirical website, said in a statement last week over the Enough Is Enough protests that much of the furore over antisemitism in Labour was “the work of cynical manipulations by people whose express loyalty is to the Conservative party and the right wing of the Labour party”.A spokesman for Corbyn said he attended the event in a personal capacity and not in his official role as Labour leader, after his attendance was revealed by the Guido Fawkes blog. “He wrote to the Board of Deputies and Jewish Leadership Council last week to ask for an urgent formal meeting to discuss tackling antisemitism in the Labour party and in society,” the spokesman said.Jewdas, a collective that describes itself as “radical voices for the alternative diaspora”, describes its members as “synagogue-going Jews, most with either paid or voluntary positions within our communities”. The group has been highly critical of the Israeli government, but has also published pamphlets for pro-Palestinian demonstrations advising activists how to avoid antisemitism in campaigning.In a piece for the pro-Labour website LabourList, Charlotte Nicols, one of the attendees of the Jewdas Seder, said Corbyn had stayed for four hours and been an active participant in the rituals.“Many of last night’s attendees are absolutely part of the ‘mainstream community,’” she wrote. “It is untrue to say that there is any one narrative, political or otherwise, within Jewdas. It is a collective space where we can have uncomfortable conversations – what unites us all is the fact that we are Jewish.“It is not for non-Jewish people, in criticising Corbyn’s attendance, to determine what is and isn’t a legitimate expression of the Jewish faith. For those in the community who want to paint Jeremy’s attendance as an act of provocation, rather than an attempt to listen, engage, and share our festival with us, it’s actually just alienating many young Jewish people further and validating Jewdas’ very existence.”However, the Campaign Against Antisemitism described Corbyn’s attendance as “a very clear two-fingered salute at mainstream British Jewry”.“It is hard to imagine how this duplicitous man can claim to be remedying antisemitism within the Labour party. The party must consider the message that is sent to British Jews and other minorities by him remaining as leader.”The Labour MP John Woodcock said Corbyn’s attendance at the meeting was “irresponsible and dangerous” and said it was “deliberately baiting the mainstream Jewish community days after they pleaded with him to tackle antisemitism”. Jeremy Corbyn has been criticised for attending a Passover event with a leftwing Jewish group highly critical of mainstream Jewish communal bodies, including describing the protests against the Labour leader as “faux-outrage greased with hypocrisy and opportunism”.Corbyn attended a Passover seder, the traditional meal of the Jewish festival, in his Islington constituency run by Jewdas, which last week accused the Jewish Board of Deputies, Jewish Leadership Council and Jewish Labour Movement of “playing a dangerous game with people’s lives”.The group – which runs alternative Jewish parties, events and a satirical website – said in a statement last week over the Enough Is Enough protests that much of the furore over antisemitism in Labour was “the work of cynical manipulations by people whose express loyalty is to the Conservative party and the right wing of the Labour party”.A spokesman for Corbyn said he attended the event in a personal capacity and not in his official role as Labour leader, after his attendance was revealed by the Guido Fawkes blog. “He wrote to the Board of Deputies and Jewish Leadership Council last week to ask for an urgent formal meeting to discuss tackling antisemitism in the Labour party and in society,” the spokesman said.Jewdas, a collective that describes itself as “radical voices for the alternative diaspora”, says its members as “synagogue-going Jews, most with either paid or voluntary positions within our communities”. The group has been highly critical of the Israeli government, but has also published pamphlets for pro-Palestinian demonstrations advising activists how to avoid antisemitism in campaigning.In a piece for the pro-Labour website LabourList, Charlotte Nicols, one of the attendees of the Jewdas seder, said Corbyn had stayed for four hours and been an active participant in the rituals.“Many of last night’s attendees are absolutely part of the ‘mainstream community,’” she wrote. “It is untrue to say that there is any one narrative, political or otherwise, within Jewdas. It is a collective space where we can have uncomfortable conversations – what unites us all is the fact that we are Jewish.“It is not for non-Jewish people, in criticising Corbyn’s attendance, to determine what is and isn’t a legitimate expression of the Jewish faith. For those in the community who want to paint Jeremy’s attendance as an act of provocation, rather than an attempt to listen, engage, and share our festival with us, it’s actually just alienating many young Jewish people further and validating Jewdas’ very existence.”However, the Campaign Against Antisemitism described Corbyn’s attendance as “a very clear two-fingered salute at mainstream British Jewry”.“It is hard to imagine how this duplicitous man can claim to be remedying antisemitism within the Labour party. The party must consider the message that is sent to British Jews and other minorities by him remaining as leader.”The Labour MP John Woodcock said Corbyn’s attendance at the meeting was “irresponsible and dangerous” and said it was “deliberately baiting the mainstream Jewish community days after they pleaded with him to tackle antisemitism”.
This is deliberately baiting the mainstream Jewish community days after they pleaded with him to tackle antisemitism. And he must know that meeting them now will give his members the message that the group’s extreme views are ok. Irresponsible and dangerous https://t.co/NORQQiFq8JThis is deliberately baiting the mainstream Jewish community days after they pleaded with him to tackle antisemitism. And he must know that meeting them now will give his members the message that the group’s extreme views are ok. Irresponsible and dangerous https://t.co/NORQQiFq8J
Another Labour MP, Angela Smith, said Corbyn’s attendance at the Jewdas Seder “reads as a blatant dismissal of the case made for tackling antisemitism in Labour”.In a Twitter post, Jewdas said its members were “proud to be Jews and proud of everyone who attended, whether they were Jewish or not. We want everyone to know – we’re leaving Mitzrayim (Egypt). Change is coming. Revolution will come.”The Jewish comedians David Baddiel and David Schneider said MPs and others should not immediately dismiss Jewdas.“They are just Jews who disagree with other Jews. ... To make out that it’s somehow antisemitic for him to spend Seder with them just because they’re far left is balls,” Baddiel wrote on Twitter.Schneider tweeted: “‘Boo! Corbyn needs to get out and meets some Jews!’ (Corbyn spends Passover with some Jews at Jewdas) ‘Boo! Not those Jews!’” Another Labour MP, Angela Smith, said Corbyn’s attendance at the Jewdas seder “reads as a blatant dismissal of the case made for tackling antisemitism in Labour”.In a Twitter post, Jewdas said its members were “proud to be Jews and proud of everyone who attended, whether they were Jewish or not. We want everyone to know – we’re leaving Mitzrayim (Egypt). Change is coming. Revolution will come.”The Jewish comedians David Baddiel and David Schneider said MPs and others should not immediately dismiss Jewdas.“They are just Jews who disagree with other Jews ... To make out that it’s somehow antisemitic for him to spend Seder with them just because they’re far left is balls,” Baddiel wrote on Twitter.Schneider tweeted: “‘Boo! Corbyn needs to get out and meets some Jews!’ (Corbyn spends Passover with some Jews at Jewdas) ‘Boo! Not those Jews!’”
Labour has been repeatedly blighted by charges that it has failed to tackle antisemitism in the party since Jeremy Corbyn became leader in 2015. Supporters of Corbyn, who has a long history of supporting Palestinians in their dispute with Israel, fear the issue is being used to undermine his leadership.Labour has been repeatedly blighted by charges that it has failed to tackle antisemitism in the party since Jeremy Corbyn became leader in 2015. Supporters of Corbyn, who has a long history of supporting Palestinians in their dispute with Israel, fear the issue is being used to undermine his leadership.
Labour launches an inquiry into allegations of antisemitism and bullying after a fractious election of a youth representative to its ruling body.Labour launches an inquiry into allegations of antisemitism and bullying after a fractious election of a youth representative to its ruling body.
Labour expels far-left activist Gerry Downing,  who had spoken of the need to “address the Jewish question”.Labour expels far-left activist Gerry Downing,  who had spoken of the need to “address the Jewish question”.
Activist Vicki Kirby is suspended by the party for a second time over making alleged antisemitic tweets. She apparently suggested Adolf Hitler might be a “Zionist God” and that Jews had “big noses”.Activist Vicki Kirby is suspended by the party for a second time over making alleged antisemitic tweets. She apparently suggested Adolf Hitler might be a “Zionist God” and that Jews had “big noses”.
Labour suspends Khadim Hussain, a Labour councillor and former lord mayor of Bradford, after he shared a Facebook post that said “your school education system only tells you about Anne Frank and the 6 million Zionists that were killed by Hitler". He later quit the party.Labour suspends Khadim Hussain, a Labour councillor and former lord mayor of Bradford, after he shared a Facebook post that said “your school education system only tells you about Anne Frank and the 6 million Zionists that were killed by Hitler". He later quit the party.
Naz Shah, the Labour MP for Bradford West, apologises for writing a series of antisemitic posts on Facebook including arguing for Israel’s population to be ‘transported’ out of the Middle East. She also resigns as PPS to John McDonnell and after sustained pressure is suspended from the party a day later.Naz Shah, the Labour MP for Bradford West, apologises for writing a series of antisemitic posts on Facebook including arguing for Israel’s population to be ‘transported’ out of the Middle East. She also resigns as PPS to John McDonnell and after sustained pressure is suspended from the party a day later.
Labour suspends, but does not expel, former London mayor Ken Livingstone, after making offensive comments about Hitler supporting Zionism while defending Shah.Labour suspends, but does not expel, former London mayor Ken Livingstone, after making offensive comments about Hitler supporting Zionism while defending Shah.
A two-month inquiry by Shami Chakrabarti, ordered by Corbyn, urges Labour members to avoid abusive language and references to Hitler and Holocaust metaphors. It is criticised as being too soft on the issue and regarded as compromised because Chakrabarti had just accepted a peerage.A two-month inquiry by Shami Chakrabarti, ordered by Corbyn, urges Labour members to avoid abusive language and references to Hitler and Holocaust metaphors. It is criticised as being too soft on the issue and regarded as compromised because Chakrabarti had just accepted a peerage.
Jackie Walker is removed as vice-chair of Momentum after criticising Holocaust Memorial Day but is allowed to remain on its steering committee. She was earlier suspended by the party for questioning why Holocaust Memorial Day did not recognise other genocides.Jackie Walker is removed as vice-chair of Momentum after criticising Holocaust Memorial Day but is allowed to remain on its steering committee. She was earlier suspended by the party for questioning why Holocaust Memorial Day did not recognise other genocides.
The home affairs select committee accuses Labour of incompetence in dealing with antisemitism and helping to create a safe space for people with “vile attitudes towards Jewish people”.The home affairs select committee accuses Labour of incompetence in dealing with antisemitism and helping to create a safe space for people with “vile attitudes towards Jewish people”.
Livingstone again avoids expulsion from the party after a disciplinary panel rules he should be suspended for another year over comments about antisemitism, Hitler and Zionism. Britain’s chief rabbi, Ephraim Mirvis,  accuses Labour of failing the Jewish community by not expelling Livingstone.Livingstone again avoids expulsion from the party after a disciplinary panel rules he should be suspended for another year over comments about antisemitism, Hitler and Zionism. Britain’s chief rabbi, Ephraim Mirvis,  accuses Labour of failing the Jewish community by not expelling Livingstone.
Corbyn backs a party rule change, put forward by the Jewish Labour Movement, that takes tougher line on antisemitic abuse.Corbyn backs a party rule change, put forward by the Jewish Labour Movement, that takes tougher line on antisemitic abuse.
Jeremy CorbynJeremy Corbyn
LabourLabour
JudaismJudaism
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