EU JEWISH HEAD CHALLENGES CORBYN’S COMMITMENT TO ANTI-SEMITISM

January 18, 2019

EU JEWISH HEAD CHALLENGES CORBYN’S COMMITMENT TO ANTI-SEMITISM AS ONE OF HIS MEPS TO TAKE STAGE ON TUESDAY WITH FORMER IRA TERRORIST AND INFAMOUS BLAIR CITIZEN’S ARREST JOURNALIST AT ANTI-ISRAEL EVENT IN EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT

EJA Head Rabbi Margolin says Corbyn must demand that MEP removes herself from event, lest all his statements on anti-Semitism are deemed “worthless, pointless, devoid of meaning, substance and fraudulent”.

Brussels 18 January 2019. Rabbi Menachem Margolin, Chairman of the European Jewish Association (EJA) this morning wrote to Labour Party Leader Jeremy Corbyn asking him to demand that one of his MEPs stand down from speaking at an anti-Israel event in the European Parliament on the 22 January. Labour MEP Julie Ward would be sharing the stage with  convicted IRA terrorist and Sinn Fein MEP Martina Anderson, who has described Israelis as “a rash”, and a journalist David Cronin who glorifies Hamas actions in his blog on the ‘Electronic Intifada’ website and who tried unsuccessfully to make a citizen’s arrest for former Labour Leader Tony Blair for alleged war crimes.

Rabbi Margolin’s call comes as Labour seeks to distance itself from accusations of anti-Semitism masked behind criticism of Israel.

Tuesday’s event in the European Parliament is called “Nation State Law – Occupation and discrimination in Israel” and is organised by the Europal Forum, a group that advocates for Boycotts and Sanctions against Israel and incites students on campus to take action.

In his letter to Mr Corbyn, Rabbi Margolin said,

“Despite many statements from you and your party regarding your commitment to fight anti-Semitism the actions of your members continue to fly in the face of such assurances.

“If you find it appropriate that an elected representative of your Party – MEP Julia Ward – should share a stage with an avowed Israel-hater and former convicted IRA terrorist who has described Israelis as “a rash”, and a journalist who has made it his life’s work slating the world’s only Jewish state and who tried to make a citizen’s arrest on your former Party Leader Tony Blair for alleaged war crimes in in Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine, Lebanon and Serbia, that is your prerogative.

“If you find it appropriate that a Labour Party MEP take part in such a blatantly biased event that uses divisive terms “discrimination” and “occupation” in its title, instead of engaging in a civil and rational dialogue on issues pertaining to the peace process and Israeli-Palestinian conflict, that too is your prerogative.

“If this is the case, then you can rest assured that your statements, your pronouncements and your efforts to distance you and your party from accusations of anti-Semitism will be rendered worthless, pointless, devoid of meaning, substance and fraudulent, and will be judged as such by European Jewry.

“If on the other hand, having one of your MEPs speak at such an event, with such people alarms you, then you must demand that this senior representative of the Labour Party remove herself and your party name from this event, or remove herself from the party in whose name she will be advocating with those who support Hamas and the IRA and who make repeated vile and patently false statements about Israel and its citizens.

“I look forward to your reply”,  concluded Margolin.

     
Corbyn letter 1

Additional Articles

The Labour party approves a draft action plan against antisemitism to be submitted to the government’s anti-racist body

The Labour party’s ruling national executive committee (NEC) has approved a draft action plan against antisemitism it is required to submit to the Equalities and Human Rights Commission (EHRC), the government anti-racist body,  ahead of a deadline later this week, The Jewish Chronicle reported.
The plan comes in response to  recommendations  of the EHRC report into antisemitism in the party.
The Labour’s action plan comprises the 18 key recommendations of the EHRC report, including the setting up of an independent complaints process to handle  allegations of antisemitism, other forms of discrimination and bullying.
The party had receive a 10 December deadline to produce a draft action plan in response to the findings and recommendations of the report released by the government anti-racist and equality body.
A Labour spokesperson said: ”Labour’s national executive committee has given its approval to the draft action plan it is required to submit to the EHRC this week.
“It covers all the EHRC’s recommendations and is an important step towards Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner’s commitment to rebuilding trust and confidence with our Jewish members and the Jewish community.”
The action plan is believed to contain details on how  Labour intends to live up to Keir Starmer’s zero tolerance commitment to reports of antisemitism in the party in the future, how it will introduce training sessions on anti-Jewish racism to be conducted by the Jewish Labour Movement, and how it will effectively monitor improvements to ensure lasting change within the party.
Asked to comment the process in the Labour party by its new leader Keir Starmer, Gideon Falter, Chairman of the UK-based Campaign Against Antisemitism, who has been in the forefront of the battle to refer the party  to EHRC because it was not taking its complaints against former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn seriously, said: ‘’‘’The point is that this is a man, Jeremy Corbyn, who put 47% of British Jews in fear of their future in this country.He surely cannot be allowed by his political party, which claims to be anti-racist, to go without answer for that. He must be held to account in a fair, independent disciplinary process.’’
Falter added during a webinar hosted by the European Jewish Association: ‘’If this is going to be polluted by Keir Starmer’s  political considerations about who has the power in Labour, then I don’t think the party has learned his lesson. The Labour party has to secure justice against anti-Semites.’’
Last month, Starmer decided not to readmit Corbyn in its parliamentary ranks despite the fact that a Labour disciplinary panel lifted the suspension of Corbyn’s party membership.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission investigation identified serious failings in leadership and an inadequate process of handling anti-Semitism complaints.
Its report said the party was responsible for three breaches of the Equality Act: political interference in anti-Semitism complaints, failure to provide adequate training to those handling anti-Semitism complaints and harassment.
Read More

#NotOnMyWatch: EJA Annual Campaign for the International Holocaust Remembrance Day 2019

The response to our Holocaust Memorial Day Campaign was humbling. The message of memory and vigilance resonated across the political and civic society spectrum. We take the opportunity to share with you an album with the many messages of support for European Jewry and condolences in remembrance, and thank all of those who took part.


To see all the picture from our campaign go to : https://www.ejassociation.eu/events/notonmywatch-eja-annual-campaign-for-the-international-holocaust-remembrance-day-2019/

סוף מר: החופשה של תלמידים יהודים מצרפת הסתיימה באירוע אנטישמי

האנטישמיות באירופה: קבוצת תלמידי בית ספר יהודי־צרפתי, שבילתה את חופשת הקיץ במלון בעיירה הקטנה טרילז’ ליד ספליט שבקרואטיה, נדהמה אתמול (שלישי) לגלות מול בית המלון “נוף” מפתיע שנוסף בשעות הלילה – צלב קרס ענק בצבע אדום שצויר על ידי אלמונים על הכיכר ועל המדרכה.לאחר שהמידע הועבר לשגרירות ישראל על ידי איגוד הקהילות היהודיות באירופה, פנה האיגוד גם למשרדי ראש הממשלה, הנשיא ושרי החוץ והפנים הקרואטים. כל הגורמים הרשמיים גינו את האירוע והביעו גילויי זעזוע והתנצלות כלפי התלמידים. המשטרה הקרואטית פתחה בחקירה.רוברט זינגר, יו”ר המרכז לאימפקט יהודי ולשעבר מנכ”ל הקונגרס היהודי העולמי, מסר: “לא מתקבל על הדעת כי חברי הקהילה היהודית של צרפת שרצו לבלות את חופשת הקיץ בקרואטיה או לחלופין בכל מקום אחר בעולם ייאלצו לחיות בתחושת פחד ובחוסר ביטחון רק בגלל זהותם היהודית. המקרה הקשה הוא הוכחה לכך שהאנטישמיות באירופה עדיין בוערת. אני קורא לכלל מנהיגי מדינות אירופה לפעול למען הגנת הקהילות היהודיות, ועל ממשלת קרואטיה באופן מיידי לקבל את הגדרת האנטישמיות הבינלאומית IHRA ולפעול למיגור התופעה”.
ח״כ יום טוב כלפון, יו”ר ועדת המשנה לזכאי השבות וקשר עם התפוצות, על המפגן האנטישמי מול תלמידים בקרואטיה: ״לאנטישמיות אין חיסון- אבל ליהודים יש בית. למגפת האנטישמיות באירופה עוד לא נמצא חיסון. ‏האנטישמים רודפים את היהודים, גם ילדים בכל מקום ואפילו בחופשתם. אבל בשונה מהעבר ליהודים יש בית, מדינה חזקה עם צבא חזק, בה היהודים יכולים להגן על עצמם. ‏אני קורא לאחינו בתפוצות בואו לארץ, לטייל, לנפוש וגם לחיות. כאן הבית שלכם”.יו”ר איגוד הארגונים היהודים באירופה, הרב מנחם מרגולין, הצהיר: “הילדים התעוררו וראו צלב קרס אדום ענק, סמל הכאב והרצח ליהודים בכל מקום, שאומר בבירור – אתם לא רצויים כאן. זה הצלב הבוער, הלולאה סביב העץ ליהודים. החופשה הזאת עבור הילדים האלה תהיה עכשיו חופשה בלתי נשכחת, מהסיבות הלא נכונות. אף על פי שאני בטוח שדעותיהם של האחראים לציור צלב קרס ענקי אינן מייצגות את הרוב המכריע של הקרואטים, תקיפה זו מסמלת עדיין כאב עמוק ליהודים בכל מקום”.הרב מרגולין הוסיף: “המלחמה באנטישמיות באירופה עדיין בעיצומה. ההתקפה הזו היא תזכורת לכך שלעולם לא נוכל להרשות לעצמנו להיות שאננים ולאפשר לנגיף האנטישמיות להתפשט ללא בקרה”.

President Đukanović is a true friend of the Jewish people.

For the first time ever, a permanent Chief Rabbi was elected in Montenegro, in a moving ceremony with the presence of President Milo Đukanović and Israeli Minister of Religious Services Yitzhak Vaknin. Chairman of the European Jewish Association Rabbi Menachem Margolin: “President Đukanović is a true friend of the Jewish people.”
Thursday, 31 October 2019, Montenegro. A small piece of Jewish history was marked today in the capital of Montenegro, as Rabbi Ari Edelkopf was elected as the first-ever permanent Chief Rabbi of the country.
The ceremony was held in the presence of Montenegro’s President Milo Đukanović, Israeli Minister of Religious Services Yitzhak Vaknin, Chairman of the European Jewish Association Rabbi Menachem Margolin, Director of the Rabbinical Centre of Europe Rabbi Arie Goldberg, Israel’s Chief Rabbinate representative Rabbi Eliezer Simcha Weiss, President of the Montenegrin Jewish Community Đorđe Raičević, and dozens of Montenegrin ministers and MPs.
For more than two years, Rabbi Edelkopf has served as the Rabbi of Montenegro’s Jewish community, which includes over 500 Jewish families – some of whom are natives of Montenegro and others who moved to the country in recent years. During the ceremony, Rabbi Edelkopf stated that: “In Judaism to be a teacher is the biggest honour. To be giving, sharing knowledge and love! The Jewish community in Montenegro is unique, and I feel honoured to be its Rabbi. I would like to thank my wife Hana. Everything I have achieved ever as a rabbi is all thanks to her and our Rebbe, who says: “Everyone needs to share his or her knowledge with others. Even if you know only one letter, share it. With G-d’s help, we’ll all strive and aim for that.””
During the nomination ceremony, Montenegro’s President Milo Đukanović noted that: “We live in hard times. Antisemitism is on the rise, and is not only a problem for the Jewish community, but for the whole of Europe. The appointment of a chief rabbi in Montenegro is a bright spot that we are all happy about.”
Rabbi Edelkopf is a not only the Chief Rabbi of the Jewish Community, but of the entire country of Montenegro, and we will surely continue our fruitful cooperation, with the Jewish community working with him.”
“Over the years, the Montenegrin people have been very supportive of the Jewish people and many Montenegrins helped to hide Jews from the Nazis during the Holocaust. Since its declaration of independence in 2006, the various governments in the state have maintained very good relations with the Jewish community, which is reflected, among other things, in the allocation of land for building synagogues, and in the very small number of Antisemitic incidents in the country.”
Chairman of the European Jewish Association (EJA), Rabbi Menachem Margolin, who initiated the historic appointment in Montenegro thanked President Đukanović for his unquestionable support for the Jewish people, congratulated Rabbi Edelkopf on the appointment, and stated: “President Đukanović is a true friend of the Jewish people and brings with him a very rich experience in the fight against Antisemitism all over Europe. We look forward to continuing working hand in hand with him on this issue.”
Minister of Religious Services of Israel, Yitzhak Vaknin, thanked President Đukanović and the EJA’s Chairman Rabbi Menachem Margolin for their efforts to strengthen the Jewish community in Montenegro and throughout the Balkans, and noted that: “The State of Israel sees itself as an address for all the Jews of the world, both the Jews who want to make Aliyah to Israel and the Jews who choose to live in the Balkans, and we want to deepen the dialogue and cooperation with everyone.”
Director of the Rabbinical Centre of Europe, Rabbi Arie Goldberg, noted during the ceremony that: “The appointment of Rabbi Edelkopf as permanent Chief Rabbi of Montenegro will greatly contribute to strengthening the spiritual and physical infrastructure of the Jewish community in the country. We at the Rabbinical Centre of Europe will continue to assist rabbis and Jewish community leaders – small and large – throughout the continent, to grow, develop, and maintain their Jewish identity.”

 

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