British Delegation Visits Israel

                        

                Embassy of Israel

                PRESS RELEASE

                British University           Delegation visits Israel

Officials from five British universities are visiting Israel this week as members of the UK Study in Israel Delegation, in order explore study opportunities in Israel for British students. The trip is set to strengthen academic ties between British and Israeli universities.

 

The University of Nottingham, The University of Sussex, The University of Essex, Cardiff University and City University London are all represented in the delegation, which was organised by Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

 

Delegates will also be received by the British Ambassador to Israel, HE Matthew Gould, and will meet with higher education officials in Israel.

 

Israel’s Ambassador to the UK, HE Daniel Taub said:

 

“Everything from cherry tomatoes and drip irrigation to Intel computer and mobile telephone chips are tied to Israeli academics’ curiosity and thirst for knowledge. Academic exchanges such as those that this trip will hopefully initiate are the gateway through which a brighter and better future will inevitably follow for all.”

 

As well as taking in Israeli culture and enjoying tourist sites, the delegation will visit the University of Haifa, IDC Herzliya, Bar Ilan University, Ben Gurion,Technion, and Tel Aviv University, and Hebrew University of Jerusalem.

Straw canard. by Jerusalem Post

Editorial: Straw canard

by Jerusalem Post

Yet again, the well-known canard that a near-omnipotent American Jewish cabal is running US policies in the Middle East, particularly vis-à-vis the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, was trotted out. The one doing the trotting out this time was former British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw.

          On Tuesday, October 22 during a gathering in the British House of Commons, according to former MK Einat Wilf, Straw told those present that AIPAC ’s “unlimited” funding and intimidation of American politicians is one of the main barriers to peace between Israelis and Palestinians.

          Ironically, in May 2003 it was none other than Straw who was accused, along with Labor cabinet member Peter Mandelson and special envoy to the Middle East Lord Michael Levy of being part of a “Jewish cabal” influencing then-prime minister Tony Blair’s policies, including his decision to invade Iraq together with the US. Apparently, one of Straw’s grandfathers is Jewish. The accusation was leveled at Straw and the others by Labor MP Tam Dalyell in an interview in Vanity Fair.

          Now, apparently, it is Straw’s turn to fight back using the same ammunition. Straw’s attack on AIPAC follows in the footsteps of John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt who in 2007 published The Israel Lobby and US Foreign Policy.

          Indeed, Straw, responding Monday in an e-mail to The Jerusalem Post’s Henry Rome, noted that his comments about AIPAC ’s influence on US policy are essentially based on Mearsheimer’s and Walt’s book. Straw also notes that in his 2012 memoir Last Man Standing he quotes in pages 445-447 from these two men’s “critical study of AIPAC.”

          Walt and Mearsheimer claimed that highly effective Jewish lobbyists, together with a group of influential neocons and Evangelical Christian groups, were essentially bullying consecutive US Congresses and governments into supporting Israel—including its “military aggression” and “human rights abuses”—despite the fact that doing so was against US interests.

          Specifically, Mearsheimer and Walt argued that this lobby, which includes AIPAC , uses the purportedly ample campaign contributions at its disposal to coerce pro-Israel policymaking in Congress.

          Straw fails to mention in his e-mail to the Post, however, that many critics both within academia and without, have pointed to the multitudes of flaws in Mearsheimer’s and Walt’s book, raising serious questions regarding their motivations—and Straw’s. Maya Spitzer, a student at the University of Pennsylvanian helpfully collected these many criticisms in an undergraduate honors thesis available online entitled The Other Pro-Israel Lobby: The Meirsheimer and Walt Controversy and the Rise of J Street.

          For instance, Columbia professor Robert Lieberman, who noted the two men’s bad methodology, their faulty research design, and the incongruity of their claims with scholarly consensus on the American political system, also criticized their tendency to exaggerate the impact of campaign contributions on pro-Israel policymaking. The two men overlook the fact, for instance, that the vast majority of pro-Israel funds go to Democratic candidates, which suggests that pro-Israel money would have paltry influence over Republican governments. Yet it was precisely the Bush administration that was accused by Walt and Mearsheimer of being so utterly under the control of the pro-Israel lobby.

          Also, pro-Israel donations have at times remained flat while overall campaign donations have soared, diminishing the relative weight of pro-Israel dollars in campaign coffers. Also, the two bring no evidence to back up their claim that the pro-Israel lobby, including AIPAC, has used contributions to effectively launch “revenge campaigns” against candidates deemed to be not sufficiently pro-Israel. What’s more, scholarly literature has widely disproved the claim that campaign contributions guarantee influence. They also conflate Jewish and pro-Israel campaign donations, exaggerating the true amount of pro-Israel donations.

          If these insidious claims and many others made by Walt and Meirsheimer and others like them have been so thoroughly discredited, why do people like Straw continue to repeat them? Why, is AIPAC singled out as the main barrier to peace between Israel and the Palestinians and not other factors such as Palestinian intransigence, radicalism and incitement? Isn’t it possible that US congressmen support Israel because they identify with Israel and not because they are being bribed or coerced? Back in 2003 when Straw himself was accused of being a part of a Jewish cabal his spokesman told the BBC the following: “These remarks are too unworthy to be worth a comment.”

          Perhaps we have already said too much.

  

 

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Faith groups have obligation to plant green shoots

The Board’s Grow Tatzmiach Project supported Sunday’s ‘Fair Chanukah Fayre’ in which hundreds of people enjoyed a green and affordable gift buying experience ahead of the festival of lights. There was vibrant music and 20 stalls featuring wonderful sustainable Chanukah gifts that are good for the earth. Among the highlights were live folk music from Jess Gold and Richard Lobb, a Pedal Powered Chanukiah and a demonstration of how to make 'Sustainable Sushi’. To see the video please click here. This project was incubated within the Board of Deputies' Social Action Grow Tatzmiach programme. Grow Tatzmiach provides mentorship and micro grants for grass roots projects like the Chanukah Fayre.  One of the highlights was a panel discussion on protecting the environment by the three co-authors of “‘Sharing Eden’: Green Teachings from Jews, Christians and Muslims”, including Rabbi Natan Levy (pictured above),who is the Board's Social Action and Interfaith Officer, David Shreeve and Harfiyah Haleem. The event was chaired by the Board’s PR and Communications Manager James Martin. Rabbi Levy said that “the imperative to act to safeguard the environment is incumbent on our generation to ensure that the next generation and generation after that can  occupy a world that is full of beauty and adequate resources.” All panelists agree that their faiths have a sacred obligation to work together to make the case for environmentalism both to politicians, and to their congregants. To watch highlights from the panel click here. The event took place at the Sternberg Centre in East Finchley.
 

Fighting the good fight in every corner of the UK

The Co-op's Boycott policies regarding Israel have been challenged at area meetings of the Co-op held across the country this month. Calls to scrap the boycott were made by Co-op members in North London, Brighton, Salisbury, Belfast, Cambridge, Wrexham, Leeds, Crewe, Guildford, Manchester, South London, Stockport and Merseyside. In the meantime, the latest petitions have been presented in North Wales, Bournemouth and Brighton signed by over 500 concerned consumers. A Co-op store in Lisburn Co Antrim also received a petition, signed by over 100 local shoppers. The Board's consultant on communal engagement with Israel, Steven Jaffe said: "The national and sustained character of our campaign has taken the Co-op completely by surprise. It is hugely important because without it I am sure we would have seen the Co-op pressurised into boycotting even more Israeli companies. Other retailers can also see that boycotting Israel is unpopular well beyond the Jewish community. I applaud the work of individuals and groups across the country who are determined to speak out on this issue". Steven can be contacted atsteven.jaffe@bod.org.uk. His work is part funded by the Jewish Leadership Council.

WELCOME FROM MICK L DAVIS CHAIR OF BOARD OF TRUSTEES

As the new Jewish year got underway, my colleagues and I were delighted to attend the installation ceremony for Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis. We were equally honoured that the Chief Rabbi addressed the JLC Council of Membership at JW3 so soon after taking office. He spoke inspirationally about the contribution he wants to make to the growth of the Jewish community in the United Kingdom and his goals in the coming period of time. I look forward to continuing our close collaboration with the Office of the Chief Rabbi and to working with and learning from Rabbi Mirvis in the coming years. The new JW3 building is a great resource for our community offering an endless array of activities. If you haven’t yet visited JW3, I encourage you to do so.  When I assumed my position as Chairman of the Board of Trustees I identified a number of strategic imperatives for our community and our member organisations. One of those was ensuring that we had the best and most representative leadership for our community and its constituent organisations. Two initiatives were launched to help us achieve this goal. One was the Commission on Women in Jewish Leadership and the other was the establishment of Lead. At the last meeting of the Council of Membership the fruits of these two efforts were evident. Firstly, we received a presentation from Laura Marks and Norma Brier on the Women in Jewish Leadership’s Award for Change. This was one of the recommendations of the JLC’s 2012 commission. Proposals for a ‘kite mark’ award for community organisations which meet an appropriate set of benchmarks in respect of women in leadership positions commencing in January 2014 were outlined. I encourage organisations to engage with this important initiative so that we can rectify the current state of gender imbalance within the leadership of communal organisations.  Secondly, Lead, under the guidance of Miles Webber, launched GAMECHANGERS. In my view this has the potential to be the most significant leadership experience that the UK Jewish community has developed to date. This programme, if well supported, will be an essential component in identifying and developing our future lay leaders. The programme will provide the opportunity to engage with today’s most inspirational leaders and develop strategic responses to the key challenges facing the community. I urge the community to respond to the programme and nominate individuals who are committed and passionate about a vibrant and vital Jewish community. The JLC exists to facilitate, amongst other things, the development of a set of strategic plans and initiatives for our community and these two programmes are outstanding examples of this intent.  It is that time of year again when preparations are well underway for the annual Chanukah in the Square event. This will take placeon Thursday 28th November 2013 and we look forward to again welcoming thousands of community members and Londoners, to join us together with the Mayor of London, in publicly celebrating the festival of Chanukah and lighting Europe’s largest Menorah in the landmark location of Trafalgar Square. It is a wonderful example of cross communal cooperation as organisations join together in partnership to deliver an event that sends a message to the world that this Jewish community of the United Kingdom is proud of our great history, heritage, values and our contribution to mankind and that we are confident to stand together in the world’s greatest city to publically celebrate that fact. It is an event that you should not miss. Finally, I would like to thank Jeremy Newmark for all his hard work and dedication over the past six years. He has been a tremendous servant not just to the JLC but to the wider community. On behalf of the JLC we wish him well and all the very best for the future.  Mick L Davis Chair of Board of Trustees

Half of Sweden's Jews hide their faith: report

Jews in Sweden are among the most likely in Europe to hide their religious affiliation, for example by not wearing a kippah, but the survey found that fear of anti-Semitism abounded across the continent.

• Fear and giggles: A day as a Jew in Malmö (14 Oct 2013)

Some 49 percent of the 800 survey respondents in Sweden kept away from brandishing their faith, the online poll by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights has revealed. The EU average for concealing your faith was 20 percent.

The year-long study was carried out in France, the UK, Belgium, Germany, Sweden, Italy, Hungary, Romania and Latvia. While the report will be released in full in November, some of the statistics have been revealed. 

The Local's Patrick Reilly hit the streets of southern city Malmö earlier this month wearing a kippah, and filed a report of stares and taunts that has been picked up by media in Sweden, but also in Israel and the US. 

RELATED STORY: Fear and giggles: A day as a Jew in Malmö

"It can be difficult for us others to understand the habits and strategies of curtailment that mark the life of a member of a persecuted group," Carl Johan von Seth wrote in an op-ed on Friday in Dagens Nyheter newspaper, referencing The Local's deguisement report.

"There is something in the Wallraff anecdotes that gets around that," he concluded, referring to the techniques of German undercover godfather Günter Wallraff.

The new statistics showed that 27 percent of all respondents surveyed across Europe put the cause behind what they perceived to be rising anti-Semitism on Muslim perpetrators. Almost as many, 22 percent, blamed left-wingers, while 19 percent instead said right-wingers bore the responsibility. 

"Preliminary findings already show that three-quarters of respondents feel that anti-Semitism has got worse in the past five years, particularly as concerns anti-Semitic comments and hate speech online," the report authors said in a statement. 

While Swedes have the option to report hate crimes to the police, in Europe overall, very few decided to do so. Only one in four cases ever made it to the report stage. Even when persecution became physical, 64 percent of victims did not report the violence to the police 

Some 67 percent said that going to the police was pointless. 

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In an ideal world gays must be executed says Abdul Qadeer Baksh

Abdul Qadeer Baksh, Chairman of the Islamic Centre in Luton, states gays would be executed in an ideal world – an Islamic state. He defends holding this view because this, sharia, would only happen if all the British people wanted (consented) to it. Talking about Saudi Arabia he claims sharia acts as a deterrent – punishments rarely happen.

You know, like the ten years imprisonment and 2,000 lashes for dancing on a car at night naked.

Tommy Robinson replied to him that in an ideal Islamic state Abdul wants gay people to be too scared to be gay. Sadly that fear already exists, not just in Islamic States but in Islamic communities. Abdul was rightly taken to task for adding to that by the host Olly Mann.

More on the ideal Islamic state can be found on Abdul’s blog and all quotes come from the same post The Five Higher Goals of Sharia Law – they are his words:

The purpose of the Islamic Law is for humans to achieve happiness in this world and the hereafter, by following the law of adopting the good and neglecting the bad.

The Islamic Law does not command anything that is not good for people, and it does not forbid anything that is not bad for them.

In an Islamic state we will be killed if we do not know what is good for us. Like being heterosexual. Procreation as a matter of life and death within marriage.

In order to protect the family, Islam forbids adultery, any other shameful deeds, and whatever leads to these deeds; such as the mixing of men and women.

In addition, Islam imposes the wearing of a veil for women in front of strange men to avoid seduction and sexual desire, for in Islam; women are precious jewels protected from being trifled with, misuse, and abuse.

The degeneration of women together with the veil. No Abdul I do not hear citizens of the UK calling for this to be imposed by law. What I am hearing is someone whose pretence at moderation is stretching credulity to breaking point. You do not speak for the Muslim people I know.

In the same post the Islamic state must deal with unbelievers:

Allah (S.W) obligated the community and the government to protect religion, to ease the means of practicing it. Thus, it must defend it; prevent every thing that leads to disobedience and disbelieving, by stopping the guilty and performing the punishments according to the law.

Now there is a huge difference between following a faith voluntarily without sanction, and in the Islamic state all will follow this or else punishments exist by force of law via sharia. The ideal state for Abdul Qadeer Baksh is quite simply hell on earth. The punishment for apostasy and being gay just a few examples. Remember the death penalty is good for you keeping the faith.

For Abdul these things enshrine “human rights.” To which I can only reply long live the secular state to protect us from the religious idealists that claim to be moderates. The enemies of reason that destroy language as they will an individual’s rights – rights that no state, faith or other person can take without violating another’s humanity. Universal human rights.

We are people, citizens. Using the freedoms we have to enjoy in our imperfect little state, may we expose the supposed “moderates” in our midst that would wish to have “happiness” ordained by law. These hell imposers of a black heart, and the destroyers of the human spirit that finds joy through life in all its diversity.