Board of Deputies Community Briefing 25th April 2019-compressed-2 copy

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COMMUNITY BRIEFING
One year on from Jewish community's meeting
with Jeremy Corbyn, Board of Deputies shows
Labour's lack of progress on antisemitism
On the first anniversary of the Jewish community's
meeting with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn to
discuss the antisemitism crisis in the Labour Party,
the Board of Deputies yesterday published a Twitter
thread detailing Labour's lack of progress on anti-
Jewish racism since the meeting took place on April
24, 2018.
"A year ago today the Board of Deputies, the JLC
and CST met Labour Party Leader Jeremy Corbyn to
call for immediate action to end anti-Jewish racism
in the Labour Party. We called for six simple steps to
be taken by Labour. A year on this is what has
happened…
"We asked Labour to clear the backlog of cases. The
recent Sunday Times investigation shows our
demands to root out anti-Jewish racism were treated
with utter contempt. Rather than own the problem,
the Labour leadership appears to have put its efforts
into a cover up operation.
"We asked Labour to improve its disciplinary
process. Our request for independent oversight was
rejected, the process remains politicised and the
EHRC is actively considering a full investigation.
"We asked Labour to tackle the culture of denial of
antisemitism in the party and act against people who
support and associate with those who have been
expelled. Nothing of substance has been
implemented and the culture of denial continues
with relative impunity.
"We asked Labour to roll out antisemitism education
and training to all members and asked that this
should be delivered by a mainstream Jewish
community organisation like the Jewish Labour
Movement. This has not been implemented and the
party has acted in ways that undermine its Jewish
affiliate.
"We asked Labour to adopt the IHRA Definition of
Antisemitism in full with all its examples. After a
shameful summer telling the Jewish community that
Labour could define our oppression better than we
could, the definition was adopted but with a caveat
that that weakened it.
"We called on Jeremy Corbyn to acknowledge his
previous failings and offer a heartfelt apology to
British Jews and Israeli victims of terror for his
previous associations with antisemites and
Holocaust deniers. He has not offered an apology or
an acknowledgement.
"We called for an agreed process to monitor
progress and implementation of these actions. No
such process has been agreed.
"#EnoughIsEnough! The Jewish community will not
waver and will continue to speak out. It is up to you
to take the necessary action over antisemitism and
reclaim your position as a credible anti-racist party."

Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl (left) and Chief Executive Gillian Merron this week met Labour
Deputy Leader to discuss the way forward on antisemitism in the party
Marie van der Zyl condemns Sri Lanka bombings
Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl has condemned the Easter Sunday bomb attacks
perpetrated against Christians in Sri Lanka which has killed more than 300 people and injured many more.
She said: “We condemn the shocking bomb attacks which murdered those innocently at prayer in churches
in Sri Lanka for Easter morning and in hotels.
“All our sympathies are with the victims and their families at this terrible time.”
Yom HaShoah event 'Remember Together - We Are One'
to take place in Hyde Park on May 5

Yom HaShoah UK invites the entire community to stand together for the UK National Commemoration
Event 'Remember Together - We Are One' taking place on Sunday May 5 at 11:30am at the National
Holocaust Remembrance Gardens, Hyde Park.
The Jewish community will gather to remember together the loss of six million and to pay tribute to the
survivors and refugees for the remarkable contributions they have made to the Jewish community and
wider UK society.
To book your tickets for this important event, click here.
ACTIVITY REPORT
POLITICAL
Vice President Amanda Bowman this week commented on a video which showed Labour Party chief of
communications Seumas Milne speaking about the way Zionist activists "bombard the media day in day
out with their obsessive campaigns".
Amanda said: "Here’s Seumus Milne from 10 years ago responding to a classic racist trope – that Jews
control the media.
“Instead of condemning it, Milne just says it might be a bit exaggerated. This demonstrates a pattern of
behaviour that we have become all too familiar with from the Labour leadership.
“Instead of denouncing anti-Jewish hatred as any true anti-racist should, he’s indulging and cosying up to
antisemites.”
Read the Jewish News article here.
SOCIAL ACTION
Vice President Amanda Bowman and Interfaith and Social Action Officer Anthony Silkoff organised a
meeting with Hope Not Hate’s Jemma Levene and two members of the French National Assembly, Elise
Fajgeles and Adrien Morenas. They discussed the challenges of extremism that we all face in France and
Britain: the rise of the far-right, far-left antisemitism, Islamist extremism, misogyny and anti-Muslim hate.
INTERNATIONAL
Chief Executive Gillian Merron met Jon Benjamin, the Director of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Diplomatic Academy, to discuss ongoing cooperation.
COMMUNITY
Senior Vice President Sheila Gewolb was the guest speaker at the monthly meeting of the veterans’
group at Jewish Care’s Lady Sarah Cohen House in North Finchley. She spoke about the work of the Board
of Deputies and the current issue of antisemitism in the Labour Party.
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