Board of Deputies Community Briefing 19th December 2019 copy

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COMMUNITY BRIEFING
Marie van der Zyl: ‘When he eventually steps
back, history will not look kindly on Jeremy
Corbyn’s leadership of the Labour Party, where
anti-Jewish racism has been allowed to run
amok’
Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl
reacted to the result of the General Election on
Friday morning.
She said: “This election victory is an historic
look kindly on Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership of the
Labour Party, where anti-Jewish racism has been
allowed to run amok, and some at the highest levels
of the party have appeared to collude to protect
antisemites.

achievement for Boris Johnson and the Conservative
Party. We hope that the Prime Minister will use his
new mandate to bring the country together and put
an end to the toxicity and prejudice which has
become too regular a feature of our politics. We look
forward to working with the Government to ensure
that our country strives to be a beacon of inclusion
and respect for all its inhabitants.
When he eventually steps back, history will not
“We urge the next leader of the Labour Party to act
quickly to implement the steps repeatedly
recommended by Jewish communal groups to begin
solving this crisis and moving our politics forward.”
You can read Marie van der Zyl's opinion piece in the
JC here and see her interview on i24 News here. You
can read Gillian Merron's article in the Jewish News
here.
Conservatives urged not to make ‘same mistakes as the
Labour Party over antisemitism’ with new inquiry into
racism including Islamophobia
Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl has urged the Conservative Party to reassure Muslim and
other communities over racism.
She said: “As the Conservatives embark on an inquiry designed to strengthen its approach to racism –
particularly Islamophobia – and reassure British Muslims and other communities about its approach, it must
avoid making the same mistakes as the Labour Party over antisemitism.
“It should seek to ensure the approach is genuine, asks the difficult questions and the Party should show a
willingness to change if things have gone wrong in the past.
“It should be said that in our own dealings with the Conservative Party over incidents of antisemitism and
other forms of racism, we have found it to be responsive and swift. But it seems that other minority groups
have not all had the same experience and this should be addressed.
“Where we can play a constructive role, we are certainly willing to do so.
“Islamophobia, antisemitism, racism and prejudice of any kind should be driven out of our politics and out
of our society.”
Political parties called upon to take action on new MPs
who have made anti-Jewish comments
Board of Deputies Vice President Amanda Bowman has urged political parties to take action against new
MPs who have been found to have made anti-Jewish comments.
Amanda said: “We view with great concern the past conduct of a number of newly elected members of the
House of Commons:
“Apsana Begum (Labour, Poplar & Limehouse) shared a Facebook post which said, with respect to Muslims
being harassed at the Mecca Grand Mosque, that the ‘House of Saud are crossing the red line, inspired by
their Zionist masters!’
“Lee Anderson (Conservative, Ashfield) is an active member of a Facebook group moderated by local
Conservative activists, which has regularly posted conspiracy theories about George Soros.
“Neale Hanvey (currently suspended from the SNP), the newly elected member for Kirkcaldy and
Cowdenbeath, circulated an article that depicted George Soros as a puppeteer controlling world leaders,
and posted a message drawing parallels between the treatment of Palestinians, and Jews in World War
Two.
“Sally Ann Hart (Conservative, Hastings & Rye) posted a link to a YouTube video about the EU which used
George Soros’s image, and then liked a comment beneath it which read “Ein Reich”, a Nazi slogan.
“Zarah Sultana (Labour, Coventry South) has made numerous offensive comments in connection to Israel
and Jews, and told an outgoing non-Jewish Vice-President of the NUS who had been against BDS motions

that he did not ‘serve Israel as well as you would’ve liked’.
“We would ask all the political parties in question to treat these cases with the utmost seriousness, and use
the full range of disciplinary measures as appropriate, from training on antisemitism and the pernicious use
of antisemitic tropes up to and including suspension of the whip (as has already been done in the case of
Mr Hanvey).”
Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl, Vice President Edwin Shuker and Interfaith and Social Action
Officer Anthony Silkoff at Azhar Academy, a Muslim girls school in Newham. They spoke to teachers and
students about the prejudice faced by Muslims and Jews. They spent the afternoon with leaders of South
Woodford Mosque, where they discussed some of the most challenging issues of Muslim-Jewish relations,
from Zionism to antisemitism, and agreed to work together on peacebuilding and community cohesion
ACTIVITY REPORT
POLITICAL
The Board of Deputies has condemned Baroness Tonge for her comments following the General Election
results on Friday morning. A spokesperson said: “We stand behind the 90 peers who are urging Baroness
Tonge to give an unqualified apology following her latest antisemitic trope of blaming Labour’s election
defeat on ‘the pro-Israel lobby’. She should also be ashamed that she spoke of the Chief Rabbi dancing in
the streets at a time when Rabbi Mirvis has actually been mourning the death of his father. As has been
proved time and again, Jenny Tonge is unfit to sit in the House of Lords.”
ANTISEMITISM
Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl commented on Tottenham Hotspur's consultation on fans'
use of the Y-Word at matches. She said: “Tottenham Hotspur’s survey of fans into the use of the ‘Y-word’
offers mixed results. However, it is telling that 94 per cent of respondents acknowledged that the Y-word
can be considered a racist term against a Jewish person. Indeed, the fact that Tottenham Hotspur refer to it
as the ‘Y-word’ indicates that the authors of the survey are sensitive to its use as a term of abuse. We
believe that its continued use keeps this racist term in the football vernacular, where it will stay until Spurs
fans stop using it. We strongly urge the club to discourage fans from its use from now on.” Read the JC
report here.
LIMMUD
The Board of Deputies will be out in force with a full programme of events at this year’s Limmud Festival,
which begins on Sunday 22 December. See full details of the Board of Deputies programme here. Go to the
Limmud website for full details about the festival.

INTERNATIONAL
Senior Vice President Sheila Gewolb, Chief Executive Gillian Merron, Director of Public Affairs Philip
Rosenberg, Director of Operations Judy Silkoff, International Relations Officer Talia Ingleby and
Community Engagement Officer Lauren Keiles will attend a Chanukah reception at the US Ambassador’s
Residence tonight.
Vice President Sheila Gewolb met Joshua Levine, historical consultant and author of numerous books
including ‘Beauty and Atrocity’, which focused on the Northern Ireland Troubles, and books about Dunkirk,
one of which spent five weeks at the top of the Times bestseller list. He was also consulted on the
Christopher Nolan film ‘Dunkirk’, and is an ambassador for the Royal Airforce Museum in London. Areas of
possible collaboration with the Board’s heritage work was discussed, focusing on research.
International Relations Officer Talia Ingleby spoke with Dalia Grinfeld from the Anti-Defamation League
about the results of the UK General Election.
CHANUKAH
President Marie van der Zyl addressed the Civil Servants’ Jewish Network Chanukah Reception with
Cabinet Secretary Sir Mark Sedwill, as well as senior sponsors Tamara Finkelstein and Matthew Gould. The
assembled group was treated to festive songs by the choir of Wolfson Hillel Primary School. Public Affairs
Director Phil Rosenberg, Community Engagement Officer Lauren Keiles and Heritage and Heritage
and Archives Manager Dawn Waterman also attended. The Board of Deputies was proud to sponsor the
event. You can see pictures here
Senior Vice President Sheila Gewolb and Public Affairs Director Phil Rosenberg represented the Board
of Deputies at the City of London Chanukah reception at The Guildhall. Sheila addressed the gathering.
This is the first time a Chanukah event has been hosted by the City of London Corporation. Other guests
included the Israeli Ambassador Mark Regev, Lord John Mann and United Synagogue President Michael
Goldstein. You see photos from the event here.
EVENTS
Vice President Sheila Gewolb attended the unveiling of a Commemorative Blue Plaque on Woburn House
in honour and memory of Otto Schiff CBE, which was organised by the Association of Jewish Refugees.
Public Affairs Officer Daniel Sugarman attended a Chanukah Lunch & Learn celebration, along with
Simon Johnson, Chief Executive of the Jewish Leadership Council, at Millbank House. They described
Chanukah, its history and traditions to an audience of Parliamentary workers.
COMMUNITY
Director of Operations Judy Silkoff attended the second module of Lead’s Dangoor Senior Leadership
Programme at Cumberland Lodge in Windsor on 15th and 16th December, in association with Windsor
Leadership.
The Board of Deputies is supporting JAMI’s Mental Health Awareness Shabbat, which aims to raise the
profile of mental health in the Jewish community. The Shabbat takes place on 31 January and 1 February.
Find more details here.
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