Category Archives: British Jews

A Damp Squib?: Doubts About the New UK ‘Pro-Israel, Pro-Peace’ Movement

Posted on 15/06/2011 by

Yachad, a new ‘pro-Israel, pro-peace’ movement, inspired by the American J Street liberal, political lobby group, was launched in the UK in April. Much heralded and anticipated, since its website went live, little has been heard from it. Is Yachad … Continue reading →

Posted in British Jews, Middle East | Leave a comment

How Feelings of Jewish Insecurity are Aggravated by the Community Security Trust

Posted on 13/06/2011 by

I have always given credit to the Community Security Trust, the private charity that monitors and combats antisemitism in the UK, for its efforts to record expressions of antisemitism as diligently and rigorously as possible. Some accuse CST of deliberately … Continue reading →

Posted in Antisemitism, British Jews | 4 Comments

Jewish Chronicle: End the Witch-Hunt

Posted on 07/06/2011 by

This piece is cross-posted from Independent Jewish Voices Three weeks ago the Jewish Chronicle published a front page attack on the Pears Foundation for providing funds to Forward Thinking, a charity aiming to build greater understanding ‘between the diverse grassroots Muslim communities and the wider … Continue reading →

Posted in British Jews, Multiculturalism | 1 Comment

‘Push and Press Israel’ New Israel Fund President tells UK Jews. So Why is NIF Supporting a Whitewash Israel conference?

Posted on 11/05/2011 by

Naomi Chazan is a class act. Professor emerita, former Deputy Speaker of the Israeli Knesset, former Member of the Knesset for the Meretz civil rights party, feminist, President of the New Israel Fund – I doubt whether anyone can better … Continue reading →

Posted in British Jews, Middle East | 3 Comments

Is an Israeli Think Tank Behind the New SOAS Israel Studies Posts? Ben White vs. the Reut Institute

Posted on 19/04/2011 by

When I wrote about the establishment of two new academic posts in Israel studies at SOAS, funded by the Pears Foundation, I was unaware that Ben White had already posted a piece on Mondoweiss giving his take on the announcement. … Continue reading →

Posted in British Jews, Middle East | 1 Comment

SOAS’s New Israel Studies Posts: Promoting Academic Excellence or Israel Advocacy?

Posted on 12/04/2011 by

Two new academic posts in Israel studies are to be created at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, funded with a grant of £485,000 over 4 years from the Pears Foundation, which describes itself as a ‘British … Continue reading →

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In Praise of Altruism: The Antidote to a Morally Bankrupt Ethnocentrism

Posted on 24/03/2011 by

This piece is cross-posted from Eretz Acheret where it was published today. It’s been fashionable in recent decades to be sniffy about altruism. Self-interest, we are told, is the most important instinct that leads to action in support of people … Continue reading →

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