Category Archives: British Jews

‘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 Antony Lerman

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 Antony Lerman

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 Antony Lerman

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 Antony Lerman

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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Israel Doesn’t Reciprocate Devotion of Diaspora Jews

Posted on 18/03/2011 by Antony Lerman

This piece is cross-posted from Eretz Acheret, where it was published today. Clear signs of changing attitudes towards Israel among British Jews have been emerging in recent years. And yet old thinking dies hard. Whereas a very significant proportion of … Continue reading →

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Pro-Israel Jewish Organizations Are Likely to Have a Negative Impact on the Object of Their Affection

Posted on 18/03/2011 by Antony Lerman

Apart from running down the battery on my BlackBerry at a phenomenal rate, the Twitter feed I activated recently does have its positive side. Tweets about breaking developments in Egypt and Libya gave me a sense of immediate and uncanny … Continue reading →

Posted in British Jews | 2 Comments