Galliano to headline London shuls event

John Galliano, who was convicted over an anti-Semitic rant in 2011, is to speak at a launch of a major new Jewish learning initiative in central London.

The fashion designer, who was sacked by Christian Dior after telling two Jewish women ‘I love Hitler’, has developed a friendship with Rabbi Barry Marcus which has seen him visit his Central Synagogue as part of a rehabilitation programme.

Now the shul’s website has revealed that Galliano will be discussing fashion as part of a panel organised by CONNECT, a new initiative from central, New west End and Marble Arch synagogues as “a way of bringing Jews and Jewish learning back to the West End”. The event is in conjunction with the Chief Rabbi’s Centre for Rabbinic Excellence.

Galliano lost his job at Christian Dior over the rant which he blamed on alcohol and has since described the comments as “the worst thing I’ve said in my life”. Rabbi Marcus has insisted it would be an “injustice” to describe Galliano as an anti-Semite.

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