Israeli opposition politician condemns ‘shameful removal’ of Progressive rabbis from London demo
Gilad Kariv, MK for the Democrats Party, invites Rabbis Charley Baginsky and Josh Levy to address Knesset committee meeting
A leading Israeli opposition politician has condemned the “shameful removal” of two Progressive Judaism rabbis from the stage as they spoke at a communal demo in London – and invited them to address a Knesset committee meeting.
Gilad Kariv, Member of Knesset for the Democrats Party, and chair of the Immigration, Absorption and Diaspora Committee in the Israeli parliament, posted on X that the removal of Rabbi Charley Baginsky and Rabbi Josh Levy as they attempted to address attendees at the rally was “a violent and cowardly act.”
The politician, a former CEO of the Israel Movement for Reform and Progressive Judaism, added:”The culture of debate and the ability to unite around a common goal despite differing opinions are the secret of the Jewish people’s strength—in Israel and in the Diaspora.
“Just as many Israeli citizens oppose the government’s policies as part of the struggle to bring back the hostages, so too do a significant portion of the Jewish Diaspora.”
Kariv, the first Reform rabbi to be elected into the Knesset also revealed he would invite Baginsky and Levy to participate in a meeting of the Knesset’s Immigration, Absorption, and Diaspora Committee, “where we will listen to their words with open hearts and utmost respect.”
He added:”We will not agree to the silencing of voices. Not in Israel, not in the Diaspora, and we will stand together against extremists and their toxic propaganda machines.”
Sunday’s march in central London was organised by grassroots advocacy group Stop the Hate and billed as a “national march for the hostages” and also included criticism of the government’s plan for Palestinian state recognition.
Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis spoke along with relatives of some of the hostages.
But when Rabbis Levy and Baginsky used their speech to suggest Palestinian recognition should take place under the right circumstances they were booed from the crowd, before a man removed their microphone and led them off stage.
The Board of Deputies issued a statement condemning the action, while Masorti Judaism also released a statement saying it “condemns the abusive behaviour on display towards Rabbi Josh levy and Rabbi Charley Baginsky” who had been “invited to speak at the march for hostages outside Downing Street in good faith.”
“We agreed to co-sponsor this event on the basis of the collective power of Jews coming together with a single voice was worth transcending our differences.
“We regret that it appears rather than demonstrate our shared voice of unity focused on the release of the hostages, the event resulted in abusive voices from a segment of the crowd stopping Rabbis Charley and Josh from speaking.
“Nothing they said should have earned such very troubling disrespect and if we wish to marshal the full force of the diverse Jewish world, we cannot be encouraging divisions which only detract from the pain and anguish we all feel for the hostages and the shocking and inhumane conditions they are being kept in.”
The Leo Baeck College also issued its own statement “in the face of the abusive behaviour displayed against our alumni, Rabbis Baginsky and Josh Levy.”
They added:”We condemn unequivocally the lack of civility, the intolerance in the face of indifference, and absence of respect displayed by some members of the crowd, and the clumsy way the disruption was handled by the organisers.”
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