Letters to the Editor: ‘Wrong on Golders mosque’ vs a ‘principled stand against racism’

Jewish News wrong on Golders mosque

I like Jewish News. It has done a nice job over the years. But its role in blocking an advert articulating legitimate, democratic opposition to the creation of a massive new mosque in Golders Green [Jewish News, 19 October] proves that the management of your paper isn’t fit for purpose any more.

A very significant minority of Islam has a huge problem with the British way of life and, in fact, with anyone else’s way of life. It’s not a coincidence that the list of proscribed terror organisations on the government list is dominated by Islamic groups.

Plus, a great many British Muslims want to see some or all aspects of sharia law replace ordinary British law and are duplicitous at best in their attitudes to Jews and Zionism.

In these circumstances, it takes the biscuit to see Jewish News shut down an advert that questions the merits of such a Shiite move, with the paper denouncing such questioning as Islamophobia, as if this were unreasonable, and racism, as if this were not a misnomer. There is a strange irony in a Jewish newspaper shutting down Jewish democratic debate and freedom of self-expression.

William Comet, By email

Principled stand against racism

I must congratulate you on your principled stand against racism, as reflected in your front page article [Jewish News, 19 October] .

Too often we find hypocrisy in what a newspaper and its editorial team want to write and the interference from their publishers who do not want to offend their advertisers.

I worked for many years on a few national “Fleet Street” newspapers which often were not allowed to publish articles conflicting with the interests of major advertisers.

Of course, that could be why these major titles have changed owners or no longer exist!

Clive Jacobs, Watford

Refusal to take advert was right

We are writing to let you know we approve of your refusal to join a campaign to stop Muslims buying the iconic Golders Green Hippodrome [Jewish News, 19 October] for the purpose of turning it into a mosque.

Your refusal to carry an advertisement supporting this shocking action was also the right decision.

Lynn and Mike Levy, By email

The mosque haters should hang their heads in shame

As we prepare to mark the 22nd anniversary of former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin’s assassination, those who called Jewish News ‘kapo’ over its refusal to endorse the unwelcome campaign to oppose the new Golders Green mosque [Jewish News, 19 October] might do well to remember that was the sort of term used by his opponents before the assassination.

It ill-behooves members of the Jewish community to ape the behaviour of extremist organisations such as the National Front, British National Party, the EDL and its offshoots or Britain First.

The hatemongers should take a long, hard look in the mirror and hang their heads in shame [if indeed they have any].

Joe Millis, By email

Naive, misleading & incredibly stupid

I refer to your front page statement last week stating: “The shameful agenda of the Hippodrome hypocrites.”

I disagree with your reasons for not supporting the Jewish community in this important matter.

People have not objected to the building of a cultural centre but specifically the building of a mosque – and rightly so.

Mosques all over the world are responsible for promulgating hate crimes, not only against the Jews and Israel but against every community in the west who do not believe in Islam. Today a cultural centre, tomorrow a vehicle for Islamic propaganda. Remember what happened in New York?

The Jewish community worldwide and Israel are suffering on all fronts with hatred, demonisation and delegitimisation from worldwide organisations and our own illustrious Labour Party, with systemic bias and rabid anti-Semitism.

There are also growing calls for the destruction of the only democracy in the Middle East.

I would think in view of these circumstances, Jewish News would at least be impartial and not peddle support for a religion so against the Jewish people and their one and only country.

Your position on this crucial issue was at best deliberately misleading and naïve and at worst not only dangerous but incredibly stupid.

Marina Benaiah, Kingsbury

Proud of paper’s stance

Congratulations on your statement regarding opposition to the Golders Green mosque – it made me feel proud to be Jewish.

I wonder if those who are protesting against the mosque can remember, or imagine, how our parents and grandparents felt and were treated when they moved to a new area?

We weren’t always welcomed whole-heartedly but in the end became integral parts of our communities, with mutual benefits and friendships. No matter how uncomfortable people might feel with Muslim families now – often with no personal knowledge of such people – many of our families were once in exactly the same situation with traditional British families.

Surely we have the wisdom and generosity to see that living together in friendship is the only way?

Leatrice Morris, By email