Sitcom writer claims David Baddiel ‘breached IHRA antisemitism definition’
Limmud 2023: Gary Sinyor tells audience: 'I have a real problem, I'm sorry to say, with David Baddiel and his book 'Jews Don't Count'
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
Comedian David Baddiel’s approach to tackling antisemitism leaves him falling foul of the most recognised definition of antisemitism, a speaker at the Limmud 2023 festival has controversially claimed.
Addressing a session provocatively titled ‘I have invited Corbyn to Limmud’, Gary Sinyor openly took issue with sections of Baddiel’s best-selling Jews Don’t Count book, while criticising the IHRA definition of antisemitism for failing to properly define Jew-hate.
Sinyor is the comic writer of the television sitcom Hapless that made headlines after the sitcom on Jewish life was withdrawn from being shown flights by British Airways last week.
He said at Sunday evening’s session: “I stand in opposition to Baddiel who I think is… I’ve been warned not to say this…. I think according to the IHRA definition of antisemitism, he is an antisemite, according to the definition. According to IHRA, I believe he has ‘a certain perception of Jews. I have a real problem, I’m sorry to say, with David Baddiel.”
He added: “I bought his book, by the way. I hope to get into an argument or discussion because that’s what this is about.”
Later Sinyor made reference to the parts in the book Jews Don’t Count where Baddiel had noted Sacha Baron Cohen “I think of as being more Israeli than Jewish”.
He continued: “Right … Sacha Baron Cohen is a British-born Jew. He is not more Israeli than Jewish, that is antisemitism. He also says that Israelis are ‘not particularly Jewish, they are too ripped and too macho’.
“That is a certain perception of Jews as being weedy and neurotic. And that is David Baddiel’s view, which he is entitled to. It’s the comic Woody Allen thing.
“But it is portraying Jews in a particular light, and it really is a form of antisemitism, as per the IHRA.”
Sinyor was challenged from the floor, with it being pointed out to him that Baddiel’s words were “tongue in cheek.” But he responded:”It’s not tongue in cheek. If I put ‘F**k Israel’ as he did on Twitter, is that meant to be tongue in cheek?”
In a less controversial admission, Sinyor said he had “hugged” Baddiel after he saw him at the recent national march against antisemitism in central London. He added he had known the comedian “for a while on and off.”
Earlier Sinyor cast doubt about the suitability of the IHRA definition, with all its examples, to effectively define hatred against Jews.
He said non-Jews were left confused by IHRA, and also said rising antisemitism since the October 7 Hamas terror atrocity could be explained by a failure to accept the existence of a Jewish state.
Asked to respond to Sinyor’s comments at Limmud 2023, Baddiel told Jewish News: “I enjoyed both Hapless and Leon The Pig Farmer and think they deserve a bigger audience, which I’m sure would make everything all right in Gary’s world.”
Last week British Airways apologised after pausing plans to air Sinyor’s sitcom on its flights in an effort to remain “neutral” on the Israel-Hamas conflict.
In August, the UK national carrier agreed to purchase the first season of the sitcom Hapless and add it to the airline’s repertoire of in-flight entertainment, making it available to watch beginning in December.
However, following the deadly Hamas’ attack on Israel on 7 October, BA paused the £20,000 deal.
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