OPINION: Sizer verdict will ensure stronger bonds between the Church and British Jews
Marie van der Zyl thanks the Church of England for its inquiry and the strength of its judgement on retired minister Stephen Sizer
This week, a Church of England tribunal found one of its retired ministers, Stephen Sizer, to have engaged in “conduct unbecoming” to a member of the clergy and in one instance to have engaged in “antisemitic activity”.
This tribunal and the verdict announced on Tuesday has been the result of efforts over a number of years by the Board of Deputies. We first flagged the activities of Sizer back in 2014, when he participated in an antisemitic conference in Tehran, sponsored by the Iranian government. Later, he posted an article on Facebook accusing Israel of responsibility for the 9/11 attacks.
The case was pursued vigorously by my predecessor, Jonathan Arkush, former President of the Board of Deputies and subsequently by myself. We both gave evidence to the tribunal which was fully accepted.
In total, the tribunal concluded that there had been four instances where Sizer’s conduct strayed from what would be expected of a Church of England minister and he has been severely criticised for his conduct.
The successful conclusion of this case is important for several reasons: The Board of Deputies values its good relationships with all faith communities. The fact that the Church of England, as the established Church, and led by the King himself, has upheld these serious allegations, will only enrich and create stronger bonds between our communities.
Indeed, although this has been a long and sometimes painful court procedure, the Church has been supportive of the Jewish community and has acknowledged that an important boundary was crossed by Sizer’s activities.
This judgement also draws an essential line in the sand: Mr Sizer claimed that he was merely a supporter of Palestinian rights and a critic of Israel. We, in the Jewish community know that criticism of the Israeli government is not necessarily antisemitic in the same way that criticising the UK Government does not make you anti-British. However, the demonisation of Israel and the use of antisemitic tropes and conspiracy theories, where the word “Jew” is substituted for “Israel” or “Zionist” often betrays different intent.
While we await the sentence resulting from this verdict, the magnitude and impact of this judgement should not be underestimated. Sizer was found to have “provoked and offended” the Jewish community on several occasions; and confirmation that this type of behaviour is unacceptable will send a strong message to others who seek to demonise Jews and Israel, in the Church and beyond.
This has been a vital moment for the relationship between Jews and the Church of England and on behalf of the Jewish community I would like to thank the Church for the conduct of the inquiry and the strength of its judgement.
- Marie van der Zyl is President of the Board of Deputies of British Jews.
Thank you for helping to make Jewish News the leading source of news and opinion for the UK Jewish community. Today we're asking for your invaluable help to continue putting our community first in everything we do.
For as little as £5 a month you can help sustain the vital work we do in celebrating and standing up for Jewish life in Britain.
Jewish News holds our community together and keeps us connected. Like a synagogue, it’s where people turn to feel part of something bigger. It also proudly shows the rest of Britain the vibrancy and rich culture of modern Jewish life.
You can make a quick and easy one-off or monthly contribution of £5, £10, £20 or any other sum you’re comfortable with.
100% of your donation will help us continue celebrating our community, in all its dynamic diversity...
Engaging
Being a community platform means so much more than producing a newspaper and website. One of our proudest roles is media partnering with our invaluable charities to amplify the outstanding work they do to help us all.
Celebrating
There’s no shortage of oys in the world but Jewish News takes every opportunity to celebrate the joys too, through projects like Night of Heroes, 40 Under 40 and other compelling countdowns that make the community kvell with pride.
Pioneering
In the first collaboration between media outlets from different faiths, Jewish News worked with British Muslim TV and Church Times to produce a list of young activists leading the way on interfaith understanding.
Campaigning
Royal Mail issued a stamp honouring Holocaust hero Sir Nicholas Winton after a Jewish News campaign attracted more than 100,000 backers. Jewish Newsalso produces special editions of the paper highlighting pressing issues including mental health and Holocaust remembrance.
Easy access
In an age when news is readily accessible, Jewish News provides high-quality content free online and offline, removing any financial barriers to connecting people.
Voice of our community to wider society
The Jewish News team regularly appears on TV, radio and on the pages of the national press to comment on stories about the Jewish community. Easy access to the paper on the streets of London also means Jewish News provides an invaluable window into the community for the country at large.
We hope you agree all this is worth preserving.
