Sir Mick Davis warns young Jews ‘face a two-pronged attack’ on Israel connection
Senior community figure says support for the Jewish state among young people is 'the exception to their values not the embodiment of them'
One of British Jewry’s most senior figures has warned young Jews feel their support for Israel must be “the exception to their values, rather than the embodiment of them”.
Sir Mick Davis, a former chair of the Jewish Leadership Council who also chaired then Prime Minister David Cameron’s Holocaust Memorial Commission and is now the chief executive of the Conservative Party, made the comments in an opinion piece published on Times of Israel this week.
In it, Davis says young diaspora Jews “face a two-pronged attack on their connection to Israel” – both anti-Semitism on the left of British politics and Israeli Government actions.
“They see their pride in Israel dented by actions taken by the Israeli authorities that undermine their Jewish values,” he wrote.
“Whether through the constant trickle of ugly legislation like last year’s Nation-State Bill, the racism of
Chief Rabbi Yitzhak Yosef, a callous approach to African asylum seekers, discrimination against progressive Judaism or ongoing settlement expansion, young diaspora Jews are too often being asked to make their attachment to Israel the exception to their values rather than the embodiment of them.”
Listen to the Jewish Views Podcast
https://soundcloud.com/thejewishviews/tjv05042018
Keep community journalism free.
Jewish News is free for everyone. No paywall. No barriers. Just trusted journalism for anyone who wants to stay connected to Jewish life in Britain.
If you value that, please support us.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Every day, we report on the issues that matter to our community. We celebrate achievements, support charities, challenge antisemitism and ensure Jewish voices are heard more widely.
From as little as £5 a month, you can help us continue to:
- Report on the stories shaping Jewish life in the UK and beyond
- Bring our community together through shared stories, events and campaigns
- Celebrate the people, culture and moments that define our community
- Support organisations doing vital work across Jewish Britain
You can make a one-off donation or become a regular supporter. Every contribution helps keep our journalism free, independent and accessible to all.
If everyone who values Jewish News gave a small amount, it would make a real difference to our future.
