United Synagogue writes to its Deputies ahead of Board special meeting
Board meeting called after 40 Deputies call for representatives to have the opportunity to present a response to the situation in Gaza
The United Synagogue has written to Deputies for all its shuls ahead of a special Board meeting on the subject of Gaza this evening – providing talking points while steering clear of giving specific advice on whether to support or oppose the prospect of the Board taking a more critical line on the actions of the Israeli government.
In a letter sent both to United Synagogue Deputies and Under-35 representatives, Saul Taylor, the new President of the United Synagogue, described how the “relentless onslaught on Israel in the British media and online is having a toxic effect on our community and poisoning minds against the world’s only Jewish state. Spambots fill social media channels dragging users into a cesspool of hate and division where Holocaust comparisons and blood libels against Israel are de rigueur.
“It is shameful that some journalists and politicians blame Israel for a war it did not start. We are approaching 22 long months since the atrocities of October 7. Fifty hostages are still languishing underground after more than 660 days.”
As reported by Jewish News late last week, tonight’s rapidly arranged special meeting of the Board came after 40 Deputies wrote to Board President Phil Rosenberg, noting how 100 aid agencies had warned of the imminent risk of starvation in Gaza, and suggesting that the Board’s silence in this circumstance could be interpreted as “indifference” to a clearly horrific situation. The letter also said that “Nothing could be more damaging to the British Jewish community than staying silent in this moment.” It called for the Board to hold a special meeting to give deputies the opportunity to present a response to the situation that reflected majority opinion.
In April, an open letter from 36 Deputies published by the Financial Times strongly criticising the Israeli government led to significant communal turmoil. The letter, which specifically identified the signatories as Deputies, was taken by a significant number of people to be indicative of the Board’s position. The Board subsequently censured the Deputies in question, with five given two-year suspensions.
The latest letter from Deputies was a private letter rather than a public one – and unlike the first letter, where every synagogal signatory came from the Progressive streams of Judaism, Jewish News understands that the recent letter to the President included the signatures of Deputies representing United Synagogue establishments.
In his letter to United Synagogue representatives, Taylor also described how “war is tragic and there are no easy choices. As the Chief Rabbi said yesterday: ‘Seeing images from Gaza over recent days, of fellow human beings enduring terrible suffering, we cannot but be moved and feel the need to respond to their pain.’ It was right that the Chief Rabbi led support for World Jewish Relief’s assistance for women and babies in field hospitals in Gaza.
“Whatever the rights and wrongs of the food distribution system, over the weekend Israel acknowledged that, tragically, it isn’t working. Israel has said that it will facilitate more aid to those who desperately need it to avoid a worsening humanitarian situation – an extraordinary decision in the middle of a war it did not seek and at the potential expense of its military position.
“Jews do not rejoice at the suffering of others and we must not lose our humanity. Despite the horrendous conditions the Children of Israel were kept in as slaves in Egypt, we spill some of our wine each year on Seder night to reduce our happiness while we recall our enemies’ pain.”
It is unclear whether this afternoon’s announcement that the UK is planning to imminently recognise a Palestinian state – albeit with certain conditions attached to recognition – will significantly affect tonight’s Board meeting.
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