VOICE OF THE JEWISH NEWS: Prejudice in all shapes and Sizer
This week's editorial reflects on the successful end of the Board of Deputies' decade-long battle with Reverend Stephen Sizer.
It’s some rap sheet. Meeting a Hezbollah leader in your clerical garb. Attending a conference run by the Al-Quds Day organisers. Speak alongside a Holocaust denier. Quoting other Holocaust deniers. Pleading ignorance of their views when challenged. Suggesting Israel was undermining Jeremy Corbyn. Sharing an article alleging Israel was behind 9/11. Sharing another article alleging that Israel was behind 9/11. Defending the sharing of these articles by stating ‘Israelis’ benefitted from 9/11 (pointing to a list of American Jews).
Yep, you guessed it: it could only be Reverend Stephen Sizer, the former Anglican vicar who seems to go out of his way (including by breaching agreements made with bishops) to offend us Jews. In terms of hobbies, will someone please buy this man a fishing rod?
Finally, 10 years after the Board of Deputies lodged its first complaint, a Church of England tribunal has finally found Sizer “committed misconduct”.
The allegations included one instance it deemed to be “antisemitic” and several it deemed to be “unbecoming” of a Church representative. Although Sizer is now retired, the tribunal said it will shortly “determine a penalty”.
Sizer’s offending has in fact stretched almost two decades and the Board is to be congratulated for its persistence and patience in navigating the Church’s labyrinthine disciplinary system. A decade is a very long time to pursue a complaint, but two Board presidents – Jonathan Arkush, and incumbent Marie van der Zyl – can rest easy now that the process is finished.
Alas, when it comes to Israel, Sizer never learned – and will never learn – that Jews have no issue with people defending Palestinians, or Christians, or anyone else in a spit of land deemed sacred by three religions, and have no issue with people speaking their mind, making points, criticising practices they see as unfair, helping where they feel help is needed.
What they have an issue with is antisemitism, in particular where it pretends to be something it isn’t.
So long, Rev. Sizer. May your sort never disgrace the cloth again.
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