Latest news with #BritishJews
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Teenage boy hurt in racially aggravated assault
A teenage boy has been injured in an racially aggravated assault at a London Underground station, police have said. British Transport Police (BTP) were called to Hampstead Tube station on Monday evening, following a report of an assault and robbery. The victim was taken to hospital with minor injuries and was discharged later, BTP said. The force has confirmed it is investigating the incident as racially motivated and has appealed for information. A Jewish security charity, Shomrim neighbourhood watch, posted on social media the day after the incident that "three Jewish boys were threatened with a knife by six or seven suspects". Community Security Trust (CST), a charity with the remit of "protecting British Jews from terrorism and antisemitism", said in a statement: "We are aware of the appalling racist assault on a group of Jewish boys that took place at Hampstead Station on 26 May. "CST is in contact with one of the victims' families and is providing them with support. "CST is also in contact with the British Transport Police and Transport for London as the investigation continues. "We urge anyone who witnessed the incident or has any relevant information to contact the police or CST as soon as possible." Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to British Transport Police
The Guardian
5 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
Progressive Judaism co-leaders pledge to welcome critics of Israel
Charley Baginsky's pink hair and piercings do not conform to the popular image of a rabbi, but her personal choices speak to the cornerstone of inclusivity on which a new British Jewish movement stands. In a historic step that could redefine British Judaism, the Liberal and Reform traditions in the UK merged earlier this month to form Progressive Judaism, with each group voting 95% in favour of uniting. Baginsky co-leads the movement with Rabbi Josh Levy, a self-confessed 'middle-aged man with a beard'. The votes were the culmination of two years of soundings, mostly against the backdrop of the horrific attack on Israelis by Hamas on 7 October 2023 and the devastating war waged in Gaza ever since. Now, as despair and revulsion at Israel's renewed assault on people in Gaza felt by many British Jews spills over into the public domain, Progressive Judaism is under a spotlight. 'We are a Zionist movement – that is, we are committed to there being a Jewish, liberal, pluralist, democratic state in our historic homeland,' said Levy. 'That remains our vision.' But, he added, 'the vast majority of Jews in this country are really troubled by what is happening. One of the things that is distinctive about us is that we think we are stronger for being willing to speak about how difficult this is, and that we do not see criticism of Israel as an act of disloyalty. We are open to a diversity of voices.' This stance contrasts with the Board of Deputies, the largest body representing British Jews, which has opened disciplinary proceedings against three dozen of its board members after they signed an open letter saying 'Israel's soul is being ripped out' by the war in Gaza. Most of the 36 are from the Liberal or Reform traditions that merged last weekend. 'Judaism has at its heart the idea that we grapple with one another, that we are stronger by having that conversation. It's not a very Jewish thing to suppress that disagreement and suggest that we all think the same,' said Levy. It was impossible to watch images from Gaza 'and not feel deep worry, pain, upset', said Baginsky. 'But how do people hold both their proud Zionism and their huge critique of what is happening, in a world that does not speak into complexity, that wants to polarise, wants to divide and wants simple answers, and doesn't necessarily understand what it means to be Jewish and a Zionist and believe the Israeli government does not speak with our voice?' Progressive Judaism represents about one-third of Jews affiliated to synagogues, and estimates the same proportion of non-affiliated Jews share its values. It hopes to grow by attracting non-affiliated Jews to its core principles of equality and inclusion, and by welcoming people of Jewish heritage and mixed faith families. In Orthodox Judaism, a person inherits their Jewishness only through their mother. Progressive Judaism says it can be inherited from either parent. Instead of referring to the one in three UK Jews who marry non-Jews as 'marrying out' of the faith, Progressive Judaism prefers to welcome in non-Jewish partners to its synagogues and communities. It also hopes to build on last year's 25% rise in the numbers of those converting to Liberal and Reform Judaism, attributed partly to people discovering Jewish heritage through DNA ancestry tests and partly to a more general increase in spirituality and interest in faith communities among young people since the Covid pandemic. 'Very often, religious life has been seen as judgmental, stern, unwelcoming, dated – and Progressive Judaism is not that,' said Levy. 'There is a place for people in a Judaism which is non-dogmatic, non-judgmental, genuinely egalitarian, genuinely inclusive, that wants to meet people where they are and help them to have rich and meaningful Jewish lives.' Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion About half of Progressive Judaism's rabbis are women, and about one in five are LGBTQ+. Liturgy – prayers, readings, ritual – is non-gendered. Baginsky, who has been a rabbi for 17 years, said: 'Our community is very used to women rabbis but as soon as I step out, whether that is in interfaith settings or in other parts of the Jewish community, often I'm the only woman with seniority in that space. There is a need to prove oneself, whereas if I was a man I would automatically walk in with authority. Within Progressive Judaism, I have the authority. Outside, I am fighting to be recognised as a rabbi, let alone as a senior rabbi.' The merger between the Liberal and Reform traditions was partly for practical reasons – to use resources more efficiently. But it is also an 'act of repair', said Levy. 'We are the only country in which there has been a divide between Reform and Liberal Judaism, so this feels like putting right something that should never have been. 'It is a statement of what we want Jewish life, religious life, to be – ambitious and optimistic and open, but also capable of holding diversity in multiple voices. And that we can work better if we work together. This is an act of friendship.'
Metro
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Metro
Gary Lineker is right to quit - now he can read about antisemitism
Disappointed, but sadly not surprised. That was my response when I saw last week that Gary Lineker had reposted a video by 'Palestine Lobby' about Zionism which contained a rat. The former England star soon deleted the post, after seemingly finding out for the first time that rats have historically been used as an antisemitic trope and pleading ignorance. This was followed up by an apology, where he said he 'takes full responsibility for this mistake. That image does not reflect my views'. And now, the 64-year-old is set to leave the BBC, and it is understood that he will no longer present their World Cup 2026 coverage. It has been reported by the BBC that bosses thought his role was untenable after last week's social media post. I agree this is the right move, especially after his apology, which I felt did not go far enough. Even still, I have questions. Firstly, how did this happen in the first place? Secondly, the apology should have included a promise to learn about antisemitism to stop such mistakes happening in the future. With antisemitism on the rise against Jewish communities at home and abroad since the attacks by Hamas on October 7, 2023 and Israel's subsequent war, we need public figures to take more responsibility. The video Lineker originally shared purports to show 'Zionism [the belief in a Jewish state in the Middle East] explained in two minutes'. And the rat emoji is featured prominently next to the title. British Jews like me know instantly the significance of that – in 1930s Germany, the Nazis depicted Jews as rats as part of their propaganda to demean and humiliate our community. Lineker has been increasingly outspoken on the conflict in recent months – but you can support the rights of Palestinians and not repost a video with an antisemitic rat trope. It is galling that, despite the fact that Mr Lineker removed the post when he was told what he had done, and the major insult it would cause to British Jews, he continued today, the next day, to post about the Gaza conflict, only hours later issuing an apology after a number of publications drew attention to his mistake. In a message via his agent, Lineker said, 'Whilst viewing and reposting a video, Gary did not notice a rodent emoticon added by the author of the post. Although if he had, he would not have made any connection. The repost has been removed.' It is the latter half of this statement that concerns me most. How can someone like Lineker be so clueless as to not realise this clear antisemitic symbol? Der Strumer, an influential propaganda sheet during Hitler's reign in Germany, included a cover image of a Nazi gassing Jewish rats under a tree, with a caption 'When the vermin are dead, the German oak will flourish once more.' My family came to the UK fleeing persecution in mainland Europe, including Nazi Germany itself. I have always believed that the UK has had a general, very good understanding of antisemitism, however this tends to worsen when conflicts involving Israel flare up. It is my belief that everyone, especially high profile individuals, should do antisemitism – and all racism – training to make sure they are not unknowingly spreading hatred and so that they are fully aware of how communities like mine are being targeted. Lineker may have apologised and stepped away from his BBC role, but he now has a duty to educate himself if he is going to continue posting about an issue as fraught as the conflict in Gaza. Surely if you are going to have deep-held views on the war in Gaza and about the world's only Jewish state, you also need to understand antisemitic tropes that can come into play when people post online? Lineker reposting this to his millions of followers caused grave offence to many and indeed prominent Jewish groups such as the Board of Deputies and Campaign Against Antisemitism and individuals spoke out against it and even called for him to be sacked. Now he has stepped down from these roles, I hope he uses this time to reflect and grow as a person. He needs to prove he is going to do the work to change. And also vet his posts on social media. More Trending Being ignorant can no longer be an excuse and Mr Lineker must commit to do the learning so that this never happens again. I would like to see him learn about and understand antisemitism, the true meaning of Zionism, and the importance to many of a Jewish homeland. Antisemitism is everywhere, not least online. It's just no good to delete the post, plead ignorance and then say 'that image does not reflect my views'. I won't believe any apology until I've seen him engaging with organisations like the Holocaust Educational Trust to educate himself. Do you have a story you'd like to share? Get in touch by emailing Share your views in the comments below. MORE: Hundreds of children taken to hospital in one year 'after swallowing magnets' MORE: Israel announces 'extensive' ground operations throughout north and south of Gaza MORE: I 'floodlit' my boyfriend the first day we met – I have no regrets
Metro
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Metro
Gary Lineker's antisemitic repost is almost as baffling as his apology
Disappointed, but sadly not surprised. That was my response when I saw that Gary Lineker had reposted a video by 'Palestine Lobby' about Zionism which contained a rat. The former England star since deleted the post, after seemingly finding out for the first time that rats have historically been used as an antisemitic trope and pleading ignorance. This has been followed up by an apology, where he said he 'takes full responsibility for this mistake. That image does not reflect my views'. The apology is a start, but it does not go anywhere near far enough. Firstly, how did this happen in the first place? Secondly, the apology should have included a promise to learn about antisemitism to stop such mistakes happening in the future. With antisemitism on the rise against Jewish communities at home and abroad since the attacks by Hamas on October 7, 2023 and Israel's subsequent war, we need public figures to take more responsibility. The video Lineker originally shared purports to show 'Zionism [the belief in a Jewish state in the Middle East] explained in two minutes'. And the rat emoji is featured prominently next to the title. British Jews like me know instantly the significance of that – in 1930s Germany, the Nazis depicted Jews as rats as part of their propaganda to demean and humiliate our community. Lineker has been increasingly outspoken on the conflict in recent months – but you can support the rights of Palestinians and not repost a video with an antisemitic rat trope. It is galling that, despite the fact that Mr Lineker removed the post when he was told what he had done, and the major insult it would cause to British Jews, he continued today, the next day, to post about the Gaza conflict, only hours later issuing an apology after a number of publications drew attention to his mistake. In a message via his agent, Lineker said, 'Whilst viewing and reposting a video, Gary did not notice a rodent emoticon added by the author of the post. Although if he had, he would not have made any connection. The repost has been removed.' It is the latter half of this statement that concerns me most. How can someone like Lineker be so clueless as to not realise this clear antisemitic symbol? Der Strumer, an influential propaganda sheet during Hitler's reign in Germany, included a cover image of a Nazi gassing Jewish rats under a tree, with a caption 'When the vermin are dead, the German oak will flourish once more.' My family came to the UK fleeing persecution in mainland Europe, including Nazi Germany itself. I have always believed that the UK has had a general, very good understanding of antisemitism, however this tends to worsen when conflicts involving Israel flare up. It is my belief that everyone, especially high profile individuals, should do antisemitism – and all racism – training to make sure they are not unknowingly spreading hatred and so that they are fully aware of how communities like mine are being targeted. Lineker may have apologised but he now has a duty to educate himself if he is going to continue posting about an issue as fraught as the conflict in Gaza. Surely if you are going to have deep-held views on the war in Gaza and about the world's only Jewish state, you also need to understand antisemitic tropes that can come into play when people post online? Lineker reposting this to his millions of followers has caused grave offence to many and indeed prominent Jewish groups such as the Board of Deputies and Campaign Against Antisemitism and individuals have spoken out against it and even called for him to be sacked. I think, first of all, he needs to prove he is going to do the work to change. And also vet his posts on social media. More Trending Being ignorant can no longer be an excuse and Mr Lineker must commit to do the learning so that this never happens again. I would like to see him learn about and understand antisemitism, the true meaning of Zionism, and the importance to many of a Jewish homeland. Antisemitism is everywhere, not least online. It's just no good to delete the post, plead ignorance and then say 'that image does not reflect my views'. I won't believe any apology until I've seen him engaging with organisations like the Holocaust Educational Trust to educate himself. Do you have a story you'd like to share? Get in touch by emailing Share your views in the comments below. MORE: Race Across The World has a major flaw that needs fixing MORE: I Kissed A Boy's trans contestant isn't hoodwinking anyone MORE: I found the new Final Destination incredibly relatable for a painful reason
Telegraph
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
LGBT Jewish charity forced to pull out of Pride over safety fears
Bosses claimed they contacted Pride in London in July last year, saying: 'We wanted to engage in good-faith, open-minded discussions to find solutions to our concerns.' However, KeshetUK claims they did not receive a response until earlier this year, with the charity's concerns being shared 'in a spirit of open dialogue' at a meeting a few weeks ago. A statement from the charity said: 'Our requests were turned down. After various failures from Pride in London, we feel unable to say to British Jews that Pride in London has done everything in their power to keep us safe. We desperately wish this were not the case. 'As such, KeshetUK feels forced to withdraw from Pride in London this year. 'We are enormously sad that, on a day that should be an affirmation and celebration of our dual identities as Jews and as LGBT+ people, we would not feel comfortable to be part of Pride.' A KeshetUK spokesman added: 'British LGBT+ Jews deserve the space to celebrate our identity alongside all other LGBT+ people in the UK. 'We are hugely disappointed in Pride in London. We hope that Pride in London will reflect on the fact that, for two years now, Keshet UK has felt forced to withdraw. 'We hope that we can receive the necessary reassurances to allow us to return in future years.' 'Pride must be for all' Sapphic Shabbat, a social group for queer Jewish women and non-binary people, criticised the decision and, in a statement on Instagram, said: 'We are saddened and disappointed that KeshetUK has once again been forced to withdraw from Pride in London due to a lack of basic safety assurances for Jewish LGBTQ+ people. 'Pride should be a space for all of us – including those whose identities are both Jewish and queer. 'The refusal to provide anti-Semitism training for stewards sends a harmful message: that Jewish safety is optional. 'We stand with KeshetUK and all Jewish LGBTQ+ people who deserve to celebrate with dignity, safety and joy. Pride that excludes is not true pride. 'Pride must be for all, or it is for none.' The Board of Deputies, the UK's largest Jewish community organisation, has urged London Pride to foster 'inclusive communities'. Andrew Gilbert, vice-president of the board, said: 'We are disappointed to see that, once again, KeshetUK have felt unable to march at Pride in London. 'It is incumbent on all organisations that seek to foster inclusive communities to do so, and we urge Pride in London to include LGBTQ+ Jews at Pride.' Other Jewish LGBT+ groups are understood to be planning alternative events on the day of Pride in London. 'Spikier' protests at Pride Last year, Met Police officers arrested more than 30 pro-Palestinian activists in a pre-emptive operation designed to prevent disruption of last year's Pride parade. A coalition of pro-Palestinian groups was planning to target organisations along the route, which it believed were 'complicit in the ongoing genocide' in Gaza. In messages leaked from online chat groups, protesters vowed to take 'spikier' action at Pride and did not rule out potentially assaulting emergency workers and blockading roads. It is understood that about 50 activists planned to single out staff from Barclays, Axa, Hewlett-Packard, McDonald's and other companies they say support Israel's war in Gaza.
