Why should any of this be justification for attacks on Jewish communities in the UK or around the world?
If you knew me or about my work with Palestinians and Israelis, you’d see I am very committed to and actively involved in ending injustices faced by Palestinians.
‘Let me be clear: this does not mean there cannot be robust, vocal criticism of the actions and policies of the Israeli government – past or present. I write as chief executive in the UK of an organisation that supports Israel’s human rights NGOs, many jointly run by Jewish and Palestinian leaders.’
‘Allies need to understand distinct ways anti-Jewish racism manifests, including around Israel. Jews & Israelis should be afforded compassion, not conflated with actions of Netanyahu’s govt. Jews shouldn’t have to disavow connection with Israel to be accepted in progressive spaces, arts or academia’
Those supporting Israel need to challenge violence against Palestinian communities in West Bank. Silence is complicity.
Those aligned with the Palestinian cause must confront globally growing attacks on Jewish people, communities and property. Minimising that threat undermines justice.
Full piece @theguardian.com here:
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
#Israel #Iran #Palestine
@sarakhandbe.bsky.social @amikaufman.bsky.social @luketryl.bsky.social @jamesbloodworth.bsky.social @lindasgrant.bsky.social @aloner.bsky.social @panievsky.bsky.social @lahoare.bsky.social
‘Thousands of miles away, in activist and online discourse, Israeli civilians under missile fire – Jewish and Palestinian citizens – are reduced to symbols of a state rather than recognised as people seeking shelter. Jewish fear and grief are treated as inconvenient, or worse, simply ignored.’
If those who have endured such profound loss can continue to strive together for a better future, then we must follow their lead and summon some measure of their courageous compassion.
I am not naïve. Confronting extremist terror requires defiance of our Hanukkah heroes. To defeat those whose hatred & fundamentalism seeks to destroy us, defiance must be tempered by dedication to the dignity of every person, the sanctity of every life, and the relentless pursuit of peace & justice.
Whilst worrying and being in touch with family and friends in Australia, I’ve been thinking about those murdered by terrorists and those whose loved ones were killed in terror attacks encouraging us not to succumb to rage and hate.
@jewishnews.bsky.social
www.jewishnews.co.uk/defiance-mus...
In the gloom, there are points of light - and what connects them is courage. Last column of 2025 offers some reasons to be hopeful www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
“If we can model more of that shared space — Jews and Muslims together — we might combine the end of conflict in Gaza with greater cohesion here at home.”
“The world does not need more noise or rage. It needs more people willing to see past easy narratives, to speak honestly without cruelty, to acknowledge pain without hierarchy, and to seek justice without losing compassion.”
“When we reduce Zionism to a synonym for oppression, or Islam to a code word for fanaticism, we empower extremists who thrive on division” We “believe in human rights & shared humanity”, don’t “deny wrongdoing”, yet “insist that a people, faith or movement cannot be reduced to its worst adherents.”
“A mature society must hold two truths at once: criticism can be legitimate, and prejudice can be deadly.”
“We are losing the ability to distinguish between critique and contempt, between condemning violence and condemning entire peoples.
“We should be sceptical of commentary that sensationally casts aspersions on whole groups…beyond the noise lies a quieter, braver reality”
medium.com/@david.brown...
Painful to read and reckon with, powerfully and movingly written by Alona 🙏
For Israelis & Palestinians, those connected to them in UK, and cohesive communities everywhere, we have to hold multiple painful truths.
We must avoid simple often hateful responses framing one “side” as innately evil.
Two years after 7 October and the kidnap of my parents, hate is in fashion. For all our sakes, we need compassion | Sharone Lifschitz
Tommy Robinson is a thug and no ally to Jews.
He is a criminal dressing up prejudices as courage.
We cannot fight hatred by legitimising those who thrive on it.
Security for Jews cannot be built on scapegoating our neighbours.
www.jewishnews.co.uk/opinion-brit...
@jewishnews.bsky.social
Like all of us, I am frightened, angry and upset after the Manchester attack.
If we allow fear to turn into hatred of Muslims or immigrants, terror will brought bloodshed & poisoned our society.
Jews know we can stand firm in who we are, not allowing fear to define us.
medium.com/@david.brown...
What homophobia taught me about holding communities together
I’ve spent decades working with and for those who believe my love is wrong. That experience taught me we can overcome divisions if we stop using “unity” to silence dissent
@jewishnews.bsky.social
www.jewishnews.co.uk/opinion-what...
Featuring words and work from Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg @rabbisinchief.bsky.social @daverich1.bsky.social @nifuk.bsky.social and World Jewish Relief.
"Calls are growing for an end to war in Gaza and urgent action to address a worsening humanitarian crisis, including widespread hunger affecting children."
“It is possible—indeed essential—to hold commitment to Israelis alongside compassion for Palestinians.”
www.jewishnews.co.uk/opinion-reco...
Nuanced essential reading for all seeking future with Jewish & Palestinian collective & individual rights upheld.
“question is not whether Israel has the right to exist. It is whether Israel has the right to dominate…domination by the ethnic majority is what Jews have been taught to fear most”
“when actions that kill and maim Jews have some connection to Israel and Palestine, too many pro-Palestine progressives contort themselves to argue that we cannot truly know…intent...When Jews, Jewish events or Jewish sites are attacked…the impact is the same: Jews are terrorized.”
I felt fortunate at the time some years ago to give this talk on doing difference differently, looking at otherness “from the other side”.
I tried to capture lessons learned from my Indian immigrant mother, as well as some ups and downs of being Jewish and queer.
youtu.be/-RukTOHdTbY?...
A simplistic approach that diminishes other experiences of racism can reduce how we embrace diversity - and what should be a shared struggle for equality - to polarising and binary thinking.
As my family of lighter and darker skinned European, Asian and Middle Eastern Jews shows, talk of Jewish people and Black people experiencing racism differently erases existence and experiences of Jews of colour.
Of course people with darker skin experience racism in particular and painful ways.
Racism is not skin deep.
Instead of competing over who is the most discriminated against, we could instead find connection and compassion in the contradictory stories that make us who we are.
#Racism #Diversity #Equality
Those of us with the privilege of distance from this war should speak less, listen more, and follow their lead.
