There is a growing rift in the Jewish community, in America and in Europe, between those who believe it is their responsibility to provide unwavering and uncritical support to the state of Israel and those who feel that it is their responsibility to offer criticism of the Israeli state for human rights abuses. As is to be expected the rhetoric has rapidly risen to the point that those who dare criticise Israel are being accused of anti-Semitism by the Zionist supporters.
Perhaps not coincidentally a group of prominent Jewish figures in Britain, including Stephen Fry, Harold Pinter, Mike Leigh, Jenny Diski, Nicole Farhi, Eric Hobsbawm and Susie Orbach, have launched a group, Independent Jewish Voices calling for a freer and more open debate within the Jewish community.
On a related point I think perhaps it is time that a new term is invented to describe "hatred of Judaism". I have always objected to the use of the term "Semite" as it encompasses a much larger group of people than those of the Jewish faith and, in fact, includes a group, Arabs, to whom the term is often applied. Any suggestions?
Perhaps not coincidentally a group of prominent Jewish figures in Britain, including Stephen Fry, Harold Pinter, Mike Leigh, Jenny Diski, Nicole Farhi, Eric Hobsbawm and Susie Orbach, have launched a group, Independent Jewish Voices calling for a freer and more open debate within the Jewish community.
On a related point I think perhaps it is time that a new term is invented to describe "hatred of Judaism". I have always objected to the use of the term "Semite" as it encompasses a much larger group of people than those of the Jewish faith and, in fact, includes a group, Arabs, to whom the term is often applied. Any suggestions?
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