Letters to the editor: ‘Baddiel’s idea of humour is completely baffling’
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Baddiel’s idea of humour is completely baffling
I cannot believe what I read: that David Baddiel thinks the Holocaust is a subject for humour.
What part does he find funny? Babies on the end of bayonets? Thousands led into gas chambers? Mass slaughter?
Baddiel may believe in free speech, but what if these horrors were ever to happen again? Words fail me.
Gloria Holman, By email
Twisted logic of the far-left
Regarding your interview with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and opposition to him by community leaders (Jewish News, 29 March), it seems to me the ‘logic’ of the far-left that seems to have taken over the party regarding Jewish people is derived from four propositions (with which I do not agree):
1. Zionism is racism as decided by the UN General Assembly Resolution 3379 adopted on 10 November 1975. It was revoked in 1991 only because of pressure by international Jewry, which works behind the scenes to achieve world domination.
2. Zionists distort the Holocaust by exaggerating the number of Jewish victims and use this to whitewash Israel’s genocide of native Palestinians.
3. Most Jewish groups support Zionism and vilify those Jews who have the courage to support Palestinian rights. They also use accusations of anti-Semitism to silence criticism of the apartheid policies of the Israeli state.
4. Jews are not a race, so anti-racists can dislike them for the above reasons.
If my analysis is correct, the far left is anti-Semitic and its Socialism is of the National variety.
By not rooting it out, Corbyn is betraying the progressive principles he claims to hold dear.
Martin Stern, Salford
Listen to the Jewish Views Podcast
A poetic tribute to women at Pesach
I’d like to share my poem for Pesach with readers:
In preparation for Pesach men everywhere, let’s recognise
The hard work and
dedication to the cause that our wives
Have shown in recent weeks – they’ve hardly stopped
Having constantly cooked, cleaned and shopped
To ensure that our homes definitely will
Be ready for celebrating this festival
Each one of them, an Eshet Chayil
May every wallet and stomach Survive the rigours.
J D Milaric, By email
Why keep Shtum
The Chief Rabbi knows very well why some Muslim leaders keep shtum on anti-Semitism (Jewish News, 22 March). If they said aloud what they really think of us, it would not go down well in multi-faith Britain.
John de Lange, By email
One law for them
Every week at football, I hear black fans chanting the word ‘Yid’. Imagine if it was Jewish fans chanting the ‘n’ word. The stadium would be evacuated and the fans banned or worse. Is this not pure anti-Semitism?
Barry Davis, By email
Preposterous defence of Labour leader’s record
I read with incredulity Joseph Finlay’s column defending Jeremy Corbyn (Jewish News, 29 March). First, he states Corbyn has Jews at the heart of his team. So what? He refers to Jon Lansman, the father of Momentum.
Corbyn supporters include the unpleasant Jewish Voice for Labour, whose strapline is ‘As a Jew’. This group claims that last week’s Jewish demonstration outside Parliament was purely political and not a protest against anti-Semitism.
Finlay also claims that it is likely a sizeable number of Jews voted for Corbyn. What empirical evidence does he have for this assertion?
Again, Finlay says Corbyn frequently visits synagogues and attends Jewish commual events. How far back is he going in order to make this claim?
Since becoming leader, Corbyn has turned down numerous invitations to attend Jewish communal events, including the celebration of the Balfour Declaration. In the past two and a half years, and before the Jewdas seder, he had attended only three Jewish events: the Jewish Labour Movement’s lighting of Chanukah candles and the Islington chanukiah lighting last year, and a Labour Friends of Israel fringe event at the party conference (where he omitted to mention the word Israel).
The charge sheet against Corbyn is long and supported by evidence of his actions and his ‘friends’ with whom he has allied.
Peter Mickler, Newcastle
Pictures of Czeslawa filled me with tears
We have all seen so many pictures of victims of the Holocaust that it could be accurate to say that many of us are becoming inured to the horrors.
However, the pictures you published of poor Czeslawa Kwoka (pictured) brought tears to my eyes and filled me with anguish (Jewish News, 22 March).
This poor teenage girl was so very young, so innocent, and the tragedy that befell her was so unnecessary.
There, but for the grace of God, go I.
Joe Hayward, Stanmore
A tale of two Jeremys & the Jewish community
In last week’s edition of Jewish News the name ‘Jeremy’ appeared in two separate articles about two very different men.
One is Jewish and the other is not. One has been accused of ineptly handling racial hatred in his political party, the other the financial affairs of a leading Jewish charity. Is this a case of Weeping Jeremiahs?
AW Kaye, Stamford Hill
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