The Only Response to Closed Minds Is Open Doors
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March/April 2015 VOL. XLII No. 2 Liberal Judaism is a constituent of the World Union for Progressive Judaism www.liberaljudaism.org ljtoday The only response to closed minds is open doors HE LEADERSHIP of Liberal Judaism Rabbi Danny Rich made the same Progressive or Orthodox, than they have taken to the airwaves and strong case in his appearances on ITV’s usually would be. As a chaplain, that Tnewspapers to reassure members, Good Morning Britain, BBC2’s Daily makes me angry. We are dealing with and all Jews, in the wake of reports of Politics Show and Channel 4 News, while real evil. These terrorists are making the rising antisemitism in the UK, fear among Liberal Judaism’s student and young world darker and more frightening. You our community and people planning on adult chaplain Rabbi Leah Jordan was can’t turn a blind eye to that, but also leaving Britain for Israel. featured on ITV News and NBC News you must continue to live your life. This is In a letter to The Guardian, Liberal in America. Liberal leaders were also something we have to fight, both as the Judaism chief executive Rabbi Danny quoted extensively in the Jewish press, Jewish community and society. We have Rich, chairman Lucian J Hudson and with Leah, Lucian and Bedfordshire to show that we are not afraid.” Rabbinic Conference chair Rabbi Charley Progressive Community president G M She concluded: “The simple truth is Baginsky responded to an article in the Ben-Nathan all penning commentary that we live in one of the best places to same paper by reporter Robert Booth pieces for The Jewish News. be Jewish. We are not going to solve this claiming that “UK Jews are braced for the Leah wrote: “People are naturally problem by moving from London to Tel worst” amid widespread concern. feeling a little afraid. I’ve had students Aviv – we’re going to solve it by continuing They wrote: “While the Paris tragedy confide in me that they are a bit more to make Britain one of the most tolerant and the spike in antisemitic incidents frightened attending synagogue, whether and integrated societies on earth.” during last summer’s Gaza conflict demand that we remain vigilant and support individuals who are feeling vulnerable, reports from Liberal Judaism constituents seem to affirm the truism that ‘Britain is good for the Jews and the Jews are good for Britain’. “The challenge of reports like that of Robert Booth’s is that they do not constitute evidence of an actual increased risk of attack but rather they increase the risk of the Jewish community cutting itself off from the wider community and retreating to fortress synagogues, schools and community centres. “It is impossible to contribute to an open, welcoming and inclusive society while locking ourselves away; and we cannot confront prejudice if we see only malevolence in our neighbours. The LIBERAL JUDAISM chief executive Rabbi Danny Rich teamed up with Chief Rabbi only meaningful, long-term response of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth Ephraim Mirvis to to antisemitism is to reach out to those help launch a new Czech scrolls travelling exhibition at the Jewish Museum in of other faiths and of none, to study Camden (picture by Rabbi Ariel J Friedlander). and work together, and – through our Nearly 100 people - also including Liberal Judaism president Rabbi Dr Andrew openness – give lie to the ignorance and Goldstein, Magda Veselska from the Jewish Museum in Prague and Ruth-Anne hatred which lurks behind sealed doors. Lenga from the Institute of Education – joined the trustees of the Memorial “That is why, this Shabbat as every Scrolls Trust (MST) for the event. If your community is interested in receiving other, strangers will be particularly this free travelling exhibition and education pack about the Czech scrolls, please welcome in our communities. The only contact the MST on [email protected] response to closed minds is open doors.” Page 2 LJ Today Comment March/April 2015 ‘Silence is what we ‘We must not allow the should fear most’ extremists to divide us’ By Lucian J Hudson REFLECTING ON events in France Imam Monawar Hussain on how we can defeat hate more than 200 years ago, philosopher and politician Edmund Burke was In 2008 I began to pilot the OMPEP quoted saying: “All that is necessary programme at Cheney School, Oxford, for the triumph of evil is that good men and engaged pupils through assemblies do nothing”. Recent events, again in and inviting those who were interested France, bring Burke to mind. Violence in exploring Islam to join me during their and terrorism are not acceptable in the lunch. There was a real hunger to learn 21st century. There are many possible and the young people were thoughtful, responses to the outrages at Charlie articulate and had bags of empathy. Hebdo and the kosher supermarket. My idea was simple. Young people were The easiest are to cast around accessing material - on the internet, for someone to blame, crack down through social media and through further on the militants and look for extremists within their own communities ever more restrictive ways to counter - that needed to be challenged. So we terrorism. Such responses would be created a safe space within the school understandable, but they would be wrong. where we could engage, discuss and For now, at least, France seems set debate the extremist ideas they were to take a different route: to reaffirm its I BELIEVE we live in one of the most coming across. Some of the key questions commitment to freedom of speech and wonderful and enriching countries in the that were raised during our discussions liberty and to avoid the trap of restricting world. Our richness of cultures, faiths (or included the meaning of jihad, freedoms supposedly in its defence. The no faith) and ethnicities is an immense misinterpreted Qur’anic verses, what rally at the Place de la République was strength and adds to the vibrancy of Islam says about suicide bombings and a remarkable statement of defiance, contemporary Britain. I also recognise, how should we deal with people of other a rejection of violence and an act of and have done so since my days at Oxford faiths or of none. solidarity with both Jews and Muslims reading theology, that there is a very real In September 2014, I was a signatory, who, for very different reasons, feel and growing threat from extremisms, along with 125 Sunni scholars from threatened and vulnerable. both religious and secular ideologies. across the Islamic world, to an Open We need to be alert to terrorism and As I write this article, I am still trying Letter to the leader, supporters and to its corrosive consequences. We must to comprehend the recent tragic and fighters of the group calling itself the learn from these attacks or we risk being senseless deaths of the Japanese and Islamic State. The Open Letter, point Burke’s proverbial “good men”. Jordanian hostages. How can those by point, undermines the theology The outcry in defence of Charlie claiming to be guided by Islam, a religion that underpins these groups and Hebdo’s right to cause offence is more at whose very heart is love of God and demonstrates clearly the mainstream than a principled defence of free speech. the love of thy neighbour, act with such position on IS and similar organisations. It is also a practical recognition that our barbarism? The violent extremists do This is an excellent resource for own freedoms depend upon defending the terrible violence to the teachings of a educationalists, faith and civic leaders freedoms of others. Once one legitimises great world religion. and anyone interested in a mainstream the silencing of opinions that upset us, My work can be divided into two main position on these violent extremist groups the right to free speech ceases to be areas. Firstly, through interfaith dialogue, which claim Islamic legitimacy for their universal and becomes merely the right to create safe spaces through which actions. We are distributing this nationally for the majority to impose its views and young people can enter into thoughtful, and are planning to launch events to mores on the minority. respectful conversation with each other, coincide with another initiative that I’m Over the past year, many in our thereby deepening understanding and very passionate about - United for Peace: community have been made to feel friendships. Secondly, to challenge violent Communities United against Extremism. uncomfortable by attacks in the media extremism in all its manifestations, If you would like to find out more or and by others on Israel. Some have been through our educational programmes and get involved, then I would love to hear quick to shout antisemitism, with a view strategic partnerships with like-minded from you at www.theoxfordfoundation. to silencing Israel’s opponents. If events individuals and organisations. com/#!united-for-peace/cbfl of this year teach us anything, it is that From 2004-08 I spent a great deal The way to defeat violent extremists is what we have to fear most are not the of time reflecting on how, as a British for all our communities to stand united barbs and accusations of lively debate, Muslim, I could contribute towards in love, mutual respect and in support of but fundamentalists who seek to impose challenging violent extremists claiming each other. These are enduring values a deadly silence on us all. Islamic legitimacy for their indiscriminate that will defeat the voices of division, The correct response to events in violence. I developed an educational hatred and violence.