Rabbi’s ‘don’t vote Corbyn’ message will only stoke Jewish fears
Published
by
Richard Kuper
JVL Introduction
As some in the Jewish establishment go into hysterical overdrive, Rabbi Howard Cooper provides a voice of sanity and reason:
“A rabbi’s job, I believe, is to help the Jewish community contain its worries and its emotional distress, not by telling people how to cast their vote (as if they didn’t have a mind of their own) but by strengthening their psychological and spiritual wellbeing.”
This article was originally published by Jewish Chronicle on Mon 4 Nov 2019. Read the original here.
Rabbi's 'don't vote Corbyn' message will only stoke Jewish fears
Rabbi Romain broke ethical and professional guidelines
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Dear Rabbi Cooper, Your comments are daring indeed for a Rabbi and I applaud you for this stance. I am a member of JVL which was set up with the purpose of counteracting the claim from JLM that they represent the whole Jewish Community. The JLM represent a much smaller section of the community than they claim and many of them arent even Jewish. They have brought division into our Labour Party Constituency by alleging unspecified and unevidenced antisemitism in the Constituency and closing ranks on any members who dont share their view. They have provoked antisemitism which didnt previously exist. It is shameful. Thank you for sharing your view. Your historical family would have been proud of you. (I knew them as my parents were their colleagues.) More courage like yours is needed!
rabbi Romain’s comments are no better than the 1920’s Zinoviev letter lie purveyed in the gutter press. Labour members are inured to hearing abuse and will treat this with contempt.
A perceptive article from Rabbi Howard – a voice of reason, with a chilling final paragraph that the target audience needs to listen to.
Excellent. Thank you, Rabbi. We all need to cool down and your river of words will help.
“Although I hold no personal candle for Corbynite Labour”…. Define, please.
…”and some of his nastier and ignorant fellow-travelers…” For example?
Thank you Rabbi Cooper, a voice of reason and sanity. Yes, we have our eye on the wrong ball at our peril. We need to shift our gaze to the populist right as that is where the real danger lies.
One thing that needs to be emphasized (the fact that it isn’t in this otherwise welcome piece of truth-telling) is that except perhaps at the wild, miniscule fringe, there is *no* antisemitism in the Labour Party in the proper sense of villifying people who are Jews because of that identity.
The way in which the opposite belief has taken hold is actually *the* sinister issue.
Well said Howard .
Very good comment. I raised my eyebrows when you wrote about Jeremy Corbyn nastier fellow travellers (been a Corbyn supporter myself ) yet good to know you are certainly no fan of Mr Corbyn. For
you to speak out against this matter. Everybody is entitled to their views. I think a lot of people are saying its not the man I am voting for but the labour party.