Lots of Jews, no synagogue

According to last Friday's Jewish Chronicle (subscription only), a shul has barred a meeting of European Jews for Justice for Palestinians from its premises. Here's the article in full.

Shul bars Jews who back Palestinians

09 March 2006

By Daniella Peled

A pro-Palestinian Jewish group has been barred from holding a meeting at the West London Synagogue for fear that congregants would be offended by its views.

The UK branch of European Jews for a Just Peace — supporting a targeted boycott of Israel — had booked the synagogue for a March 16 meeting on “The Unheard Voices of Israel.”

Cancelling the agreement, the West London management offered assistance to EJJP in finding an alternative venue.

“In hiring out [our premises], we wouldn’t knowingly engage with a group or individual who we believe might be contradictory to the beliefs and views of a substantial majority of our members,” West London executive director Alan Shapiro told the JC.

EJJP spokesman Dan Judelson commented that it was ironic that the unheard voices of Israel would continued to be silenced at the West London.

The JC actually got the date wrong. Here are the details of the meeting though it's tonight at 7.30 so unfortunately I won't be going:

THE UNHEARD VOICES OF ISRAEL

YEHUDIT KESHET AND ART NESLEN

will introduce their recently published books on the Israelis we rarely hear from

Chair: Michael Kustow

YEHUDIT KESHET is the author of Checkpoint Watch: Testimonies from Occupied Palestine, published by Zed Books. She is a veteran activist, co-founder of Machsom Watch, and writes about the Israeli women involved, day-in-day-out over the last five years, in monitoring Israeli checkpoints.

ARTHUR NESLEN is the author of Occupied Minds: A Journey through the Israeli Psyche, published by Pluto Press. He is a journalist who has worked for the BBC and AlJazeera as well as writing for the Guardian, the Independent, the Observer, Red Pepper, the New Statesman and Private Eye. In his new book he explores the dynamics, distortions and incredible diversity of Israeli society from the mouths of more than fifty Israelis: soldiers, settlers, sex workers and the victims of suicide attacks.

TUESDAY MARCH 14TH AT 7.30PM
THE MONTCALM HOTEL, 34-40 GREAT CUMBERLAND PLACE, LONDON W1 (NEAR MARBLE ARCH)

EJJP brings together Jews opposed to the Israeli occupation; its UK affiliates are
the Jewish Socialists' Group, Jews for Justice for Palestinians, Joint Action for Israeli-Palestinian Peace and Just Peace UK