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Jewdas
Founded18 March 2006
FocusPolitical, cultural, and artistic activities;anti-Zionism
Location
  • London, United Kingdom
Websitejewdas.org

Jewdasis aJewish diasporagroup based inLondon.It describes itself as a "radical Jewish diaspora group" and is described by media asfar-left[1][2][3]andanti-Zionist.[4]It has a satirical-communal website and stages events in London and elsewhere.

History

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The group has been described by Benjamin Joffe-Walt ofThe Guardianas a Jewishhipsterorganisation engaged in political, cultural and artistic activities.[5]

The group initially came to attention in 2006 for organising an event called "The Protocols of the Elders of Hackney" (a reference to the antisemitic hoaxThe Protocols of the Elders of Zion), with a flyer parodying traditional antisemitic images. Four members of the group were arrested.[4]

In October 2011, Jewdas hosted¡No Pasarán!,a party commemorating the 75th anniversary of theBattle of Cable Street.[6][7]

In May 2015, the group brought over thirty people on its inauguralBirthwrongtrip toAndalusia,Spain, parodyingBirthright Israel's heritage trips for young adults from the Jewish diaspora.[8]Advertised as "a trip for anyone who's sick of Israel's stranglehold on Jewish culture and wants to get away on a raucous holiday", the itinerary included: "SeeMaimonides!Get pissed! Do some Jewish tourism! SpendShabbatwith Andalusian Jews! Shvitz in ahammam!Visit a communist village! Get pissed! "[8][9][10]Jewdas made a short film on the trip.[11]

During the summer of 2015, Jewdas took part in two counter-protests againstneo-Nazidemonstrations in North London.[12]In January 2016, Jewdas took part in a counterprotest against afar-rightrally against Syrian refugees arriving in Dover.[13]

Jewdas' description of Israel as "a steaming pile of sewage which needs to be properly disposed of" on its Twitter feed was criticised byJon Lansman,founder of the pro-Corbyn organisationMomentum,who said that the organisation's comments were "not helpful to Jeremy or the cause of opposing antisemitism in the Labour Party".[14][15]

Representatives of the organisation use thecollective pseudonymGeoffrey Cohenin speaking to the media.[16]

Passover Seder

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At the beginning of April 2018,Jeremy Corbyn,the United Kingdom'sLeader of the Opposition,attended a third nightPassover Sederheld by the group in his constituency in a personal rather than official capacity.[15]Following controversy over allegedantisemitism in the Labour Party,the Seder was described as symbolising Corbyn's lack of touch with mainstream Jewish opinion on issues such as antisemitism and Zionism.[15][14]This criticism was not uncontroversial; comedianDavid Baddielsaid that making out "it's somehow anti-Semitic for [Corbyn] to spend Seder with [Jewdas] just because they're far left is balls", while writer and actorDavid Schneidersaid:"'Boo! Corbyn needs to get out and meets some Jews!' (Corbyn spends Passover with some Jews at Jewdas) 'Boo! Not those Jews!'"[17]

While discussing Corbyn's attendance at the Passover Seder,Jonathan Arkush,president of theBoard of Deputies of British Jewssaid that Jewdas is a "source of virulent anti-semitism" and claimed that its members are "not all Jews".[18]Jewdas replied in an editorial inThe Guardianthat "we love Judaism and Jewish culture, as every one of our events demonstrate... To claim that we in Jewdas are somehow not real Jews is offensive, and frankly antisemitic".[19]

References

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  1. ^Sugarman, Daniel (23 November 2017)."Anti-Zionist to contest election for UJS leader".The Jewish Chronicle.Retrieved3 April2018.
  2. ^Katerji, Oz (3 April 2018)."Don't buy the line that Jewdas are all extremists".New Statesman.Retrieved21 April2024.
  3. ^Mazower, Mark (6 April 2018)."Anti-Semitism and Britain's Hall of Mirrors".The New York Times.Retrieved21 April2024.
  4. ^abElgot, Jessica (3 April 2018)."Jewdas: political activists who make fun of establishment Judaism".The Guardian.Retrieved12 May2018.
  5. ^Joffe-Walt, Benjamin (20 March 2006)."Jewish hipsters and sacred cows".The Guardian.Retrieved13 August2018.
  6. ^"No Pasaran! Remembering the Battle of Cable Street".openDemocracy.Retrieved14 May2015.
  7. ^Elgot, Jessica (4 October 2011)."Cable Street march remembered 75 years on".The Jewish Chronicle.Retrieved5 April2018.
  8. ^ab"BirthWrong".BirthWrong 2015.Retrieved18 September2015.
  9. ^"'BirthWrong' in the Cradle of Jewish Culture: Jews gather in southern Spain for tour that aims to repudiate Zionism ".May 2015.Retrieved18 September2015.
  10. ^"Birthwrong: meet the pranksters celebrating the Jewish diaspora".openDemocracy.26 May 2015.Retrieved24 April2017.
  11. ^"Watch Our Video From Last Year's Birthwrong Trip To Southern Spain".jewdas.9 January 2016.Retrieved24 April2017.
  12. ^"Jewish group criticise Hackney police after they 'facilitated' neo-Nazi march".Jewish News.
  13. ^Jackman, Josh (31 January 2016)."Activist group Jewdas marches against far-right anti-refugee demonstrators in Dover".The Jewish Chronicle.Retrieved5 April2018.
  14. ^abKentish, Benjamin (3 April 2018)."Jeremy Corbyn defends decision to attend Passover dinner organised by radical Jewish group Jewdas".The Independent.Archivedfrom the original on 8 June 2022.
  15. ^abcElgot, Jessica (3 April 2018)."'I learned a lot': Corbyn defends taking part in radical Jewish event ".The Guardian.Retrieved13 August2022.
  16. ^Rothschild, Nathalie (4 October 2006)."The police can't tell satire from seriousness".Spiked.Retrieved4 April2018.
  17. ^Sandhu, Serina (3 April 2018)."Jewdas: Why has Jeremy Corbyn been criticised for meeting the Jewish group?".i.Retrieved13 August2018.
  18. ^Harpin, Lee (3 April 2018)."Arkush: Jewdas is 'source of virulent antisemitism'".The Jewish Chronicle.
  19. ^Jewdas (3 April 2018)."Jeremy Corbyn celebrated Passover with us. It's a simple good news story | Jewdas".The Guardian.

Further reading

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