9.Memorandum submitted by the Council
of Christians and Jews
1. The Council of Christians and Jews was
founded as a response to the Holocaust, during the darkest days
of the Second World War, and it has an historic and ongoing concern
with anti-Semitism and also with the creation of better and fuller
understanding between Christians and Jews. We note that in the
immediate aftermath of the last election two London synagogues
were savagely desecrated, and the number of anti-Semitic incidents
continues to be very disturbing. Terrorist threats, particularly
from Al Qaida, have explicitly focused on Jewish communities around
the world and high-level security is a constant fact of Jewish
life. In CCJ we visit both churches and synagogues, and the contrast
in terms of the quite extraordinary precautions that are taken
for granted in synagogues and other communal buildings is very
noticeable.
Jews around the world have been profoundly shocked
by indiscriminate suicide bombings in Israel that have taken the
lives of the very young and the very old and, sadly, several doctors
with ties to the British Jewish community who had made major contributions
to the medical care of both Israelis and Palestinians. The attacks
on the Istanbul synagogues in November 2003 were likewise very
shocking and indicated the vulnerability of Jews wherever they
may be. Jews have many very different responses to the politics
of the Israel-Palestine conflict, but these are not registered
by Al Qaida, those who are responsible for suicide bombings, or
the small number of Muslims and others in this country who are
responsible for anti-Jewish abusive behaviour.
2. As our major submission we have enclosed
a copy of the Joint Statement on Anti-Semitism issued by the Presidents
of the Council of Christians and Jews at the beginning of the
year, which expresses the depth of concern felt by both Christian
and Jewish leaders at the current situation.
3. CCJ was also very concerned that in the
June elections, 800,000 people voted for a far right party whose
sole platform was hostility to different ethnic and religious
groups in our society. This was a seven-fold increase in the number
of votes cast for that particular party since the last European
election, and represents a trend that is deeply alarming for all
who are involved with community relations. In the current environment
it is vital for community leaders to challenge negative stereotyping:
political conflict and terrorism harden perceptions very rapidly,
especially among those who have personal experience of tragedy,
and on-going communication between different communities at all
levels is of the greatest importance.
14 September 2004
Attachment
Joint Statement on Anti-Semitism by the
Presidents of the Council of Christians and Jews
From:
The Archbishop of Canterbury, His Grace The Most
Revd Dr Rowan Williams
The Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church
of Scotland, The Rt Revd Prof Iain Torrance
The Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, His Eminence
Cardinal Cormac M Murphy-O'Connor
The Archbishop of Thyateira and Great Britain, His
Eminence Archbishop Gregorios
The Free Churches' Moderator, The Revd David Coffey
The Chief Rabbi of The United Hebrew Congregations
of Great Britain & Commonwealth, Dr Jonathan Sacks
Rabbi Dr Albert Friedlander OBE PhD DD MHL PhB
Since its inception 60 years ago during the
darkest days of World War Two, the Council of Christians and Jews
has continued to confront the evil of anti-Semitism with a message
of healing and mutual respect between our communities.
We believe the warm friendship between Britain's
Christian and Jewish leaders—nourished by the work of CCJ
at local level—has had an influence that extends beyond
our two faiths. It has helped to set a tone for tolerance and
respectful diversity across religious and ethnic boundaries in
Britain.
Today, however, anti-Semitism is resurfacing
as a phenomenon in many parts of the world. There have been fatal
attacks on Jewish people, destruction and desecration of synagogues
and cemeteries and the firebombing of Jewish schools. Incitement
to hatred and violence against Jewish people has increased.
Britain has been less affected than many other
countries but has certainly not been immune. We recognise that
many in the Jewish community feel vulnerable and afraid. They
seek and deserve the support that we as religious leaders can
offer.
It is against this background that, as the Presidents
of CCJ, we agree the following:
— Anti-Semitism is abhorrent. It is
an attempt to dehumanise a part of humanity by making it a scapegoat
for shared ills. We reject utterly the politics of hate and we
pledge ourselves once more to combat anti-Semitism and all forms
of racism, prejudice and xenophobia.
— We celebrate the fact that Jewish
people have made a vast contribution to humanity; that Judaism
is a valued voice in the conversation of mankind; and that, along
with people of other faiths, Jews and Christians are called by
God to work for peace, human dignity and respect for all people.
— We recognise that the suffering of
the Jewish people is a stain on the history of Europe. Today,
our total rejection of anti-Semitism, amid evidence of its resurgence,
is a signal that we will not permit it to stain our continent's
future as it has its past. This is our common pledge and one we
call on others to join.
— We acknowledge that criticism of
government policy in Israel, as elsewhere, is a legitimate part
of democratic debate. However, such criticism should never be
inspired by anti-Semitic attitudes, extend to a denial of Israel's
right to exist or serve as justification for attacks against Jewish
people around the world.
— We share with so many others a deep
longing for peace, justice and reconciliation in the Holy Land
and we believe that achieving this would help to make it harder
for anti-Semitism to flourish.
— As religious leaders we reject the
misuse of religion and religious language in seeking to address
political challenges. We seek instead to speak and be heard together
in our shared confidence that, in the mercy of God, the wounds
of the world can be healed.
27 January 2004
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