A London council called off a planned exhibition about Jewish culture at its headquarters, citing a “significant heightened risk to personal safety” amid the conflict in Gaza, prompting anger from community leaders.The Board of Deputies of British Jews, which has run the travelling Jewish Living Experience exhibition for 40 years, said the decision by the borough of Hounslow in west London to postpone the exhibition was “baffling” and added: “The Jewish community will not accept being marginalised.”The group said that the exhibition, designed to teach non-Jews about Jewish life and traditions, was even more important during a period of increased antisemitism and hate crimes.
So something that can combat antisemitism is canceled because of the threat of antisemitic attacks. Unreal.
Since the eruption of violence in Israel and Gaza triggered by the Hamas attacks on October 7, the exhibition has been hosted in Borehamwood in Hertfordshire, where 500 schoolchildren visited, and in towns across south Wales, where 1,500 children visited. A source said the events had all run without incident.
So why are thing different in Hounslow? A possible hint below.
The Times has learnt that the decision to postpone the exhibition was taken by the council on Thursday November 16 but only communicated to its organisers at the Board of Deputies late in the morning of Friday November 17, just three days before the exhibition was due to open and hours before the Jewish sabbath began at sundown that day.
Why has it taken nearly three weeks to find out about this?
It is understood that Board of Deputies officials were left “flabbergasted” by the decision, with one source describing the move as “outrageous”.
Then why didn't they talk with the media about it until now?
Edwin Shuker, vice-president of the Board of Deputies, said: “The Jewish Living Experience exhibition is carefully designed to inform and educate non-Jewish children and adults about our way of life.“At a time of hugely increased antisemitism around the country it is baffling that any council would choose to cancel an exhibition with the potential to provide context and understanding. We have asked for a meeting and been refused. The Jewish community will not accept being marginalised.”
Apparently, the BoD does, by waiting so long.
A spokeswoman for Hounslow council said: “Hounslow is one of London’s most diverse boroughs and we cherish and celebrate this diversity. The decision to postpone the two-week exhibition, due to take place in a public space, was not taken lightly and we appreciate the disappointment and inconvenience it caused.
“However, due to the current situation in Gaza and associated increase in reported hate crimes, there is significant heightened risk to personal safety across London and consideration of this had to take precedence.”
Ah, it is diverse. And what does "diverse" mean? Wikipedia explains:
Hounslow has a high proportion of people who identify themselves as BAME (Black, Asian and minority Ethnic), and it is the borough's most diverse town. In seven of Hounslow's eight electoral wards, the BAME proportion is above 70%.[9] The town has a large British Asian community.
And a large plurality of "British Asians" are Muslim.
So even though the exhibit was shown in other districts since 10/7 with no incident, Hounslow knows its residents are a bit more, shall we say, animated.
The district knows it has a lot of antisemites living there. Instead of protecting the Jews it decides to penalize them - for their own safety. Instead of giving a message to the Jew-haters that this is unacceptable behavior, they are sending a message that their hate is so potent that they can get the government to punish Jews without even vocalizing a single threat - what scholar Richard Landes calls "proleptic dhimmitude."
Jews are quiet and compliant. Muslims are loud and unpredictable and potentially violent. So it is easier to do what the Muslims demand even before they demand it, penalize the Jews, and then claim that you are protecting the Jews by forcing them not to have their exhibits, or Chanukah menorah ceremonies, or whatever.
The antisemites win, thanks to the spineless people who end up being their allies.
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