WHEN CRUCIAL MOTION EQUATING ZIONISM WITH RACISM WAS DEFEATED
A "MIRACLE" VOTE SAVED J-SOC FROM ANNIHILATION
http://www.thebigtentforisrael.org/
About 30 years ago I attended a student Union debate at Manchester University where the motion was to equate Zionism to Racism and if passed to ban J-Soc. Manchester University was and still is one the biggest universities and if passed this would have swept throughout the UK and we would literally not be talking to you today as an organisation of UJS and J-Soc. After an hour or so we were really being destroyed on the debating floor and even hard line jews and zionists were beginning to doubt themselves. Not one single jew had the remotest idea what to do or say. We had not a single argument, we did not know how to counter any arguments the other side put forward, we did not know how to express ourselves or how to fight for our cause. We were uneducated and untrained. We were hopeless. A few moments before the debate was to close and the vote was to be taken a jewish friend of mine stood up from the audience, he was not even a Manchester student, and said something that has, regrettably, faded from my memory. He spoke for less than a minute, perhaps only 20 words or so. After the debate he could not remember what he said, he did not know where the words came from and he even questioned whether he had even spoken. What he said swung the debate and all the jews were back on side but crucially all the neutrals came over to our side and the motion was defeated and we are here today because of that. I truly believe I witnessed a miracle that day and I also believe that the Big Tent in Manchester is another miracle in the making.
The students of today are the leaders of the jewish community of tomorrow both in Israel and the diaspora. Amongst them will become Presidents of Shuls, Chairman and members of the Board of Deputies and the other major anglo/jewish/Israeli bodies. Many of them will become volunteers for the various charitable organisations. A few of them will become Ministers in Government and maybe even a future Prime Minister. Some of them might become Rabbis and teachers. A lot of them will become influential in business and in lobbying groups. They will all however be needed to defend our judaism, our freedom and that of Israel.
To learn that there is a well funded and well organised campaign to deligitimise Israel with its headquarters in London is not a surprise but nevertheless a shock. The fact that our oppressors are now using their intelligence is a totally new threat and takes its lead from the example we have set over many years. The biggest worry is that they are active and doing things to deligitimise Israel whilst we respond in the stoically British way and just let it happen without so much as a whimper. Before the second World World War some say we did not do enough to fight off the threat of Hitler and look what happened. It was just 60 odd years ago and take a look around the world at the atrocities happening every second of every minute of every hour of every day and should therefore never think it could not happen again. Sweeping changes accross the Middle East could bring new threats to Israel but one prediction I will make is that whatever becomes of places like Syria there will always be an Arab, Muslim, anti semitic, socialist threat to Jews and Israel.
The Big Tent puts an end to this. Students will be educated and inspired, trained and motivated and empowered to be the next front line in Anglo Jewry's fight against this insidious and hidden campaign based on anti semitism and lies. Only the students can save us now and we pray that they will rise to this challenge. Their future starts in Manchester on Sunday 27th November.
I am not involved in the Big Tent organisation and nor am I a Macha in a Shul or on any other Committee etc. I have however congratulated Rabbi Guttentag on being the only person to rise to the challenge presented by the REUT report on the deligitimisation of Israel and also made him will aware of what I think he has done wrong in respect of the Big Tent. My only connection is that as of today I offered to supply leaflets to some kids I know to give out at their schools.
The Big Tent is now officially endorsed by the Board of Deputies and all other major Anglo Jewish organisations including the UJS.
This is a momentous occasion for Anglo Jewry and Israel and no less so for Manchester and provincial jewry
It is time to put all other news aside including news relating to the Big Tent and to support it, glorify it and make it as big a success as it needs to be.http://www.thebigtentforisrael.org/
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