The Board of Deputies of British Jews, the UK’s Jewish community’s umbrella organization, expressed a less than welcome greeting to Religious Zionism chairman Betzalel Smotrich, who flew to London on Wednesday.
Smotrich is on a trip to meet with Jewish communities in the UK and France to discuss matters of Jewish identity, especially their concerns about the giyur reform currently being advanced in Israel.
“Get back on the plane Betzalel and be remembered as a disgrace forever,” the organization’s spokesperson wrote on Twitter, writing in Hebrew: “We reject his abhorrent views and hateful ideology and call on all members of the British Jewish community to show him the door. You’re not wanted here.”
The translation function doesn't quite convey the meaning of the last phrase. It's more like:
"Get back on the plane Bezalel and be remembered as a disgrace forever."
— Board of Deputies of British Jews (@BoardofDeputies) February 9, 2022
In response, Smotrich tweeted: “UK Jews: I love you. All of you.”
He later told Reshet Bet: “I was received with great love. According to the number of invitations I received, I can stay here another week and even two.”
Regarding the hateful tweet, he said: “There are internal political issues here, organizations that are controlled by the progressive left.”
On Thursday, Smotrich responded to the organization on Twitter, writing: “I very much thank you for the publication of my visit and on the many connections I forged in the UK thanks to it. I received dozens of phone calls and invitations from Rabbanim and leaders who were embarrassed by you and apologized, telling me that you don’t represent them and requested to meet me. Unfortunately I won’t manage to meet all of them this time so I’ll need to return for another visit.”
The attack was widely condemned by right-wing Knesset members and at least one coalition member also slammed the organization for treating an Israeli Knesset member who traveled to meet Jewish communities in such a manner.
The Likud party stated: “We completely reject the shameful tweet issued by the umbrella organization of British Jewry against MK Betzalel Smotrich. In doing so, they are disqualifying a large public who love Am Yisrael and Eretz Yisrael whom MK Smotrich and Religious Zionism faithfully represent. It’s clear that this organization wouldn’t treat left-wing post-Zionist Knesset members who deny the existence of Israel as a national state for the Jews like this. Shameful.
(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)
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6 Responses
It sounds like the Limeys (Brits) became perverted by the Reforms who by the way practice something other than Judaism and try to pass their nonsense as Judaism. Reform is not Judaism.
he is correct, the assimilated local Jewish communty is worrying what the goyim will say. They are the ones who caused the holocaust according to R. Avigdor Miller in his book, Divine Madness. Worth reading.
Look at the list of members and their ‘About us’ section.
What do you expect from a reform-dominated group that claims to represent U.K. Jews?
It’s a political organisation, nothing to do with Torah or Torah-keeping Jews.
@drugcommish in LA
The Board of Deputies doesn’t represent the Frum Jewish community.
No need to be disrespectful to your brothers.
The action they have taken is a disgrace.
Politics is a democratic process for within a country.
Jewish communities around the world should be apolitical, and supportive of whichever party is in power.
By coming out in a public way against a democratically elected Minister they have shown that are not representative the of the British Jewish community, as they claim they are.
As a frum British Jew who is certainly not ‘reform’ or ‘assimilated’…I fully support the Board of Deputy’s statement.