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BREAKING: Statement of the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem regarding the disgusting terror attack on the Orthodox Church in Hammoud, al-Karak, Jordan.

It is vitally important to listen to Jewish parents, when relaying their children's experiences, and of course the voices of Jewish pupils when they relay experiences of antisemitism. The examples provided by @stevenmklein in his small thread include: - His daughter being repeatedly asked by other children if she supports Israel. - A friend of his daughter being beaten up by other school children because she wore a Star of David. - A head teacher being initially unwilling to give student leave of absence for Yom Kippur - The school wishing them a Happy Channukah for Yom Kippur - No education about Judaism being taught in classes (even the Religious Education class) - No event or assembly commemorating the Holocaust. None of these are even remotely excusable. Jewish children being asked if they support Israel simply because they are Jewish is a very real and serious phenomenon. This is NOT helped by the nonstop conflation of Jews and Israel by various Israel advocacy organisations, and even our own government. The answer to this particular point is to education pupils on antisemitism and to also ensure they recognise that Jews ≠ Israel. Conflating Jewish people globally with the actions, policies, and existence of the State of Israel is a dangerous mechanism that fuels antisemitism. Requiring individual Jews to constantly account for or answer for Israel's military and government actions, creates a hostile environment. The resultant lack of empathy and solidarity can leave Jewish individuals feeling isolated. We must stop telling young people that the State of Israel and Zionism are irrevocably tied to being Jewish. The nuance/caveat here of course is that there is a HUGE difference between acknowledging and teaching about the special place that Jerusalem and Israel both hold within Judaism vs promoting political and emotional attachment to the State of Israel in the modern era. Furthermore, treating all Jews as a monolith representing Israel prevents pupils and students from building deep, empathetic connections across cultural and ethnic boundaries. This in turn discourages students who want to express support for Palestinians from engaging with, and learning about, the specific, devastating, and lethal history of anti-Jewish oppression. Our education system in the United Kingdom must purposefully separate the actions of the Israeli state from the diverse global population of Jewish individuals. If we can teach pupils throughout the country that it is unacceptable and antisemitic to hold their Jewish peers responsible for the State of Israel, ensuring that they engage constructively with the topics of antisemitism and Israel-Palestine, then we will see less of this conflation happening in UK schools up and down the country. A pupil being beaten up for wearing the Star of David is blatant antisemitism that must be addressed through disciplinary processes but also with robust education. The other examples provided by Steven Klein are worrying but they are not of the same vein as the former points because they are not necessarily about the immediate safety and physical security of Jewish pupils. They are nonetheless significant issues that must be addressed through proper training and information provision through the department of education.

Fun fact, the former Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, who is known for her support & involvement in Labour Friends of Israel, was pipping Sir David Bell for educational reviews back when she was the Shadow Education Minister in 2023. In her role as Education Secretary she is the one responsible for commissioning Sir David Bell to carry out this antisemitism review in schools.