Tuesday 24 January 2012

Oy Vey Goy


A few years ago whilst I was the Rabbi in Newcastle upon Tyne we lived next door a delightful non Jewish couple called Jane and Peter. They were superb neighbours and we were the best of friends. Each year when it came to the December holiday period they would send us a card reading: “Seasons greetings from the Goys next door!”

Chas and me. Photo courtesy of Murray freedman
Last night I attended a superb talk under the auspices of our Adult Education KKW2 programme in my Shul delivered by Chas Newkey-Burden. He is a non Jewish guy who has a blog- you can reach him here at: http://www.oyvagoy.com/2012/01/24/rabbi-yehudah-blacks-blog-2

Yes –you read that right Oy Vay Goy. Chas is an advocate for Israel. He explained to his audience why he exactly came to reaching this path:
“As well as wanting to support Israel I’m also disgusted by antisemitism in general, as I am by all bigotry from sexism to homophobia and Islamophobia. However, of all the bigotries that exist antisemitism seems the most universally held: from the numbskull skinhead to the sophisticated leftie to the aristocratic Brit and nearly everyone in between. I don’t mean to be flippant when I ask surely the bigger mystery is not why I oppose anti semitism but why more other people don’t? My hope is that this blog can help in some small way to work against anti-Israel bigotry and anti semitism in general, and perhaps bring some moments of comfort to those who suffer as a result of them”.

Thank you Chas for a fabulous evening!!

2 comments:

  1. Thank you for having me!

    I am enjoying reading your blog. It's very thought-provoking and entertaining.

    From the Goy (not quite) next door!

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  2. Thank you Chas- I take that as a real compliment- especially coming from you-since you are a professional blogger. I see also from your blog that you have become friendly with some chabad Rabbis-a very good bunch of guys!

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