How timing of piece sparked another row

THE timing of Corbyn’s article – hours before the start of the Sabbath – angered members of the Jewish community.

The Sabbath, or day of rest, has been a central feature of Jewish culture for thousands of years.

It began in commemoration of the seventh day of the Creation story, on which God is said to have rested.

But unlike the Christian tradition, with Sunday designated as the rest day, Judaism’s day of rest – called Shabbat by Jews – begins just before sunset on Friday, and ends after sunset on Saturday.

According to the Board of Deputies of British Jews, ‘Jewish law requires Jews to refrain from various acts of “work” on the Sabbath. Prohibited acts include travelling (other than on foot), cooking, writing, carrying, the switching on and off of electricity, using a telephone and any transaction of a commercial nature, such as shopping.’

Jewish Chronicle editor Stephen Pollard wrote on Twitter: ‘So keen is Corbyn to engage with Jews that he publishes this (awful) piece on a Friday night, for a Saturday paper. So not a single observant Jew can engage with it.’

The Board of Deputies note that for an observant Jew there is ‘no compromise’, apart from when there is a risk to life, or when children or family need emergency medical attention.