Rabbi quits ‘anti-racism’ group over link to far left
A RABBI has quit as a co-chair of a far-left “anti-racism” organisation linked to the controversial Socialist Workers’ Party, and which had hosted an event with the pro-Corbyn outfit Jewish Voice for Labour on the evening of Yom Kippur.
Rabbi Lee Wax, of the Masorti movement, resigned last week from Stand Up to Racism (SUTR), widely considered to be a front for the Socialist Workers’ Party (SWP), whose leadership came under intense fire in 2013 over rape allegations.
The departure of Rabbi Wax, who works for Jewish Women’s Aid as a communications manager, comes as
SUTR has also been criticised for hosting
Rabbi Lee Wax: resigned last week an event with the fringe group Jewish Voice For Labour (JVL), which seeks to downplay Labour’s antisemitism crisis.
JVL co-chair Jenny Manson spoke at a SUTR meeting held in a church hall on the evening of Yom Kippur.
Ms Manson was one of five speakers at the event, entitled ‘Resisting the Rise of the Racists and Fascists’, which included debate on antisemitism. Another speaker was Weyman Bennett, a member of SWP’s central committee and co-convenor of SUTR.
Three years ago, Mr Bennett was at the centre of claims he was involved in the cover-up of a sexual assault of young SWP member. At the time, the UK’s most prominent far-left organisation attracted widespread criticism of the way it handled rape accusations against a senior party figure.
SUTR was set up shortly afterwards. A spokesperson for JWA said: “We are aware that our communications manager used to be vice-chair of an anti-racist organisation. She is no longer associated with this organisation.
“We take all allegations of sexual assault extremely seriously and work tirelessly to support Jewish women survivors of domestic and sexual violence on a daily basis.”
Rabbi Wax said: “I resigned from Stand Up To Racism to avoid any potential perceived conflict of interest with JWA with whom I have worked tirelessly for the last seven years, supporting Jewish women affected by domestic and sexual violence.
“Also, as a rabbi of 25 years standing I have been committed to fighting antisemitism and racism wherever it stems from. I will continue to devote myself to these causes.”
Stand Up to Racism planned an event with JVL on Yom Kippur