Avi Freeman

@knitman57 @daverich1 "This appalling and there is no excuse for antisemitism, however,...."...[HERE ARE SOME EXCUSES]. What an awful comment.

Tomorrow morning, as on every Shabbat morning, Jews around the world will go to synagogue to pray, chat, eat and feel part of their community - except at Melbourne's Adass Yisroel Synagogue, which was gutted by fire overnight in a shocking arson attack. I say shocking, but it shouldn't shock anyone. Anti-Jewish hatred has swept around the world since the October 7 attack, as quickly and destructively as that fire swept through the synagogue building last night. There have been other fire bombings, plus shootings and stabbings in many countries, and less visibly, a daily drumbeat of anti-Jewish harassment and abuse, snide comments and silent exclusions. We don't yet know who did the arson in Melbourne, or why they did it, other than that it was a deliberate and determined attempt to do as much damage as possible, and it is luck that nobody was killed or seriously injured. But we can be forgiven for assuming that it is likely to be just the latest attempt to, as the slogan goes, "globalise the Intifada". Jews around the world are fed up of being told that support for "intifada" and "resistance" are just calls for liberation, or that smashing up banks and factories and offices linked to Israel counts as "non-violent direct action". We are fed up of having to put up with so much hatred, all the old myths and lies being reworked to fit with the latest political fashions. We know antisemitism when we see it, and we smell it all around us today. Some people say this is all about Israel, and there is no doubt there is much to protest against there. But if your answer to the enormous suffering in Gaza is to attack Jews in your own country, or to demand that Jews in the diaspora to cut all ties, however non-political they are, with the Jewish homeland, the world's only majority Jewish country where the world's largest Jewish community resides - you aren't a campaigner for justice. You are an anti-Jewish racist. To my friends in Melbourne and Australia as a whole: we are with you. You are not alone. To everyone else, Jewish and not: it's time to act against this hatred. Antisemitism poisons society for all. Synagogues can be rebuilt, and the Melbourne Jewish community, as strong and resilient as I have met anywhere, will recover. But what will society become, if this is allowed to stand? bbc.co.uk/news/articles/…

Would be really sad to lose the Observer writers (@andrewrawnsley, @soniasodha, @jayrayner1) from the Guardian website. Also what will us liberal minnded folk read on a Sunday...? inews.co.uk/news/guardian-…

Oh dear.... @thetimes 🫢. I bet whoever wrote the fulsome endorsement of Boris Johnson in 2019 wishes they'd have demonstrated the cautious approach the Paper now seems to have developed!

@JonathanSGlass @nice_cuppa @Phoenixcinema Indeed!

@FreemanAvi @nice_cuppa @Phoenixcinema See you there, Avi?

East Finchley’s beloved @Phoenixcinema has been desecrated with graffiti simply because they are showing a film about a massacre of innocent Jews at a music festival. Shame on the people that did this.

@JohnJCrace What he said would have resonated with a lot of the Jewish community. Dismissing it the way you have, given the subject matter, hits the wrong notes. Column's only a sketch I know, but Gove described experiences of much of the UK J community. Clearly though you don't believe him.

Mike’s has been in that crack den again The Govester goes rogue and veers from history lecture to full-on rant | John Crace theguardian.com/politics/artic…

North London Hospice is thrilled to be this year’s host of the brilliant @northlondon10k. The 10K route takes in some of the most scenic parts of East Finchley and Muswell Hill with spectacular views over London from @yourallypally. To find out more visit racetheneighbours.com

@helenmallam She made her arguments quite well I thought pointing out the inconsistency in what Cristal was saying. What's the scale/spectrum of Zionists btw? Trying to work out if I'm rabid or not by believing in two states and Jewish self-determination in Israel..

@habibi_uk This was a nice one from last night's gathering...

Chanting for revolution and terrorism at a "Palestine Solidarity Campaign" hatred rally outside Downing Street earlier this evening. Labour MPs spoke at the rally. The party will look away, as it always does. Why should I trust Labour in power to deal with dangerous extremism?

@ChrisNineham @LindseyAGerman At long last, a national demonstration for Palestine. It's what London and the UK have been crying out for.

Here we go.

10 years after we set up Race the Neighbours @NorthLondon10k, we thought the race was over, until @NLondonHospice stepped in to save the day. This is the tale of a race with no finish line... gregallon.com/blog/race-the-…

@JMPSimor @SkyNews @JayneSeckerSky @UKLFI So what? As per their website, 4 days ago Bindmans sent a preaction letter to the SoS relating to Gaza/UNRWA. The firms founding partner is still entitled to sign the letter. Equally, whoever this woman acts for, she's entitled to her legal opinion and to express it when asked.

@SkyNews @JayneSeckerSky She is legal adviser to @UKLFI Objects: "to provide,..or promote the provision of legal support including advocacy..in combating attempts to undermine, attack and/or delegitimise Israel..To contribute... as lawyers to creating a supportive climate of opinion in UKtowards Israel."

'Israel's efforts to keep civilians and aid workers safe are unprecedented in the history of armed conflict.' Barrister Natasha Hausdorff - who did not sign the letter warning that the UK is breaching international law by continuing to arm Israel speaks to @JayneSeckerSky.

@ayeshahazarika Trading Places.

Christ. This is utterly depressing. Two very rich out of touch dudes betting over human misery. Very Squid Game.

@NickCohen4 Reminds me of Trading Places...

Like corrupt Roman emperors betting on the deaths of slaves

The sight of men with guns seizing unarmed young women and old people as hostages should finally end the idea that Hamas is a resistance movement. This is militant antisemitism and misogyny. To describe it any other way demeans the very concept of resistance.

@RosieisaHolt brilliant show in Edinburgh tonight. Who'd have expected an actual diplomat on the front row. So much fun.

@Enterprise really disappointed with the way we were treated at Edinburgh airport on return of hire car. Supposed damage to tyre that you can't show wasn't there when we took the car. A downer on the end of a great holiday. Won't be using you again.

Today, I open an app on my phone and it shows me what my latest blood sugar is in real time. Quite remarkable. Medical science can be truly amazing. #jdrf @Diabetescouk

5 years later came the first #glucometers. Took 2 minutes, was very inaccurate and required regular painful thumb pricks with a device that looked like a medieval torture instrument! 2/3

When i was diagnosed #T1D #diabetic 43 years ago, you tested with 5 drops of urine in a test tube. Told you if your #bloodsugar had been high 2 hours ago. 1/3