Paying lip service

I am writing in sheer disgust at the Reform Movement again after an article which appeared in the Jewish Chronicle 25/03/2010 titled: "BBC editor: Jews should think of Palestine during Seder". Interestingly enough I was initially upset by the comment of the BBC editor until I realised that he was actually just asking a question. Evidently the rather sensationalist title of the article written by Simon Rocker seemed to suggest that Jews should consider the plight of palestinians at the Seder table, whereas, in actuality, it was asked as a question to the organisers of an interfaith Seder designed to give members of the press and other faith communities an insight into an important Jewish ritual. The fundamental problem here is that whilst this sounds right and in perfect harmony with Blair/Brown's Multicultural Britain it should not be solely down to the Reform movement to provide this experience because they are inept. Inept? Yes! They do not have the guts to stand up for themselves, their religion or Israel. They pay lip service instead of presenting the true meaning of the Pesach. How could this event be educational and informative when it ignores the essence of Pesach?

Responding to the BBC Editor's question Tony Bayfield said:

"Many people don't do enough to adapt the Seder meal to remember the Palestinians. Israel has got itself into an ethnically unjustifiable situation. But the implication that it's all Israel's fault is not something that I share."

Is this the person you would want representing Jews and Jewish Ritual to the wider non-Jewish world? Chas ve Shalom! I would like to ask Tony Bayfield is he thinks the highest Islamic courts should consider adding and/or ammending an existing Islamic rite to include a remembrance of the oppression of Jews living in Islamic countries before and after 1948.

Must every Jewish holiday get the "how does this apply to the Palestinians" treatment? I have never seen anything about "this Easter, we must reflect on how the true meaning of Easter is to ease the oppression of the African Christians" or "The true purpose of Ramadan is to reflect on the suffering of Jews from Arab lands."

Yimach Shemo!