British Shul Bans "Racist Tanya" [Jewish text banned for PC reasons]

Shocking: One of Britain's largest synagogues in the Hampstead Garden suburb canceled an adult-education class on the Tanya, following objections by senior congregants who declared it "racist." Vivian Wineman, vice-president of the Board of Deputies, said: "Lubavitch philosophy has elements which are unacceptable." A synagogue's decision to abandon a study course after a religious commentary was pronounced "racist" has been criticized as "outrageous" and "spineless" in the latest edition of the shul magazine.

London's Hampstead Garden Suburb United Synagogue, one of Britain's biggest synagogues, discontinued an adult-education class on the Tanya earlier this year, following objections by three senior congregants, the Jewish Chronicle reported. The Tanya is an 18th-century philosophic text written by the founder of Lubavitch Chassidism, Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi.

In the current edition of the synagogue magazine, columnist David Lew denounced the decision.

"We Jews have suffered continuously from censorship and book-burning, usually by the Christians and occasionally self-inflicted." Mr. Lew writes in his "Moans and Groans" column. "But to find it going on in our own community is truly outrageous, and the victory of the gang of three is bitterly disappointing. The shul's reaction to the objections of those members was, to say the least, spineless."

The protests had come from professor Steve Miller, a former vice-chairman of the synagogue, Vivian Wineman, the senior vice-president of the Board of Deputies, and member Dan Rickman.

Mr. Wineman said: "The text contains comments about Jewish superiority which we regard as racist and unacceptable. If the local church were running a course which said that gentiles were superior spiritually to Jews, we would think that should not be tolerated."

He added: "The Board of Deputies' slogan is 'racism isn't kosher.' Do we mean that racism isn't kosher for non-Jews, but all right for Jews?"

The synagogue had "done well", he said, "to take a stand and say no. Lubavitchers are nice people, but Lubavitch philosophy has elements which are unacceptable."

Prof. Miller explained that he felt a "small section" of the Tanya which talks about non-Jews is "frankly racist and morally objectionable. Whilst I wouldn't dream of censoring what individual members do, I do feel that the shul should not be sponsoring a course which disseminated the Tanya."

But Mr. Lew responded: "The shul was recently littered with posters advertising a communal lunch which depicted Jesus, and I have difficulty understanding the hashkafah [loosely translated as philosophy] which allowed images of a founder of a religion which has caused us constant misery for 2,000 years to be plastered around our premises, yet finds the teaching of a major work of Chassidic philosophy to be offensive."

Bernard Taub, the chairman of HGS, would not enter into the conversation of the issue. "The whole thing is dead and buried," he said.

“allowed images of a founder of a religion which has caused us constant misery for 2,000 years”

Caused constant misery? Christians have faced misery around the globe for 2,000 years as well. Burnings, being fed to lions as “sport”, slavery, martyrdom...

How many years has Islam (another religion) co-existed peacefully with Judaism?

2 posted on 10/23/2008 11:50:01 AM PDT by weegee (If we're gonna share wealth, those earning > $1 a month are going to have to share with the world.)

FReepMail to be added or removed from this pro-Israel/Judaic/Russian Jewry ping list.

Warning! This is a high-volume ping list.

At least this congregation of nutbags is in the UK, so they can’t vote for Obama.

Bernard Taub, the chairman of HGS [Hampstead Garden Synagogue], would not enter into the conversation of the issue. "The whole thing is dead and buried," he said.

Too funny.

Say whaaa?

Muslims say any non-coreligionists are “infidels,” and that is OK? Christians think anyone not saved by Jesus is going to hell. Even atheists denigrate G-dfearers. And we are not talking about public policy. We are talking about a religious work.

7 posted on 10/23/2008 2:02:10 PM PDT by Yaelle (One candidate fought America's enemies and one candidate owes all he has to America's enemies)

Was this an Orthodox shul that banned the lessons? If so it means that there is an element of "Orthodoxy" that is willing to replace the teachings of Judaism with those of political correctness.

Unfortunately, the opponents of this move, in invoking "book burning" and "censorship" (leftist buzz words) has opted to try to out-PC the opposition instead of simply saying Koh 'amar HaShem. It's sad when even the right wing falls back on leftist, PC logic to try to present its case.

8 posted on 10/23/2008 2:33:10 PM PDT by Zionist Conspirator (Bere'shit bara' 'Eloqim 'et hashamayim ve'et ha'aretz.)

If these folks think the Tanya is so bad, they should try reading the Torah some time! That’ll be the next thing to go (G-d forbid!)!

9 posted on 10/23/2008 2:34:59 PM PDT by Zionist Conspirator (Bere'shit bara' 'Eloqim 'et hashamayim ve'et ha'aretz.)

Muslim Spain between the years of 711-1090...

And the Ottoman empire of the 1400-1500s.

But other than that, it’s pretty slim pickings.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.