4 January 2018 Jewish News
www.jewishnews.co.uk
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Television controversy / News briefs / News NEWS IN BRIEF
RABBI ARRESTED IN FRAUD CASE A rabbi who heads an investment firm’s office in Manchester was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit fraud. Benji Silverstone of HBFS Wealth Management, has worked for the firm for nearly five years. A spokesman for HBFS declined to comment on the arrest. Police have already arrested managing director Freddy David on suspicion of fraud and money laundering. HBFS customers are advised to check the status of investments made through HBFS.
EX-BEATLE WILL PLAY IN TEL AVIV Sir Ringo Starr will perform this summer in Israel, more than 50 years after the nation’s government stopped the legendary Beatles from performing there. The upcoming tour for the ex-Beatle drummer’s group Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band includes a concert in Tel Aviv on 23 June. In 1966, at the height of the band’s success, the Israeli Government said the band could “negatively influence” the country’s youth. It later apologised for the decision.
BBC drama accused of ‘gratuitous’ Israel slur The BBC was this week accused of promoting “gratuitous slurs” against an Israeli character in its new prime-time series McMafia. UK Lawyers for Israel has taken issue with the Beeb’s portrayal of shady Israeli businessman and politician Semiyon Kleiman, played by actor David Strathairn, who pushes ahead with plans for a multi-million floating casino off the coast of Eilat in the new drama. On Facebook on Tuesday, one day after the first of eight episodes aired, the lawyers’ group said McMafia “uses gratuitous slurs against Israeli businessmen and makes references to Israel which aren’t mentioned in the original book by Mischa Glenny”. UKLFI further said the programme makers “distort” the motto of Israel’s external intelligence agency Mossad, translated as “by deception
The opening episode featured a traditional Jewish funeral
(sic) we will do war”. Mossad’s actual motto comes from Proverbs, 24.6, the lawyers say. “It says ‘for by wise guidance you can wage your war.’ The use of the word ‘deception’ in substitute for the words ‘wise guidance’ attacks the integrity of Mossad and insinuates that Israel officially sanctions deception in its intelligence activities.”
The eight-part programme is the creation of award-winning scriptwriters James Watkins and Hossein Amini and is co-produced by the BBC, AMC and Cuba Pictures, in association with Twickenham Studios. It delves deep into the world of organised crime and follows the story of Alex Goodman, played by actor James Norton, the English-
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raised son of Russian exiles with a mafia history. Filming took place partly in the beaches and nightclubs of Tel Aviv, following Strathairn’s portrayal of Kleiman, who the BBC describes as “a well-connected Israeli businessman with a twinkle in his eye that betrays deeper secrets”. Kleiman is a Member of the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, and has recently been given the go-ahead by the Israeli Court of Arbitration for his floating casino, after a panel unanimously and surprisingly overturns two previous decisions banning it. Norton’s character decides to ask Kleiman for investment in his failing fund, and is introduced in a basement, but Kleiman’s depiction has angered UKLFI, with lines such as: “Don’t worry about the bombs, my friends at the IDF warned me.”
NEWS IN BRIEF
BLACKPOOL NAZI IN RACE HATE TRIAL A self-confessed Nazi stirred up hatred against Jews and said they need “to be eradicated”, a jury has heard. The 22-yearold man from Lancashire, who cannot be named, is accused of breaching the Public Order Act by using abusive or insulting words or behaviour. The man was filmed in Blackpool in 2016 saying: “The refugee problem is part of a bigger problem. It’s a symptom of a disease, international Jewry.” The defendant denies the allegations.
GROENING, 96, MUST SERVE PRISON TERM Germany’s highest court has ruled that a 96-year-old former Auschwitz guard should serve his prison sentence for his role in the murder of 300,000 Hungarian Jews at the concentration camp. Oskar Groening was convicted and sentenced in 2015 to four years in jail for his role in the murders. A federal appeals court rejected his appeal a year ago. He had remained free while waiting for a determination of his fitness to serve time in prison. [JTA]
1983
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We Were There Too Chigwell Roadshow SUNDAY 14 JANUARY, 2.30-4.30PM
VENUE Chigwell & Hainault Synagogue, Limes Avenue, Chigwell, IG7 5NT FREE ENTRY complimentary tea & cake EVERYONE WELCOME Suitable for 10+ @LondonJewsWW1 @LondonJewsFWW we_were_there_too
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Judah & Lipman Przybysz, outside Judah’s tailor shop in the East End. A We Were There Too user has recently identified them as his greatuncles. ©Jewish Museum
If you had a Jewish family member living in London 1914-1918, or are interested in learning more about a Heritage Lottery Fund project to find and preserve stories of London Jews in the First World War, please join us at Chigwell and Hainault Synagogue, on Sunday 14 January, for an explanatory talk and the opportunity to chat to the team. We’d like to hear your family stories and find out if you have photographs, medals, letters or other memorabilia relating to the 1914-1918 period. We also welcome volunteers to help us with research and the uploading of information onto the new website www.jewsfww.london To RSVP or for further information email contactus@jewsfww.london or just come on the day. Everyone is welcome.
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