Jonathan Hoffman – Another Victim of anti-Semitism

Hoffman Booted out as Zionist Vice-President

the photo that did it for Hoffman

Hoffman's nemesis - Mick Davies

A glum Hoffman looking worse for wear

It is my sad duty to report another example of the spread of ‘anti-Semitism’. Jonathan Hoffman, veteran of many a picket, especially when the EDL was around, has been sacked as an officer of the Zionist Federation.  It would appear that the Hoffman era has now come to an end.  Well it was fun while it last.

Xtrata and UJIA/JLC boss - Micky Davis - doesn't take criticism from Zionist peti-bourgeois lightly

Yes my dear reader, I can hear you now tut tutting about the injustice of it all.  No one has done more for the Palestinians, sorry I mean Zionism, than Jonathan  Hoffman.  Almost single handedly he rescued the Ahava picket and snatched defeat out of the jaws of victory.  The photograph of him dancing down the street with the Jewish Nazi & Kach supporter Roberta Moore, ex-fuhreress of the EDL’s Jewish Division, brought forth more unmerited criticism, with even the Union of Jewish Students Daniel Sheldon putting the boot in and attacking him for lying about that particular picture. 

One of the more loveable things about JH was he was easily wound up

But what did it for Hoffman was when he got out of his depths and criticised, via a letter in the Jewish Chronicle and elsewhere, Mick Davis, for pointing out that a minority Jewish state ruling over a majority of Palestinians was inevitably an Apartheid situation.

Hoffman contemplates humiliation at Ahava

Mick Davies is boss of the large mining company Xtrata and head of the (unelected) Jewish Leadership Council and the United Jewish Israel Appeal.  He is no petit-bourgeois Hoffman and Garfield.  When Hoffman got together a petition signed by 60 ultra-right-wing Zionists, that the Jewish Chronicle printed, Mick Davis threatened to sue for libel.  End of petition.  As Davis has, as Hoffman admitted, somewhat deeper pockets than him, he backed down (he has a habit of backing down when threatened with libel – his namesake David Hoffman threatened to sue him when alleged that a photo of him and Roberta Moore was ‘photoshopped’.

The result is that Jonathan Hoffman is no longer an officer of the Zionist Federation.  No doubt there’s been much rending of clothes and wearing of sackcloth in North London this week.
It hasn’t been a good time for Hoffman.  Last month, Hoffman (a supporter of Republic no less!) was told to stop blogging when working as the Greater London Authority’s Chief Economist Advisor!  You can see some of his ‘work’ here.   If you think this is another example of anti-Semitism then Jonathan can be reached at jonathan.hoffman@london.gov.uk.

As for myself, well I was personally responsible for launching the 'Save the Hoffman' campaign but sometimes one just has to admit to defeat.

Tony Greenstein

Zionist Federation elects its new board

 A former IDF lieutenant has been elected the new chair of the Zionist Federation.

Solicitor Paul Charney made aliyah from South Africa in 1986 and served in an armoured division of the Israeli army for four years until 1996.

After moving to Britain he set up a law firm. Mr Charney is a member of Conservative Friends of Israel and previously worked with the Jewish Association of Business Ethics.

He will lead the ZF’s new board, elected at Sunday’s biennial conference. Eric Moonman and former chair Harvey Rose will serve as joint presidents, with Howard Ross and David Duke-Cohan as vice-chairs.

Former vice-president Jonathan Hoffman was not re-elected.

Around 100 people attended and heard from Dr Shimon Samuels, director for international relations at the Simon Wiesenthal Centre, and Dr Mordechai Kedar, an expert on the Arab world and Palestinian Authority.

ZF director Alan Aziz said: “The conference illustrated how people will use criticism of Israel to showcase their own antisemitism.”