The Oxford University Chabad Society has decided to cancel the hosting of a controversial archaeological exhibition early next week.
The Chabad Society, whose aim is “to create a vibrant Jewish atmosphere for all Jewish students from all backgrounds at the University”, was originally due to host an ‘Ancient Jerusalem Exhibition’ on Monday 16th November at the Slager Jewish Student Centre. The proposed exhibition was due to feature “newly discovered secrets of the Bible unearthed at the City of David.”
However, the event was organised at the last minute with the Ir David Foundation, without the knowledge of or consultation with the president or committee of the Chabad Society. The Society learned that Ir David Foundation was in fact a branch of the Elad Group, a highly controversial Israeli settlers’ organisation, which stirred some discontent amongst the members.
“The event did not stem from an invitation extended by the Oxford Chabad Society to Ir David Foundation,” said the Chabad Society’s President, Yishai Mishor. “It was offered to us as a last minute event, and was mistakenly publicised without prior discussion with the President and Committee of the Oxford Chabad Society.”
The event had already stirred up anger within members of the Palestine Society, who questioned the background to the exhibition, the nature of the Foundation behind it, and the effects upon Palestinian residents of the archaeological excavations, which were being undertaken in Jerusalem.
Katharine Halls, a student at Wadham College, and a member of the Palestine Society (PalSoc), commented, “The Palestine Society are relieved to hear of the cancellation of the event. Giving such groups as Elad platforms to promote themselves in a context which leaves no scope for critical examination of their activities, which this exhibition would have been, only serves to legitimise and support their aims.”
Mishor, however, defended the Chabad Society’s position. “Members of our Committee raised objections to hosting the lecture in our centre on learning that Elad, a controversial group in Israel, were behind this event,” he said.
Halls added that the exhibition could have been “deeply damaging for the reputation of the Chabad Society, a well-respected Oxonian institution.” Russell Inglis, another member of Palestine Society, wrote a damning letter to the Chabad Society on Tuesday, after the event had been publicised, underlining PalSoc’s concerns about the exhibition and urging that the event be cancelled.
Mishor asserted, “The aim of the Oxford Chabad Society is to undertake Jewish cultural and religious events for the benefit of the Jewish community. Our Rabbi, Eli Brackman, is supportive of an atmosphere of tolerance and diverse political views, while at the same time nurturing a non-political nature, since politics is not a purpose of the Oxford Chabad Society. However the Oxford Chabad Society is neither interested in nor supportive of giving a platform to people undertaking activities following extremist views.
“We plan to organise our very own event on the history of Jerusalem in the future, focusing on the academic perspective of archaeology in the City of David in Jerusalem.”
