Britain’s cultural world has turned its back on Jewish creatives according to a series of allegations gathered by The Times.
Artists, writers and performers have stated that they are being frozen out of British cultural life because they refuse to describe Israeli actions in Gaza as genocidal.
While many have chosen to remain anonymous because of the “chilling” cultural climate in the country, others have decided to speak out.
A film producer, who is planning to build one of the biggest film studios in Europe in Sunderland, said his industry was “institutionally antisemitic” while the organiser of the UK Jewish Film festival said cinemas were making it “impossible” for it to book venues for screening.
A series of literary figures meanwhile have described how they have been dropped by their agents because they refuse to use the word “genocide”, how authors are refusing to have their books transcribed into Hebrew and how they are being excluded from literary festivals and other readings.
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The art world has also been affected with Tate, for example, being threatened with a boycott by artists unless it ends sponsorship from trusts set up by individuals deemed to be close to the Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu. Tate has not commented.
Another prominent gallery is involved in a dispute with one of its workers who wore an Israel badge.
Jonathan Shalit
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Jonathan Shalit, the head of one of the country’s biggest talent agencies, said that he had been warned that his willingness to “support Israel and speak on behalf of Judaism” would hinder attempts to have him chosen as the chairman of a “major organisation within the arts industry”.
Shalit said he was told by the unnamed organisation’s chief executive that some trustees “might have a problem with you as chair because of your Wikipedia page and the fact you’re Jewish and support Israel and speak on behalf of Judaism”.
Michael Etherton, the head of the UK Jewish Film festival, said cinemas had made it “impossible” to make bookings.
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Michael Etherton, left, with the actress Keira Knightley and Judy Ironside, the founder of UK Jewish Film
DAVID M. BENETT/HODA DAVAINE/DAVE BENETT/WIREIMAGE
“If you [venue staff] are pushed then say an email went to junk,” Etherton said of the venues he claims were excluding the festival’s films.
“Say we’re incredibly busy as a venue, leave it so so late so that it’s actually impossible. Suggest dates that you know are outside the festival dates so it becomes impossible to do anything on that date,” he said.
Leo Pearlman
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Leo Pearlman, whose company Fulwell 73 is building the Sunderland film centre and is behind productions such as Gavin and Stacey,