Dear Jake
I too join my colleagues, Jonathan Freedland, Hadley Freeman and David Aaronovitch in resigning from writing for the Jewish Chronicle.
My name first appeared in the JC in 1966 and I have contributed to the paper for over 50 years.
During your editorship, the JC has become sensationalist and unbalanced in its coverage. The Elon Perry incident was an accident waiting to happen.
Fifteen months ago, I decided to stop writing essays for the JC which I have done for the last couple of decades. I struggled with this decision during Pesach 2023, but everyone has red lines.
I continued with writing the occasional book review out of a sense of contributing a serious appraisal of recent Jewish history within the communal marketplace. I very much respect the current literary editor, the excellent Claire Allfree and I enjoyed working with her predecessor, Gerald Jacobs over many years.
The Perry Affair has convinced me now to stop even my book reviews for the JC – and I do so with a heavy heart. Like Jonathan Freedland, I hope for a time when balance is restored and I can once again contribute to what was a fine communal endeavour.
Colin Shindler
First Professor of Israel Studies in the UK, University of London