Joseph Finlay
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josephfinlay.bsky.social
Joseph Finlay
@josephfinlay.bsky.social
1.9K followers 450 following 970 posts
Historian of British Jews and race relations. Composer and Musical Director. Socialist and דאָיִקער. Writing on Jewish issues at www.toratalbion.org.uk
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josephfinlay.bsky.social
How long before ‘but Disraeli was Black’ discourse starts
A historical moment in Parliament as Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy becomes the first Black person to ever answer a Prime Minister's question.
November 5, 2025 at 5:02 PM
josephfinlay.bsky.social
I hear you, but there's nothing about breast enhancement in the image, and it does look a lot like antisemitic images. The antisemitism might be subconscious but it's there. Similar images were produced of Michael Howard in 2005
Image of Michael Howard portrayed as a hypnotist
November 3, 2025 at 3:36 PM
josephfinlay.bsky.social
Wild anecdote in the Jewish Chronicle
A man was now walking up the street behind me. “He wants to free Palestine too, don’t you?” shrieked the girl, as he passed me. “Everyone wants to free Palestine!” The man seemed surprised, but concurred. “Yes, free Palestine.” I felt trapped. And then an adrenaline surge – more of that fight-or-flight response – made me do something that in retrospect seems quite ridiculous: I began to sing “Am Yisrael Chai” while at the same time dancing the Hora – a physical act of Jewish defiance that erupted from me instinctively. They tried to kill us, we survived, we dance.
October 24, 2025 at 12:47 PM
josephfinlay.bsky.social
Now we’ve had sex I will return to virginity
Israel says it will return to ceasefire hours after carrying out strikes on Gaza
October 19, 2025 at 9:16 PM
josephfinlay.bsky.social
This headline reads like pure satire. Who is violating the ceasefire here?
Israel strikes southern Gaza, accusing Hamas of 'bold violation of ceasefire'
October 19, 2025 at 12:28 PM
josephfinlay.bsky.social
How about the Jewish Chronicle?
It is hard to describe an organisation which has done more to damage interfaith cohesion between Jews and Muslims in this country than 5 Pillars
October 9, 2025 at 1:03 PM
josephfinlay.bsky.social
Absolute unhinged nonsense from @boardofdeputies.bsky.social
STATEMENT: Board of Deputies calls for more than 400 protest terror arrests to also be investigated for stirring up racial hatred The Board of Deputies utterly condemns the morally grotesque protests that took place today and over recent days. After the most deadly attack on British Jews since the York Massacre of 1190, we called for the protests to be stopped out of respect to the dead. Politicians and police echoed our community’s call, stressing the burden of policing this rally while providing enhanced protection to more than 300 synagogues across our traumatised community. The crass insensitivity shown by the protesters, more than 400 of whom were arrested for supporting a proscribed terrorist organisation, is an offence to public decency. That they would go ahead despite our pleas shows such reckless disregard for public safety and our community’s wellbeing that we consider the underlying motivation to be not just their support for terror, but that they are antisemitic acts, designed to stir up racial hatred. As such we are calling today for those arrested to also be investigated and prosecuted for stirring up racial hatred. We are demanding that the Government look again at the legislation and powers available to police to stop this continued assault on community relations, city centres, and stretched police resources. What is happening on our streets is just not acceptable. Freedom to protest must come alongside a sense of decency and civil responsibility that seems to completely evade these hateful marchers.
October 4, 2025 at 9:59 PM
josephfinlay.bsky.social
He can’t be that stupid - can he?
Moving on to allegations of genocide levied at Israel, Netanyahu asks if a country committing genocide would plead with a population to get out of harm's way: "Did the Nazis ask the Jews to leave?"
September 26, 2025 at 3:26 PM
josephfinlay.bsky.social
There's nothing like a fair and balanced book review. And this is nothing like etc.
On Antisemitism: A Word In History review – a book to comfort Jew-hate apologists at the expense of Jews This historical account of antisemitism is a remarkable exercise in cognitive dissonance
September 26, 2025 at 10:35 AM
josephfinlay.bsky.social
It was great to speak today at the IOHA oral history conference in Krakow as part of a leftist Jewish panel, in which we attempted to draw on various aspects of modern Jewish history to oppose genocide in Gaza.
Panellists at oral history conference session in Krakow
September 17, 2025 at 7:21 PM
josephfinlay.bsky.social
So true from @theradr.bsky.social

Really good piece www.lifeisasacredtext.com/gazarepentan...
And it's hardly news that many of us fighting for justice in Jewish spaces have experienced both tacit and explicit pressure around I/P from employers, boards, donors, colleagues – that even as we have gone to the mat behind the scenes to try to push the conversation a million ways – that this game of forced choices has been an exceedingly powerful means of communal control: "Just keep silent on this one issue and there are so many other kinds of good that you can do!
September 15, 2025 at 4:48 PM
josephfinlay.bsky.social
Go away Herzog, we don’t need you, don’t claim that you act in our name, your state’s actions make life worse for us.
Isaac Herzog does not have executive powers and his office has said he is visiting the UK "to show solidarity with the Jewish community, which is under severe attack and facing a wave of antisemitism".
September 9, 2025 at 7:03 PM
josephfinlay.bsky.social
Packed hall for the launch of Arise, a local socialist party in Harrow, arising out of Pamela Fitzpatrick’s 2024 independent campaign. It’s loosely connected to @yourparty.bsky.social so Jeremy Corbyn came and spoke. A positive start.
Jeremy Corbyn speaking at a meeting.
August 27, 2025 at 9:39 PM
josephfinlay.bsky.social
The Jewish Chronicle on the Jaffa riots of 1921, quoted in Tom Segev, One Palestine, Complete.
Imagine the wild animals in a zoological garden springing out of their cages and killing a number of spectators, and a commission appointed to enquire into the causes of the disaster reporting first and foremost that the animals were discontented with and hostile to the visitors who had come to see them! As if it were not the first business of the keepers to keep: to know the habits of the animals, and to be sure that the cages were secure.
August 24, 2025 at 5:17 PM
josephfinlay.bsky.social
Absolutely archive.is/202508181726...
The fight against antisemitism and the fight against occupation, racism and Jewish supremacy are part of the same struggle. To abandon one is to abandon both. The role of intellectuals at this moment is to insist on a moral language that distinguishes between a people and a regime, between identity and military control, and refuses to conceal structures of repression behind the rhetoric of security.
August 19, 2025 at 1:39 PM
josephfinlay.bsky.social
Very disingenuous by the @boardofdeputies.bsky.social. The reason the hostages are still in captivity is that Israel has refused to make a deal to end the war and bring them home. They should be rallying at the Israeli embassy for that. This is just a demo against recognising Palestinian statehood.
Board of Deputies: Join us this Sunday, 10th August, as we march through Central London to Downing Street, demanding the immediate release of the hostages. 🎗️ At the end of the march, we will rally to deliver a clear message: No release of hostages — No recognition. March with us. Speak up. Demand their release.
August 5, 2025 at 7:41 AM
josephfinlay.bsky.social
Was happy to be at this @naamoduk.bsky.social and Mineged event this evening, a rally of UK Jews and UK based Israelis outside the Foreign Office calling for the UK to impose sanctions on Israel
Protesters More protestors
July 28, 2025 at 6:23 PM
josephfinlay.bsky.social
Would a location occupied by Israel count?
Jewish News had been first to reveal Brent Labour’s decision to plough ahead with a plan to twin the borough with the West Bank city of Nablus, ignoring some councillors calls for the partnership to include an Israeli location as well.
July 10, 2025 at 8:53 PM
josephfinlay.bsky.social
Very much enjoyed Operation Mincemeat but disappointed that there wasn’t a song about Ewen Montagu’s tenure as president of the United Synagogue
He is best known for his leading role in Operation Mincemeat, a critical military deception operation that misdirected German forces' attention away from the Allied invasion of Sicily ("Operation Husky"). Montagu was president of the United Synagogue from 1954 to 1962, and President of the Anglo-Jewish Association from December 1949.
June 28, 2025 at 11:06 PM
josephfinlay.bsky.social
An apt description of Benjamin. Netanyahu
Civilians in Tel Aviv and Tehran are facing the same brutal oppressor
June 16, 2025 at 4:38 PM
josephfinlay.bsky.social
From this bizarre statement by @boardofdeputies.bsky.social you would think that Iran had attacked Israel rather than the other way round
Board of Deputies statement
June 13, 2025 at 1:17 PM
josephfinlay.bsky.social
What do I feel about Daniel Finkelstein? Contempt. Pity. Bemusement as to why he is still employed as a Times columnist.
Daniel Finkelstein column entitled What Do I Feel About Gaza?
May 28, 2025 at 8:12 AM
josephfinlay.bsky.social
In this piece Danny Finkelstein sounds like Norman Podhoretz c.1969, echoing the classic trope of ‘black power are the real racists’.
Danny Finkelstein on Malcolm X
May 21, 2025 at 5:00 PM
josephfinlay.bsky.social
Thanks to my rabbi and cantor friends for this letter to the @financialtimes.com calling for an end to the war. www.ft.com/content/7f0b...
“As Jewish religious leaders in Britain, we too are horrified by the Israeli government’s relaunch of attacks against Gaza. “We feel it is our duty to remind Israel’s leaders of the core Jewish teaching that war can never be waged for revenge or expansion. The Israeli government must uphold international law, and allow humanitarian aid into Gaza. “We stand with all those in Israel-Palestine seeking to bring about a just and lasting peace. We share in their call for an end to the bombing; an end to the siege; and the safe release of the hostages.” Further names of signatories
April 25, 2025 at 8:06 AM
josephfinlay.bsky.social
Love to see @boardofdeputies.bsky.social absolutely tearing itself apart as it attempts to crush the political dissent that exists within its ranks
Board statement suspending the 36 members who signed an open letter
April 22, 2025 at 12:52 PM