‘Is this a joke? You know we don’t eat bread during Pesach!’ Labour deletes Passover tweet after it was blasted for featuring a loaf of bread
- Observant Jews are not allowed to eat leavened bread during Passover festival
- But despite this Labour included a graphic of a loaf in a tweet sent out today
- The party was slammed on Twitter for displaying ‘basic religious illiteracy’
Labour has deleted a Passover message on social media after it came under fire for featuring a loaf of bread – the food observant Jews are not allowed to eat during the festival.
The message read: ‘As Jewish people prepare for Passover, we’re wishing everyone in the Jewish community chag sameach #Passover.’
Leavened bread is not eaten during the eight days of Passover in commemoration of the Jewish people’s flight from slavery in Egypt, which didn’t allow time for dough to rise into bread.
Jeremy Corbyn’s party later posted an updated graphic, with the star of David but without the loaf of bread.
Labour’s Passover greeting included a graphic of a loaf of bread – which is specifically banned during the festival
Later today Labour tweeted a second Happy Passover message with the loaf of bread removed
The post led to a storm of criticism on Twitter, where Labour was slammed for its ‘religious illiteracy’
Jeremy Corbyn’s party made the mistake following repeated claims that it is antisemitic
The inclusion of the image in an official tweet by Labour – alongside a Star of David and a goblet – led to a barrage of criticism.
Although the mistake was not in itself anti-Semitic, some observers said it was symptomatic of a party that does not understand Jewish people.
Yair Rosenberg, from Tablet magazine, wrote: ‘The British Labour party has been racked by anti-Semitism scandals for years, tweeted a Passover greeting – featuring bread. They had to correct it. You cannot make this up. To be clear, that is obviously not anti-Semitic. It’s just entirely predictable and utterly hilarious.’
Lahav Harkov, from the Jerusalem Post, added: ‘This is the Pesach [Passover] graphic you get when all the Jews leave your party.’
Jack Mendel tweeted: ‘Guys, this is a loaf of bread. On passover Jews don’t eat bread. it’s a whole festival of NOT EATING BREAD.’
One Twitter user responded: ‘Astonishing (but sadly unsurprising) basic religious illiteracy from @UKLabour.’
Another said: ‘Is this a joke? You know we don’t eat bread during Pesach.’
And one wrote: ‘Got to laugh. @ukLabour trying to inclusive to Jews celebrating #Passover. The one thing observant Jews specifically avoid at passover is bread.’
The leavened bread was included alongside a Star of David and a goblet. Pictured: Tweets responding to the post
It comes after months of criticism over the party’s handling of allegations of anti-Semitism within its ranks.
Prime Minister Theresa May also tweeted a Passover message in which she wished Jewish families ‘gathering around the seder table this evening a very happy and peaceful Pesach’.
She said: ‘Today is a chance to celebrate the enormous and lasting contribution made by the Jewish community in the UK, in every walk of life.’
Jeremy Corbyn’s party has been dogged by allegations of anti-Semitism ever since he became leader more than three years ago.
He rejected calls to sack Richard Burgon, his justice spokesman, after footage emerged of him claiming ‘Zionism is the enemy of peace’, a comment he had denied making.
Later yesterday a video of Mr Corbyn speaking to Momentum activist Tania Shew about Passover was posted on his Twitter.
He wrote: ‘I had the pleasure of sitting down with Tania, a young Jewish Labour member, to discuss the meaning of Passover. I wish Jewish communities in Britain and across the world Chag Sameach.’