A group of 68 British Rabbis from across the denominational spectrum have signed an unprecedented letter urging Labour “to listen to the Jewish community" and adopt the full International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA) definition of antisemitism.

In a sign of how frustrated British Jews have become with Jeremy Corbyn's Labour, strictly Orthodox rabbis joined the senior UK rabbis of Reform, Masorti and Liberal Judaism to "speak out with one Jewish voice" because "antisemitism within sections of the Labour party has become so severe and widespread".

The letter was published in the Guardian ahead of Tuesday’s national executive committee (NEC) meeting where members will vote on whether to approve a new code of conduct on antisemitism that omits key parts of the IHRA definition relating to criticism of Israel.

These include accusing Jewish citizens of being more loyal to Israel than their own nations, claiming that the existence of the state of Israel is a racist endeavour and comparing Israeli actions to the Nazis.Labour has argued those examples are already covered in the wider new code of conduct.

"The Labour party’s leadership has chosen to ignore those who understand antisemitism the best, the Jewish community," the Rabbis' letter says.

"By claiming to know what’s good for our community, the Labour party’s leadership have chosen to act in the most insulting and arrogant way."

Among the signatories were Rabbi Dr Harvey Belovski, Senior Rabbi, Golders Green Synagogue and Vice-Chair, Rabbinical Council of the United Synagogue, Rabbi Joseph Dweck, Senior Rabbi, Spanish and Portuguese Sephardi Community of the UK, Rabbi Laura Janner-Klausner, Senior Rabbi to Reform Judaism and Rabbi Nicky Liss, Highgate Synagogue and Chair, Rabbinical Council of the United Synagogue.

The Jewish Labour Movement coordinated the letter signing and said the 68 Rabbis represented the voices of over 30,000 British Jewish households.

As it was published on Monday, Labour MPs gathered to meet at parliament and voted overwhelmingly for a motion calling on the party to adopt the full IHRA definition of Jew hate, defying the party's leadership.

Rabbi Harvey Belovski, Senior Rabbi, Golders Green Synagogue and Vice-Chair, said: “The spiritual leaders of the Jewish community have spoken with unprecedented unity on this vital issue, and expect the Labour Party to respond to our concerns by immediately adopting the IHRA definition of antisemitism in full.”

Rabbi Laura Janner-Klausner, Senior Rabbi to Reform Judaism, said: “We know that there is the possibly of change of attitude within the leadership of the Labour Party, and we expect the Leader of the Opposition to show moral leadership in respecting the rights of minority communities to self-define.”Read more at The JC