The universe that letter-writer Philip Weiss inhabits clearly operates according to different rules. In this universe, however, the fact is that elements within the United Church of Canada (UCC) have made persistent attempts to drag the church into a non-productive and antagonistic position on the Middle East. It is also a fact that the UCC has acknowledged that the decision to make funding available to the group Independent Jewish Voices (IJV) was not made by the membership, and that such funding is unusual. It is also a fact that the IJV appeared at the UCC’s general council meeting in August and supported resolutions which called for boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israel — resolutions that were based on support documents that were frankly anti-Semitic. Thankfully, the delegates of the UCC general council were basically unanimous in rejecting these spurious documents.

A small group within the UCC, unable to find mainstream Jewish support for their anti-Israel obsession has therefore chosen to fund a splinter group with no standing within the Jewish community and present it as a credible voice. We think this sort of meddling, and the desperate willingness of the IJV to maintain its facade of respectability, is very much worthy of media coverage.

As for Mr. Weiss’s claim that the position of CJC is an insult to millions of Jews who believe in equal rights, let me be clear: The only insult that was intended was to the IJV. Its members should be pleased that someone thought IJV was worth $900. I hope the UCC kept the receipt.

Bernie M. Farber, CEO, Canadian Jewish Congress, Toronto.