Geoffrey Cohen (nom de plume)
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Geoffrey Cohen is a multiple-use name, an "open reputation" informally adopted and shared by members of Jewdas and Jewish activists all over Britain.
The first known reference to Geoffrey Cohen appeared on 26 September 2006 in an article by Ruth Gledhill, Religion Correspondent for The Times.[1]
"It’s not about the polarities of either abandoning the past or returning to it. This is about choosing elements of the past and we want to challenge nationalism and materialism." ~ Geoffrey Cohen
Cohen adheres to Derrida’s idea of a radical tradition, and prefers bicycles over SUVs, and is a post-Zionist vegan with a Jew-fro.[2]
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[edit] The real Geoffrey Cohen
The multiple identity uncannily coincides with the Orthodox Rabbi Dr. Geoffrey Cohen who used to be head Rabbi for Stanmore and Canons Park Synagogue.
The reasons why the Geoffrey Cohens chose that particular name is as yet unclear to mainstream journalists, however during an interview, Geoffrey Cohen stated that the name was chosen to create "a mystery element" and to preserve anonymity.[3]
Claims that Cohen (Jewdas) is named after Cohen (Stanmore), are hotly contested by Cohen (Jewdas) who claims to have a 'timeless status', meaning that it would not be possible to be preceded by any 'namesakes'.
[edit] Radical Jewish Tradition
The ‘radical Jewish tradition’, as Cohen sees it, includes the work of such diverse figures as Emma Goldman, Albert Einstein, Karl Marx, Martin Buber and Amos Oz.
"Political activism was not separate from their Jewishness, whatever they claim", says Cohen.[4]
"We take our inspiration from diasporic Jewish philosophers, and the anarchist and socialist heritage of the Jewish East End. We want our fellow Jews to stand tall and feel proud in their yiddishkeit. Our reward for this... is scorn and now, arrest. We don’t ask to be accepted, but we do ask to be allowed to carry on inspiring young Jews to take pride in who they are. And we'd prefer not to be arrested, thank you very much." ~ Geoffrey Cohen, The Times
[edit] A selection of Geoffrey Cohen's campaigns, hoaxes, and stunts
[edit] Make Melanie Smile campaign (February 2006)
The ‘Make Melanie Smile’ campaign asks supporters and readers of the the conservative Daily Mail columnist, Melanie Phillips to send emails which might help to cheer her up.[5]
[edit] Reclaiming racist imagery (September/October 2006)
"The reclamation of racist imagery has a long intellectual history, most relevant to the contemporary Jewish spectrum in Heeb magazine's choice of name. Furthermore, Sacha Baron-Cohen's character Borat fulfills a similar purpose - by ridiculing anti-Semitism, you defuse it. We want to confront the madness of anti-Semitism, not run from it as we are encouraged to do by Jewish security groups."[6]
“This is especially relevant as we approach the 70th anniversary of the battle of Cable Street. We throw the anti-Semites’ images back at them.” ~ Geoffrey Cohen, The Times
[edit] References
- Article in Times by Ruth Gledhill, Times Religion Correspondent, 26 September 2006
- Interview by Natalie Rothschild, 4 October 2006
- Article in the Jersualem Post by Jonny Paul, 26 October, 2006
[edit] External links
- www.jewdas.org
- Article in the Guardian Newspaper by Benjamin Joffe-Walt, Monday March 20, 2006
- Letter in the Guardian Newspaper from Benjamin Joffe-Walt, Wednesday March 22 2006
