The official Twitter account of U.K.’s Labour Party displayed ignorance of basic Jewish history Friday when it commemorated Passover with an image featuring a loaf of leavened bread.
“As Jewish people prepare for Passover,” the tweet began, “we’re wishing everyone in the Jewish community chag sameach. #Passover” Beneath the friendly greeting was an image featuring a Star of David along with what appear to be the elements of the Eucharist in some denominations of Christianity: a chalice of wine and a fluffy, fully-leavened bread loaf. The image concluded with the words, “Happy Passover from everyone at Labour Party.” (RELATED: Mike Pence Condemns Rep. Omar For Push ‘Anti-Semitic’ Tropes)
According to Exodus 12, Jews celebrated the first Passover as they were preparing to flee from their bondage in Egypt. Specifically, the Feast of Unleavened Bread was symbolic of the haste with which they were commanded to escape the land cursed by God for its idolatry and oppression of His people.
Leaven would become a recurring symbol in Hebrew literature for the negative influence of idolatry and sin.
Though quietly deleted and replaced with a tweet that did not feature the Christian symbols, the gaffe did not go unnoticed.
They put a loaf of bread on a Passover greeting. A loaf of bread! They have since deleted and reposted but still…
cc: @jeremycorbyn pic.twitter.com/ZDs3XyD2TD
— Yashar Ali ???? (@yashar) April 19, 2019
The British Labour party, which has been wracked by anti-Semitism scandals for years, tweeted a Passover greeting—featuring bread. They had to correct it. You cannot make this up. pic.twitter.com/K7ExQakMwY
— (((Yair Rosenberg))) (@Yair_Rosenberg) April 19, 2019
Labour Party sends Passover greetings with a loaf of bread – a holiday during which observers are prohibited from eating leave.
In the institutionally anti-Semitic party there were apparently no Jews left to give advice. pic.twitter.com/LiOtyxAxR9
— Julie Lenarz (@MsJulieLenarz) April 19, 2019
This is the Pesach graphic you get when all the Jews leave your party pic.twitter.com/rqbtN6E0Le
— Lahav Harkov (@LahavHarkov) April 19, 2019
Numerous elements of the Labour Party have been accused of anti-Semitism in recent years, and Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn has been a frequent subject of such criticism. Since the party implemented a new “complaints procedure” in April 2018, Labour members have faced 673 allegations of anti-Semitism, which led to the sanction of 296 people, as of January. (RELATED: House Overwhelmingly Approves Motion To Condemn Anti-Semitism Amid Omar Fallout)
Nevertheless, journalist Yair Rosenberg maintains that the recent tweet was likely just a case of incompetence and historical illiteracy:
To be clear, this is obviously not anti-Semitic. It’s just entirely predictable and utterly hilarious. https://t.co/zljNjVZQVQ
— (((Yair Rosenberg))) (@Yair_Rosenberg) April 19, 2019