London – This is the image which the BBC has been using to illustrate how British Jews cope with grief.
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The mocked-up picture ran alongside a feature on the corporation’s website giving practical tips on dealing with bereavement and explaining how different religions conduct funerals.
It was used on the page for months, but has now been replaced with a picture of a candle after the JC asked the corporation to explain why the image had been selected.
A BBC spokesman admitted the scale of its website meant mistakes occur but could offer no further explanation of why the image had been used.
He said the section of the site was no longer being updated and there had been no review of its content to check whether it was “appropriate”.
The Board of Deputies this week alerted the corporation to its concerns over the general use of images of Jews on the website.
In a letter to BBC director of news Helen Boaden, Board chief executive Jon Benjamin wrote: “On a number of occasions we have been mystified by the BBC’s use of ‘generic pictures’ which depict only members of the strictly-Orthodox sects of the community.”
He highlighted two news stories about mainstream Judaism — one a community cultural event in Belfast and the other the building of the JCoSS cross-communal school — which carried pictures of Charedi men, complete with black hats, peyot, and flowing beards.
“They in no way illustrate the subject matter of the stories in question or, indeed, mainstream Jewish life in the UK or anywhere in the world,” added Mr Benjamin.
The BBC spokesman said: “We always try to use an appropriate and relevant image and are more than happy to discuss this issue with the Board of Deputies to ensure we reflect the breadth of the Jewish community.”
Whats wrong with the picture? Can anyone explain
It is us with our black hats and beards who get the brunt of most anti-semitic abuse here in the UK, not the average clean shaven bare headed “board of deputies” member, so maybe we deserve to be representative of Judaism. BTW the picture is ridiculously unrealistic and makes me wonder if the portrayal of other minorities in the media is just as unrealistic.
Is it the payos etc that bothers them or is it the obviously photoshopped picture made to make chasidim or yiddin in general look like idiots???
The portrait and posture reflects the way they look at Chassidim; as idiots. At least it’s better then Shylock.
Another example of the BBC’s racism against Jews and Israel. Jews in the UK should make Aliyah or move to the US. It’s not safe for Jews in the UK anymore.
we should be proud that the depiction of a frum yid is a black hat yid. After all thats what most Torah Jews look like! And furthermore as assimlation continues it will be all but the majority of what Jews look like.
Because you consider them silly, that’s why you can’t understand what the fuss is all about.
I too am a Chosid and don’t know any Chosid who is hostile or scared of cameras and the media. Hostility to long peiyos is also hostility.
what else do u expect from a news org that’s obsessed with yidden in general & chareidim in particular?????
The BBC ? They are so IRRELEVANT in this day and age. They think this will score them some ratings. If I were them I’d watch my back ’cause London is turning into Londonstan and pretty soon instead of ‘G-d save the queen’ it’ll be G-d save the caliph’.
Mr BBC, if you are listening I am not camera shy and willing to pose for the caption of any article about Jews, for an extra five quid i’ll even bring my shtreimel along. I saw on the website of one of the British papers an article on “Ultra orthodox Jews”, with a picture of someone in a small kippah serugah sat learning, at the top.
This depiction is of a clean looking, handsome Chassid. He might look a little Italian, but if this was a yid guy on the “market” he would probably be happy if the shadchan used this picture.
I’m not offended.
This picture is fraudulent. The man has long payos but has a cleanly shaven face. He is wearing a blazer with gold buttons on the sleeves, not a kapota. He is wearing a regular neck tie. No Chassidim wear neckties. This is a fraudulent picture to mock and deride British Jews. The BBC hates Jews and Israel. Look at their record. They are disgusting.
how does one have such long peyos and no beard?