Britain’s new Labor leader, controversial among Jews, claims Jewish ancestry

Jeremy Corbyn told The Church Times that while his immediate family is Christian, he has a “Jewish element” in his background.

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(JTA) — The new leader of Britain’s Labor Party, who has been accused of tolerating anti-Semitism, said he has some Jewish ancestry.

Jeremy Corbyn told The Church Times that while his immediate family is Christian, he has a “Jewish element” in his background, the United Kingdom’s Jewish News reported.

In the interview with the Christian publication, he described himself as “not anti-religious at all,” adding, “I go to churches, I go to mosques, I go to temples, I go to synagogues. I find religion very interesting. I find the power of faith very interesting.”

Corbyn’s election earlier this month has generated concern in British Jewry’s ranks, where many resent his views critical of Israel and endorsement of anti-Semitic enemies of the Jewish state, including the Islamist militant groups Hamas and Hezbollah.

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